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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  36. Brightness Hiding (míng yí). Darkening of the LightAdvise
Moving along the unlit road, we can come to a precipice or get bogged down.
Inital text of I ChingThe Judgement
Darkening of the Light. In adversity it furthers one to be persevering.
The Image
The light has sunk into the earth: The image of Darkening of the Light. Thus does the superior man live with the great mass: He veils his light, yet still shines.
- Darkening of the light during flight. He lowers his wings. The superior man does not eat for three days on his wanderings. But he has somewhere to go. The host has occasion to gossip about him.
- Darkening of the light injures him in the left thigh. He gives aid with the strength of a horse. Good fortune.
- Darkening of the light during the hunt in the south. Their great leader is captured. One must not expect perseverance too soon.
- He penetrates the left side of the belly. One gets at the very heart of the darkening of the light, and leaves gate and courtyard.
- Darkening of the light as with Prince Chi. Perseverance furthers.
- Not light but darkness. First he climbed up to heaven, then he plunged into the depths of the earth.
Prediction
The sun has left the ground. The situation is difficult. Judgments and actions are wrong. It is important time to stop and retreat, otherwise a great trouble may happen. You need to find clarity, or a long stagnation will come in business. Refer inside yourself: perhaps the cause of difficulties is in the absence of a clear goal.
Here the sun has sunk under the earth and is therefore darkened. The name
of the hexagram means literally "wounding of the bright"; hence the
individual lines contain frequent references to wounding. The situation is
the exact opposite of that in the foregoing hexagram. In the latter a wise man
at the head of affairs has able helpers, and in company with them makes
progress; here a man of dark nature is in a position of authority and brings
harm to the wise and able man.
THE JUDGMENT
One must not unresistingly let himself be swept along by unfavorable
circumstances, nor permit his steadfastness to be shaken. He can avoid this by
maintaining his inner light, while remaining outwardly yielding and
tractable. With this attitude he can overcome even the greatest adversities.
In some situations indeed a man must hide his light, in order to make his
will prevail inspite of difficulties in his immediate environment.
Perseverance must dwell in inmost consciousness and should not be
discernible from without. Only thus is a man able to maintain his will in the
face of difficulties.
THE IMAGE
In a time of darkness it is essential to be cautious and reserved. One should
not needlessly awaken overwhelming enmity by inconsiderate behavior. In
such times one ought not to fall in with the practices of others; neither
should one drag them censoriously into the light. In social intercourse one
should not try to be all-knowing. One should let many things pass, without
being duped.
1
With grandiose resolve a man endeavors to soar above all obstacles, but thus
encounters a hostile fate. He retreats and evades the issue. The time is
difficult. Without rest, he must hurry along, with no permanent abiding
place. If he does not want to make compromises within himself, but insists
on remaining true to his principles, he suffers deprivation. Never the less he
has a fixed goal to strive for even though the people with whom he lives do
not understand him and speak ill of him.
2
Here the Lord of Light is in a subordinate place and is wounded by the Lord of
Darkness. But the injury is not fatal; it is only a hindrance. Rescue is still
possible. The wounded man gives no thought to himself; he thinks only of
saving the others who are also in danger. Therefore he tries with all his
strength to save all that can be saved. There is good fortune in thus acting
according to duty.
3
It seems as if chance were at work. While the strong, loyal man is striving
eagerly and in good faith to create order, he meets the ringleader of the
disorder, as if by accident, and seizes him. Thus victory is achieved. But in
abolishing abuses one must not be too hasty. This would turn out badly
because the abuses have been in existence so long.
4
We find ourselves close to the commander of darkness and so discover his
mot secret thoughts. In this way we realize that there is no longer any hope of
improvement, and thus we are enabled to leave the scene of disaster before
the storm breaks.
5
Prince Chi lived at the court of the evil tyrant Chou Hsin, who, although not
mentioned by name, furnished the historical example on which this whole
situation is based. Prince Chi was a relative of the tyrant and could not
withdraw from the court; therefore he concealed his true sentiments and
feigned insanity. Although he was held a slave, he did not allow external
misery to deflect him from his convictions.
This provides a teaching for those who cannot leave their posts in times of
darkness. In order to escape danger, they need invincible perseverance of
spirit and redoubled caution in their dealings with the world.
6
Here the climax of the darkening is reached. The dark power at first held so
high a place that it could wound all who were on the side of good and of the
light. But in the end it perishes of its own darkness, for evil must itself fall at
the very moment when it has wholly overcome the good, and thus
consumed the energy to which it owed its duration.
Barbara Hejslip interpretationThe situation will very soon change. Therefore not be unduly self-confident, though you now and are accompanied with success. It is not necessary to be started up in love adventures, try to operate it is considered and it is provident. You have got used to consider as the minion of fortune, therefore and your acts can be misinterpreted. But do not worry, in the near future all will be changed, becomes on the places. It is not necessary to despair; but now your desires will not be executed. Be more economical.
  52. Bound (gèn). The Keeping StillAdvise
Moving slowly, we can achieve more. Unhurried ride provides an opportunity not only to reach a distant goal, without riding a horse to death and breaking the wagon, but also allows much to see and learn.
Inital text of I ChingThe Judgement
Keeping Still. Keeping his back still so that he no longer feels his body. He goes into his courtyard and does not see his people. No blame.
The Image
Mountains standing close together: The image of Keeping Still. Thus the superior man does not permit his thoughts to go beyond his situation.
- Keeping his toes still. No blame. Continued perseverance furthers.
- Keeping his calves still. He cannot rescue him whom he follows. His heart is not glad.
- Keeping his hips still. Making his sacrum stiff. Dangerous. The heart suffocates.
- Keeping his trunk still. No blame.
- Keeping his jaws still. The words have order. Remorse disappears.
- Noblehearted keeping still. Good fortune.
Prediction
Forces were set in motion. But this is only the beginning. Do not hurry time and events – way will be long, motion will be unhurried. Know how to wait patiently. Difficulties would be overcome if the effort is made. In relations with other be well-balanced, cautious. Keep the fight by the rules, look for peaceful solutions, do not be lazy to long negotiations - and then prevail over a rival. Personal relations are developing smoothly, in love - harmony.
The image of this hexagram is the mountain, the youngest son of heaven and
earth. The male principle is at the top because it strives upward by nature; the
female principle is below, since the direction of its movement has come to its
normal end.
In its application to man, the hexagram turns upon the problem of
achieving a quiet heart. It is very difficult to bring quiet to the heart. While
Buddhism strives for rest through an ebbing away of all movement in
nirvana, the Book of Changes holds that rest is merely a state of polarity that
always posits movement as its complement. Possibly the words of the text
embody directions for the practice of yoga.
THE JUDGMENT
True quiet means keeping still when the time has come to keep still, and
going forward when the time has come to go forward. In this way rest and
movement are in agreement with the demands of the time, and thus there is
light in life.
The hexagram signifies the end and the beginning of all movement. The
back is named because in the back are located all the nerve fibers that mediate
movement. If the movement of these spinal nerves is brought to a standstill,
the ego, with its restlessness, disappears as it were. When a man has thus
become calm, he may turn to the outside world. He no longer sees in it the
struggle and tumult of individual beings, and therefore he has that true peace
of mind which is needed for understanding the great laws of the universe
and for acting in harmony with them. Whoever acts from these deep levels
makes no mistakes.
THE IMAGE
The heart thinks constantly. This cannot be changed, but the movements of
the heart-that is, a man's thoughts-should restrict themselves to the
immediate situation. All thinking that goes beyond this only makes the heart
sore.
1
Keeping the toes still means halting before one has even begun to move. The
beginning is the time of few mistakes. At that time one is still in harmony
with primal innocence. Not yet influenced by obscuring interests and desires,
one sees things intuitively as they really are. A man who halts at the
beginning, so long as he has not yet abandoned the truth, finds the right way.
But persisting firmness is needed to keep one from drifting irresolutely.
2
The leg cannot move independently; it depends on the movement of the
body. If a leg is suddenly stopped while the whole body is in vigorous
motion, the continuing body movement will make one fall.
The same is true of a man who serves a master stronger than himself. He is
swept along, and even though he may himself halt on the path of
wrongdoing, he can no longer check the other in his powerful movement.
Where the master presses forward, the servant, no matter how good his
intentions, cannot save him.
3
This refers to enforced quiet. The restless heart is to be subdued by forcible
means. But fire when it is smothered changes into acrid smoke that
suffocates as it spreads.
Therefore, in exercises in meditation and concentration, one ought not to
try to force results. Rather, calmness must develop naturally out of a state of
inner composure. If one tries to induce calmness by means of artificial
rigidity, meditation will lead to very unwholesome results.
4
As has been pointed out above in the comment on the Judgment, keeping the
back at rest means forgetting the ego. This is the highest stage of rest. Here
this stage has not yet been reached: the individual in this instance, though
able to keep the ego, with its thoughts and impulses, in a state of rest, is not
yet quite liberated from its dominance. Nonetheless, keeping the heart at rest
is an important function, leading in the end to the complete elimination of
egotistic drives. Even though at this point one does not yet remain free from
all the dangers of doubt and unrest, this frame of mind is not a mistake, as it
leads ultimately to that other, higher level.
5
A man in a dangerous situation, especially when he is not adequate to it, is
inclined to be very free with talk and presumptuous jokes. But injudicious
speech easily leads to situations that subsequently give much cause for regret.
However, if a man is reserved in speech, his words take ever more definite
form, and every occasion for regret vanishes.
6
This marks the consummation of the effort to attain tranquillity. One is at
rest, not merely in a small, circumscribed way in regard to matters of detail,
but one has also a general resignation in regard to life as a whole, and this
confers peace and good fortune in relation to every individual matter.
Barbara Hejslip interpretationNow progress in affairs is very problematic. It is necessary for you to wait some time, and only then again to start to work; if you will plan a trip or travel, refuse them is better. Try to reconcile to circumstances and well consider the position before to undertake something. Do not despond. Difficulties and intrigues of ill-wishers you will overcome all, the victory will be for you, and is very fast. That desires were granted, now your efforts should be especially persevering.
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Richard Wilhelm's commentary