I asked: what can you tell me about my great grandparents?

[BonBon]

I was dabbling with online searches and my grandparents because I couldn't remember what their parents names were. After I decided to ask the Iching what it could tell me about the GGPs. I got 15.1

15. Humbleness

Line 1:

Humble, humble is the noble one,
needing this to cross the big river.
Good fortune.

Being humble in order to get something done that is not easy. Things go well.
(The big river is much stronger than you. That force needs to be respected humbly in order to cross the river safely.)

 

[rosada]

15.1 > 36.
Hmm... you've asked a pretty broad question...so what would all these people - 8 great grandparents - have in common? Hmmm... crossing the big river leading .. darkening of the light...
I think the I Ching is saying they have all passed.

 

[rosada]

I think this is a really helpful question you've asked as it seems to make more clear the meaning of 15.Modesty which I think is the hexagram that says "we are all alike" - and thus the need to be modest. So 15.1 would say what's the one thing we all have in common? We're all gonna die. Off to look at the other lines to see how it builds..

 

[Freedda]

BonBon:

Durning the Second World War, President Roosevelt issued a wartime 'blackout' order. At a briefing he read from it:

"Such preparation shall be made as will completely obscure all buildings occupied ... during an air raid for any period of time from visibility by reason of internal or external illumination. Such obscuration may be obtained either by blackout construction or by terminating the illumination."

At one point he stopped and said:

"Rewrite that for me, will you? Tell them the buildings will have to keep their work going—put something across the windows. In buildings [where work can be stopped for a while], turn out the lights."

This has since been used as an example of clear, concise writing and communication. I mention it here because it seems to exemplify your reading -- both the idea of something being authentic (in this case Roosevelt's clear words interpreting an obscure order written in bureaucratic-speak) and the need to hide one's light (in this case to black out a factory in wartime).

Hexagram 15 seems to indicate that your GGPs were authentic people, perhaps who had modesty and integrity.

I find myself needing to be cautious here, to not superimpose my vision of my maternal grandparents (whom immigrated from Russia in the early 1900s) onto your GPPs -- nor to superimpose my particular vision of what being genuine or authentic is supposed to be like. It could well be that your ancestors were not working class Jews fleeing riots or the Tsar's army. Perhaps your GGPs were bankers, or professors, or from the princely class. It doesn't mean, however, that they were any less real, solid, authentic.

15.1 could indicate that their modesty and integrity served them in some way in some large undertaking. Perhaps traveling a greast distance to start a new life? Or some other 'transformation' that was furthered by their modesty and authenticity.

Hexagram 36 is brightness obscured or hidden. It is not the clouding over of something, but something being hidden intentionally to serve some ends -- blocking factory windows for example to keep them from being obvious bombing targets.

I am reminded, again from history, of the Crypto-Jews of Spain, who were forced to convert to Catholicism, but secretly kept and practiced their Jewish faith. Again, not to impose my vision, but I wonder if at some point your GPPs intentionly hid something about themselves -- their faith, or country of origin, a family member, their native language, or economic status (rich or poor) to get by, to achieve some ends?

Best, David.

 

[BonBon]

Thank you rosada and Freedda. You've provided really interesting insights. From a school project I did in primary school I know my GGPs emigrated from Poland and Italy to the US. I believe they were of little means on both my father's and mother's sides. Literally humble and needing to cross the big rivers.