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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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  38. Polarising (kuí). OppositionAdvise
Strife is always connected with the community. Loneliness is more dangerous than hatred.
Inital text of I ChingThe Judgement
Opposition. In small matters, good fortune.
The Image
Above, fire; below, the lake: The image of Opposition. Thus amid all fellowship the superior man retains his individuality.
- Remorse disappears. If you lose your horse, do not run after it; It will come back of its own accord. When you see evil people, Guard yourself against mistakes.
- One meets his lord in a narrow street. No blame.
- One sees the wagon dragged back, the oxen halted, a man's hair and nose cut off. Not a good beginning, but a good end.
- Isolated through opposition, one meets a like-minded man with whom one can associate in good faith. Despite the danger, no blame.
- Remorse disappears. The companion bites his way through the wrappings. If one goes to him, how could it be a mistake?
- Isolated through opposition, one sees one's companion as a pig covered with dirt, as a wagon full of devils. First one draws a bow against him, then one lays the bow aside. He is not a robber; he will woo at the right time. As one goes, rain falls; then good fortune comes.
Prediction
There is no clear understanding of what the good is and what harm? Until you understand, you will stagnate or fail. The differences are everywhere: there is no coordinated work; the initial idea contradicts the ultimate goal. There is misunderstanding among the relatives. Junior need advice of senior, otherwise there may be dangerous errors. Intervention of a wise man, head is necessary. Success is possible only in small and insignificant things.
This hexagram is composed of the trigram Li above, i.e., flame, which burns
upward, and Tui below, i.e., the lake, which seeps downward. These two
movements are indirect contrast. Furthermore, LI is the second daughter and
Tui the youngest daughter, and although they live in the same house they
belong to different men; hence their wills are not the same but are
divergently directed.
THE JUDGMENT
When people live in opposition and estrangement they cannot carry out a
great undertaking in common; their points of view diverge too widely. In
such circumstances one should above all not proceed brusquely, for that
would only increase the existing opposition; instead, one should limit oneself
to producing gradual effects in small matters. Here success can still be
expected, because the situation is such that the opposition does not preclude
all agreement.
In general, opposition appears as an obstruction, but when it represents
polarity within a comprehensive whole, it has also its useful and important
functions. The oppositions of heaven and earth, spirit and nature, man and
woman, when reconciled, bring about the creation and reproduction of life.
In the world of visible things, the principle of opposites makes possible the
differentiation by categories through which order is brought into the world.
THE IMAGE.
The two elements, fire and water, never mingle but even when in contact
retain their own natures. So the sutured man is never led into baseness or
vulgarity through intercourse or community of interests with persons of
another sort; regardless of all commingling, he will always preserve his
individuality.
1
Even in times when oppositions prevail, mistakes can be avoided, so that
remorse disappears. When opposition begins to manifest itself, a man must
not try to bring about unity by force, for by so doing he would only achieve
the contrary, just as a horse goes farther and farther away if one runs after it.
It it is one's won horse, one can safely let it go; it will come back of its own
accord. So too when someone who belongs with us is momentarily estranged
because of a misunderstanding, he will return of his own accord if we leave
matters to him. One the other hand, it is well to be cautious when evil men
who do not belong with us force themselves upon us, again as the result of a
misunderstanding. Here the important thing is to avoid mistakes. We must
not try to shake off these evil men by force; this would give rise to real
hostility. We must simply endure them. They will eventually withdraw of
their own accord.
2
As a result of misunderstandings, it has become impossible for people who by
nature belong together to meet in the correct way. This being so, an accidental
meeting under informal circumstances may serve the purpose, provided
there is an inner affinity between them.
3
Often it seems tot a man as though everything were conspiring against him.
He sees himself checked and hindered in his progress, insulted and
dishonored. However, he must not let himself be misled; despite this
opposition, he must cleave to the man with whom he knows he belongs.
Thus, notwithstanding the bad beginning, the matter will end well.
4
If a man finds himself in a company of people from whom he is separated by
an inner opposition, he becomes isolated. But if in such a situation a man
meets someone who fundamentally by the very law of his being, is kin to
him, and whom he can trust completely, he overcomes all the dangers of
isolation. His will achieves its aim, and he becomes free of faults.
5
Coming upon a sincere man, one fails to recognize him at first because of the
general estrangement. However, he bites his way through the wrappings that
are causing the separation. When such a companion thus reveals himself in
his true character, it is one's duty to go to meet him and to work with him.
6
Here the isolation is due to misunderstanding; it is brought about not by
outer circumstances but by inner conditions. A man misjudges his best
friends, taking them to be as unclean as a dirty pig in and as dangerous as a
wagon full of devils. He adopts an attitude of defense. But in the end,
realizing his mistake, he lays aside the bow, perceiving that the other is
approaching with the best intentions for the purpose of close union. Thus the
tension is relieved. The union resolves the tension, just as falling rain
relieves the sultriness preceding a thunderstorm. All goes well, for just when
opposition reaches its climax it changes over to its antithesis.
Barbara Hejslip interpretationThis hexagram speaks, that now your life is deprived harmony. It seems to you, as if all around carp at you, are set up aggressively. You are deduced from themselves even with the most insignificant events. Take itself in hands, be not nervous, position will soon change. Sympathizing people to you now to find difficultly. A certain woman gets on to you nerves. Supervise the words, acts, and be not accepted for what new. Those events, things which are now in a field of your interests, in practice at all does not correspond to your true desires.
  9. Small Accumulating (xiǎo chù). Small TamingAdvise
Remember the origin, but do not cling to the past. Do not try to comprehend all at once - knowledge comes slowly.
Inital text of I ChingThe Judgement
The Taming Power of the Small has success. Dense clouds, no rain from our western region.
The Image
The wind drives across heaven: The image of the Taming Power of the Small. Thus the superior man refines the outward aspect of his nature.
- Return to the way. How could there be blame in this? Good fortune.
- He allows himself to be drawn into returning. Good fortune.
- The spokes burst out of the wagon wheels. Man and wife roll their eyes.
- If you are sincere, blood vanishes and fear gives way. No blame.
- If you are sincere and loyally attached, you are rich in your neighbor.
- The rain comes, there is rest. This is due to the lasting effect of character. Perseverance brings the woman into danger. The moon is nearly full. If the superior man persists, misfortune comes.
Prediction
"Clouds are dense but there is no rain." The problems are perceived and resolved with difficulty. You need to rethink or to overcome past - there is a source of problems, there is a hint how to overcome them. The behavior should be based on a gradual and methodical approach. Remember the basics. Now it is time for savings: gather knowledge step by step and accumulate experience, learn from mistakes. Time of global changes and great events has come yet.
This hexagram means the force of the small--the power of the shadowy--that
restrains, tames, impedes. A weak line in the fourth place, that of the
minister, holds the five strong lines in check. In the Image it is the wind
blowing across the sky. The wind restrains the clouds, the rising breath of the
Creative, and makes them grow dense, but as yet is not strong enough to turn
them to rain. The hexagram presents a configuration of circumstances in
which a strong element is temporarily held in leash by a weak element. It is
only through gentleness that this can have a successful outcome.
THE JUDGMENT
This image refers to the state of affairs in China at the time when King Wên,
who came originally from the west, was in the east at the court of the reigning
tyrant Chou Hsin. The moment for action on a large scale had not yet
arrived. King Wên could only keep the tyrant somewhat in check by friendly
persuasion. Hence the image of many clouds, promising moisture and
blessing to the land, although as yet no rain falls. The situation is not
unfavorable; there is a prospect of ultimate success, but there are still obstacles
in the way, and we can merely take preparatory measures. Only through the
small means of friendly persuasion can we exert any influence. The time has
not yet come for sweeping measures. However, we may be able, to a limited
extent, to act as a restraining and subduing influence. To carry out our
purpose we need firm determination within and gentleness and adaptability
in external relations.
THE IMAGE
The wind can indeed drive the clouds together in the sky; yet, being nothing
but air, without solid body, it does not produce great or lasting effects. So also
an individual, in times when he can produce no great effect in the outer
world, can do nothing except refine the expression of his nature in small
ways.
1
It lies in the nature of a strong man to press forward. In so doing he
encounters obstructions. Therefore he returns to the way suited to his
situation, where he is free to advance or to retreat. In the nature of things
this will bring good fortune, for it is wise and reasonable not to try to obtain
anything by force.
2
One would like to press forward, but before going farther one sees from the
example of others like oneself that this way is blocked. In such a case, if the
effort to push forward is not in harmony with the time, a reasonable and
resolute man will not expose himself to a personal rebuff, but will retreat
with others of like mind. This brings good fortune, because he does not
needlessly jeopardize himself.
3
Here an attempt is made to press forward forcibly, in the consciousness that
the obstructing power is slight. But since, under the circumstances, power
actually lies with the weak, this sudden offensive is doomed to failure.
External conditions hinder the advance, just as loss of the wheel spokes stops
the progress of a wagon. We do not yet heed this hint form fate, hence there
are annoying arguments like those of a married couple. Naturally this is not
a favorable state of thing, for though the situation may enable the weaker side
to hold its ground, the difficulties are too numerous to permit of a happy
result. In consequence even the strong man cannot so use his power as to
exert the right influence on those around him. He experiences a rebuff where
he expected an easy victory, and he thus compromises his dignity.
4
If one is in the difficult and responsible position of counselor to a powerful
man, on should restrain him in such a way that the threat of actual bloodshed
may arise. Nonetheless, the power of disinterested truth is greater than all
theses obstacles. It carries such weight that the end is achieved, and all danger
of bloodshed and all fear disappear.
5
Loyalty leads to firm ties because it means that each partner complements the
other. In the weaker person loyalty consists in devotion, in the stronger it
consists in trustworthiness. This relation of mutual reinforcement leads to a
true wealth that is all the more apparent because it is not selfishly hoarded
but is shared with friends. Pleasure shared is pleasure doubled.
6
Success is at hand. The wind has driven up the rain. A fixed standpoint has
been reach. This has come about through the cumulation of small effects
produced by reverence for a superior character. But a success thus secured bit
by bit calls for great caution. It would be a dangerous illusion for anyone to
think he could presume upon it. The female principle, the weak element
that has won the victory, should never persist in vaunting it--that would lead
to danger. The dark power in the moon is strongest when the moon is
almost full. When it is full and directly opposite the sun, its waning is
inevitable. Under such circumstances one must be content with what has
been achieved. To advance any further, before the appropriate time has
come, would lead to misfortune.
Barbara Hejslip interpretationYes, now to you do not accompany neither luck, nor success. But remember: night is the most dark before a dawn. You in confusion, you now do not own conditions, but it soon will pass. Events which everyone will change to the best are already close. Now you need to have patience and wait simply. Yes, you have got used to consider as the minion of fortune. You do not need to spend now itself for petty quarrels, try to not overtire on work. In three months the success in monetary affairs expects you.
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Richard Wilhelm's commentary