Working with Opposites

[malka]

Interesting - Recenty I asked a couple questions about a situation with another person and received 31 both times. Then, feeling impatient about this situation a couple weeks later, I asked two different but related questions. I received 41 both times.

The situation itself isn't as important as my wishing to understand Yi. Somewhere I read that 31 and 41 are opposites, do you agree? What has been people's experience with receiving opposite answers, and how have you worked with this yourselves?

In my situation, it might be that becuse there was a time lag between questions, the opposite answers might simply reflect a change of the times. Or, it could be I asked too many questions. Or, it could be the roots of both possibilities exist within the answer.

I welcome a discussion about working with opposite readings that others may have experienced.......


Blessings,
Malka

 

[megabobby]

31---good invigorating yin yang interplay
41--the yin that is in the ruling place gets spoiled by the yang

an invigorating situation that one gets to rule passively, the flip flop might make it seem like the good position is too good to be true--for the less daring---don't let doubters spoil the fun.

megarectifier

 

[bradford_h]

Dear Malka-
Just to keep the language precise, 31 and 41 are Reverse Hexagrams (Jiao Gua), not Opposites (Pang Tong Gua) and not Inverses (Qian Gua), Reverse Hexagrams have their constituent trigrams reversed.
The same elements are in play, but subjective (Inner, Nei or Zhen Gua) and objective (Outer, Wai or Hui Gua) are reversed.
Brad

 

[martin]

If I may add to the confusion:
In 31-41 the trigrams exchange places *and* every yin(yang) line of 31 is replaced by a yang (yin) line in 41.

 

[gene]

31 is indeed the opposite of 41. I find the individual lines of 31 often very hard to interpret, though not the hexagram as a whole. In 31 the 5th line is yang and the second yin, meaning they are correct and correspond with each other, and thus the hexagram lends itself to a marriage, or bringing things together that belond together. Mutual attraction binds objects, bringing them together into a holding pattern with each other. Therefore, an argument can be made, and I am not necessarily defending the argument, but the argument is since it is love that creates an attraction, then gravity is the power of love.

In 41 the 5th and second line also correspond, but they are not in the correct positions. Here there is also the possibility of a marriage, but in these cases often the woman is of a higher social status. That is not necessarily material in the interpretation of the hexagram though. But while in hexagram 31 opposites are being brought together in unification, in 41 there is a breaking off of the unnecessary element. Hence, in line 3, when three journey together, their numbers decrease by one. So in contrast to a unit being formed by adding two elements, here a unit is being formed by the inappropriate element being eliminated. I suppose it could be said, the more things are opposite, the more they are the same.

Gene

 

[bradford_h]

Malka and Gene-
oops
sorry to add to the confusion
31 and 41 are both reverse and opposite
shuffling feet, head hung in shame,
but the names I gave for them are still useful
and have been in use for two thousand years
brad

 

[hilary]

Ah - I was planning on popping up to say that yes, they were literally opposites: good to see someone else got in while I was asleep.

Here is a question that someone might like to write a book about:

Is there any general principle about the connection in meaning between reverse (ie trigram-reversed) hexagrams?

Opposites (/complements, as Supa calls them) are a little easier - to theorise about, anyway.

31 and/ versus 41... two ways of feeling connection to others? 31 becomes wide open, is intimately connected, completely vulnerable... generally, it allows influence in. 41 lets things, or people, go - makes offerings, simplifies. Perhaps both do more allowing than making-happen.

Maybe there is more meaning/sense to be had here if we enlarge the frame a smidgen, and see the two opposite pairs: 41 and 42, offering and blessing, the cycle of abundance in perpetual motion, and 31 and 32, influence and fixing - both letting the influence in, and also making it a permanent part of life, that can weather changes.

Hm - generally when I start writing sentences that long, it's a bad sign. (*Holding the baton out for someone who can find the track*)

 

[chrislofting]

Hilary,

you wrote:
> By Hilary (Hilary) on Saturday, October 11, 2003 - 09:55 am:
>
> Ah - I was planning on popping up to say that yes, they were
> literally opposites: good to see someone else got in while I
> was asleep. [

]
>
> Here is a question that someone might like to write a book
> about:
>
> Is there any general principle about the connection in
> meaning between reverse (ie trigram-reversed) hexagrams?
>
> Opposites (/complements, as Supa calls them) are a little
> easier - to theorise about, anyway.
>
> 31 and/ versus 41... two ways of feeling connection to
> others? 31 becomes wide open, is intimately connected,
> completely vulnerable... generally, it allows influence in.
> 41 lets things, or people, go - makes offerings, simplifies.
> Perhaps both do more allowing than making-happen.
>
> Maybe there is more meaning/sense to be had here if we
> enlarge the frame a smidgen, and see the two opposite pairs:
> 41 and 42, offering and blessing, the cycle of abundance in
> perpetual motion, and 31 and 32, influence and fixing - both
> letting the influence in, and also making it a permanent
> part of life, that can weather changes.
>

these are all pairs from the traditional sequence and since that sequence appears to be derived using recursion, the same method as in the binary sequence but applied to a different dichotomy, that of 01/64 rather than 01/02, so the patterns in the binary apply to the traditional. As such, each pair in the traditional reflect qualities derived from a more generic quality.

These different pairings, derived from different sequences, are covered for each hexagram in my pages off the Hexagram Notes - http://pages.prodigy.net/lofting/icpoints.html

Note in these pages the formation of quartets (e.g. 03, 08, 42, 20 etc that ties in with 04, 07, 41, 19) etc etc

Since all elements of the I Ching link together in many combinationd of pairs, quartets, octets etc so there is a rich seam of patterns to be mined ;-)

Chris.

 

[martin]

Hi Hilary,

My feeling is that trigram-reversed hexagrams (for example, the relating hexagram is the reverse of the first hexagram) highlight the trigrams.
The trigrams might give extra information that one cannot derive from the hexagrams. Or at least not so easily.
In such a case I will pay more attention to the natural symbolism of the trigrams, play - in a kind of free association mode - with possible meanings and see what comes up.

 

[malka]

Hilary,

You do have a gift for explaining things! I wish to hear more from you more often!

Malka

 

[hilary]

I will try to show my face more here, I really will. I'm experimenting with reducing the length of time I spend asleep - maybe this will help..

Thanks, Martin. The important part of your answer for me is 'in a kind of free association mode'. Much as I love elementary pattern-mining, I need to get a grip on my lust for formulas!