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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  49. Skinning (gé). RevolutionAdvise
All changes have their time. If something old prevents going forward, it is necessary to give it up without regret. Learn how to get rid of unnecessary time burdens, but you do not accidentally mix up the 'ballast' to what is truly valuable.
Inital text of I ChingThe Judgement
Revolution. On your own day you are believed. Supreme success, furthering through perseverance. Remorse disappears.
The Image
Fire in the lake: The image of Revolution. Thus the superior man sets the calendar in order and makes the seasons clear.
- Wrapped in the hide of a yellow cow.
- When one's own day comes, one may create revolution. Starting brings good fortune. No blame.
- Starting brings misfortune. Perseverance brings danger. When talk of revolution has gone the rounds three times, one may commit himself, and men will believe him.
- Remorse disappears. Men believe him. Changing the form of government brings good fortune.
- The great man changes like a tiger. Even before he questions the oracle he is believed.
- The superior man changes like a panther. The inferior man molts in the face. Starting brings misfortune. To remain persevering brings good fortune.
Prediction
It's time of inevitable change, internal degeneration and the beginning of new things. Base everything on the inner truth and experience of spiritual quests of the recent times. Show firmness. There is no place for regret and sorrow for past mistakes. Look ahead. Even if you return to the old case, look for a new approach, and then you will get the desired result. There are big changes in personal affairs: breaking old love affairs for a new love relationship.
The Chinese character for this hexagram means in its original sense an
animal's pelt, which is changed in the course of the year by molting. From
this word is carried over to apply to the "moltings" in political life, the great
revolutions connected with changes of governments.
The two trigrams making up the hexagram are the same two that appear in
K'uei, OPPOSITION (38), that is, the two younger daughters, Li and Tui. But
while there the elder of the two daughters is above, and what results is
essentially only an opposition of tendencies, here the younger daughter is
above. The influences are in actual conflict, and the forces combat each other
like fire and water (lake), each trying to destroy the other. Hence the idea of
revolution.
THE JUDGMENT
Political revolutions are extremely grave matters. They should be undertaken
only under stress of direst necessity, when there is no other way out. Not
everyone is called to this task, but only the man who has the confidence of
the people, and even he only when the time is ripe. He must then proceed in
the right way, so that he gladdens the people and, by enlightening them,
prevents excesses. Furthermore, he must be quite free of selfish aims and
must really relieve the need of the people. Only then does he have nothing to
regret.
Times change, and with them their demands. Thus the seasons change in
the course of the year. In the world cycle also there are spring and autumn in
the life of peoples and nations, and these call for social transformations.
THE IMAGE
Fire below and the lake above combat and destroy each other. So too in the
course of the year a combat takes place between the forces of light and the
forces of darkness, eventuating in the revolution of the seasons, and man is
able to adjust himself in advance to the demands of the different times.
1
Changes ought to be undertaken only when there is nothing else to be done.
Therefore at first the utmost restraint is necessary. One must becomes firm in
one's mind, control oneself-yellow is the color of the means, and the cow is
the symbol of docility-and refrain from doing anything for the time being,
because any premature offensive will bring evil results.
2
When we have tried in every other way to bring about reforms, but without
success, revolution becomes necessary. But such a thoroughgoing upheaval
must be carefully prepared. There must be available a man who has the
requisite abilities and who possesses public confidence. To such a man we
may well turn. This brings good fortune and is not a mistake. The first thing
to be considered is our inner attitude toward the new condition that will
inevitably come. We have to go out to meet it, as it were. Only in this way
can it be prepared for.
3
When change is necessary, there are two mistakes to be avoided. One lies in
excessive haste and ruthlessness, which bring disaster. The other lies in
excessive hesitation and conservatism, which are also dangerous. Not every
demand for change in the existing order should be heeded. On the other
hand, repeated and well-founded complaints should not fail of a hearing.
When talk of change has come to one's ears three times, and has been
pondered well, he may believe and acquiesce in it. Then he will meet with
belief and will accomplish something.
4
Radical changes require adequate authority. A man must have inner strength
as well as influential position. What he does must correspond with a higher
truth and must not spring from arbitrary or petty motives; then it brings great
good fortune. If a revolution is not founded on such inner truth, the results
are bad, and it has no success. For in the end men will support only those
undertakings which they feel instinctively to be just.
5
A tigerskin, with its highly visible black stripes on a yellow ground, shows its
distinct pattern from afar. It is the same with a revolution brought about by a
great man: large, clear guiding lines become visible, understandable to
everyone. Therefore he need not first consult the oracle, for he wins the
spontaneous support of the people.
6
After the large and fundamental problems are settled, certain minor reforms,
and elaborations of these, are necessary. These detailed reforms may be
likened to the equally distinct but relatively small marks of the panther's coat.
As a consequence, a change also takes place among the inferior people. In
conformity with the new order, they likewise "molt". This molting, it is true,
does not go very deep, but that is not to be expected. We must be satisfied
with the attainable. If we should go too far and try to achieve too much, it
would lead to unrest and misfortune. For the object of a great revolution is
the attainment of clarified, secure conditions ensuring a general stabilization
on the basis of what is possible at the moment.
Barbara Hejslip interpretationAll changes and the rearrangements happening around of you now, will end; yes so it is successful, that results will surpass all your expectations. You now are not assured of yourselves, but new prospects come nearer, and you again we shall find belief in. Probably, your plans will change, and you will go there where before and did not gather. Now to you very much carries in game.
  58. Open (duì). The JoyousAdvise
Learn to be happy with an easy mind, not fearing the time when there will be fewer reasons for joy and it will be time to be sad.
Inital text of I ChingThe Judgement
The Joyous. Success. Perseverance is favorable.
The Image
Lakes resting one on the other: The image of the Joyous. Thus the superior man joins with his friends for discussion and practice.
- Contented joyousness. Good fortune.
- Sincere joyousness. Good fortune. Remorse disappears.
- Coming joyousness. Misfortune.
- Joyousness that is weighed is not at peace. After ridding himself of mistakes a man has joy.
- Sincerity toward disintegrating influences is dangerous.
- Seductive joyousness.
Prediction
Success in many areas related to social activities is possible: a successful and rapid completion of urgent tasks, achievements in creative work, recognition of merit, pleasant meetings. Achieved goal gives a feeling of great joy. Do not miss this feeling; try to enjoy it as much as possible. But beware of euphoria, admiring yourself, loss of self-control. Do not lose your head. Be prepared for the fact that the good times will end soon.
This hexagram, like sun, is one of the eight formed by doubling of a trigram.
The trigram Tui denotes the youngest daughter; it is symbolized by the
smiling lake, and its attribute is joyousness. Contrary to appearances, it is not
the yielding quality of the top line that accounts for joy here. The attribute of
the yielding or dark principle is not joy but melancholy. However, joy is
indicated by the fact that there are two strong lines within, expressing
themselves through the medium of gentleness.
True joy, therefore, rests on firmness and strength within, manifesting itself
outwardly as yielding and gentle.
THE JUDGMENT
The joyous mood is infectious and therefore brings success. But joy must be
based on steadfastness if it is not to degenerate into uncontrolled mirth.
Truth and strength must dwell in the heart, while gentleness reveals itself in
social intercourse. In this way one assumes the right attitude toward God and
man and achieves something. Under certain conditions, intimidation
without gentleness may achieve something momentarily, but not for all
time. When, on the other hand, the hearts of men are won by friendliness,
they are led to take all hardships upon themselves willingly, and if need be
will not shun death itself, so great is the power of joy over men.
THE IMAGE
A lake evaporates upward and thus gradually dries up; but when two lakes
are joined they do not dry up so readily, for one replenishes the other. It is
the same in the field of knowledge. Knowledge should be a refreshing and
vitalizing force. It becomes so only through stimulating intercourse with
congenial friends with whom one holds discussion and practices application
of the truths of life. In this way learning becomes many-sided and takes on a
cheerful lightness, whereas there is always something ponderous and one-
sided about the learning of the self-taught.
1
A quiet, wordless, self-contained joy, desiring nothing from without and
resting content with everything, remains free of all egotistic likes and dislikes.
In this freedom lies good fortune, because it harbors the quiet security of a
heart fortified within itself.
2
We often find ourselves associating with inferior people in whose company
we are tempted by pleasures that are inappropriate for the superior man. To
participate in such pleasures would certainly bring remorse, for a superior
man can find no real satisfaction in low pleasures. When, recognizing this, a
man does not permit his will to swerve, so that he does not find such ways
agreeable, not even dubious companions will venture to proffer any base
pleasures, because he would not enjoy them. Thus every cause for regret is
removed.
3
True joy must spring from within. But if one is empty within and wholly
given over to the world, idle pleasures come streaming in from without.
This is what many people welcome as diversion. Those who lack inner
stability and therefore need amusement, will always find opportunity of
indulgence. They attract external pleasures by the emptiness of their natures.
Thus they lose themselves more and more, which of course has bad results.
4
Often a man finds himself weighing the choice between various kinds of
pleasures, and so long as he has not decided which kind he will choose, the
higher or the lower, he has no inner peace. Only when he clearly recognizes
that passion brings suffering, can he make up his mind to turn away from the
lower pleasures and to strive for the higher. Once this decision is sealed, he
finds true joy and peace, and inner conflict is overcome.
5
Dangerous elements approach even the far best of men. If a man permits
himself to have anything to do with them, their disintegrating influence acts
slowly but surely, and inevitable brings dangers in its train. But if he
recognizes the situation and can comprehend the danger, he knows how to
protect himself and remains unharmed.
6
A vain nature invites diverting pleasures and must suffer accordingly (cf. the
six in the third place). If a man is unstable within, the pleasures of the world
that he does not shun have so powerful an influence that he is swept along by
them. Here it is no longer a question of danger, of good fortune or
misfortune. He has given up direction of his own life, and what becomes of
him depends upon chance and external influences.
Barbara Hejslip interpretationAlready success hurries to you; and your suppressed mood will disappear without a trace. This hexagram concerns everything, that is connected with bodies of speech. Be careful badly to respond about associates, and do not disregard kind advice of the friend. Now very favorable period for everything, as to singing and trade. It is not necessary to be nervous in occasion of that you not in forces to change and correct. Keep calmness; happiness, success already on the approach.
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Richard Wilhelm's commentary