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The I Ching for Android

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. Diminishing (sǔn). Decrease Attending (xū). Waiting

41. Diminishing (sǔn). Decrease

Advise

Do not mourn the losses; look at them as a holy sacrifice. But do not sacrifice beyond measure. Too big gift is a product of pride.

Inital text of I Ching

The Judgement

Decrease combined with sincerity brings about supreme good fortune without blame. One may be persevering in this. It furthers one to undertake something. How is this to be carried out? One may use two small bowls for the sacrifice.

The Image

At the foot of the mountain, the lake:
The image of Decrease. Thus the superior man controls his anger and restrains his instincts.

  1. Going quickly when one's tasks are finished is without blame. But one must reflect on how much one may decrease others.
  2. Perseverance furthers. To undertake something brings misfortune. Without decreasing oneself, one is able to bring increase to others.
  3. When three people journey together, their number decreases by one. When one man journeys alone, he finds a companion.
  4. If a man decreases his faults, it makes the other hasten to come and rejoice. No blame.
  5. Someone does indeed increase him. Ten pairs of tortoises cannot oppose it. Supreme good fortune.
  6. If one is increased without depriving others, there is no blame. Perseverance brings good fortune. It furthers one to undertake something. One obtains servants but no longer has a separate home.

Prediction

Much depends on you. Inner freedom is great - self-restraint is necessary, otherwise chaos will prevail, exhaustion. The inner truth is the basis of everything. You can act, but quickly and prudently. Success is in small matters, it is not the time for great things. Work moderately; do not spend a lot of energy. If you start a great thing – you have no enough energy and everything will turn into losses. Do not sacrifice a lot - just a small sacrifice made with pure thoughts.

Richard Wilhelm's commentary

This hexagram represents a decrease of the lower trigram in favor of the upper, because the third line, originally strong, has moved up to the top, and the top line, originally weak, has replaced it. What is below is decreased to the benefit of what is above. This is out-and-out decrease. If the foundations of a building are decreased in strength and the upper walls are strengthened, the whole structure loves its stability. Likewise, a decrease in the prosperity of the people in favor of the government is out-and-out decrease. And the entire theme of the hexagram is directed to showing how this shift of wealth can take place without causing the sources of wealth can take place without causing the sources of wealth in the nation and its lower classes to fail.

THE JUDGMENT

Decrease does not under all circumstances mean something bad. Increase and decrease come in their own time. What matters here is to understand the time and not to try to cover up poverty with empty pretense. If a time of scanty resources brings out an inner truth, one must not feel ashamed of simplicity. For simplicity is then the very thing needed to provide inner strength for further undertakings. Indeed, there need by no concern if the outward beauty of the civilization, even the elaboration of religious forms, should have to suffer because of simplicity. One must draw on the strength of the inner attitude to compensate for what is lacking in externals; then the power of the content makes up for the simplicity of form. There is no need of presenting false appearances to God. Even with slender means, the sentiment of the heart can be expressed.

THE IMAGE

The lake at the foot of the mountain evaporates. In this way it decreases to the benefit of the mountain, which is enriched by its moisture. The mountain stands as the symbol of stubborn strength that can harden into anger. The lake is the symbol of unchecked gaiety that can develop into passionate drives at the expense of the life forces. Therefore decrease is necessary; anger must be decreased by keeping still, the instincts must be curbed by restriction. By this decrease of the lower powers of the psyche, the higher aspects of the soul are enriched/

1

It is unselfish and good when a man, after completing his own urgent tasks, uses his strength in the service of others, and without bragging or making much of it, helps quickly where help is needed. But the man in a superior position who is thus aided must weigh carefully how much he can accept without doing the helpful servant or friend real harm. Only where such delicacy of feeling exists can one give oneself unconditionally and without hesitation.

2

A high-minded self-awareness and a consistent seriousness with no forfeit of dignity are necessary if a man wants to be of service to others. He who throw himself away in order to do the bidding of a superior diminishes his own position without thereby giving lasting benefit to the other. This is wrong. To render true service of lasting value to another, one must serve him without relinquishing oneself.

3

When there are three people together, jealousy arises. One of them will have to go. Avery close bond is possible only between two people. But when one man is lonely, he is certain to find a companion who complements him.

4

A man's faults often prevent even well-disposed people from coming closer to him. His faults are sometimes reinforced by the environment in which he lives. But if in humility he can bring himself to the point of giving them up, he frees his well-disposed friends from an inner pressure and causes them to approach the more quickly, and there is mutual joy.

5

If someone is marked out by fate for good fortune, it comes without fail. All oracles-as for instance those that are read from the shells of tortoises-are bound to concur in giving him favorable signs. He need fear nothing, because his luck is ordained from on high.

6

There are people who dispense blessings to the whole world. Every increase in power that comes to them benefits the whole of mankind and therefore does not bring decrease to others. Through perseverance and zealous work a man wins success and finds helpers as they are needed. But what he accomplishes is not a limited private advantage; it is a public good and available to everyone.

Barbara Hejslip interpretation

Be generous to people; in fact that you today give them, tomorrow the destiny will return to you with percent{interests}. Perhaps, now it seems to you, that you are unduly prodigal; do not think of this, do not fall up to commercialism, and you will generously rewarded. Time favours to considering of plans and intellectual activity. The majority of your desires will be executed, and you will collect much more, than sowed.



hieroglyph Attending (xū). Waitinghexagram 5 Attending (xū). Waiting

5. Attending (xū). Waiting

Advise

Keep calm being in involuntary failure. Try to see no inauspicious where there is no it.

Inital text of I Ching

The Judgement

Waiting. If you are sincere, you have light and success. Perseverance brings good fortune. It furthers one to cross the great water.

The Image

Clouds rise up to heaven:
The image of Waiting. Thus the superior man eats and drinks, is joyous and of good cheer.

  1. Waiting in the meadow. It furthers one to abide in what endures. No blame.
  2. Waiting on the sand. There is some gossip. The end brings good fortune.
  3. Waiting in the mud brings about the arrival of the enemy.
  4. Waiting in blood. Get out of the pit.
  5. Waiting at meat and drink. Perseverance brings good fortune.
  6. One falls into the pit. Three uninvited guests arrive. Honor them, and in the end there will be good fortune.

Prediction

Show trust to the situation. Any event should ripen. Preparatory self-control and patience are needed. There are no trifles in life. Listen to news – quite unexpectedly dropped word can help solve the problem. Do not get bored, be who you are, no rash actions, do not act haphazardly. Be attentive to unexpected guests – they are not accidental. Know how to relax, enjoy your life, have good time, enjoy good food and beverages, but be moderate. You will soon get the desired, the situation will be harmonious.

Richard Wilhelm's commentary

All beings have need of nourishment from above. But the gift of food comes in its own time, and for this one must wait. This hexagram shows the clouds in the heavens, giving rain to refresh all that grows and to provide mankind with food and drink. The rain will come in its own time. We cannot make it come; we have to wait for it. The idea of waiting is further suggested by the attributes of the two trigrams--strength within, danger in from. Strength in the face of danger does not plunge ahead but bides its time, whereas weakness in the face of danger grows agitated and has not the patience to wait.

THE JUDGMENT

Waiting is not mere empty hoping. It has the inner certainty of reaching the goal. Such certainty alone gives that light which leads to success. This leads to the perseverance that brings good fortune and bestows power to cross the great water. One is faced with a danger that has to be overcome. Weakness and impatience can do nothing. Only a strong man can stand up to his fate, for his inner security enables him to endure to the end. This strength shows itself in uncompromising truthfulness [with himself]. It is only when we have the courage to face things exactly as they are, without any sort of self- deception or illusion, that a light will develop out of events, by which the path to success may be recognized. This recognition must be followed by resolute and persevering action. For only the man who goes to meet his fate resolutely is equipped to deal with it adequately. Then he will be able to cross the great water--that is to say, he will be capable of making the necessary decision and of surmounting the danger.

THE IMAGE

When clouds rise in the sky, it is a sign that it will rain. There is nothing to do but to wait until after the rain falls. It is the same in life when destiny is at work. We should not worry and seek to shape the future by interfering in things before the time is ripe. We should quietly fortify the body with food and drink and the mind with gladness and good cheer. Fate comes when it will, and thus we are ready.

1

The danger is not yet close. One is still waiting on the open plain. Conditions are still simple, yet there is a feeling of something impending. One must continue to lead a regular life as long as possible. Only in this way does one guard against a premature waste of strength, keep free of blame and error that would become a source of weakness later on.

2

The danger gradually comes closer. Sand is near the bank of the river, and the water means danger. Disagreements crop up. General unrest can easily develop in such times, and we lay the blame on one another. He who stays calm will succeed in making things go well in the end. Slander will be silenced if we do not gratify it with injured retorts.

3

Mud is no place for waiting, since it is already being washed by the water of the stream. Instead of having gathered strength to cross the stream at one try, one has made a premature start that has got him no farther than the muddy bank. Such an unfavorable position invites enemies from without, who naturally take advantage of it. Caution and a sense of the seriousness of the situation are all that can keep one from injury.

4

The situation is extremely dangerous. IT is of utmost gravity now--a matter of life and death. Bloodshed seems imminent. There is no going forward or backward; we are cut off as if in a pit. Now we must simply stand fast and let fate take its course. This composure, which keeps us from aggravating the trouble by anything we might do, is the only way of getting out of the dangerous pit.

5

Even in the midst of danger there come intervals of peace when things go relatively well. If we possess enough inner strength, we shall take advantage of these intervals to fortify ourselves for renewed struggle. We must know how to enjoy the moment without being deflected from the goal, for perseverance is needed to remain victorious.

This is true in public life as well; it is not possible to achieve everything all at once. The height of wisdom is to allow people enough recreation to quicken pleasure in their work until the task is completed. Herein lies the secret of the whole hexagram. It differs from Chin OBSTRUCTION (39), in the fact that in this instance, while waiting, we are sure of our cause and therefore do not lose the serenity born of inner cheerfulness.

6

The waiting is over; the danger can no longer be averted. One falls into the pit and must yield to the inevitable. Everything seems to have been in vain. But precisely in this extremity things take an unforeseen turn. Without a move on one's own part, there is outside intervention. At first one cannot be sure of its meaning: is it rescue or is it destruction? A person in this situation must keep his mind alert and not withdraw into himself with a sulky gesture of refusal, but must greet the new turn with respect. Thus he ultimately escapes the danger, and all goes well. Even happy turns of fortune often come in a form that at first seems strange to us.

Barbara Hejslip interpretation

Now time to wait and gather with forces, they will soon be necessary for you, and is very fast-when there will come spring, the snow will thaw, and flowers again will blossom. Haste and impatience in acts now can harm only. It is necessary to suffer still a little, month two, a certain person who will assist you yet is not how you and do not wait. And if you resolutely and vigorously will occupy in planning of the further actions the help and support will come even more quickly. You can feel an inclination to the person who is more senior than you. Try to find out the interest to him not too. If you will purposefully operate and circumspectly enough, your desire will be executed.