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.
  50. Holding (dǐng). The CauldronAdvise
Burning the old in the name of holy sacrifice, they acquire new - the fire leads to creation. But, throwing into the fire for fun, they risk losing and burning everything.
Inital text of I ChingThe Judgement
The Caldron. Supreme good fortune. Success.
The Image
Fire over wood: The image of the Caldron. Thus the superior man consolidates his fate by making his position correct.
- A ting with legs upturned. Furthers removal of stagnating stuff. One takes a concubine for the sake of her son. No blame.
- There is food in the ting. My comrades are envious, but they cannot harm me. Good fortune.
- The handle of the ting is altered. One is impeded in his way of life. The fat of the pheasant is not eaten. Once rain falls, remorse is spent. Good fortune comes in the end.
- The legs of the ting are broken. The prince's meal is spilled and his person is soiled. Misfortune.
- The ting has yellow handles, golden carrying rings. Perseverance furthers.
- The ting has rings of jade. Great good fortune. Nothing that would not act to further.
Prediction
The direction is correct.The main work is done inside: knowledge turns into understanding, wisdom grows, and talents develop of abilities. For the sake of acquiring new forget old - the victim will not be vain. But do not sacrifice for the sake of self-interest - it does not bring goodness. Things are going well. But do not forget to share with others the fruits of your labor. If you have an illness, wait for recovery.
The six lines construct the image of Ting, THE CALDRON; at the bottom are
the legs, over them the belly, then come the ears (handles), and at the top the
carrying rings. At the same time, the image suggests the idea of nourishment.
The ting, cast of bronze, was the vessel that held the cooked viands in the
temple of the ancestors and at banquets. The heads of the family served the
food from the ting into the bowls of the guests.
THE WELL (48) likewise has the secondary meaning of giving nourishment,
but rather more in relation to the people. The ting, as a utensil pertaining to
a refined civilization, suggests the fostering and nourishing of able men,
which redounded to the benefit of the state.
This hexagram and THE WELL are the only two in the Book of Changes that
represent concrete, men-made objects. Yet here too the thought has its
abstract connotation.
Sun, below, is wood and wind; Li, above, is flame. Thus together they stand
for the flame kindled by wood and wind, which likewise suggests the idea of
preparing food.
THE JUDGMENT
While THE WELL relates to the social foundation of our life, and this
foundation is likened to the water that serves to nourish growing wood, the
present hexagram refers to the cultural superstructure of society. Here it is
the wood that serves as nourishment for the flame, the spirit. All that is
visible must grow beyond itself, extend into the realm of the invisible.
Thereby it receives its true consecration and clarity and takes firm root in the
cosmic order.
Here we see civilization as it reaches its culmination in religion. The ting
serves in offering sacrifice to God. The highest earthly values must be
sacrificed to the divine. But the truly divine does not manifest itself apart
from man. The supreme revelation of God appears in prophets and holy
men. To venerate them is true veneration of God. The will of God, as
revealed through them, should be accepted in humility; this brings inner
enlightenment and true understanding of the world, and this leads to great
good fortune and success.
THE IMAGE
The fate of fire depends on wood; as long as there is wood below, the fire
burns above. It is the same in human life; there is in man likewise a fate that
lends power to his life. And if he succeeds in assigning the right place to life
and to fate, thus bringing the two into harmony, he puts his fate on a firm
footing. These words contain hints about fostering of life as handed on by
oral tradition in the secret teachings of Chinese yoga.
1
If a ting is turned upside down before being used, no harm is done-on the
contrary, this clears it of refuse. A concubine's position is lowly, but because
she has a son she comes to be honored.
These two metaphors express the idea that in a highly developed
civilization, such as that indicated by this hexagram, every person of good
will can in some way or other succeed. No matter how lowly he may be,
provided he is ready to purify himself, he is accepted. He attains a station in
which he can prove himself fruitful in accomplishment, and as a result he
gains recognition.
2
In a period of advanced culture, it is of the greatest importance that one
should achieve something significant. If a man concentrates on such real
undertakings, he may indeed experience envy and disfavor, but that is not
dangerous. The more he limits himself to his actual achievements, the less
harm the envious inflict on him.
3
The handle is the means for lifting up the ting. If the handle is altered, the
ting cannot be lifted up and used, and, sad to say, the delicious food in it, such
as pheasant fat, cannot be eaten by anyone.
This describes a man who, in a highly evolved civilization, finds himself in
a place where no one notices or recognizes him. This is a severe block to his
effectiveness. All of his good qualities and gifts of mind thus needlessly go to
waste. But if he will only see to it that he is possessed of something truly
spiritual, the time is bound to come, sooner or later, when the difficulties will
be resolved and all will go well. The fall of rain symbolizes here, as in other
instances, release of tension.
4
A man has a difficult and responsible task to which he is not adequate.
Moreover, he does not devote himself to it with all his strength but goes
about with inferior people; therefore the execution of the work fails. In this
way he also incurs personal opprobrium.
Confucius says about this line: "Weak character coupled with honored
place, meager knowledge with large plans, limited powers with heavy
responsibility, will seldom escape disaster."
5
Here we have, in a ruling position, a man who is approachable and modest in
nature. As a result of this attitude he succeeds in finding strong and able
helpers who complement and aid him in his work. Having achieved this
attitude, which requires constant self-abnegation, it is important for him to
hold to it and not to let himself be led astray.
6
In the preceding line the carrying rings are described as golden, to denote their
strength; here they are said to be of jade. Jade is notable for its combination of
hardness with soft luster. This counsel, in relation to the man who is open to
it, works greatly t his advantage. Here the counsel is described in relation to
the sage who imparts it. In imparting it, he will be mild and pure, like
precious jade. Thus the work finds favor in the eyes of the Deity, who
dispenses great good fortune, and becomes pleasing to men, wherefore all
goes well.
Barbara Hejslip interpretationThis hexagram specifies that now there is all preconditions resolutely to incur a role of the leader to achieve positive results. There will be people who will envy your successes; do not pay attention to these people. Do not incur more, than can give, and do not promise it is more, than in a condition to execute. Strong influence on you and on your relations with associates the figure renders "three". Business to which you were accepted, together with two adherents, will lead you to success. Your desire will be executed, though and not absolutely how you initially conceived. Pay attention that you spend for entertainments and on a hobby too much.
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Richard Wilhelm's commentary