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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  45. Clustering (cuì). Gathering TogetherAdvise
Always choose a deal that is real taking into consideration soul and your abilities. Do not start something that does not suit your nature.
Inital text of I ChingThe Judgement
Gathering Together. Success. The king approaches his temple. It furthers one to see the great man. This brings success. Perseverance furthers. To bring great offerings creates good fortune. It furthers one to undertake something.
The Image
Over the earth, the lake: The image of Gathering Together. Thus the superior man renews his weapons in order to meet the unforseen.
- If you are sincere, but not to the end, there will sometimes be confusion, sometimes gathering together. If you call out, then after one grasp of the hand you can laugh again. Regret not. Going is without blame.
- Letting oneself be drawn brings good fortune and remains blameless. If one is sincere, it furthers one to bring even a small offering.
- Gathering together amid sighs. Nothing that would further. Going is without blame. Slight humiliation.
- Great good fortune. No blame.
- If in gathering together one has position, this brings no blame. If there are some who are not yet sincerely in the work, sublime and enduring perseverance is needed. Then remorse disappears.
- Lamenting and sighing, floods of tears. No blame.
Prediction
The time is favorable for large new initiatives. Support of powerful people is possible. But there is uncertainty in soul - it is good. Correlate your capabilities with your plans. Do not task beyond your strength - it can crush. Beware of honor not by rank and praise that is not deserved. Do not prevaricate, do not cheat, beware of the same from others. If you make a mistake with the choice of targets, you will have big losses. There is a chance of windfall profit - good luck attends you. Illness is possible.
This hexagram is related in form and meaning to Pi, HOLDING TOGETHER. In the latter, water is over the earth; here a lake is over the earth. But
since the lake is a place where water collects, the idea of gathering together is
even more strongly expressed here than in the other hexagram. The same
idea also arises from the fact that in the present case it is two strong lines (the
fourth and the fifth) that bring about the gather together, whereas in the
former case one strong line (the fifth) stands in the midst of weak lines.
THE JUDGMENT
The gathering together of people in large communities is either a natural
occurrence, as in the case of the family, or an artificial one, as in the case of
the state. The family gathers about the father as its head. The perpetuation of
this gathering in groups is achieved through the sacrifice to the ancestors, at
which the whole clan is gathered together. Through the collective piety of
the living members of the family, the ancestors become so integrated in the
spiritual life of the family that it cannot be dispersed or dissolved.
Where men are to be gathered together, religious forces are needed. But
there must also be a human leader to serve as the center of the group. In
order to be able to bring others together, this leader must first of all be
collected within himself. Only collective moral force can unite the world.
Such great times of unification will leave great achievements behind them.
This is the significance of the great offerings that are made. In the secular
sphere likewise there is no need of great deeds in the time of GATHERING
TOGETHER.
THE IMAGE
If the water in the lake gathers until it rises above the earth, there is danger of
a break-through. Precautions must be taken to prevent this. Similarly where
men gather together in great numbers, strife is likely to arise; where
possessions are collected, robbery is likely to occur. Thus in the time of
GATHERING TOGETHER we must arm promptly to ward off the unexpected.
Human woes usually come as a result of unexpected events against which we
are not forearmed. If we are prepared, they can be prevented.
1
The situation is this: People desire to gather around a leader to whom they
look up. But they are in a large group, by which they allow themselves to be
influenced, so that they waver in their decision. Thus they lack a firm center
around which to gather. But if expression is given to this need, and if they
call for help, one grasp of the hand from the leader is enough to turn away all
distress. Therefore they must not allow themselves to be led astray. It is
undoubtedly right that they should attach themselves to this leader.
2
In the time of GATHERING TOGETHER, we should make no arbitrary choice
of the way. There are secret forces at work, leading together those who belong
together. We must yield to this attraction; then we make no mistakes.
Where inner relationships exist, no great preparations and formalities are
necessary. People understand one another forthwith, just as the Divinity
graciously accepts a small offering if it comes from the heart.
3
Often a man feels an urge to unite with others, but the individuals around
him have already formed themselves into a group, so that he remains
isolated. The whole situation proves untenable. Then he ought to choose
the way of progress, resolutely allying himself with a man who stands nearer
to the center of the group, and can help him to gain admission to the closed
circle. This is not a mistake, even though at first his position as an outsider is
somewhat humiliating.
4
This describes a man who gathers people around him in the name of his
ruler. Since he is not striving for any special advantages for himself but is
working unselfishly to bring about general unity, his work is crowned with
success, and everything becomes as it should be.
5
When people spontaneously gather around a man, it is only a good. It gives
him a certain influence that can be altogether useful.. But of course there is
also the possibility that many may gather around him not because of a feeling
of confidence but merely because of his influential position. This is certainly
to be regretted. The only means of dealing with such people is to gain their
confidence through steadfastness an intensified, unswerving devotion to
duty. In this way secret mistrust will gradually be overcome, and there will be
no occasion for regret.
6
It may happen that an individual would like to ally himself with another, but
his good intentions are misunderstood. Then he becomes sad and laments.
But this is the right course. For it may cause the other person to come to his
senses, so that the alliance that has been sought and so painfully missed is
after all achieved.
Barbara Hejslip interpretationThis period is very favorable for you. All your business will crown success. A certain invisible force strengthens your relations with people, assists to find new friends and friends, to fasten contacts which in the further anyhow will appear favorable for you. Former works and efforts will be renumerated on merits. You are pursued by the woman, she aspires to block to you a way, to prevent to realization of your intentions, to interfere with your life. Despite of it, your desires will be executed.
  24. Returning (fù). ReturnAdvise
Disasters come from outside, but adversity is the result of our own efforts, we must distinguish both. Often people themselves do their time good or bad.
Inital text of I ChingThe Judgement
Return. Success. Going out and coming in without error. Friends come without blame. To and fro goes the way. On the seventh day comes return. It furthers one to have somewhere to go.
The Image
Thunder within the earth: The image of the Turning Point. Thus the kings of antiquity closed the passes at the time of solstice. Merchants and strangers did not go about, and the ruler did not travel through the provinces.
- Return from a short distance. No need for remorse. Great good fortune.
- Quiet return. Good fortune.
- Repeated return. Danger. No blame.
- Walking in the midst of others, One returns alone.
- Noblehearted return. No remorse.
- Missing the return. Misfortune. Misfortune from within and without. If armies are set marching in this way, one will in the end suffer a great defeat, disastrous for the ruler of the country. For ten years it will not be possible to attack again.
Prediction
Everything returns to normal. But now it is just the beginning. The darkness recedes gradually, as day comes after the winter solstice. Events unfold in the months that number is a multiple of seven. Do not build too bold plans. Do not complain of delay: downtime is the best time for spiritual quests.
The idea of a turning point arises from the fact that after the dark lines have
pushed all of the light lines upward and out of the hexagram, another light
line enters the hexagram from below. The time of darkness is past. The
winter solstice brings the victory of light. This hexagram is linked with the
eleventh month, the month of the solstice (December-January).
THE JUDGMENT
After a time of decay comes the turning point. The powerful light that has
been banished returns. There is movement, but it is not brought about by
force. The upper trigram K'un is characterized by devotion; thus the
movement is natural, arising spontaneously. For this reason the
transformation of the old becomes easy. The old is discarded and the new is
introduced. Both measures accord with the time; therefore no harm results.
Societies of people sharing the same views are formed. But since these
groups come together in full public knowledge and are in harmony with the
time, all selfish separatist tendencies are excluded, and no mistake is made.
The idea of RETURN is based on the course of nature. The movement is
cyclic, and the course completes itself. Therefore it is not necessary to hasten
anything artificially. Everything comes of itself at the appointed time. This is
the meaning of heaven and earth.
All movements are accomplished in six stages, and the seventh brings
return. Thus the winter solstice, with which the decline of the year begins,
comes in the seventh month after the summer solstice; so too sunrise comes
in the seventh double hour after sunset. Therefore seven is the number of
the young light, and it arises when six, the number of the great darkness, is
increased by one. In this way the state of rest gives place to movement.
THE IMAGE
The winter solstice has always been celebrated in China as the resting time of
the year--a custom that survives in the time of rest observed at the new year.
In winter the life energy, symbolized by thunder, the Arousing, is still
underground. Movement is just at its beginning; therefore it must be
strengthened by rest so that it will not be dissipated by being used
prematurely. This principle, i.e., of allowing energy that is renewing itself to
be reinforced by rest, applies to all similar situations. The return of health
after illness, the return of understanding after an estrangement: everything
must be treated tenderly and with care at the beginning, so that the return
may lead to a flowering.
1
Slight digressions from the good cannot be avoided, but one must turn back
in time, before going too far. This is especially important in the development
of character; every faintly evil thought must be put aside immediately, before
it goes too far and takes root in the mind. Then there is no cause for remorse,
and all goes well.
2
Return always calls for a decision and is an act of self-mastery. It is made
easier if a man is in good company. If he can bring himself to put aside pride
and follow the example of good men, good fortune results.
3
There are people of a certain inner instability who feel a constant urge to
reverse themselves. There is danger in continually deserting the good
because of uncontrolled desires, then turning back to it again because of a
better resolution. However, since this does not lead to habituation in evil, a
general inclination to overcome the defect is not wholly excluded/
4
A man is in a society composed of inferior people, but is connected spiritually
with a strong and good friend, and this makes him turn back alone.
Although nothing is said of reward and punishment, this return is certainly
favorable, for such a resolve to choose the good brings its own reward.
5
When the time for return has come, a man should not take shelter in trivial
excuses, but should look within and examine himself. And if he has done
something wrong he should make a noblehearted resolve to confess his fault.
No one will regret having taken this road.
6
If a man misses the right time for return, he meets with misfortune. The
misfortune has its inner cause in a wrong attitude toward the world. The
misfortune coming upon him for without results from this wrong attitude.
What is pictured here is blind obstinacy and the judgment that is visited
upon it.
Barbara Hejslip interpretationYou are upset now because consider, that have absolutely got confused. But all this not so is difficult for overcoming, as it seems to you, show only patience. And solving there will be for you some quite certain term - seven days, either seven weeks, or seven months. You really are before main recesses in destiny. It is a little patience - and all is formed. Try to save also a few money. It is useful to you.
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Richard Wilhelm's commentary