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Wednesday, December 31, 2008
No. 54, The Marrying Maiden / Subordinate, Line
1:
"The marrying maiden as a concubine.
A lame man who is able to tread.
Undertakings bring good fortune."
You are in a subordinate position for now, but you can still make progress.
You have the confidence and support of the person who is in charge. From
this position, you can accomplish a great deal.
As yesterday's main message said, focus on your long-term goals. Good fortune
will come from taking small steps in that direction.
We'll look at Line 3 tomorrow.
9:31 am est
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
No. 54, The Marrying Maiden / Subordinate:
"The Marrying Maiden.
Undertakings bring misfortune.
Nothing that would further."
Is there an area in your life where you taking a back seat -
a subordinate position - and are itching to break out and take control? The Yi advises that now is not the time to make your move. This message is called The Marrying Maiden, because your situation now is
like that of a concubine in ancient China. You are in some way a "junior wife," subject to the direction and
control of a husband and the "senior wife." It is likely that you
got into this position because you needed the security. The Image
give some advice on what to do: "Thus the superior man understands the transitory in the light of the eternity
of the end."
In other words, whatever this situation is - a relationship or a job, for example - it won't last forever. Do what
is required of you in the present, but inwardly, focus on your own long-term goals.
The Yi sent along three changing lines with
specific advice on how to get through this time; Lines 1, 3 and 5. We'll look at Line 1 tomorrow.
9:25 am est
Monday, December 29, 2008
No. 13, Fellowship With Others / Community:
“Fellowship
with men in the open.
Success.
It furthers one to cross the great water.
The perseverance of the superior man
furthers.” The Image:
“Heaven together with fire:
The image of Fellowship.
Thus the superior man organizes the clans
And makes distinctions between things.”
Fellowship / Community signals a time when joining with others will
be the most rewarding, satisfying thing you can do. We received this hexagram without changing lines, which means that this
is a circumstance which is likely to be the most important factor in your life for some time to come.
It is very much a continuation
of the last main message we received, The Joyous / Encouraging, which said, "The
time has come when you can achieve your aims through the encouragement of others." And we received that same message,
several times, in recent weeks. The Yi is telling
you, in every way possible, that Fellowship and a commitment to your Community is the key to your own personal success.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
No. 56, The Wanderer: “The Wanderer. Success through smallness. Perseverance brings good fortune To the wanderer."
The translation of The Image adds an additional concept: “Thus the superior man Is clear-minded and cautious
In imposing penalties,
And protracts no
lawsuits.” This future message says that you are in a state of transition, and are moving
to places that are unfamiliar. In such times, it is wise to take small steps until you understand more
fully the forces that are at play.
For
the I Ching, "traveling" is more a fluid state of mind than a physical journey
from place to place. But one may well include the other.
The
main message, The Joyous / Encouraging, emphasized that your joy will come from helping
others in the pursuit of their goals. This is new territory for you. It's okay to move slowly until you feel
at home.
Content yourself now with "tasting, testing, and collecting information.” As part of this process, you are advised to remove yourself from any conflicts as soon as possible.
Friday, December 26, 2008
The
Joyous / Encouraging, Line 6:
"Seductive joyousness."
Line 6 is warning that you may have given in to the "disintegrating influences" mentioned in Line 5.
I'll leave it to Wilhelm to explain just what's going on here:
"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."
We'll look at what "chance" and "external
influences" may bring, in the future message formed by these changing lines, tomorrow.
9:30 am est
Thursday, December 25, 2008
The
Joyous / Encouraging, Line 5:
"Sincerity toward disintegrating influences is dangerous."
Sincere encouragement and support of others is the path to Joyousness,
BUT . . .
Line 5 is warning us not to be supportive of everything. As Wilhem puts it,
"Dangerous elements approach even the best of men."
The problem is that "disintegrating
influences" come in the guise of relatively harmless distractions. "Come out and have a drink with us - just this
once." And then once becomes twice, and then three times, and soon your progress
on your path has fallen apart.
Can you identify
where your "disintegrating influences" are coming from? The Yi has one last piece of specific advice about this
tomorrow in Line 6.
9:45 am est
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
The
Joyous / Encouraging, Line 3:
"Coming joyousness. Misfortune."
Has this message of Joyousness and the changing lines we've read
so far convinced you that Joy will be coming? If so, you're on the wrong
track.
The Yi is telling you that this Joy from Encouraging and sharing with others is here for you now.
With Line 3, the Yi reminds us that The Joyous is the main message - a description
of the forces that are in play now.*
If you are always
looking ahead - "If ___ happens, then I will be happy" - you will miss out on the contented, sincere joyousness
that is available to you in the present. You just need to recognize it and claim it. Focusing only on what's "coming"
would, indeed, be misfortune. Tomorrow we'll look at Line 5. *For a brief explanation of main messages,
changing lines, and future messages, go to "Getting Started with the I Ching."
8:40 am est
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
The
Joyous / Encouraging, Line 2:
"Sincere joyousness. Good fortune.
Remorse disappears."
Sincere joyousness comes from focusing on higher endeavors, according to the Yi.
There are those who will tempt you into frivolous or unworthy
"fun" - especially at this time of year. (Beware the office Christmas party!) This is not the sort of Encouraging
you are supposed to be offering others.
If you indulge, you will have cause to regret it, but if you let the empty and unworthy fun pass, "remorse disappears."
Line 3 has more to say on this subject; we'll
look at that tomorrow.
11:53 am est
Monday, December 22, 2008
The Joyous / Encouraging, Line
1:
"Contented joyousness. Good fortune."
Contentment happens when we are
not worrying about what is past, and not projecting about what will happen in the future.
You
will be able to make the most out of this period of Joyousness if you start - and
this is Line 1 - from a position of being happy with what is.
Today, let yourself be contented with who and what you are, in the here and now. Encouragement of others will work best if
you are quietly assured in your own path.
Tomorrow we'll look at Line 2, which advises
us on another important component of this Joyousness - sincerity.
10:25 am est
Saturday, December 20, 2008
No. 58, The Joyous:
“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.” We received The Joyous yesterday, as a future
message, and as a main message, with no changing lines, just a few days before that. Receiving it again today as a main message - with five; that's right,
five changing lines - means the Yi wants us to pay closer attention to this message.
So, as my high school history teacher would say, "Listen up, people!"
Wing names this message "Encouraging," and sums up its message: "The time has come when
you can achieve your aims through the encouragement of others."
Joy will
come not from personal "success," but from "encouraging others in the pursuit of their goals." Note:
not your goals - their own, personal goals.
Is it possible you are Encouraging someone, but toward what you think they want, or what you think they should want, rather than what
they themselves actually want? Give this some thought as we work through these lines.
This time around,
the Yi has lots of specific advice - Lines 1,2,3,5, and 6. We'll start with Line 1 tomorrow.
Friday, December 19, 2008
No. 58, The Joyous:
“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.” The Joyous signals
a happy and fulfilling time. Fiedeler calls this hexagram "The Exchange," and Wing calls it "Encouraging."
The Image of The Joyous
is formed by the doubling of a trigram, Lake above and Lake
below: each a life-sustaining source, replenishing the other.
Receiving this as the future message to Approach / Growth means that your own growth and success
will be furthered by encouraging others to find and pursue their individual goals. This joining with others will be
joyous, but not "fun" in a self-indulgent, frivolous sense.
We received The Joyous as a main message just a few days ago, with no changing lines. Receiving it again indicates a continuing, stable state
of affairs, as long as the basis of this Joy remains cooperation and sharing with
others.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Approach
/ Growth, Line 5:
"Wise approach.
This is right
for a great prince.
Good fortune."
You
are the "great prince" in your Approach toward a new life.
Line 5 is telling you that you will not be able to accomplish your goals entirely alone.
The Yi advises that, in this journey, you must choose as your associates only those who are committed to the
same goals you are. Let others go about their business as they will.
Once you have wisely chosen, let your helpers proceed as they see fit.
Don't micromanage.
We'll look at the future of this
Approach tomorrow.
10:17 am est
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Approach / Growth,
Line 4:
"Complete approach.
No blame."
Your "enlightenment" in some area
is increasing, according to yesterday's main message. Line 4 is specific advice to make a complete approach in that direction.
This means you must devote
yourself to it without reservation - on all levels, with everything you've got. If you assign this area
only what energy you have when you have time to "get around to it," your progress will slow, and may grind to a
halt.
This kind of concentration frequently distresses those around you, who would prefer that
you focus your attention on them. Do not be deterred. The Yi is telling
you there is no blame in going for what you want.
We'll look at Line 5 tomorrow.
12:08 pm est
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
No. 19, Approach / Growth:
"Approach has supreme success.
Perseverance
furthers.
When the eighth month comes,
There will be misfortune."
Receiving this hexagram is likened to January and
February - the season after the winter solstice, when the light begins to return, gradually but steadily.
Your "enlightenment" will increase toward your ultimate success.
What do you want
to Approach right now? Start moving in that direction - the green light from
the Universe says "Go."
The Yi warns that this time of "joyous, hopeful progress"
does not last forever. After a time, the light will begin to decrease again, which is the natural cycle of all things.
Make as much progress as you can while conditions are favorable. This will stand you in good stead when the downturn
arrives.
Real Growth is always a
slow, measured process, and the Yi has some specific advice on how to proceed. We received changing lines 4 and
5. We'll look at Line 4 tomorrow.
Monday, December 15, 2008
No. 64, Before Completion / Before the End:
"Before Completion. Success.
But
if the little fox, after nearly completing the crossing,
Gets his tail in the water,
There is nothing that would
further."
Right now, you are like
a fox crossing a river covered with ice: You are in a precarious transition, crossing from one shore, or way of life,
to another.
We received this message with no changing lines, which indicates that the conditions
described by our previous two hexagrams, Revolution and Break-through,
are still in play. You are likely to remain in this state of transition to fundamental change for some time.
In fact, receiving this hexagram without changing lines indicates that there is danger of drawing out this process of transition
too long. Great caution is advised, but don't stand still, stuck on the ice. Worrying about what you should have
done is letting your "tail" - your past - droop into the water. That gets you no where.
Success is waiting if you keep moving carefully forward toward solid ground.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
No. 43, Break-through / Resolution:
"Break-through. One must resolutely make the matter known At the court of the king. It must be announced truthfully.
Danger. It is necessary to notify one's one city. It does not further to resort to arms. It furthers one to undertake
something."
With Resolution, a Break-through
- the Revolution that was our main message - can be achieved.
The ancient commentaries are unusually detailed on how you should
proceed. Three rules should govern your actions:
- Your Resolution --- and your resolute
actions --- must be based on strength and friendliness.
- You will have
to make your stand clear to your family, your workplace and your community.
- Don't
fight – for or against - anything “blow for blow.” The Yi advises that the best way to fight evil
is to “make energetic progress in the good.”
Saturday, December 13, 2008
From Revolution, Line 2:
"When
one's own day comes, One may create revolution. Starting brings good fortune. No blame."
If you are ready for this Revolution, now is the time to act.
"One's own day comes" when you have inner strength and clarity about what it is you want to do. Then you may
begin the creation of your revolution.
You will only be able to take a first step now, but that first
step is important. Starting this Revolution will discomfort others, and they will
protest. Do not be deterred - there is "no blame."
Tomorrow we'll see what the future holds, once the first step has been taken.
Friday, December 12, 2008
No. 49, Revolution:
"Revolution.
On your own day You are believed. Supreme success, Furthering through perseverance. Remorse disappears."
Receiving Revolution
means that there needs to be a major change.
Conflict will surround this change, and you will not be able to avoid that. However, with determination and calm persistence,
you will be able to move through this time of upheaval into supreme success.
You have everything you need to make it through this Revolution, because you are secure
in what you believe. This will draw others to you. You can set an example that will be followed. "On your own day, you
are believed."
This hexagram is formed by the trigram Lake over the trigram Heaven, the Image
of The Joyous [which we received yesterday] rising up through Heaven.
Revolution signals
that it is time for you to take the lead in bringing about a transformation. Where will your
Revolution begin?
We received one changing line, Line 2. We'll look at that tomorrow.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
No. 58, The Joyous:
“The joyous. Success.
Perseverance is favorable.”
The main
message is a little short, so let's look also at 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.” This message signals a happy and fulfilling time if you use it to
share and discuss with others the truly important things in life.
Success will come to you by encouraging others to find and
pursue their individual goals, and by aiding them in that pursuit. This joining with others will be joyous, but not "fun" in a self-indulgent, frivolous sense. The Joyous one of eight
hexagrams that is formed by the doubling of a trigram, in this case, Lake above and
Lake below: each replenishing the other. This hexagram was received with no changing lines, which indicates a continuing, stable state
of affairs, as long as the basis of this Joy remains cooperation and sharing with
others.
Or, as the Christmas carol says, "Joy to the World." Amen.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
No. 35, Progress:
"Progress. The powerful
prince
Is honored with horses in large numbers.
In a single day he is granted audience three times."
The future will be a time of rapid and relatively easy progress. " . . . [G]ranted audience three times" means that those
in authority will be paying attention to what you have to say.
As the future of
Return / The Turning Point and the changing lines that came with it, it means
that staying on your own path is the key to success. "The extent to which we progress
is determined by how far we distance ourselves from inferior influences." Walker
Progress
is a combination of the elements of Li, fire or light, over Earth: the image of the sun rising over the earth - ever increasing clarity.
Progress may be on the outer, or inner, plane. “For the individual
person, progress always proceeds in the direction of fulfilling his destiny, which is to give expression to his uniqueness.”
Anthony and Moog .................
"The aim of life is self-development. To realize one's nature
perfectly - that is what each of us is here for."
Oscar Wilde
10:13 am est
Monday, December 8, 2008
Return / The Turning Point, Line 6:
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."
The opportunity to Return to your path
is brief. You are in danger of obstinately marching
forward on a path that is not truly your own. If you persist, you will "suffer a great defeat."
This favorable time, this Turning Point toward brighter days, will not come again
for a long, long time. We'll look at the future of this
reading tomorrow. .
Sunday, December 7, 2008
The Daily Yi
Return / The Turning Point, Line 4:
"Walking in the midst
of others,
One returns alone."
You are in a group
that is headed in a direction that is wrong for you. Line 1 indicated that you have "stepped off your path." Line
4 says that's because you are seeking to remain within a group. It may be family, friends, co-workers - whoever it is,
you are going along, to get along.
To take advantage of this Turning Point, this Return
to brighter days, you are going to have to separate yourself from the group, and return - alone - to your own path. Can you do it?
As additional food for thought, I leave you with some thoughts by American poet Robert Frost :
| TWO
roads diverged in a yellow wood, | | | And sorry I could not travel both | | | And be one traveler, long I stood | | | And looked down one as far as I could | | | To where it bent in the undergrowth; | 5 | | | | Then
took the other, as just as fair, | | | And having perhaps the better claim | | | Because it was grassy and wanted wear; | | | Though as for that, the passing there | | | Had worn them really about the same, | 10 | | | | And both that morning equally lay | | | In leaves no step had trodden black. | | | Oh, I marked the first for another day! | | | Yet knowing how way leads on to way | | | I doubted if I should ever come back. | 15 | | | | I shall be telling this with a sigh | | | Somewhere ages and ages hence: | | | Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, | | | I took the one less traveled by, | | | And that has made all the difference. | 20
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Saturday, December 6, 2008
Return / The Turning Point, Line 1:
"Return from a short distance.
No
need for remorse.
Great good fortune." You
have stepped off your path.
The Yi recognizes that sometimes this can't be avoided. You haven't gone far astray, and you can return to the right
path if you act now.
If you do, you will have no cause for regret, and indeed, this will lead you toward "great good fortune." What steps do you
need to take to Return to your path? The Yi has some advice on that in Line
4, which we'll look at tomorrow.
(And our apologies
to our friends and correspondents in the Southern Hemisphere - we should have acknowledged that the coming Solstice we talked
about yesterday isn't an increase in light for everybody. South of the equator, you are approaching the start
of the decrease of light.)
11:26 am est
Friday, December 5, 2008
No. 24, Return / The Turning Point:
"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."
Things have gotten as dark as they are going to get. The "light" will now start to Return.
Receiving this hexagram is likened to the first day after winter solstice: It's a Turning
Point towards brighter days, but things still have a long way to go to reach the maximum. (The Yi is a
couple of weeks early on this Solstice, but I'm not going to complain, are you? )
This is a time when "the old is discarded
and the new is introduced." Formed from the trigram Earth over
the trigram Thunder, this hexagram signifies a deep change of the life energy (Thunder)
stirring from deep within the Earth.
Wilhelm notes, "Everything must be treated tenderly and with care at the
beginning, so that the Return may lead to a flowering." What kind of care?
The Yi has three specific pieces of advice; changing lines 1, 4, and 6. We'll look at Line 1 tomorrow.
10:47 am est
Thursday, December 4, 2008
No. 14, Possession in Great Measure:
"Possession in great measure.
Supreme success."
Short and sweet, eh?
Received
as the future message of Treading/Conduct, it means that by treading carefully, and not directly challenging the
volatile individual - the "tiger" of the main message and changing lines - you will arrive at a very favorable time.
Wilhelm compares the meaning of this hexagram to the saying of Jesus, "Blessed are
the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."
This may mean that material riches await you, or it may mean that
you will find an inner wealth, a feeling of true wholeness and clarity.. This hexagram is composed of the element
Fire above Heaven. As Brian Browne Walker puts it, at this time you will "shine on others
as the sun shines on everything under the heavens."
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Treading / Conduct Line 5:
"Resolute conduct. Perseverance with the awareness of danger."
You must maintain your inner independence and resolve. It is important that you follow
your own path, even past the tail of the tiger. Do not concern yourself with what others think you should be doing.
Did you identify this
tiger - this "wild, intractable person"? Remain aware of the risks, but keep moving past the insecurity
and instability.
There's
good stuff waiting in the future reading for this message. We'll look at that tomorrow.
3:58 pm est
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
No. 10, Treading / Conduct
Line 3:
"A
one-eyed man is able to see, A lame man is able to tread. He treads on the tail of the tiger. The tiger bites the man. Misfortune. Thus does a warrior act on behalf of his great prince."
You can see the danger that lies in your path, but not
with the proper perspective. Also, you cannot move forward from a position of strength.
Moving
forward under these circumstances causes you to make a mistake. This brings misfortune.
The
Yi seems to think that's okay - getting bit by the tiger - if you are doing it on behalf of your "great prince."
Personally, I think the better message is to slow down and pay more attention to where you are going, and how you are trying
to get there, so you can avoid getting bit altogether.
Line 5 contains more specific advice
on how you should proceed. We'll look at that tomorrow.
Monday, December 1, 2008
No. 10, Treading / Conduct:
"Treading. Treading upon the tail
of the tiger. It does not bite the man. Success."
You are in a situation that calls for considerable caution.
The tiger is most likely "a wild, intractable person." [Wilhelm] Is it your boss? Your father?
Your crazy neighbor? Whoever it is, it's someone you have to step lightly around. Modern English translation: Don't
yank his chain.
Take note - you
cannot avoid contact with this person altogether. But by Treading carefully, and not stepping on his "tail" too
hard, you will be able to continue on your own path without harm. And that is success.
Two changing lines were received with this message that
warn of particular difficulties. We'll look at Line 3 tomorrow.
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What is the I Ching?
The symbol you see above is the bagua, the symbol of the I Ching for 5,000 years
before it was "adopted" as the octagonal logo of the Dharma Iniative in the television series "Lost."
The I Ching, also known as the Yi Jing, or (in English) Book of Changes, is an
oracle; a divination device that forms a pattern reflecting the forces at work
in the Universe at a particular point in time.
This pattern,
when viewed in the context of a concern or question, sends a message of timeless advice and insight.
Richard Wilhelm explained it this way in a footnote to his translation of Ta Chaun - The Great Treatise: "The way in which the
Book of Changes works can best be compared to an electrical circuit reaching into all situations. "The circuit only affords the potentiality
of lighting: it does not give light. "But
when contact with a definite situation is established, the 'current' is activated, and the given situation is illumined." Plug yourself in. -------------------------------
The great Swiss pyschiatrist C.G.
Jung, who was a serious student of the I Ching, said:
"The
I Ching does not offer itself with proofs and results; it does not vaunt itself, nor is it easy to approach. Like a part of
nature, it waits until it is discovered.
"It offers neither
facts nor power, but for lovers of self-knowledge, of wisdom - if there be such - it seems to be the right book. . .
.
"He who
is not pleased by it does not have to use it, and he who is against it is not obliged to find it true. "Let it go forth into the world for the benefit
of those who can discern its meaning." -------------------------------------------
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