Memorizing the I Ching Hexagram 5

[rosada]

Hexagram 5.6

5.6
One falls into the pit.
Three uninvited guests arrive.
Honor them, and in the end there will be good fortune.

 

[nicky_p]

Reminds me of the 3 wise men in the nativity play.

 

[rosada]

Interesting connect, Nicky. There does seem to be a similar experience in both stories of being at the end of chain of events where one can do no more oneself, and then some outer world sign appears. In the story of Jesus, Mary has been told her baby is divine but there is nothing she can do to promote this idea, she can only Wait. (Perhaps she and Joseph were feeling giving birth in a barn was "the pits"!) Then at this low point, or perhaps we should call it a calm point, an ultimate yin point, a point where there is no yang opinion about what should happen next, the three wisemen enter validating Mary's intuition. Makes me see 5.Waiting as an expansion of 1.1 saying take no action and then 5.6 being similar to 1.2 with the three wisemen/uninvited guests representing the dragon appearing in the field.

Other thoughts along the same lines. We've been talking here about the meaning of yin and yang. I'm not sure if the ideas were resolved, or what happened to that discussion, but anyway, I feel it's fitting that we're looking at that here because really, this is what the whole journey is about, trying to distinguish yin from yang and flow with it. Hex 1 discribes Yang, hex.2 discribes yin. Hex 3 the difficulties of disentangling the two. Particularly these initial hexagrams emphasize the importance of not rushing ahead. Then in hex. 4 the fetters are removed. Does the Fool rush ahead, or at least take on more than his understanding prepares him for? Of course, because he can only know he's gone too far by experiencing going too far, or as Bruce says, by rising to his level of incompetance (The Peter Principle). So now the Fool is ready to pay attention to what he was first told in Hex1.1, to paraphrase, "Wait. Pay attention but take no action." If we wait, especially when we first wake up in the morning, what is yin and what is yang - what was a dream and what is real will sort itself out. Whereas if we take action too soon, we go from 5.1 Being sure of what we know, to 5.2 Being uncertain as to what is fact and what is rumor, and if instead of waiting until more facts come to light we keep talking our ignorance is found out and we slip into 5.3 and are attacked by those whom we offended with our know it all attitude. 5.4 suggests a turning point where we can recognize the dangerous spot our pretentious claims got us into, drop our facade and just get the heck out of the pit. If we do this, we find we can have a very poeasnt time waiting in a state of not knowing, 5.5. and if we can appreciate this good fortune without claiming we caused or even understand it, Lo! 5.6 Something brand new enters that was truly beyond our knowing or even our imaginings.

 

[hilary]

Yes - which is strange when you consider that we've spent this whole hexagram waiting for something to arrive. But now what comes is not what we 'invited' at all.

Many cultures tell stories of some strange- or disreputable-looking character who turns up on someone's doorstep. Some send him (or them) away because they're waiting for someone more important. Those who invite him in and treat him well find out that he's a divine messenger, or a god himself. This line makes me wonder if China had its own story of the unexpected guest.

 

[Trojina]

(Quote from rosada ) . Whereas if we take action too soon, we go from 5.1 Being sure of what we know, to 5.2 Being uncertain as to what is fact and what is rumor, and if instead of waiting until more facts come to light we keep talking our ignorance is found out and we slip into 5.3 and are attacked by those whom we offended with our know it all attitude. 5.4 suggests a turning point where we can recognize the dangerous spot our pretentious claims got us into, drop our facade and just get the heck out of the pit. If we do this, we find we can have a very poeasnt time waiting in a state of not knowing, 5.5. and if we can appreciate this good fortune without claiming we caused or even understand it, Lo! 5.6 Something brand new enters that was truly beyond our knowing or even our imaginings.[/QUOTE]

Er your 5,3 and 5, 4 sound more like 4,3 and 4,4 to me ? But then I see 5 as quite fated, more passive than most here seem to. No I don't see 5,4 the result of 'pretentious claims'. I've had it for literally being stuck in a location, but most often I think for me its meant waiting with much negativity, anxiety, stress, for which it is best to remove oneself as soon as possible and if not possible change attitude.
The reason I say I feel a fatedness about 5 is that if you are waiting for it the implication is that its on its way, otherwise you wouldn't be waiting, if you get my drift. Thus asking did I need to take action recently and getting 5,5 I thought yes I will have to take action, but not yet, which did prove to be correct.

How does this waiting lead to the conflict in hexagagram 6 ?

 

[toganm]

How does this waiting lead to the conflict in hexagagram 6 ?

Waiting for who or for what ? My understanding is waiting is for nourishement. Rain is needed so one can have a exuberant harvest. If there is not enough harvest that means resources for the winter will be limited so quarrels will begin hence conflict will arise

That is how I see it, YMMV
Best wishes
Togan

 

[Trojina]

Oh does it say the harvest is limited in hex 6 ?

 

[toganm]

Oh does it say the harvest is limited in hex 6 ?

Just as Yi Jing is full of metaphors, one should not read words literally in my opinon.

Best wishes

Togan

 

[Trojina]

Ah okay. So my question remains why should the waiting of 5 lead to the conflict in 6 ? Even if i don't take the 'limited harvest' literally, even if i take it metaphorically still, oh dear I can't even see a metaphor for a 'limited harvest' in 6. As far as I can see 6 is about arguing, we don't always argue about limited resources or lack.

 

[toganm]

Ah okay. So my question remains why should the waiting of 5 lead to the conflict in 6 ? Even if i don't take the 'limited harvest' literally, even if i take it metaphorically still, oh dear I can't even see a metaphor for a 'limited harvest' in 6. As far as I can see 6 is about arguing, we don't always argue about limited resources or lack.

Think it this way Hexgram five is Kan (Water) above Qian (Heaven) below. When Kan is above it does not mean water but clouds as the Image says:

"Clouds rise up to heaven; this constitutes the image of waiting."

Waiting for what ? waiting for the wind to move away the clouds. But clouds are Kan (water), so rain is expected though it has not yet arrived. So waiting is necessary.

Hex3 is the Beginning, The sprout is just started.
Hex 4 is the Youth ( or the clean spring coming from the mountain but it is not a river yet more water is needed so it could become a river and can be used to supply water to the field where the sprout is.

Hex 5 is the water that is waited by means of rain. When there is rain spring will become the river, providing enough water to the fields. Therefore there will be a good harvest.

If the rain does not come, then the resources will be limited for the following days,months hence there will be a conflict among people in using the limited supplies.

Hope this helps you to see how I come to the limited harvest causes conflict (hex 5 leading to hex 6)

Togan

 

[rosada]

Hi Trojan -

Well that's really interesting that you comment on how you've found 5.4 to indicate being literally stuck in a location, as that is what I was experiencing the day we were focusing on 5.4. We were waiting to meet folks on the bank of a river and there was literally nothing to do but wait. Luckily when the friends showed they wanted to go get breakfast - back to eating and drinking and joyous good cheer.

So I retract my above ultimate definitive version of 5.4. The new Rosada version is "Get out of the pit and go eat breakfast."

My personal life experience while we've been focused on hex 5 is that I've been restless and awake during sleep with disturbing dreams. As if I'm being shown that yin - sleep - and yang - awake are indeed two halves of the same experience. Indeed, in one of the dreams I was frantically looking for something and then I remembered, "Oh I left that on the 'awake side'" and then I woke up. So I'm seeing alot about yin and yang and how things we want on the 'wake side' already exist on the dream side, but haven't manefested over here - yet. By patiently waiting, not disturbing the energies with arguing and bloody tears (3.6 the ultimate confusion of yin and yang I think) the threads untangle and we get the rain or what ever it is we're waiting for. These dreams seem to be coming now on the cusp of Hex. 6 to show not that Waiting leads to Conflict, but that waiting leads to peace and quiet and thus we are prepared to receive the wisdom of hex.6, the understanding of how conflict can be avoided.

At least that's what I think now.

 

[bruce_g]

5 to 6: Once the waiting is over and the great water is crossed, you meet another tribe on the other side, who may view you and your ways as a threat. A cautious halt halfway brings good fortune - don't defend your ways too strongly. Going through to the end brings misfortune - you may wind up on their dinner plate or with your scalp hanging from a pole. It furthers one to see the great man: your leader and also the territorial chieftain. Hopefully they can come to peaceful terms.

 

[mudpie]

I can see you in your toga, Bruce, offering to smoke the peace pipe with the natives, as they welcome the three uninvited guests. hmmm, you, Rosada and Trojan. The rest of the clan waits in the boat..uncertain. BUt as the chieftain pulls his makeshift sword, you all run. You are not match for this conflict......go back to your hometown. quick.

Sadly, I just read a new story about how 5 turns into 6.....the crocodile hunter moved too soon, or too quickly. I loved that guy ) :

 

[bruce_g]

I think it goes without saying, the most common form of this territorial confrontation occurs in our own head. There’s the “establishment” and then there’s this new hero figure who shows up “to meet” the establishment. Likewise, it can represent the social dynamic of someone who has grown into a young adult, with high ideals, who is finished with formal schooling and goes out into the world for their first time.

 

[bruce_g]

Listener, yes, he was an interesting fellow. Definately a hero figure of sorts.

Well, retreat though we may, we gather our united forces as 7. Then we see how negotiations develop.

 

[hilary]

One side of the coin:
"I want it, I expect it, I'm waiting for it, I know it's coming, I'm ready for it..."

Other side:
"I'm entitled to it. I should have it. I haven't. There is something wrong with the world."

 

[Sparhawk]