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Sunday, October 31, 2010
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."
Be prepared to Wait for what
you want.
The future of The Well calls for some "Calculated Inaction."
[Blofeld].
Wilhelm explains: "This hexagram shows the clouds in
the heavens, giving rain to refresh all that grows . . . The rain will come in its own time. We cannot make
it come; we have to wait for it. "
"Waiting does not diminish us,
any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting.” [Romans 8:24]
The key, as the Yi has been telling us in the past few messages, will be your sincerity.
That which comes from the heart, your source, your Inner Truth, will bring "light and success."
Patience, with neither doubt nor anxiety, will bring good
fortune.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
No. 48, The Well, Line 1:
"One does not drink the mud of the well.
No animals come to an old well."
Line 1 is a word of caution: In this process of reaching down deep inside, your mind can easily become
preoccupied with trivialities and side issues that "muddy the waters."
You will have to offer
your real self, that part of you which is clear and fresh and absolutely true, if you wish to attract others.
What side issues are clouding up your waters?
Tomorrow: "If you are sincere
. . ."
Friday, October 29, 2010
No. 48, The Well:
"The Well. The town may be changed,
but the well cannot be
changed.
It neither decreases nor increases.
They come and go and draw from the well.
If
one gets down almost to the water
And the rope does not go all the way,
Or the jug breaks, it brings
misfortune."
Receiving
The Well signals a time when you need to reach deep down, inside yourself, and bring up that which is essential..
Your external circumstances will change, but what comes from the source - your
Inner Truth (yesterday's message) - does not. It is always there, clear and true.
But you will have to work to get this "clear water." If your efforts only break the surface,
the water you bring up will be muddy. Or if you are careless, you will bring up nothing.
What fresh water is deep in you, waiting to be drawn up?
Tomorrow:
"No animals come to an old well."
7:07 am mdt
Thursday, October 28, 2010
No.
61, Inner Truth:
"Inner Truth. Pigs
and fishes.
Good fortune.
It furthers one to cross the great water.
Perseverance furthers."
"If
one is able to fully develop his true nature, he is able to fully develop the nature of other people." [Confucius]
Huang calls this hexagram
"Innermost Sincerity." Blofeld named it "Inward Confidence." In other words, when you
truly understand yourself, and act from that core of Inner Truth, you will be able to truly understand and work with
others. This is what you need to "cross the great water."
Huang explains that "pigs
and fishes" were considered small offerings in ancient Chinese rituals, offered only when times were hard.
However, when you offer
what you have, no matter how modest, with Innermost Sincerity and Confidence, you will be rewarded with
good fortune.
We received this hexagram without changing lines. This "suggests
that the object of your inquiry cannot be affected at all, nor will it affect you, until a sincere rapport is established.
Begin on this immediately." [Wing]
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
No. 6, Conflict:
"Conflict. You are sincere
And are being obstructed.
A cautious halt halfway brings good fortune.
Going through to the end brings misfortune.
It furthers one to see the great man.
It does not further one to cross the great water."
The future
of Influence/Attraction is, I'm sorry to say, Conflict.
Conflict was also the precedent; it was previous main message we received, on Oct. 20.
Two possibilities: One, you have not removed yourself entirely
from an old interpersonal Conflict. Remember: You are not at fault here. But . . . as long
as you remain engaged or enmeshed with this old source of Conflict, you will not make any progress with a new
Influence or Attraction.
The other possibility
is that the Conflict is internal: You are unable to decide between two fundamentally different courses of action.
The Yi says: This will hold you back in everything you do until it is resolved.
Whichever it is, don't let it drag on. Deal with it.
Tomorrow: "If one is
able to fully develop his true nature . . . "
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
No. 31, Influence / Attraction, Line 6:
"The
influence shows itself in the jaws, cheeks, and tongue."
Talk alone will not Influence others. Nor should you be Influenced by it.
Analyze the Influence you are trying to assert, or the Attraction you are feeling.
Will it be carried through with actions?
Remember, the main message said that commitment
was the key to success in this relationship.
The Yi provides
no indication of good or bad fortune with this line. Its purpose is merely to get you to look at the reality of the
situation.
Tomorrow: "A cautious halt halfway . . ."
Monday, October 25, 2010
No. 31, Influence / Attraction, Line 3:
"The influence shows itself in the thighs.
Holds to that which follows it.
To continue is humiliating."
"What the heart desires, the thighs run after without
a moment's hesitation . . ." [Wilhelm]
The Yi is warning you:
Don't run after the object of your desires. That results in humiliation.
"
. . . one needs patience to wait until the other party is ready. For mutual influence, the worst thing is to take
reckless action." [Huang]
Tomorrow: " . . . the jaws, cheeks,
and tongue."
Sunday, October 24, 2010
No. 31, Influence, Line 2:
"The
influence shows itself in the calves of the legs.
Misfortune.
Tarrying brings good fortune."
The urge to act grows. You want to stride ahead, filled with energy from
the fresh Influence that has entered your life.
Are you clear on exactly
how you should proceed? And more importantly, why you should go into this unknown territory? Remember,
"success" is going to require a long-term commitment.
Take your time. You
are still in the early stages of a new reality. Going slowly will help you avoid mistakes.
Tomorrow:
"The influence shows itself in the thighs."
Saturday, October 23, 2010
No. 31, Influence / Wooing:
"Influence. Success.
Perseverance furthers.
To take a maiden to wife
brings good fortune."
A major Influence is
entering your life.
R.L. Wing calls this hexagram Attraction,
pointing out that "The universe as we know it is held together and governed by the various laws of Attraction,"
right down to its smallest unit, the atom, held together by the attraction of its positive and negative
charges. The I Ching is a guide to the infinite possibilities of combinations of yin and yang.
The danger here is that this Influence will be so different, so
unlike you, that you will shy away from it. Don't. The Image says, "Thus the
superior man encourages people to approach him by his readiness to receive them."
Joining with this Influence in a serious, long-term commitment will bring success. But it won't
be easy. This hexagram comes with three cautionary changing lines, 2, 3, and 6.
Tomorrow:
"Tarrying brings good fortune."
Friday, October 22, 2010
No. 64, Before Completion / Not Yet Fulfilled:
"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."
A phase of your
life is coming to a close. Don't hesitate too long before taking the final steps to "the other shore."
Like the little fox crossing an ice-covered river, you need to move carefully. But you do need
to keep moving.
This hexagram is the future of Conflict and the single changing
line - "Deal with it." It suggests that ". . . you are not prepared to see clearly what must
be done and take the final steps into the future." [Wing]
As
humans, we often stay in Conflict and let it drag on because separation from others is, in any form, painful.
The Yi is saying: Life will go on. Better things are waiting. Take your focus off the past, and concentrate
on getting to the future.
This is, after all, the Book of Changes.
Tomorrow: "To take a maiden to wife . . . "
Thursday, October 21, 2010
No. 6, Conflict, Line 5:
"Dealing with contention.
Supreme good fortune."
The best way out of the Conflict that concerns you? The Yi says: Deal with it.
Yesterday's main message stated plainly that you are not at fault here, and cautioned
you not to make this a fight to the finish. Older translations interpret this line to mean that you should put this
conflict before "an arbiter in a conflict who is powerful and just." [Wilhelm] In modern reality, this
is rarely possible.
Anthony and Moog suggest that
this line comes to us when we are caught up in considering two arguments or courses of action that both seem to be reasonable
alternatives. The dilemma goes on and on because we literally can't make up our minds.
Consider this possibility: The "right" answer for you is a completely different, third alternative. Removing
yourself from the endless back-and-forth of "but what about . . ." is the way to supreme good fortune.
Tomorrow: "Before Completion"
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
No. 6, Conflict:
"Conflict. You
are sincere
And are being obstructed.
A cautious halt halfway brings good fortune.
Going through
to the end brings misfortune.
It furthers one to see the great man.
It does not further one to cross
the great water."
In this Conflict, you are not at fault. The Yi makes that clear. You have done everything in your power
to get past this. Unfortunately, your sincerity is not enough to make this conflict go away.
If the path you are pursing is increasing the conflict, stop. Meet the other halfway, but no more. Pushing ahead
in the hope that you will "win" brings nothing but misfortune.
If
you can't let go of this, seek the counsel of someone wiser. And don't rush into a new project - or a new relationship
- as a way of distracting yourself. Acceptance needs to come first before you will be ready to move on.
Tomorrow: "Dealing with contention"
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
No. 12, Stagnation / Standstill:
"Standstill. Evil people do not further
The perseverance of
the superior man.
The great departs; the small approaches."
No changing lines came with today's hexagram. The Yi is telling you
to stop - and think - about your current path.
"Stagnation without changing lines
indicates that the object of your inquiry may not be in harmony with the larger direction of your life at any time."
[Wing]
Heaven and
Earth are pulling in opposite directions. As long as you insist on having it "both ways," you will remain stuck.
Do not miss your opportunity to advance - when
it comes - by clinging to the past.
Monday, October 18, 2010
No. 16, Enthusiasm:
"Enthusiasm. It furthers one to install helpers.
And to set armies marching."
Enthusiasm signals a future when
new ideas can be developed and promoted - successfully. You will be able to establish the Following that was
the future of the previous main message.
"During
this time you should seek to analyze the essential nature of the moment. If you can grasp the direction of the tendencies
around you, you can parallel them and accomplish great deeds." [Wing]
Recognizing "the essential nature of the moment" is what the I Ching is all about. Align yourself
with the flow of the Universe.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
No. 62: Preponderance of the Small / Conscientiousness, Line 3:
"If one is not extremely careful,
Somebody may come up from behind and strike
him.
Misfortune."
The Yi says: Watch
your back!
Huang's translation is: "Go not too far. Guard
against this."
Think for a few moments about the situation
that concerns you the most. The future reading, which we'll look at in detail tomorrow, indicates that you are poised
move ahead rapidly.
Line 3 is warning you: Confidence will
be dangerous if it causes you to go too far, too fast.
As Henry Kissinger famously said, "Even paranoids have real enemies."
Your "enemy" probably appears to be a friend. Only by being "extremely careful"
can you avoid misfortune.
Tomorrow: "Enthusiasm"
Saturday, October 16, 2010
No. 62, Preponderance of the Small / Conscientiousness:
"Preponderance of the Small. Success.
Perseverance furthers.
Small things may be done; great things should not be done.
The flying
bird brings the message:
It is not well to strive upward,
It is well to remain below.
Great good fortune."
This hexagram
is composed of Thunder over Mountain, indicating a storm. To survive it, the wise "bird"
stays near its nest.
It is not yet time to go all out for what
you want. Chris Marshall's interpretation sums it up: "The best approach at the moment is to keep your
head down and apply yourself to details."
We received only one changing
line, which advises of a very specific danger. We'll learn the nature of this "storm" tomorrow.
Tomorrow: "If one is not extremely careful . . . "
Friday, October 15, 2010
No. 17, Following
/ Adaptability:
"Following has supreme success.
Perseverance furthers.
No blame."
The future, After Completion, presents a question: How can you lead
so that others will follow?
This hexagram gives the answer: " In order to obtain a following
one must first know how to adapt oneself. If a man would rule he must first learn to serve, for only in this
way does he secure from those below him the joyous assent that is necessary if they are to follow him." [Wilhelm]
In a larger sense, this message is about the realistic assessment of current conditions:
"It is not simply a matter of blindly following the oracle, but rather
of understanding one's place within the situation." [Huang]
There is "no blame" in not forging ahead right now. In fact, it will
bring you "supreme success."
Thursday, October 14, 2010
No. 63, After Completion / Already Fulfilled, Line
4:
"The finest clothes turn to rags.
Be careful all day long."
After Completion of a situation, you may feel that you
have "made it," and you can celebrate and relax.
The Yi sends this line
to remind you that indulging in luxuries, or slacking off after a success, is dangerous.
Continue
to be conscientious in all things.
Tomorrow: Adapting
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
No. 63, After Completion / Already Fulfilled, Line 3:
"The Illustrious Ancestor
Disciplines the Devil's Country.
After three years he conquers it.
Inferior
people must not be employed."
"The attainment of a highly ambitious goal is possible. It will take a long time and leave you spent.
"If it is worthwhile to you, success is indicated. However, be cautioned to employ only the
most qualified persons in your endeavor." [R.L. Wing]
What you are attempting
will be difficult, but it is worth the effort. Don't drain your energy by working with people who are not up to
the task.
Tomorrow: "The finest clothes turn to rags."
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
No. 63,
After Completion / Already Fulfilled:
"After Completion. Success in small matters.
Perseverance furthers.
At the beginning good fortune,
At the end disorder."
Some
stage of your life has drawn to a close. The way forward is not yet clear. Small steps are advised.
We received this hexagram as a future message just two days ago, on Sunday.
The Yi repeats the message today, and has more to say: we received changing lines 3 and 4.
Are you, perhaps,
having trouble accepting that something is over? There are two common reactions to this state of affairs: denial
- the belief that you will somehow be able to get things back to the way they used to be; or jumping headfirst into
something that is entirely new.
Neither of these
approaches will be successful. "You cannot avoid the decline that comes after the end, yet you can learn to survive
such times and emerge strengthened in spirit and character." [Wing]
How do you do
that? The changing lines have some specific advice.
Tomorrow: "Inferior people
should not be employed."
Monday, October 11, 2010
No. 10, Treading / Conduct:
"Treading. Treading upon the tail
of the tiger. It does not bite the man. Success."
Who is your "tiger?"
Your next steps will require dealing
with "a wild, intractable person" [Wilhelm], probably someone in authority.
Huang
translates this hexagram as Fulfillment, and explains "This was exactly the situation King Wen found himself
in when he was fulfilling his obligation of rescuing people from suffering under the tyrannical administration of the Shang
dynasty. He treaded upon the tyrant's trusted minister instead of upon the tyrant."
Modern translation: Don't attack the powerful directly.
You have an obligation to fulfill, but do it cautiously.
We received this hexagram
without changing lines, which suggests that this may be a long-standing problem. "You may be overly
opinionated" about the subject that concerns you, or "you may be altogether too indiscriminate in what you allow
to influence you." [Wing]
Either way, the Yi's advice is: Dial it back a couple
of notches.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
No. 63,
After Completion / Already Fulfilled:
"After Completion. Success in small matters.
Perseverance furthers.
At the beginning good fortune,
At the end disorder."
In
some relationship in your life, things are drawing to a close. This is the future of Fellowship
With Others/Seeking Harmony, and is consistent with Splitting Apart/Falling Away, which we received awhile
back, without changing lines.
Fortunately, as a student of the I Ching, you understand the nature
of the Universe. As the season of a situation moves from autumn to winter, you can be "content with reality"
(yesterday's line), and focus your attention on the small steps that will see you through until spring.
"You cannot avoid the decline that comes after the end, yet you can learn to survive such
times and emerge strengthened in spirit and character." [Wing]
Saturday, October 9, 2010
No. 13, Fellowship
with Others, Line 6:
"Fellowship
with men in the meadow.
No remorse."
As you move toward
the end of this situation, you will reach a stage where Fellowship will no longer be the central, unifying
force.
You may continue to seek harmony with
others, but in truth, there is no one to respond.
"Being
content with the reality, although one's will is not yet fulfilled, one has the patience to wait for the right time.
There is no regret." [Huang]
Tomorrow: "After
Completion. Success in small matters."
Friday, October 8, 2010
No. 13, Fellowship
with Others, Line 4:
"He climbs up
on his wall; he cannot attack.
Good fortune."
There is some difference
of opinion within your "group." Are you undecided as to which side to join?
The
Yi advises a third choice - staying "above the battle."
" . . . [D]uring a time of seeking harmony, it is not good to take controversial actions."
[Huang]
Your good fortune lies
in maintaining community while the petty squabbles of others sort themselves out.
Tomorrow:
"Being content with reality . . ."
Thursday, October 7, 2010
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."
Your relationships with others continue to be of
prime importance. (The previous main message was The Family/The Clan.)
The first requirement is that relationships
be open and honest. If you have reservations, or unspoken agendas, your connections to others will not work.
This hexagram
is also translated as Seeking Harmony, and viewed in this way, the message is very similar to The Family/The
Clan: You need to find the position in this group that is most natural and comfortable for you.
If you are an alto, trying to be a soprano won't work.
In the song that is life, you sing your part, and let others sing theirs. That is where your greatest
success will be realized.
Tomorrow:
"He climbs up on his wall . . ."
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
No. 39, Obstruction / Hardship:
“Obstruction.
The southwest furthers.
The northeast does not further.
It furthers one to see the great man.
Perseverance
beings good fortune.”
You have hit an obstruction
in pursuit of your goal - or you will, soon. This is the future of the situation symbolized by
The Family/The Clan.
In the I Ching system of metaphors, the southwest
is the region of retreat, the northeast is the region of advance. However, the retreat shouldn't be a complete turning
away from the direction you were headed. What is advised here is to pause, seek assistance, and then keep trying.
The current challenge "requires the will to persevere just when one apparently
must do something that leads away from his goal. This unswerving inner purpose brings good fortune in the end."
[Wilhelm]
Where will you apply your "unswerving inner purpose?"
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
No. 37, The Family / The Clan, Line 6:
"His work commands respect.
In the end good fortune comes."
When you find your natural role within your family, social, business or political group - the role you have chosen
for yourself, not one that has been assigned to you by others - your work will command respect.
Remember, the changing lines talk about different stages of an on-going situation. Line 1 was
about finding your place at the start. Line 6 is about the conclusion.
"In the end . . ." tells you that "commanding respect" is not going to happen overnight. And
it will not necessarily be easy, as we will see in the future reading, tomorrow. But it will come.
Tomorrow: The necessity for "unswerving inner purpose."
Monday, October 4, 2010
No. 37, The Family / The Clan, Line 1:
"Firm seclusion within the family.
Remorse disappears."
Respect the role of each person within your family, social, business or political group.
That includes, most importantly, your own.
Resist pressures from others
in the group, or from outside authorities or traditions, to define who you are and what you are supposed to do. Determine
your own role, and allow others to determine theirs.
When each person
is free to function in the manner that best suits them, regrets will disappear.
Tomorrow: "His work commands respect."
Sunday, October 3, 2010
No. 37, The Family / The Clan:
"The Family. The perseverance of the woman furthers."
"The perseverance of the woman" refers not to a specific
woman, but to the importance of nurturing and cooperation.
"Try to see all organizations, whether familial, social,
or political, as Family groups and then determine your most comfortable position within them. If you
hold to this natural aspect of your character and understand the ensuing duties and responsibilities, you can more easily
achieve your goals." [R.L. Wing]
Wing adds this important caveat, "Be certain, however, that you are not involved in carrying out a role for which you
are unsuited, or a role that has been cast upon you. This will rob your life of meaning."
Where do you "fit in"
- naturally? Keep in mind that some relationships may be "falling away." (See yesterday's
Daily Yi.)
We'll receive some guidance
from changing lines 1 and 6. Tomorrow: "Firm Seclusion."
Saturday, October 2, 2010
No. 23, Splitting Apart / Falling Away:
"Splitting apart. It does not further
one
To go anywhere."
You are
facing a separation from some life circumstance or relationship.
In the "life
cycle" scheme of the I Ching messages, this one corresponds to October. Something is "falling away,"
like the leaves on the trees.
Like the coming of fall and
winter, this is a change that is beyond your control. It is not a situation that you can - or should - try to hold
together.
"For it is a question not of man's doing, but of time conditions. . . It is impossible to counteract these conditions
of the time. Hence it is not cowardice but wisdom to submit and avoid action." [Wilhelm]
What life circumstance is the Yi advising you to let "fall away?"
We received no
changing lines with this message. View the coming messages in light of this overriding "season" of life.
Friday, October 1, 2010
No. 7, The Army / Collective Force/ Multitude:
"The Army. The army
needs perseverance
And
a strong man. Good fortune without blame." As the future of The Receptive,
the Yi is alerting you: the time for being Receptive and "going with the flow" will inevitably
end.
When that happens, you will have to "get
it together" and be the "strong man" - your own "Army Of One."
You will have to use some force in moving forward. There is no blame in this.
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What is the I Ching?
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.
The symbol you see above is the bagua,
the symbol of the I Ching for thousands of years before it was "adopted" as the octagonal logo of the
Dharma Iniative in the television series "Lost." 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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