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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  57. Ground (xùn). The GentleAdvise
Let small things develop. Humble pride - be soft and flexible. Advice of a great person does not degrade, but exalts. Mercenariness disciplines.
Inital text of I ChingThe Judgement
The Gentle. Success through what is small. It furthers one to have somewhere to go. It furthers one to see the great man.
The Image
Winds following one upon the other: The image of the Gently Penetrating. Thus the superior man spreads his commands abroad and carries out his undertakings.
- In advancing and in retreating, the perseverance of a warrior furthers.
- Penetration under the bed. Priests and magicians are used in great number. Good fortune. No blame.
- Repeated penetration. Humiliation.
- Remorse vanishes. During the hunt three kinds of game are caught.
- Perseverance brings good fortune. Remorse vanishes. Nothing that does not further. No beginning, but an end. Before the change, three days. After the change, three days. Good fortune.
- Penetration under the bed. He loses his property and his ax. Perseverance brings misfortune.
Prediction
Life offers you a new environment in which you may appear an inexperienced person. Errors are possible: misconceptions about the intentions, wrong judgments and estimates, the failure of plans. It is necessary to grasp the essence of change, to develop a clear plan and step by step, 'grope'. Get ready for that you will find only small having lost a lot. It is useful to seek help from a more sophisticated man. What is important is the ability to obey, the ability to comply, give up ambitions, as well as clarity of intentions. Hypocrisy, pretence and arrogance are unacceptable. It is dangerous to muddle on, 'at your own risk', show inappropriate at this time determination and stubbornness. There may be conflicts with friends, quarrels with your beloved, family problems.
Sun is one of the eight doubled trigrams. It is the eldest daughter and
symbolizes wind or wood; it has for its attribute gentleness, which
nonetheless penetrates like the wind or like growing wood with its roots.
The dark principle, in itself rigid and immovable, is dissolved by the
penetrating light principle, to which it subordinates itself in gentleness. In
nature, it is the wind that disperses the gathered clouds, leaving the sky clear
and serene. In human life it is penetrating clarity of judgment that thwarts
all dark hidden motives. In the life of the community it is the powerful
influence of a great personality that uncovers and breaks up those intrigues
which shun the light of day.
THE JUDGMENT
Penetration produces gradual and inconspicuous effects. It should be effected
not by an act of violation but by influence that never lapses. Results of this
kind are less striking to the eye than those won by surprise attack, but they are
more enduring and more complete. If one would produce such effects, one
must have a clearly defined goal, for only when the penetrating influence
works always in the same direction can the object be attained. Small strength
can achieve its purpose only by subordinating itself to an eminent man who
is capable of creating order.
THE IMAGE
The penetrating quality of the wind depends upon its ceaselessness. This is
what makes it so powerful; time is its instrument. In the same way the
ruler's thought should penetrate the soul of the people. This too requires a
lasting influence brought about by enlightenment and command. Only when
the command has been assimilated by the people is action in accordance with
it possible. Action without preparation of the ground only frightens and
repels.
1
In born gentleness is often carried to the point of indecisiveness. One does
not feel strong enough to advance resolutely. A thousand doubts crop up; one
is, however, not minded to withdraw but drifts indecisively to and fro. In
such a situation, a military decisiveness is the proper thing, so that one
resolutely does what order demands. Resolute discipline is far better than
irresolute license.
2
At times one has to deal with hidden enemies, intangible influences that
slink into dark corners and from this hiding affect people by suggestion. In
instances like this, it is necessary to trace these things back to the most secret
recesses, in order to determine the nature of the influences to be dealt with.
This is the task of the priests; removing the influences is the task of the
magicians. The very anonymity of such plotting requires an especially
vigorous and indefatigable effort, but this is well worth while. For when such
elusive influences are brought into the light and branded, they lose their
power over people.
3
Penetrating reflection must not be pushed too far, lest it cripple the power of
decision. After a matter has been thoroughly pondered, it is essential to form
a decision and to act. Repeated deliberation brings fresh doubts and scruples,
and thereby humiliation, because one shows oneself unable to act.
4
When a responsible position and accumulated experience lead one to
combine innate modesty with energetic action, great success is assured. The
three kinds of animals referred to served for offerings to the gods, for feasting
guests, and for everyday consumption. When the catch answered all three
purposes, the hunt was considered especially successful.
5
In the situation described in Ku, WORK ON WHAT HAS BEEN SPOILED
(18), an entirely new point of departure must be set up, whereas here it is only
a question of reforms. The beginning has not been good, but the moment has
been reached when a new direction can be taken. Change and improvement
are called for. Such steps must be undertaken with steadfastness, that is, with
a firm and correct attitude of mind; then they will succeed, and remorse will
disappear. But it must be remembered that such improvements require
careful consideration. Before a change is made, it must be pondered over
again and again. After the change is made, it is necessary to note carefully for
some time after how the improvements bear the test of actuality. Such
careful work is accompanied by good fortune.
6
A man's understanding is sufficiently penetrating. He follows up injurious
influences into the most secret corners. But he no longer has the strength to
combat them decisively. In this case any attempt to penetrate into the
personal domain of darkness would only bring harm.
Barbara Hejslip interpretationAt present to you not so - that simply to understand a state of affairs and it is reasonable to estimate it. But you too exaggerate, representing events. Try to follow on that way which to you will be specified by the person well knowing you; and it will be the best exit. In five months your destiny will change for the better. To eliminate obstacles in a way of performance of your desires the woman will help. At all do not allow to persuade now itself on such actions as which consider erroneous and unnecessary.
  52. Bound (gèn). The Keeping StillAdvise
Moving slowly, we can achieve more. Unhurried ride provides an opportunity not only to reach a distant goal, without riding a horse to death and breaking the wagon, but also allows much to see and learn.
Inital text of I ChingThe Judgement
Keeping Still. Keeping his back still so that he no longer feels his body. He goes into his courtyard and does not see his people. No blame.
The Image
Mountains standing close together: The image of Keeping Still. Thus the superior man does not permit his thoughts to go beyond his situation.
- Keeping his toes still. No blame. Continued perseverance furthers.
- Keeping his calves still. He cannot rescue him whom he follows. His heart is not glad.
- Keeping his hips still. Making his sacrum stiff. Dangerous. The heart suffocates.
- Keeping his trunk still. No blame.
- Keeping his jaws still. The words have order. Remorse disappears.
- Noblehearted keeping still. Good fortune.
Prediction
Forces were set in motion. But this is only the beginning. Do not hurry time and events – way will be long, motion will be unhurried. Know how to wait patiently. Difficulties would be overcome if the effort is made. In relations with other be well-balanced, cautious. Keep the fight by the rules, look for peaceful solutions, do not be lazy to long negotiations - and then prevail over a rival. Personal relations are developing smoothly, in love - harmony.
The image of this hexagram is the mountain, the youngest son of heaven and
earth. The male principle is at the top because it strives upward by nature; the
female principle is below, since the direction of its movement has come to its
normal end.
In its application to man, the hexagram turns upon the problem of
achieving a quiet heart. It is very difficult to bring quiet to the heart. While
Buddhism strives for rest through an ebbing away of all movement in
nirvana, the Book of Changes holds that rest is merely a state of polarity that
always posits movement as its complement. Possibly the words of the text
embody directions for the practice of yoga.
THE JUDGMENT
True quiet means keeping still when the time has come to keep still, and
going forward when the time has come to go forward. In this way rest and
movement are in agreement with the demands of the time, and thus there is
light in life.
The hexagram signifies the end and the beginning of all movement. The
back is named because in the back are located all the nerve fibers that mediate
movement. If the movement of these spinal nerves is brought to a standstill,
the ego, with its restlessness, disappears as it were. When a man has thus
become calm, he may turn to the outside world. He no longer sees in it the
struggle and tumult of individual beings, and therefore he has that true peace
of mind which is needed for understanding the great laws of the universe
and for acting in harmony with them. Whoever acts from these deep levels
makes no mistakes.
THE IMAGE
The heart thinks constantly. This cannot be changed, but the movements of
the heart-that is, a man's thoughts-should restrict themselves to the
immediate situation. All thinking that goes beyond this only makes the heart
sore.
1
Keeping the toes still means halting before one has even begun to move. The
beginning is the time of few mistakes. At that time one is still in harmony
with primal innocence. Not yet influenced by obscuring interests and desires,
one sees things intuitively as they really are. A man who halts at the
beginning, so long as he has not yet abandoned the truth, finds the right way.
But persisting firmness is needed to keep one from drifting irresolutely.
2
The leg cannot move independently; it depends on the movement of the
body. If a leg is suddenly stopped while the whole body is in vigorous
motion, the continuing body movement will make one fall.
The same is true of a man who serves a master stronger than himself. He is
swept along, and even though he may himself halt on the path of
wrongdoing, he can no longer check the other in his powerful movement.
Where the master presses forward, the servant, no matter how good his
intentions, cannot save him.
3
This refers to enforced quiet. The restless heart is to be subdued by forcible
means. But fire when it is smothered changes into acrid smoke that
suffocates as it spreads.
Therefore, in exercises in meditation and concentration, one ought not to
try to force results. Rather, calmness must develop naturally out of a state of
inner composure. If one tries to induce calmness by means of artificial
rigidity, meditation will lead to very unwholesome results.
4
As has been pointed out above in the comment on the Judgment, keeping the
back at rest means forgetting the ego. This is the highest stage of rest. Here
this stage has not yet been reached: the individual in this instance, though
able to keep the ego, with its thoughts and impulses, in a state of rest, is not
yet quite liberated from its dominance. Nonetheless, keeping the heart at rest
is an important function, leading in the end to the complete elimination of
egotistic drives. Even though at this point one does not yet remain free from
all the dangers of doubt and unrest, this frame of mind is not a mistake, as it
leads ultimately to that other, higher level.
5
A man in a dangerous situation, especially when he is not adequate to it, is
inclined to be very free with talk and presumptuous jokes. But injudicious
speech easily leads to situations that subsequently give much cause for regret.
However, if a man is reserved in speech, his words take ever more definite
form, and every occasion for regret vanishes.
6
This marks the consummation of the effort to attain tranquillity. One is at
rest, not merely in a small, circumscribed way in regard to matters of detail,
but one has also a general resignation in regard to life as a whole, and this
confers peace and good fortune in relation to every individual matter.
Barbara Hejslip interpretationNow progress in affairs is very problematic. It is necessary for you to wait some time, and only then again to start to work; if you will plan a trip or travel, refuse them is better. Try to reconcile to circumstances and well consider the position before to undertake something. Do not despond. Difficulties and intrigues of ill-wishers you will overcome all, the victory will be for you, and is very fast. That desires were granted, now your efforts should be especially persevering.
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Richard Wilhelm's commentary