Clarity,
Office 17622,
PO Box 6945,
London.
W1A 6US
United Kingdom
Phone/ Voicemail:
+44 (0)20 3287 3053 (UK)
+1 (561) 459-4758 (US).
Olga I'm afraid we misunderstood each other. This is not what I meant. I was replying to your question about line 17.4 - this one to be precise:So 17.1.4 means following something not good for us??
I was writing about why I believe that line 17.4 says that following and catching something brings misfortune. Hence I wrote that if we follow and catch something which is not good, then obviously that's not good for us. This is referring only to what line 17.4 says.Following makes a catch. Constancy, pitfall
Why is it pitfall to catch what you're following too often?
The line says that following in order to obtain, or following and obtaining, brings misfortune. Line 4 is after gains from above and below (lines 3 and 5), or possibly only from below (line 3). It behaves with greed and servility, and it is following the wrong course, hence this is an omen of misfortune. I hope that helps.What I don’t understand is whether the line says that what we’re following is good or not.
Or maybe it doesn’t say?
Line 4? Trickier. Not just beginning in the inner world, but beginning in the outer world (and zhi Hexagram 3, so yes… not an easy beginning, really trying to find our feet). What to do with the reading?
'Following makes a catch. Constancy, pitfall.
With truth and confidence, holding to the path with clarity,
How can this be wrong?'
Well… different people read this in different ways, but it works for me to read it in two parts:
'Following makes a catch – constancy, pitfall.'
Making a catch might look like the whole point of following (especially in the sense of 'pursuit'), like getting the message might look like the whole point of a reading. But constancy, pitfall… maybe saying, 'Aha, I’ve got the answer, now I know what it means, that’s settled…'? So nothing wrong with 'getting it', but quite a lot wrong with hanging on at all costs. (The character for 'catch' shows two dogs in the grass. Ever tried to separate a terrier from her prize?)
'With truth and confidence, holding to the path with clarity – how can this be wrong?'
Fu* – here and in line 5. One of my favourite characters – seeing it twice in this reading simply brings me joy.
And… it's the ongoing state of being connected, isn't it? Which is not at all the same as knowing the answer. So here is how it works and how it doesn't work, and the answer to line 4's 'what can I do with this?' question.
'True and confident in excellence.
Good fortune.'
'Excellence' (or 'praise' or simply 'good, bountiful') is a lovely character: voice-strong, meaning 'increase', and a drum. A celebratory crescendo of drumming! (Which is a beautiful fit with the line's zhi gua…)
That could be the full resonant enlivening 'aha!', couldn't it?
Also maybe 'true to the rhythm of things'?
Clarity,
Office 17622,
PO Box 6945,
London.
W1A 6US
United Kingdom
Phone/ Voicemail:
+44 (0)20 3287 3053 (UK)
+1 (561) 459-4758 (US).