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Saturday, January 31, 2009
Fellowship with Others, Line 2: "Fellowship with men in the clan. Humiliation."
Not all kinds of Fellowship are favored by the Yi
at this time. Any kind of factionalism will have a bad end.
Think about your many associations -
family, work, social circle, political affiliations - the possibilities are endless. If there are any in which you are
engaging in "us vs. them" thinking, the Yi is warning you - you're on the wrong track. Proceeding
in this manner will end in humiliation for you. You need to focus on a global, or universal, unity. The Yi has more to tell
us about how to behave in relation to our fellow man. We'll look at Line 4 tomorrow.
Friday, January 30, 2009
No. 13, Fellowship with Others:
"Fellowship with men in the open.
Success.
It furthers one to cross the great water.
The perseverance
of the superior man furthers."
You are entering a time when your relationships with others will be of prime
importance. The first
requirement for success is that these relationships be open and honest. If you have reservations, or unspoken agendas,
they will not work.
Individual concerns should be put aside. Focus on universal goals, those that benefit everyone. That is where your greatest
success will be realized.
We received three changing lines, Lines 2, 4 and 5, that have specific advice to help you determine which relationships the
Yi is talking about. We'll look at Line 2 tomorrow.
7:06 am mst
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
No. 52, Keeping Still / Mountain:
"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 future of Dispersion / Reunion
will be a time for meditation, a time of Keeping Still.
The Image explains further:
"Mountains standing close together:
The Image of Keeping Still.
Thus the superior man does not permit his thoughts
To go beyond his situation."
That's the key to Keeping Still: Don't be worrying about what has happened, or what may
happen..
What you need now is inner peace. Make sure you allow yourself the space, time
and solitude to obtain it.
9:03 am mst
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Dispersion
/ Reuniting, Line 5:
"His loud cries are as dissolving as sweat.
Dissolution!
A king abides without blame."
Ever had an illness where you get worse and worse, until your fever "breaks" and you
are covered in sweat? And from that point, you start to get better?
Your situation of alienation
and separation from others needs that kind of fever-breaking big event - what Wilhelm calls "a great and stimulating
idea" that will break the "general deadlock." This "great idea," which you will need to shout
at the top of your lungs, is what will dissolve the present barriers.
You will then be in a
position to take the lead. Under these circumstances, this is appropriate. There is "no blame" in you taking over
and directing things.
What is your "great idea?"
We'll
look at the future of this situation tomorrow.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Dispersion
/ Reuniting, Line 3:
"He dissolves his self. No blame."
The Yi can't put it any clearer than this: You must let go of your attitudes and opinions - and your own personal agenda - for the
success promised in the main message to be yours.
This is a time to be entirely selfless. Invest
all your efforts "in a great task outside yourself." Working for the common good, without regard for what's
in it for you, will bring you the greatest reward in the end.
Is there a "great task"
calling you?
The Yi has one more piece of specific advice, Line 5. We'll look
at that tomorrow.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Dispersion
/ Reuniting, Line 2:
"At the dissolution
He hurries to that which supports
him.
Remorse disappears."
Remember yesterday's main message, which didn't identify whose "hard attitude"
was the problem? Well, today's changing line clears that up - it's you.
You must reach out to "that which supports" you. R.L. Wing puts it this way:
"Your problems originate from within. You must modify your attitudes and overcome any feelings of alienation. If you
can improve your opinions and feelings toward your fellow man you will find peace of mind and avoid unnecessary suffering."
Lines 3 and 5, our other two changing lines, have specific advice on what will
be necessary to get that "remorse" to "disappear." We'll look at Line 3 tomorrow.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
No. 59, Dispersion / Reuniting:
"Dispersion. Success.
The king approaches his temple.
It furthers one to cross the great water.
Perseverance furthers."
This signals a time when the Dispersion of hard attitudes
or set ways of thinking will bring about Reuniting with family, friends, or social
groups.
To bring this about, the Yi advises participating in a "common enterprise or celebration."
The older texts suggest that this be a religious ceremony or sacred rite of some sort. Modern texts suggest only
that it be a common enterprise, undertaken for the common good, setting aside the consideration of "what's in it
for me."
Is it your attitude, or someone else's, that is keeping you apart? The
Yi doesn't necessarily lay the blame for this at your feet.
Three changing lines - 2, 3,
and 5 - were received with this main message. We'll look at the specific advice contained in Line 2 tomorrow.
Friday, January 23, 2009
No. 44, Coming
to Meet / Temptation:
"Coming
to meet. The maiden is powerful
One should not marry such a maiden."
The Yi is waving a red flag. Temptation is
the future of a main message about going with the flow - moving quickly through potentially
dangerous situations.
This is one last admonition from the Yi (in addition to the changing lines)
to analyze your situation and identify where the greatest dangers are really coming from. Receiving this future message suggests it is
a Temptation; something
"seemingly harmless but potentially dangerous." Here are some possibilities:
- The business
arena - a get-rich-quick scheme that seems to be too good, or too easy, to be true.
- A personal relationship
- the promise of pleasure, without responsibility.
- Internal - a "good reason" to cheat
on your diet, skip a day of exercising, have just one cigarette to calm your nerves - any temptation to fall back into
old patterns of behavior that are not serving you well.
With this hexagram, the Yi is sending a
message: Don't go there. The situation holds dangers you can't
see now. Follow the advice of the main message and flow on to your future.
9:56 am mst
Thursday, January 22, 2009
From The Abysmal
/ Danger / Flowing Water, Line 6:
"Bound with cords and ropes,
Shut in between thorn-hedged
prison walls.
For three years one does not find the way.
Misfortune."
Line 4 advised that there is a simple, practical solution to the difficulties facing you. Line
6 describes what will happen if you don't take it.
The solution "simply
handed in through the window" in Line 4 is likely not the "way out" that you would prefer. You want to "win"
in some way. The Yi offers only a way to sustain yourself and move on.
If you allow
yourself to remain bound by these entangling difficulties, it will take you a very long time to get free.
We'll look at the future of this situation tomorrow.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
From The Abysmal
/ Danger / Flowing Water, Line 4:
"A jug of wine, a bowl of rice with it;
Earthen
vessels
Simply handed in through the window.
There is certainly no blame in this."
There is a simple, practical solution to the difficulties facing you.
When this answer is presents itself, don't second guess it, or make things more complicated than they
are.
Take it, use it, and move on.
Think about your situation for a moment.
Is there a simple solution staring you in the face?
We'll look at Line
6 tomorrow.
From The Abysmal
/ Danger / Flowing Water, Line 4:
"A jug of wine, a bowl of rice with it;
Earthen
vessels
Simply handed in through the window.
There is certainly no blame in this."
There is a simple, practical solution to the difficulties facing you.
When this answer is presents itself, don't second guess it, or make things more complicated than they
are.
Take it, use it, and move on.
Think about your situation for a moment.
Is there a simple solution staring you in the face?
We'll look at Line
6 tomorrow.
Monday, January 19, 2009
No. 29, The Abysmal
/ Danger / Flowing Water:
"Flowing Water repeated.
If you are sincere, you
have success in your heart,
And whatever you do succeeds."
Calling this hexagram
The Abysmal leads modern I Ching readers in the wrong direction, I think. Our minds
equates it with "awful" or "horrible," when the meaning of the message is actually focused on "flowing."
The words of The Image underscore this:
"Water flows on uninterruptedly and reaches its goal.
The image of Flowing Water repeated.
Thus the superior man walks in lasting virtue
And carries on the business of teaching."
I will rely
on Richard Wilhelm to explain what this message is trying to tell us:
"Through repetition
of danger we grow accustomed to it. Water
sets the example for the right conduct in such circumstances. It flows on and on, and merely fills up all the places through
which it flows; it does not shrink from any dangerous spot nor from any plunge, and nothing can make it lose its own essential
nature. It remains true to itself under all conditions."
Your task for today is to identify
what potentially dangerous situation in your life you are being advised to "flow" through.
We received three changing lines, which contain specific advice about this situation. We'll look at Line 3 tomorrow.
9:09 am mst
Saturday, January 17, 2009
No. 14, Possession
in Great Measure:
"Possession in Great Measure.
Supreme success."
Possession in Great Measure and supreme success!
What more could you ask for?
Wealth alone is not "supreme success" in
Eastern philosophies. "Supreme success" is being able to realize your true self, pursue your true goals, and
develop harmonious relationships. This reading says that the future is a favorable time for both.
The Image adds : "Thus the superior man curbs evil and furthers good, and thereby obeys the benevolent will
of heaven."
So - good things will not just be plopped in your
lap. You will have to behave appropriately. As the main message and changing line advised: use your power
wisely, and avoid entanglements.
8:30 am mst
Friday, January 16, 2009
The Power of the Great, Line
6:
"A goat butts against a hedge.
It cannot go backward, it cannot go
forward.
Nothing serves to further.
If one notes the difficulty, this brings good fortune."
You've
got one potential problem with your Great Power: You may push ahead into a situation
that has blocked you for a long time, and end up getting entangled.
Be forewarned: Just because
your power has strengthened, that doesn't mean everyone else has lost theirs.
Whoever, or whatever, has been stopping you remains just as strong as it ever was.
Don't
use your new-found strength to bang your head - harder - against the same brick wall. Use it to truly understand and
navigate around the difficulty. This is what will bring you good fortune.
What hedge
are you likely to get your horns entangled in?
We'll look at the future
of this message tomorrow.
8:23 am mst
Thursday, January 15, 2009
No.
34, The Power of the Great:
“The Power of the Great. Perseverance furthers."
The Image:
"Thunder in heaven above:
The image of The Power of the Great.
Thus the superior man does not tread upon paths
That
do not accord with established order."
A time of Great
Power has arrived. Your influence on others can be tremendous. The chief task, therefore, is to use this power wisely.
The problem with Great Power is that we are tempted to
use it solely for our own benefit, to "get ahead" or "reach the top" - especially since we have
been Waiting, and have been focused on our Limitations.
The Yi reminds us that with Great Power comes great responsibility.
We received one changing line, Line 6, which will give us some advice on how to get past the potential
pitfalls that accompany Great Power.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
No. 60, Limitation:
"Limitation. Success.
Galling limitation must
not be persevered in."
While you're Waiting (yesterday's reading), you will have
to live within your Limitations.
As we have seen in the U.S. economy, the idea that there are no limits is simply
false. Everything has a limit, and to ignore these natural limits results in disaster. If you are a creative person, this hexagram may come as
a caution against letting yourself be overwhelmed by possibilities. You must channel your energies appropriately. But you
are not to be too strict with your limitations. Like New Year's resolutions, limitations that are too limiting are just
self-defeating.
We received this reading without changing lines, which indicates "a situation yet to be defined," much like Waiting. The Universe is waiting for you to understand, and accept, your Limitations.
"You can take a significant step
forward when your feet are on the proper path." R.L. Wing.
9:04 am mst
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
No. 5, Waiting:
"Waiting. If you are sincere,
You have light and
success.
Perseverance brings good fortune.
It furthers one to cross the great water."
More Waiting
is in store.
This is not a time when you can take control, or when external changes are going to sweep you along. We received this message without changing lines, which
means this is a fairly static situation. The Yi is saying that it is not the changes involved that are important; rather,
it is what we learn about ourselves as we wait.
As Wilhelm says, "Waiting is not mere empty hoping." He further explains,
"It is only when we have the courage to face things exactly as they are, without any sort of self-deception or illusion,
that a light will develop out of events, by which the path to success may be recognized."
12:19 pm mst
Monday, January 12, 2009
No. 54, The Marrying Maiden / Subordinate:
"The Marrying Maiden.
Undertakings bring misfortune.
Nothing that would further."
Looks like it's going to be awhile before you can take advantage of the
Abundance of the main message.
This message says
that the future will require that you remain in a subordinate position. The Image
gives some advice on how to proceed: "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 - that requires you to take a subordinate role, it won't
last forever. Do what is required of you in the present, but inwardly, focus on your own long-term goals.
We received this hexagram as a main message not long ago, on Dec. 30. Receiving it again, as a future message, is a reminder
from the Yi that the same basic forces are still in control. The time has not yet come for you to make your move. Be patient;
Abundance is waiting.
8:21 am mst
Sunday, January 11, 2009
From No. 55, Abundance Line 3:
"The underbrush is of such abundance
That the small
stars can be seen at noon.
He breaks his right arm. No blame."
With Line 2, the Yi said that right now, "The curtain
is of such fullness the polestars can be seen at noon." Now, with Line 3, it's the underbrush
that is obscuring the light.
The underbrush may
be your own mistaken ideas about what must, or should, be done. Or, it may be the incompetence and pettiness of others. Either
way, the light - or clarity - in the situation is being totally blocked. As the Stranger said in The Big Lebowski, things are "darker than a black steer's tookus on a moonless prairie night."
You are so hampered in your progress
by these conditions that it was as if your right arm was broken. This is not a circumstance of your own making, therefore,
there is no blame.
Adherence to the truth (Line 2), plus a large dose of patience (Line 3), is what will get you through to the Abundance that was
signaled in the main message.
We'll look at the future of the situation tomorrow.
8:47 am mst
Saturday, January 10, 2009
From No. 55, Abundance
Line 2:
"The curtain is of such fullness
That the polestars can be seen at noon.
Through going,
one meets with mistrust and hate.
If one rouses him through truth,
Good fortune comes."
If your first thought yesterday, upon receiving Abundance, was that things looked pretty dark - and decidedly un-Abundant
- at the moment - you were right. With Line 2, the Yi explains that right now, things are so dark "the polestars
can be seen at noon."
The light in the situation is being totally blocked. If you
push ahead, you meet with "mistrust and hate." This is a serious warning; one rarely encounters the possibility
of "hate" in the I Ching.
Steadfastly maintaining the truth of the situation is your
only hope for a good outcome. Can you identify what situation in your life the Yi is talking about?
Truth alone
will not get you out of the dark, and into the light of Abundance. The Yi has
more cautionary advice in Line 3, which we'll look at tomorrow.
10:50 am mst
Friday, January 9, 2009
Note: The Daily Yi's
ISP is switching over to a new system, and is going to be periodically inaccessible (like it was yesterday). They assure me
the process will be complete by the 15th. In the meantime, we may miss a few days.
No. 55, Abundance:
"Abundance has success.
The king
attains abundance.
Be not sad.
Be like the sun at midday."
Do things look pretty dark at the moment? "Be not
sad." Circumstances will improve - in fact, they will reach their zenith, "like the sun at midday."
This time will be "as good as it gets." This hexagram is the combination of Thunder,
the symbol of energy, over Li, the symbol of fire and light, or clarity. "The inherent message of this hexagram is to
make hay while the sun shines and enjoy your good fortune while it lasts." Marshall
The best way to do that, the Yi cautions, is to be mindful of the transitory nature of all things. The sun rises, reaches
its zenith, and then begins its descent. Consolidate and save all that you can from the time of Abundance.
The Yi has a couple of pieces of specific advice on how to navigate this situation; Lines 2
and 3. We'll look at Line 2 tomorrow.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
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 listening to what you have to
say. If you are an artist, people will view your work or read your words with sincere interest.
As the future of The Cauldron / The Ting / Cosmic Order and the changing lines that came with it, it means that you will be
able to start making the most of all those good things the main message said are available to you.
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. "Thus the superior
man himself brightens his bright virtue."
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
8:09 am mst
Note: Technical difficulties prevented me from posting this yesterday. Susan Lee The
Cauldron / The Ting / Cosmic Order, Line 3:
"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."
Something is preventing you from "getting
a grip" on all that might be yours. The very best things of life are there, but you are not helping yourself to them.
R.L. Wing suggests that these are likely unique talents that you possess, but are not using.
You must recognize and acknowledge them to yourself, first, before others will recognize them.
This process of recognition is likely to cause you some remorse for the time you have wasted. Don't dwell on the
past. Once you start moving down the path that was meant for you, good fortune will come.
We'll look at the future of this message next.
Monday, January 5, 2009
The Cauldron / The Ting
/ Cosmic Order, Line 2:
"There is food in the ting.
My comrades are envious,
but they cannot harm me.
Good fortune."
As you attain self-sufficiency and peace of mind, others may be envious and seek to separate you from your path.
Forewarned is forearmed. Accept and expect that not everyone will be happy with your success. That
will make it at least somewhat easier to maintain your focus.
The Yi has more specific advice
about another potential pitfall; we'll look at Line 3 tomorrow.
11:37 am mst
Sunday, January 4, 2009
No. 50, The Cauldron / The Ting
/ Cosmic Order:
"The Cauldron. Supreme good fortune.
Success."
The Cauldron - or Ting -
was a ceremonial vessel used to make offerings in religious or cultural ceremonies. R.L. Wing calls this message Cosmic Order because it signals a state of affairs where the needs of the individual and
the needs of the cosmos are in harmony.
The Yi is telling you that all ingredients are "in
the pot" for "supreme good fortune." In other words, although the times are very uncertain, you have
everything you need to proceed in accord with Cosmic Order. This is not to imply that you are immune to the strong forces
that swirl about us in this world. Rather, it is a statement that you have what it takes to not only survive, but prosper.
Wing advises that you evaluate your position in terms of the oriental martial arts. If strong forces
are coming at you, don't try to halt them. Instead, use the strength and direction of the attack to achieve your own -
and the Cosmos' - objectives.
Can you identify what these forces are in your own life?
This may take some meditation and contemplation. This main message came with two specific pieces of advice, Lines 2 and 3,
which may help you.
9:40 am mst
Saturday, January 3, 2009
No. 28, Preponderance of the
Great / Breaking Point:
"The ridgepole sags to the breaking point.
It
furthers one to have somewhere to go.
Success."
Heavy responsibilities will build as a consequence of your
accepting the subordinate role that has been the subject of this main message and
changing lines. They will stress you, almost to the breaking point.
The key to surviving this time successfully is to recognize that you must take action, and move on to the next stage of your
life.
However, as the Wilhelm translation cautions, "Nothing is to
be achieved by forcible measures. The problem must be solved by gentle penetration to the meaning of the situation; then the
change-over to other conditions will be successful." As you start this new
year, what "change-over to other conditions" is facing you?
7:47 am mst
Friday, January 2, 2009
No. 54, The Marrying Maiden / Subordinate,
Line 5:
"The sovereign gave his daughter in marriage.
The embroidered garments
of the princess
Were not as gorgeous
As those of the serving maid.
The moon that is nearly full
Brings
good fortune."
Do not insist on being awarded the status that you feel is due you. This is no time for pride or vanity; this is a time
to subordinate your needs to those of others.
If you serve another who you may feel is "below" you, without flaunting it, you will gain good fortune. We'll look at the future of
this situation tomorrow.
4:11 pm mst
Thursday, January 1, 2009
No. 54, The Marrying Maiden / Subordinate, Line
3:
"The marrying maiden as a slave.
She marries as a concubine."
This line offers neither a judgment nor a warning: its purpose is solely to get you to view your situation realistically. As Wilhelm phrases it, "This
pictures the situation of a person who . . . enters upon a situation not altogether compatible with self-esteem." As the main message pointed out,
there is nothing wrong with serving in a subordinate position at this time. However, there's a difference between accepting
directions and being supportive, and being a slave. Look at your situation honestly to be sure you are balancing your
subordinate role with your own inner goals.
The Yi has one more line of specific advice, Line 5. We'll look at that tomorrow.
.................
9:15 am mst
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