There were "old" features in your gua (hexagram). It means that you have two hexagrams. The first one — is something that the Book tells you at the moment, the second is something it warns you about. |
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  20. Viewing (guān). ContemplationAdvise
You may work day and night long, but no fruit can be grown without spiritual work.
Inital text of I ChingThe Judgement
Contemplation. The ablution has been made, but not yet the offering. Full of trust they look up to him.
The Image
The wind blows over the earth: The image of Contemplation. Thus the kings of old visited the regions of the world, contemplated the people, and gave them instruction.
- Boylike contemplation. For an inferior man, no blame. For a superior man, humiliation.
- Contemplation through the crack of the door. Furthering for the perseverance of a woman.
- Contemplation of my life decides the choice between advance and retreat.
- Contemplation of the light of the kingdom. It furthers one to exert influence as the guest of a king.
- Contemplation of my life. The superior man is without blame.
- Contemplation of his life. The superior man is without blame.
Prediction
It is time of external harmony. Much has been achieved. It is time to step back and look at its movement through the eyes of a stranger - you need objectivity. Do not seek to cover all with common eye - gradually learn about the essentials, learn the essence. Most of all, concentration and inner truth are needed. Self-deception is dangerous! It is time of active inner work, evolving, soul-searching.
A slight variation of tonal stress gives the Chinese name for this hexagram a
double meaning. It means both contemplating and being seen, in the sense
of being an example. These ideas are suggested by the fact that the hexagram
can be understood as picturing a type of tower characteristic of ancient China.
A tower of this kind commanded a wide view of the country; at the same
time, when situated on a mountain, it became a landmark that could be seen
for miles around. Thus the hexagram shows a ruler who contemplates the
law of heaven above him and the ways of the people below, and who, by
means of good government, sets a lofty example to the masses.
This hexagram is linked with the eight month (September-October). The
light-giving power retreats and the dark power is again on the increase.
However, this aspect is not material in the interpretation of the hexagram as a
whole.
THE JUDGMENT
The sacrificial ritual in China began with an ablution and a libation by which
the Deity was invoked, after which the sacrifice was offered. The moment of
time between these two ceremonies is the most sacred of all, the moment of
deepest inner concentration. If piety is sincere and expressive of real faith, the
contemplation of it has a transforming awe-spiring effect on those who
witness it.
Thus also in nature a holy seriousness is to be seen in the fact that natural
occurrences are uniformly subject to law. Contemplation of the divine
meaning underlying the workings of the universe gives to the man who is
called upon to influence others the means of producing like effects. This
requires that power of inner concentration which religious contemplation
develops in great men strong in faith. It enables them to apprehend the
mysterious and divine laws of life, and by means of profoundest inner
concentration they give expression to these laws in their own persons. Thus
a hidden spiritual power emanates from them, influencing and dominating
others without their being aware of how it happens.
THE IMAGE
When the wind blows over the earth it goes far and wide, and the grass must
bend to its power. These two occurrences find confirmation in the hexagram.
The two images are used to symbolize a practice of the kings of old; in making
regular journeys the ruler could, in the first place, survey his realm and make
certain that none of the existing usages of the people escaped notice; in the
second, he could exert influence through which such customs as were
unsuitable could be changed.
All of this points to the power possessed by a superior personality. On the
one hand, such a man will have a view of the real sentiments of the great
mass of humanity and therefore cannot be deceived; on the other, he will
impress the people so profoundly, by his mere existence and by the impact of
his personality, that they will be swayed by him as the grass by the wind.
1
This means contemplation from a distance, without comprehension. A man
of influence is at hand, abut his influence is not understood by the common
people. This matters little in the case of the masses, for they benefit by the
actions of the ruling sage whether they understand them or not. But for a
superior man it is a disgrace. He must not content himself with a shallow,
thoughtless view of prevailing forces; he must contemplate them as a
connected whole and try to understand them.
2
Through the crack of the door one has a limited outlook; one looks outward
from within. Contemplation is subjectively limited. One tends to relate
everything to oneself and cannot put oneself in another's place and
understand his motives. This is appropriate for a good housewife. It is not
necessary for her to be conversant with the affairs of the world. But for a man
who must take active part in public life, such a narrow, egotistic way of
contemplating things is of course harmful.
3
This is the place of transition. We no longer look outward to receive pictures
that are more or less limited and confused, but direct out contemplation upon
ourselves in order to find a guideline for our decisions. This self-
contemplation means the overcoming of naive egotism in the person who
sees everything solely form his own standpoint. He begins to reflect and in
this way acquires objectivity. However, self-knowledge does not mean
preoccupation with one's own thoughts; rather, it means concern about the
effects one creates. It is only the effects our lives produce that give us the
right to judge whether what we have done means progress or regression.
4
This describes a man who understands the secrets by which a kingdom can be
made to flourish. Such a man must be given an authoritative position, in
which he can exert influence. He should be, so to speak, a guest-that is, he
should be honored and act independently, and should not be used as a tool.
5
A man in an authoritative position to whom others look up must always be
ready for self-examination. The right sort of self-examination, however,
consists not in idle brooding over oneself but in examining the effects one
produces. Only when these effects are good, and when one's influence on
others is good, will the contemplation of one's own life bring the
satisfaction of knowing oneself to be free of mistakes.
6
While the preceding line represents a man who contemplates himself, here
in the highest place everything that is personal, related to the ego, is excluded.
The picture is that of a sage who stands outside the affairs of the world.
Liberated from his ego, he contemplates the laws of life and so realizes that
knowing how to become free of blame is the highest good.
Barbara Hejslip interpretationYou should be to ready to probable and unexpected troubles. Try to consider and analyse a state of affairs easy and judiciously. Probably, that to you it will be necessary to replace a residence and work. Try anything important to not miss, you need to be now especially attentive. You can receive the help therefrom, whence least wait, for this purpose it is necessary to think over carefully only all the actions. Your desires will be executed, maybe, not so quickly as you would like. It is necessary for you to consider opportunities of realization of your plans well. Well, and if your business will go successfully do not forget to assist another.
  43. Parting (guài). BreakthroughAdvise
Good intentions can lead to good or to trouble. Control your stream; be careful as it can destroy and disable.
Inital text of I ChingThe Judgement
Break-through. One must resolutely make the matter known at the court of the king. It must be announced truthfully. Danger. It is necessary to notify one's own city. It does not further to resort to arms. It furthers one to undertake something.
The Image
The lake has risen up to heaven: The image of Break-through. Thus the superior man dispenses riches downward and refrains from resting on his virtue.
- Mighty in the forward-striding toes. When one goes and is not equal to the task, one makes a mistake.
- A cry of alarm. Arms at evening and at night. Fear nothing.
- To be powerful in the cheekbones brings misfortune. The superior man is firmly resolved. He walks alone and is caught in the rain. He is bespattered, and people murmur against him. No blame.
- There is no skin on his thighs, and walking comes hard. If a man were to let himself be led like a sheep, remorse would disappear. But if these words are heard they will not be believed.
- In dealing with weeds, firm resolution is necessary. Walking in the middle remains free of blame.
- No cry. In the end misfortune comes.
Prediction
The excess of the creative power requires output. There are no obstacles, but you need to create them yourself- self-control and restraint are needed, otherwise impulse will result in aggression, a creative turn in destructive, chaos will prevail. Protecting your interests, do not be aggressive. Get ready to work alone. Gradual progress will slow. Difficulty is inside: you feel where to go, but do not realize why. It is time to clarify the purpose.
This hexagram signifies on the one hand a break-through after a long
accumulation of tension, as a swollen river breaks through its dikes, or in the
manner of a cloudburst. On the other hand, applied to human conditions, it
refers to the time when inferior people gradually begin to disappear. Their
influence is on the wane; as a result of resolute action, a change in conditions
occurs, a break-through. The hexagram is linked with the third month
(April-May).
THE JUDGMENT
Even if only one inferior man is occupying a ruling position in a city, he is
able to oppress superior men. Even a single passion still lurking in the heart
has power to obscure reason. Passion and reason cannot exist side by side-
therefore fight without quarter is necessary if the good is to prevail.
In a resolute struggle of the good against evil, there are, however, definite
rules that must not be disregarded, if it is to succeed. First, resolution must be
based on a union of strength and friendliness. Second, a compromise with
evil is not possible; evil must under all circumstances be openly discredited.
Nor must our own passions and shortcomings be glossed over. Third, the
struggle must not be carried on directly by force. If evil is branded, it thinks of
weapons, and if we do it the favor of fighting against it blow for blow, we lose
in the end because thus we ourselves get entangled in hatred and passion.
Therefore it is important to begin at home, to be on guard in our own persons
against the faults we have branded. In this way, finding no opponent, the
sharp edges of the weapons of evil becomes dulled. For the same reasons we
should not combat our own faults directly. As long as we wrestle with them,
they continue victorious. Finally, the best way to fight evil is to make
energetic progress in the good.
THE IMAGE
When the water of a lake has risen up to heaven, there is reason to fear a
cloudburst. Taking this as a warning, the superior man forestalls a violent
collapse. If a man were to pile up riches for himself alone, without
considering others, he would certainly experience a collapse. If a man were to
pile up riches for himself alone, without considering others, he would
certainly experience a collapse. For all gathering is followed by dispersion.
Therefore the superior man begins to distribute while he is accumulating. In
the same way, in developing his character he takes care not to become
hardened in obstinacy but to remain receptive to impressions by help of strict
and continuous self-examination.
1
In times of resolute advance, the beginning is especially difficult. We feel
inspired to press forward but resistance is still strong; therefore we ought to
gauge our own strength and venture only so far as we can go with certainty of
success. To plunge blindly ahead is wrong, because it is precisely at the
beginning that an unexpected setback can have the most disastrous results.
2
Readiness is everything. Resolution is indissolubly bound up with caution.
If an individual is careful and keeps his wits about him, he need not become
excited or alarmed. If he is watchful at all times, even before danger is present,
he is armed when danger approaches and need not be afraid. The superior
man is on his guard against what is not yet in sight and on the alert for what
is not yet within hearing; therefore he dwells in the midst of difficulties as
thought hey did not exist. If a man develops his character, people submit to
him of their own accord. If reason triumphs, the passions withdraw of
themselves. To be circumspect and not to forget one's armor is the right way
to security.
3
Here we have a man in an ambiguous situation. While all others are
engaged in a resolute fight against all that is inferior, he alone has a certain
relationship with an inferior man. If he were to show strength outwardly
and turn against this man before the time is ripe, he would only endanger the
entire situation, because the inferior man would too quickly have recourse to
countermeasures. The task of the superior man becomes extremely difficult
here. He must be firmly resolved within himself and, while maintaining
association with the inferior man, avoid any participation in his evilness. He
will of course be misjudged. It will be thought that he belong to the party of
the inferior man. He will be lonely because no one will understand him. His
relations with the inferior man will sully him in the eyes of the multitude,
and they will turn against him, grumbling. But he can endure this lack of
appreciation and makes no mistake, because he remains true to himself.
4
Here a man is suffering from inner restlessness and cannot abide in his place.
He would like to push forward under any circumstances, but encounters
insuperable obstacles. Thus his situation entails an inner conflict. This is due
to the obstinacy with which he seeks to enforce his will. If he would desist
from this obstinacy, everything would go well. But this advice, like so much
other good counsel, will be ignored. For obstinacy makes a man unable to
hear, for all that he has ears.
5
Weeds always grow back again and are difficult to exterminate. So too the
struggle against an inferior man in a high position demands firm resolution.
One has certain relations with him, hence there is danger that one may give
up the struggle as hopeless. But this must not be. One must go on resolutely
and not allow himself to be deflected from him course. Only in this way does
one remain free of blame.
6
Victory seems to have been achieved. There remains merely a remnant of
the evil resolutely to be eradicated as the time demands. Everything looks
easy. Just there, however, lies the danger. If we are not on guard, evil will
succeed in escaping by means of concealment, and when it has eluded us new
misfortunes will develop from the remaining seeds, for evil does not die
easily. So too in dealing with the evil in own's own character, one must go to
work with thoroughness. If out of carelessness anything were to be
overlooked, new evil would arise from it.
Barbara Hejslip interpretationDuring the present period you are successful, but there is an opportunity to make a mistake and to push away from itself those who usually assisted you, and all this from - for your own obstinacies. Be softer in relations with them, and try to go him towards. Quite probably, that during this period you grow fond of the person of whom now even do not think. It, certainly, will influence your further behaviour. Do not play gamblings.
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Richard Wilhelm's commentary