The Revolution in Hexagram 53.6

[arabella]

The Yi and I have been chatting lately about the next stage of life. I can feel it approaching, that things are changing – partly because they have to and partly because everything is turning upsidedown because there is a lot of movement toward my house selling -- and that will cause lots of readjustment.

Nearly all of the castings for the future throw up something to do with Hexagram 49 and its various aspects. The latest enquiry into the future resulted in Hexagram 49 unchanging. So revolution is a very strong topic. But what kind of revolution? There are so many options for change right now it could be anything.

So I’ve asked the Yi to describe, “What is the nature of this revolution,” and the answer was Hexagram 53.6.

I’ve never, in my memory anyway, had 53.6 as a stand-alone moving line. I always love the sound of sacred feathers in a dance, but that kind of spiritual and ceremonial calm doesn't ring any bells -- and certainly doesn't sound revolutionary! Besides dispersing a household of stuff and selling a property at a huge loss, the only other personal association going on right now is rather distant and reserved connection with a guy-friend. Our relationship happens in fits and starts – an odd ceremonial dance at best.

What other kind of revolution could we be talking about? Whatever it is – I’m all for it. But this sounds very pretty and spiritual in relation to my immediate life -- taking a big financial and personal loss as I close out the last chapter of a property situation. That doesn’t strike me as 53.6 at all. So what else can 53.6 entail that might be coming now? It’s the final stage of something, but what and how/why revolutionary? Anybody have a relevant experience with 53.6 that might apply?

 

[Lavalamp]

Sounds like retirement. The top line represents end of life and this 6 has no correlate, feathers "falling", it has a flavor of something like solitude, widowhood, to me anyway. Yet there are spiritual and public matters you can serve as an elder with your wisdom.

I would simply tell the Yi I had no intention of ever getting any older than 40, and ask where that lovely man I need to get on with my life is ( is JOKE arabella! Don't not break Lavalamp... )

Past child bearing years, maybe having Grandchildren, peaceful life this line is I guess happy but it always makes me sad. I ain't gonna go out that way I tell ya!

 

[bradford]

The passage of time is integral to the meaning of 49, especially the changing of the seasons, and outgrowing things that you found useful before. 53.6 sounds pretty perfect for this. Moving on.

 

[arabella]

Sounds like retirement. The top line represents end of life and this 6 has no correlate, feathers "falling", it has a flavor of something like solitude, widowhood, to me anyway. Yet there are spiritual and public matters you can serve as an elder with your wisdom.

I would simply tell the Yi I had no intention of ever getting any older than 40, and ask where that lovely man I need to get on with my life is ( is JOKE arabella! Don't not break Lavalamp... )

Past child bearing years, maybe having Grandchildren, peaceful life this line is I guess happy but it always makes me sad. I ain't gonna go out that way I tell ya!

Yes, I can see that and even though I intend to keep on working [want to and must!] I could live VERY frugally without it. Which I've been doing for a while now and it's no fun at all.

My last child will be moving out soon -- to a far away place because of her own dreams. And I need to let her go graciously. Of course, as the "baby" of the family she represents the end of that part of life and of having children in the home. At the same time, this last "family home" is being sold and any of the kids who want stuff can take it with most of the rest being sold. I've thought a lot about future companionship but realise that both I and the other person would probably be pretty set in our ways and need a great spirit of negotiation. When I think about it, that in itself would be a ceremonial dance wouldn't it? You've come up with a good summary of a lot of things in the word "retirement" Lavalamp. I hadn't thought of it like that.

In many ways I'm not prepared for a tame and quiet life and It makes me sad too because I loved all of having kids and a home full of activity and growing. In some ways "peaceful" sounds boring after such a wild ride. But maybe i can learn to love it too.

 

[arabella]

The passage of time is integral to the meaning of 49, especially the changing of the seasons, and outgrowing things that you found useful before. 53.6 sounds pretty perfect for this. Moving on.

This is very apt -- the seasons. Considering how much shedding is going on now, I suppose it's Autumn with leaves falling everywhere. Great image. Autumn has always been the most exciting time of the year to me, as much as I love the warming and growing part. Autumn has a deepening mystery about it. So I hope that atmosphere will come into this stage of life too.

A lot that was useful is no more, very true, and that includes relationships of various types that have to disappear, or change and adapt, as well as possessions that are too much -- and really very burdensome -- for a person back on her own who is moving on.

Don't know if I can make this into the graceful ceremonial dance, but that would be fulfilling in itself, wouldn't it.

 

[arabella]

I've reflected on this some more, having accepted the idea that this is the closing of something, of a major phase of life. The ceremonial aspect is intriguing to me, because most life transitions in my experience have been something other than traditional or planned.

Combining ceremonial with the inexorable Seasons idea and combining that with the circumstances, I'm thinking that this CAN be celebratory and have that leisurely sense of ceremonial transition, partly because I'm doing some of it a bit prematurely -- so I'm caling the shots so to speak.

That is, I am disbanding a former way of life because I want to, not because I have to. Not because it's time for the old age home or because i must "down-size" as they call it. I'm changing priority, I feel, in keeping with curiosity about what could possibly come next?? I think to find the next phase it is expedient to release the old season in all its forms.

Older friends are advising me that I should keep the current mode and revel in the "stuff" that has accumulated over years of family life, stay in a big house and just invite friends. I feel that to disperse the stuff now, or recoup some of the investment from it, is more to the point. Friends a few decades my senior are saying they waited until the last moment to relinquish a family home. I don't feel that living in the midst of this stuff is productive. The investment was in the people -- not the household goods and property - and the people are all moving independently now. Whatever I've got that will help them, they can have now -- not thirty years hence when their families are raised as well.

The ceremony I think, is to make this happen by choice, not by necessity. To give away what holds important memories and things that they will treasure or get great practical use of. And I'll be around, presumably, for some time to see them enjoy it. It's a privilege to have a chance to take these steps myself, to relive some of the great moments we had together, rather than the children have some "inheritance" some day without explanation of what it all meant to me, or chance to reminisce. That opportunity to reminisce would seem to be part of the "ceremony." It's also a part of accepting in a very positive way that these "kids" are all independent adults now and building on their own.

Maybe I'm repeating myself here, but this just really hit home and I'm kind of glowing with the thought!

 

[Lavalamp]

You know Arabella. there is such a thing as "grandma's house." Maybe if you meet someone. your spot is the better of the two, you never know so - is there really a rush? It might be best, I don't know, but if you don't like the big house sitting empty now you can always take in a lodger for a little while...

 

[arabella]

You know Arabella. there is such a thing as "grandma's house." Maybe if you meet someone. your spot is the better of the two, you never know so - is there really a rush? It might be best, I don't know, but if you don't like the big house sitting empty now you can always take in a lodger for a little while...

Yes, this is what my friends are suggesting: that I keep this house until there are grandchildren who might visit. This was my mother's philosophy, but we live on a world scale, our family is scattered over more than half the earth. Nobody has been to her place in ten years -- she is the one traveling for family occasions. And so my kids harp at me: do what suits only you! My house isn't a long-standing home base they know well and will miss. It's just the latest in a long, long line of residences that hold the past -- some of it still in boxes never unpacked. So I think I am realistic to say it's not worth preserving for the odd occasion when somebody might be able to visit.

The house in question would take quite a few lodgers to fill. It would make a great business in fact. But not the kind of business I know how to run. Best to be logical and let it go I think.

 

[Lavalamp]

Well probably best then. Hard enough to get your kids permission on much I bet! So might as well go with it - good luck.

 

[ginnie]

The house in question would take quite a few lodgers to fill. It would make a great business in fact. But not the kind of business I know how to run. Best to be logical and let it go I think.

What is the nature of the revolution: 53.6 > 39.

Stephen Karcher writes on this line: "This does not allow disorder." I think this may have to do with the way the house is sold ... hopefully an orderly progression to the legalities ... and the way the boxes of things are dispersed ... so that everything gets sorted through, the kids end up with what they want, and the rest is disposed of in various ways.

There's really quite a lot of work involved.

I have gotten 53.6 a number of times in my life and there has always been a decision to let go of people, situations, or things. My identity shifted and I found I no longer needed those trappings, so I left them for other people who still placed a lot of value in things like that.

I was thinking, Arabella: Doesn't your group meet in your house? Do you have another place lined up for your group to meet after your house is sold?

 

[arabella]

What is the nature of the revolution: 53.6 > 39.

Stephen Karcher writes on this line: "This does not allow disorder." I think this may have to do with the way the house is sold ... hopefully an orderly progression to the legalities ... and the way the boxes of things are dispersed ... so that everything gets sorted through, the kids end up with what they want, and the rest is disposed of in various ways.

There's really quite a lot of work involved.

I have gotten 53.6 a number of times in my life and there has always been a decision to let go of people, situations, or things. My identity shifted and I found I no longer needed those trappings, so I left them for other people who still placed a lot of value in things like that.

I was thinking, Arabella: Doesn't your group meet in your house? Do you have another place lined up for your group to meet after your house is sold?

Great insight Ginnie. This transition does have to happen in an orderly way or I'll go mad. And this is the time for everybody to chime in on what they want and be happy [or not!] for all time. I'm rather relieved to see it dispersing and feel like a burden is coming off of me. As you say, there's a lot there that I just don't value as others might.

It's also a big identity shift. Somewhere in the back of my mind for more than a decade now, I'm still living an American lifestyle I once had that hasn't existed in reality for ages. This makes my real life, the present one, feel "temporary" and yet this is it for the long haul. I'm not that person who owns all the stuff -- and haven't been for quite a while -- but haven't made the mental shift. Maybe because so much is unfinished. And now it can be settled and done with.

Actually, the group meets at my flat, which is rented and quite tiny. I won't be able to stay quite this small and retain the things I do want from the house. I'll have to get a slightly larger place with an extra room or two, and incorporate those things I'd like to keep. Amazing you remember that Ginnie! But don't worry, the activities here will continue. The house being sold is in France. It's been such a liability I can't tell you! Seeing the back of it will be monumental. And once it's gone, financial stability will return and I can sleep at night!

 

[ginnie]

Amazing you remember that Ginnie!

Thanks for the compliment!

But don't worry, the activities here will continue. The house being sold is in France. It's been such a liability I can't tell you! Seeing the back of it will be monumental.

Selling a house in another country ... no wonder Yi says this revolution must be orderly. Good luck!!!