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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  51. Shake (zhèn). ArousingAdvise
A storm frightens intelligent and courageous human, but also makes happy and exciting at the same time. The same is in real life.
Inital text of I ChingThe Judgement
Shock brings success. Shock comes-oh, oh! Laughing words-ha, ha! The shock terrifies for a hundred miles, and he does not let fall the sacrificial spoon and chalice.
The Image
Thunder repeated: The image of Shock. Thus in fear and trembling the superior man sets his life in order and examines himself.
- Shock comes-oh, oh! Then follow laughing words-ha, ha! Good fortune.
- Shock comes bringing danger. A hundred thousand times you lose your treasures and must climb the nine hills. Do not go in pursuit of them. After seven days you will get them back.
- Shock comes and makes one distraught. If shock spurs to action one remains free of misfortune.
- Shock is mired.
- Shock goes hither and thither. Danger. However, nothing at all is lost. Yet there are things to be done.
- Shock brings ruin and terrified gazing around. Going ahead brings misfortune. If it has not yet touched one's own body but has reached one's neighbor first, there is no blame. One's comrades have something to talk about.
Prediction
It is time of a strong man. The situation is dynamic and generally favorable, although externally it seems quite the opposite. Forces are updated and stored, great potential is waiting for output - likely a critical junction, similar to explosion. Tension grows; anxiety and fear are in the soul. The outcome depends only on your actions. Scared, you will fall into panic, try to cling to the old, will be acting disorderly and rashly - wait for the damage and harm. Be persistent, patient, and prudent, not going to regret losses, be able to gather strength in the most difficult moment - everything will be resolved well. Beware of fraud, and more - false glory.
The hexagram Chên represents the eldest son, who seizes rule with energy
and power. A yang line develops below two yin lines and presses upward
forcibly. This movement is so violent that it arouses terror. It is symbolized
by thunder, which bursts forth from the earth and by its shock causes fear and
trembling.
THE JUDGMENT
The shock that comes from the manifestation of God within the depths of the
earth makes man afraid, but this fear of God is good, for joy and merriment
can follow upon it.
When a man has learned within his heart what fear and trembling mean,
he is safeguarded against any terror produced by outside influences. Let the
thunder roll and spread terror a hundred miles around: he remains so
composed and reverent in spirit that the sacrificial rite is not interrupted.
This is the spirit that must animate leaders and rulers of men-a profound
inner seriousness from which all terrors glance off harmlessly.
THE IMAGE
The shock of continuing thunder brings fear and trembling. The superior
man is always filled with reverence at the manifestation of God; he sets his
life in order and searches his heart, lest it harbor any secret opposition to the
will of God. Thus reverence is the foundation of true culture.
1
The fear and trembling engendered by shock come to an individual at first in
such a way that he sees himself placed at a disadvantage as against others. But
this is only transitory. When the ordeal is over, he experiences relief, and
thus the very terror he had to endure at the outset brings good fortune in the
long run.
2
This pictures a situation in which a shock endangers a man and he suffers
great losses. Resistance would be contrary to the movement of the time and
for this reason unsuccessful. Therefore he must simply retreat to heights
inaccessible to the threatening forces of danger. He must accept his loss of
property without worrying too much about it. When the time of shock and
upheaval that has robbed him of his possessions has passed, he will get them
back again without going in pursuit of them.
3
There are three kinds of shock-the shock of heaven, which is thunder, the
shock of fate, and, finally, the shock of the heart. The present hexagram refers
less to inner shock than to the shock of fate. In such times of shock, presence
of mind is all too easily lost: the individual overlooks all opportunities for
action and mutely lets fate take its course. But if he allows the shocks of fate
to induce movement within his mind, he will overcome these external blows
with little effort.
4
Movement within the mind depends for its success partly on circumstances.
If there is neither a resistance that might be vigorously combated, nor yet a
yielding that permits of victory-if, instead, everything is tough and inert like
mire-movement is crippled.
5
This is a case not of a single shock but of repeated shocks with no breathing
space between. Nonetheless, the shock causes no loss, because one takes care
to stay in the center of movement and in this way to be spared the fate of
being helplessly tossed hither and thither.
6
When inner shock is at its height, it robs a man of reflection and clarity of
vision. In such a state of shock it is of course impossible to act with presence
of mind. Then the right thing is to keep still until composure and clarity are
restored. But this a man can do only when he himself is not yet infected by
the agitation, although its disastrous effects are already visible in those
around him. If he withdraws from the affair in time, he remains free of
mistakes and injury. But his comrades, who no longer heed any warning,
will in their excitement certainly be displeased with him. However, he must
not take this into account.
Barbara Hejslip interpretationYour success is close, but you have a contender, which makes all efforts to prevent it to reachto you. It is not necessary to be upset because of this; with quiet soul concede the positions because that you aspire to receive as necessary for you, in practice will appear absolutely another, not such as it was represented. In the near future in your environment there will be a unexpected and unpleasant event, but to you it nothing will injure. Now it is necessary for you to have a rest, distract, and to try to not be nervous that circumstances develop so, instead of differently. Do not despond, hardly later and to you the destiny will smile.
  28. Great Exceeding (dà guò). Great PreponderanceAdvise
Excessive grandeur presses upon and prevents further development.
Inital text of I ChingThe Judgement
Preponderance of the Great. The ridgepole sags to the breaking point. It furthers one to have somewhere to go. Success.
The Image
The lake rises above the trees: The image of Preponderance of the Great. Thus the superior man, when he stands alone, is unconcerned, and if he has to renounce the world, he is undaunted.
- To spread white rushes underneath. No blame.
- A dry poplar sprouts at the root. An older man takes a young wife. Everything furthers.
- The ridgepole sags to the breaking point. Misfortune.
- The ridgepole is braced. Good fortune. If there are ulterior motives, it is humiliating.
- A withered poplar puts forth flowers. An older woman takes a husband. No blame. No praise.
- One must go through the water. It goes over one's head. Misfortune. No blame.
Prediction
The situation is unfavorable. The danger of stagnation in business, big mistake is great. You should not stay on one place. Reliance, which supports the situation, is about ready to crumble. We must see the whole problem from the roots to the top, from the beginning to the possible outcome. It may take a long time. Avoid excess in everything; do not aspire to capital growth - now it's detrimental for you.
This hexagram consists of four strong lines inside and two weak lines outside.
When the strong are outside and the weak inside, all is well and there is
nothing out of balance, nothing extraordinary in the situation. Here,
however, the opposite is the case. The hexagram represents a beam that is
thick and heavy in the middle but too weak at the ends. This is a condition
that cannot last; it must be changed, must pass, or misfortune will result.
THE JUDGMENT
The weight of the great is excessive. The load is too heavy for the strength of
the supports. The ridgepole on which the whole roof rests, sags to the
breaking point, because its supporting ends are too weak for the load they
bear. It is an exceptional time and situation; therefore extraordinary measures
are demanded. It is necessary to find a way of transition as quickly as possible,
and to take action. This promises success. For although the strong element is
in excess, it is in the middle, that is, at the center of gravity, so that a
revolution is not to be feared. Nothing is to be achieved by forcible measures.
The problem must be solved by gently penetration to the meaning of the
situation (as is suggested by the attribute of the inner trigram, Sun); then the
change-over to other conditions will be successful. It demands real
superiority; therefore the time when the great preponderates is a momentous
time.
THE IMAGE
Extraordinary times when the great preponderates are like flood times when
the lake rises over the treetops. But such conditions are temporary. The two
trigrams indicate the attitude proper to such exceptional times: the symbol of
the trigram Sun is the tree, which stands firm even though it stands alone,
and the attribute of Tui is joyousness, which remains undaunted even if it
must renounce the world.
1
When a man wishes to undertake an enterprise in extraordinary times, he
must be extraordinarily cautious, just as when setting a heavy thing down on
the floor, one takes care to put rushes under it, so that nothing will break.
This caution, though it may seem exaggerated, is not a mistake. Exceptional
enterprises cannot succeed unless utmost caution is observed in their
beginnings and in the laying of their foundations.
2
Wood is near water; hence the image of an old poplar sprouting at the root.
This means an extraordinary situation arises when an older man marries a
young girl who suits him. Despite the unusualness of the situation, all goes
well.
From the point of view of politics, the meaning is that in exceptional times
one does well to join with the lowly, for this affords a possibility of renewal.
3
This indicates a type of man who in times of preponderance of the great
insists on pushing ahead. He accepts no advice from others, and therefore
they in turn are not willing to lend him support. Because of this the burden
grows, until the structure of things bends or breaks. Plunging willfully ahead
in times of danger only hastens the catastrophe.
4
Through friendly relations with people of lower rank, a responsible man
succeeds in becoming master of the situation. But if, instead of working for
the rescue of the whole, he were to misuse his connections to obtain personal
power and success, it would lead to humiliation.
5
A withered poplar that flowers exhausts its energies thereby and only hastens
its end. An older woman may marry once more, but no renewal takes place.
Everything remains barren. Thus, though all the amenities are observed, the
net result is only the anomaly of the situation.
Applied to politics, the metaphor means that if in times of insecurity we
give up alliance with those below us and keep up only the relationships we
have with people of higher rank, an unstable situation is created.
6
Here is a situation in which the unusual has reached a climax. One is
courageous and wishes to accomplish one's task, no matter what happens.
This leads into danger. The water rises over one's head. This is the
misfortune. But one incurs no blame in giving up one's life that the good
and the right may prevail. There are things that are more important than
life.
Barbara Hejslip interpretationYou are happy, feel the happiness. But try to take itself in hands; your temperament can injure both another, and you most. Look at itself critically, and not be unduly self-confident; your judgements at present it is far not the most true. Do not try to become successful by means of force. Time will change all, it is necessary to constrain itself and to think over a state of affairs. Your desire cannot be executed quickly. Be correct, and do not offend the fervour of others.
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Richard Wilhelm's commentary