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Thursday, June 30, 2011
No. 31, Influence / Wooing, Line 6:
"The influence shows itself in the jaws, cheeks, and tongue."
The main message said that a major Influence
is entering your life, and joining with this Influence in a serious, long-term commitment will bring
success.
Line 4 advised you to pay attention to your
feelings about this Influence.
Line 6 is
a reminder that talk is cheap, and that "mere tongue wagging must necessarily remain insignificant." [Wilhelm]
Ask yourself: Is this Influence the real
deal? Or is it all just "talk?"
And what have you done --- what actions have you taken --- to demonstrate your commitment?
Tomorrow: "The
maiden is given in marriage. Good fortune."
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
No. 31, Influence / Wooing, Line 4:
"Perseverance brings good fortune. Remorse disappears. If a man is agitated in mind, And his thoughts go hither and thither, Only those friends On whom he fixes his conscious thoughts Will follow."
"Here
the place of the heart is reached. The impulse that springs from this source is the most important
of all." [Wilhelm]
In your heart, what do you want the most?
The Yi says: If you maintain your focus on your truest desire, your influence on others will be lasting.
If you do not, you will only exhaust yourself and everyone around you.
Huang informs us that the Chinese consider the heart to be equivalent of
the mind. Receiving this hexagram is a signal to give your feelings equal time and attention.
"The message is that one should eliminate selfish intentions
and become open and honest; then hesitation will disappear." [Huang]
Tomorrow: "The influence shows itself in the jaws, cheeks and tongue.
"
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
No. 31, Influence / Wooing / Attraction:
"Influence. Success. Perseverance furthers. To take a maiden to wife brings good fortune."
A major Influence will be 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 danger here is that this
Influence will be so different, and 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.
We received Changing Lines 4 and 6.
Tomorrow: "Here the place of the heart is reached."
Monday, June 27, 2011
No. 40, Deliverance / Relief:
"Deliverance. The southwest furthers. If there is no longer anything where one has to go, Return brings good fortune. If there is still something where one has to go, Hastening brings good fortune."
Deliverance will be your reward for Biting Through. Just days ago, on June 15, we received
Deliverance without changing lines, indicating it would be a permanent improvement.
Receiving it now as
a future message means that, if you follow the Yi's advice, Relief still lies ahead. If there
are loose ends in this situation, deal with them. If there is really nothing that can be done, leave it, and get back
on your own path. . "If you find yourself in the midst of an intolerable situation or intrigue, then perhaps the
time has come to depart from the situation entirely. . . . . This should be done without delay and
with no show of emotionalism. There is no reason to dwell petulantly upon the past or glory in your new-found Liberation."
[Wing]
Sunday, June 26, 2011
No. 21, Biting Through, Line 6:
"His
neck is fastened in the wooden cangue,
So that his ears disappear.
Misfortune."
The Yi says: You're not listening!
The "wooden cangue" is a type of portable stock. At Line 1, only your toes were in the stock, and if you learned
from that mild punishment, the outlook was good.
Line 2 told you
that the penalty may have been a little too much, but . . . "No blame."
Line 6 warns: You are so locked in to this situation that your ability to
hear the truth has disappeared.
"This obstinacy leads to misfortune." [Wilhelm]
Pay attention and makes changes while you still can. You will be awarded with . . . .
Tomorrow: "Deliverance."
7:01 am mdt
Saturday, June 25, 2011
No. 21, Biting Through, Line 2:
"Bites through tender meat, So that his nose disappears. No blame."
The main message said "It is favorable to let justice be administered." Receiving this line suggests
that you may have overdone it --- you may have "cut off your nose to spite your face."
"It is easy to discriminate between right and wrong in this case;
it is like biting through tender meat. But . . . aroused by anger, one goes a little too far."
[Wilhelm]
The Yi says: Okay,
so maybe you were a little harsh. Don't worry about it.
"There is no great harm in this, because the penalty as such is just."
[Wilhelm] No blame.
Tomorrow: " . . . so that
his ears disappear."
Friday, June 24, 2011
No. 21, Biting Through, Line 1:
"His
feet are fastened in the stocks,
So that his toes disappear.
No blame."
"If one in this position is able to abandon bad behavior and
adopt good conduct, there will be no fault." [Huang]
You are in a situation that you need to Bite Through. Hesitation or avoidance won't work; you'll end up getting pulled
down the wrong road.
We received this warning a month ago. Receiving it again means either:
1. You didn't heed the warning, or 2. You need to look at it from a different perspective. So let's try the Anthony and Moog
interpretation:
"This line can also inform a person that it is his Cosmic duty to
say the inner No to another who is using power. Doing so will trigger the appropriate Cosmic reaction sooner
. . . It is important after saying the inner No, to let go of the matter and not watch for any result."
Tomorrow: " . . . so that his nose disappears."
8:12 am mdt
Thursday, June 23, 2011
No. 21, Biting Through:
“Biting Through has success.
It is favorable to let justice be
administered." "There
are times to avoid confrontations, to sublimate deep feelings, or to retreat and await a more opportune moment for action.
This is not one of those times." [R.L. Wing]
An obstacle is blocking your path. Have you been avoiding the advice the Yi is sending? The obstacle may be your
own refusal to see things as they really are.
Most likely, it concerns yesterday's hexagram,
received without changing lines, telling you that some aspect of your current situation has run its course, and it's time
to move on. Receiving Biting Through indicates that this change of direction will not
be easy.
Whatever it is, there will be only one way forward: Bite the bullet. Do what has to be done.
The
Yi senses you are wavering. We received this hexagram, with changing lines 1, 5 and 6, not long ago, on May 19. Today it comes with changing lines 1, 2 and
6. We begin working our way through this process --- again ---, with our feet . . .
Tomorrow: ".
. . fastened in stocks."
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
No. 56, The Wanderer / Traveling:
"The
Wanderer. Success through smallness. Perseverance brings good fortune To the wanderer."
It's time to move on.
We received this hexagram without
changing lines. This indicates that "you have exhausted your resources or run out of creative energies." [Wing]
Do you feel like you've
"tried everything" in your current relationship, job, or life situation, and you're going nowhere? You're
probably right.
The Joseph Legg translation describes The Wanderer as "carrying with him his means of livelihood and provided with good and
trusty servants." This means that your success is not dependent on any particular location or set of circumstances:
You have within you all that is necessary, and letting your inner truth be visible will attract support,
no matter where you are.
The Yi says: Move on. Now. "If you delay your departure, you may extinguish
your flame." [Wing]
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
No. 3, Difficulty
at the Beginning:
"Difficulty
at the beginning works supreme success,
Furthering through perseverance.
Nothing should be undertaken.
It furthers one to appoint helpers."
You are just at the very start of
something that has the promise of supreme success. You need to go slow for now, and allow things to work themselves
out naturally. This is the future of Increase.
Times of growth are seldom easy. "Accept and bear with the discomfort of chaos without attempting
to push it away. Allow it to clear of its own accord." [Walker] Look for friends who can
help and support you.
There is no way you can peer into the future and make sense of things
before you start. You need a leap of faith. Reach inside and find a part of you that is quiet and at
peace. Rest there." [Marshall]
What are you "beginning?"
Monday, June 20, 2011
No. 42, Increase, Line 6:
"He brings increase to no one, Indeed, someone even strikes
him. He does not keep his heart constantly steady. Misfortune."
This
Increase is not meant for you alone. You will need to share, or bad things will happen.
The Increase of the main message involves
"sacrifice on the part of those above for the increase of those below" which "fills the people with a sense
of joy and gratitude . . ." [Wilhelm]
"One at this place (Line 6) is selfish and unreliable. Because he is greedy, nobody wants to aid him."
[Huang]
Keep your heart "constantly
steady" and mindful of others, because you will need to "appoint helpers" to work through the future
of . . .
Tomorrow: "Difficulty at the beginning . . ."
Sunday, June 19, 2011
No. 42, Increase:
"Increase. It furthers one
To undertake something.
It furthers one to cross the great water."
If you have been waiting for a
sign that it's time to take the plunge into a new venture - here it is.
It's a time of Increase. Your progress will be relatively easy. You will be
aided, especially if you aid others.
"Because of the intensity
of the benevolent forces surrounding you, you are presented with an excellent opportunity for self-improvement.
Whether you would like to break old habits or foster new and useful disciplines, there now exists the proper alignment of
forces for beneficial results." [Wing]
There's one big caveat, as we shall see in our single changing line . . .
Tomorrow:
"Someone even strikes him."
Saturday, June 18, 2011
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 own city. It does not further to
resort to arms. It furthers one to undertake something."
You've got something to say, and not everyone is going to be happy to hear
it.
This is the future of Waiting/Calculated
Inaction --- and very similar to the message of yesterday's changing line.
"A person may receive this hexagram when it is time for him to make a new beginning."
[Anthony and Moog] You will understand this, but you will have to make it clear to those around you, as well.
When you "resolutely make the matter known," there is no
need to be militant about it --- just firm and Resolute. Concentrate your efforts on following your
new direction.
"The best way to fight
evil is to make energetic progress in the good." [Wilhelm]
Friday, June 17, 2011
No. 5, Waiting / Calculated Inaction, Line 4:
"Waiting in blood. Get
out of the pit."
You
are meant to Wait, but not forever. At some point the situation becomes truly dangerous.
The translations differ on the first
part. Most say "blood," but Huang translates it as "in the ditch."
Either way, the translations of the commentary of the second part agree: The way out is not frantic action, but to "stand
fast and let fate take its course." [Wilhelm]
This seems contradictory to me, but Anthony and Moog provide the
example of "the person who has taken on the role of being responsible for creating peace within the family and
whose life-energies are consequently being drained by the family. 'Get out of the pit' tells the person that
he is living in a 'pit' which requires an endless drain on his life-energy to fulfill the role. He needs to rid himself of
the self-image . . . and the guilt . . . that may be connected with it, which would make him feel guilty for abandoning that
role."
You are ready to move in a
new, more Creative direction. Remember, when you quit the rat race, the other rats don't like it.
Stand fast. The future holds . . .
Tomorrow:
"Break-through"
Thursday, June 16, 2011
No. 5, Waiting / Calculated Inaction:
"Waiting. If you are sincere, You have
light and success. Perseverance brings good fortune. It furthers one to cross the great water."
"A time of important change in your life, You have reached a critical point, and
there soon have to be some major alterations to both your circumstances and direction." [Marshall]
But . . . "A period of Calculated
Waiting must pass before the cosmos can address itself to your needs. Many areas are undergoing significant change.
Shifting powers are generating new ideas, animosities are appearing, alliances are forming, systems are breaking down, and
collective causes are being organized. It is the eternal flux of changes as manifested in human affairs." [Wing]
You must continue
to be the "hidden dragon." (See the message from June 14) A dangerous situation
must be dealt with before you can move into the future.
Tomorrow:
"Get out of the pit."
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
No. 40, Deliverance / Relief:
"Deliverance. The southwest furthers. If there is no longer anything where one has to go, Return brings good fortune. If there is still something where one has to go, Hastening brings good fortune."
Deliverance from a long-standing difficulty is beginning. This Relief comes, not from an external source,
but from a change in the way you look at things.
Think of your difficulties
as a big rock blocking your path. As long as you claw and push at it, it continues to frustrate you. If, however,
you change your direction, a whole new world of possibilities presents itself.
"If
you find yourself in the midst of an intolerable situation or intrigue, then perhaps the time has come to depart from
the situation entirely. . . . . This should be done without delay and with no show of emotionalism. There
is no reason to dwell petulantly upon the past or glory in your new-found Liberation." [Wing]
We received no changing lines with this hexagram, meaning: Your Deliverance
will be a permanent improvement!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
No. 44, Coming to Meet / Temptation:
"Coming to meet. The influence is powerful.
One should not join with such an influence."
You must remain the "hidden
dragon." This is the future of The Creative.
Once again. the Yi warns of the dangers of inferior influences. Very likely,
it is the "man of dark nature in a position of authority." (See post for 6/11.)
"The temptation to leave our path intrudes,
either in reaction to the inferior nature of others, or because of internal pressure of our own desires."
[Anthony]
A personal
relationship is involved. Blofeld translated the title of this hexagram as "Contact (Sexual Intercourse, Meeting,
Etc.)."
"Etc." covers a lot of territory, relationship-wise.
Maybe it means, "Don't send that sext message." Or "Don't answer it."
Remember --- "The Creative works sublime
success." Don't screw it up by giving in to Temptation.
Monday, June 13, 2011
No. 1, The Creative, Line 1:
"Hidden dragon. Do not act."
For the Chinese, the dragon is the symbol of the height
of creativity --- the energized, dynamic, powerful, potent ability to create new things and to get things done.
(Blofeld observes "The European dragon is clearly of another species.")
This creative force is available to you, but receiving this line means the time is not yet right to use it.
The future of the last hexagram warned of "a man of dark nature in a position of authority," and you were advised
to keep your brilliance hidden.
That admonition continues. Don't
be impatient and exhaust yourself.
"The time will fulfill itself.
One need not fear . . ." [Wilhelm]
Tomorrow: "The temptation to leave our path intrudes . . ."
Sunday, June 12, 2011
No. 1, The
Creative: "The Creative works sublime success,
Furthering through perseverance."
"The
time is exceptional in terms of inspiration, energy and will. . . . The force of this time is the primal
directive that propels us into our destinies, regardless of what our reasoning or recalcitrant minds may think." [Wing]
Composed of the trigrams Heaven over Heaven, this is the first hexagram of the I Ching. The symbolism
of the heavens denotes "the idea of duration both in and beyond time" - a divinely
favored destiny that is far more than just your own personal happiness.
"When
an individual draws this oracle, it means that success will come to him from the primal depths of the universe
. . ." [Wilhelm].
"Because he sees with great clarity causes and effects, he completes
the six steps at the right time and mounts toward heaven on them at the right time, as though on six dragons."
[Wilhelm]
We
received only the first of those steps as a changing line, and we will take that . . .
Tomorrow: "Hidden dragon."
Saturday, June 11, 2011
No. 36, Darkening of the Light:
"Darkening of the Light. In adversity
It
furthers one to be persevering."
" . . . here a man of dark nature is in a position of authority and brings harm to the wise and able
man." [Wilhelm]
Who
is the Yi warning you about? Sounds like a boss to me, but it could anyone, man or woman, who has some
authority or power over you. Or it could be that you are in the midst of a group that is dominated by negative energies.
This is the future reading of Grace, so you have some advance warning on how
to deal with this situation.
"A correct attitude is most important. If we fight against the darkness, we are swallowed by it and
suffer great misfortune. If we try to persuade others that they must return to the light, we exhaust ourselves in vain."
[Brian Browne Walker]
As The Image says, "He veils his light, yet still shines."
Friday, June 10, 2011
No. 22, Grace, Line 6:
"Simple grace. No blame."
By the end of your period of Grace, you will reach the highest plateau of development.
At this stage, no external embellishments will be necessary.
"Pretensions, form, and adornments are
no longer necessary to achieve your aims. Simplicity is the path you must take. In this way you will make no mistakes."
[Wing]
This will be true of your
relationships, as well as your creations. You will eventually reach a stage where all artifice and striving can be discarded.
Simple sincerity will be enough.
Tomorrow: "He veils
his light, yet still shines."
Thursday, June 9, 2011
No. 22, Grace:
"Grace
has success.
In small matters
It is favorable to undertake something."
Grace is traditionally defined as "beauty of form;" [Wilhelm]
Huang translates it as Adornment. "Grace is a person's natural state of harmony and unity with
the Cosmos." [Anthony and Moog]
What is the
"small matter" the Yi wants you to undertake? Feel free to devote yourself to the details of its form.
"Those involved in creative or artistic endeavors will find their work very satisfying. It is an inspiring
time as ideas flow and the world seems to stand still. What is produced now appears to be divinely inspired." [Wing] What
is truly, creatively, naturally and simply You? Are you doing, or being, that now? What small step can you
take in that direction?
Tomorrow: Reaching a state
of "Simple grace."
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
No. 60, Limitation / Restraint:
"Limitation. Success.
Galling limitation
must not be persevered in."
"In order to make genuine progress in any direction, we must first give some definition
to our path." [Marshall] This
hexagram is the future of Growth. It is not an end to Progress. It is advice to focus.. "Unlimited possibilities
are not suited to man; if they existed, his life would only dissolve in the boundless." [Wilhelm] (We
here in the US are having a hard time learning this lesson. See the dot.com bubble, the housing bubble, Enron,
Anthony Weiner . . . )
As the Cheshire Cat said in Alice in Wonderland: "If you don't know where you're going, any road will
get you there." You need to limit yourself to one path to reach your desired destination.
But don't overdo it. Limitation
is not meant to be a punishment. (Maybe the Yi is trying to tell us, "Quit squabbling over the debt ceiling!)
Stay on the middle path. As environmentalists like to point out, "Uncontrolled growth is the philosophy of a cancer
cell."
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
No. 19, Approach / Growth, Line 5:
"Wise approach. This
is right for a great prince. Good fortune."
The changing lines for this message have a range of possibilities. The first two advise
making a Joint Approach; the third, a Comfortable Approach; the fourth, a Complete Approach; and
the sixth, a Greathearted Approach.
We received only Line 5, advising a Wise Approach, "Wise" is defined here as taking the
"middle way" --- nothing extreme.
It
also means choosing the right people to help you, and then letting them do their work.
"His wisdom consists both in selecting the right people and in allowing them to have a free hand without interference
from him." [Wilhelm]
In a broader
sense, it means: Choose your companions with care, and then let them be who they are. Don't insist
that others see things the way you do on every level. It ain't gonna happen, and most of the time, it probably
doesn't matter.
Bottom line: Don't
micromanage, at work or in relationships.
Tomorrow:
"Limitation. Success."
Monday, June 6, 2011
No. 19, Approach / Growth:
"Approach has supreme success.
Perseverance
furthers.
When the eighth month comes,
There will be misfortune."
A time of "joyous, hopeful progress." [Wilhelm]
Wing calls this hexagram Promotion because it signals relatively easy advancement.
"This gua (hexagram) is absolutely auspicious." [Huang]
What are you going to Approach?
Remember, the "atmosphere" currently is one of Progress, with small steady steps being favored.
The Yi, of course, includes a word of caution: Although it is now "spring,"
don't forget, the seasons always change. Fall and winter are inevitable.
Use this time
wisely. Times of less opportunity are will arrive eventually, as we will see when we reach the future message.
But first, one changing line on the type of Approach you should use,
Tomorrow: "Wise approach."
Sunday, June 5, 2011
No. 9, Restrained / The Taming Power of the Small:
"The Taming Power of the Small Has success. Dense clouds, no rain from our western region."
Traditional, in-depth consultation of the I Ching involves an analysis of the placement of the
yin and yang lines within each hexagram, and their relationship to each other. In this hexagram, there is only one yin
line, in fourth position; the remainder of the lines are yang
.
Huang explains that when King Wen received this hexagram, "he . .
. realized that when five yang lines rely on one yin for nourishment, it becomes difficult for the yin."
Are you the yin? Is everyone drawing on you for strength?
The Yi says: Give yourself a break! "The yin needs time to
accumulate energy and strength. . . . one should take a break to gather one's forces for further accomplishment.
The break should be temporary, yet the achievement is continuous." [Huang]
This is in harmony with
yesterday's reading of Progress with no changing lines. Even if you must make only small steps for the time
being, "the achievement is continuous."
Saturday, June 4, 2011
No. 35, Progress:
"Progress.
The powerful prince Is honored with horses in large numbers. In a single day he is granted audience three times."
This hexagram is Li, Fire, over Earth: the image of the sun rising over the earth,
with ever-increasing brightness.
"The sun appears to grow brighter as it moves away from the darkness. The same is true of us: the
extent to which we progress is determined by how far we distance ourselves from inferior influences."
[Walker]
"[G]ranted audience three times" means that people will listen - attentively - to
what you have to say.
We received this hexagram without changing lines. This "reflects a
sound and stable position. . . . Future endeavors can begin on a higher plane of understanding."
[Wing]
Friday, June 3, 2011
No. 3, Difficulty at the Beginning:
Difficulty at the beginning works supreme success,
Furthering through perseverance.
Nothing should be undertaken
until clarity is attained.
It furthers one to appoint helpers.
The future of Union/Holding Together is "Difficulty
followed by sublime success!" [Blofeld] The
Image of this hexagram is clouds and thunder, the chaos of the storms of spring from which natural growth arises.
Our last future message said that a major influence would be
entering your life. The main message indicated that it would be in the form of a relationship. This future
messages says: It won't be easy, but it will be worth it. "Accept
and bear with the discomfort of chaos without attempting to push it away. Allow it to clear of its
own accord, in its own time." [Walker]
Thursday, June 2, 2011
No. 8, Union / Holding Together, Line 1:
"Hold to him in truth
and loyalty; This is without blame. Truth, like a full earthen bowl: Thus in the end Good fortune from without."
In relationships, "the content is everything, the empty form is nothing." [Wilhelm]
Sharing your self, your inner truth, is like a "full earthen bowl."
The humbleness of the outer shell is of no consequence if what it holds is sustaining.
"Pour your sincerity into the community as when filling an empty
vessel with wine . . . People will join the union." [Huang]
The Yi is saying: Be who you truly are, Don't try to hide it, or pretend
that you are something else. "In the end," this is what brings good fortune.
This line, our only changing line, also indicates "There
is a windfall yet to come." [Blofeld]
Tomorrow: "Difficulty
at the beginning brings supreme success."
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
No. 8 Union / Holding Together:
"Holding together brings good fortune.
Inquire of the oracle once again
Whether you possess sublimity, constancy, and perseverance;
Then
there is no blame.
Those who are uncertain gradually join.
Whoever comes too late
Meets with
misfortune."
This is the beginning of a new direction for you. In it, your relationships
with others will be of the utmost importance.
"The desire for community is deeply
felt by all humans, and it is the shared responsibility of all those on the higher path to make some sort of 'family' available
to those in need." [Walker] Meaning: There are others who share your interests and your goals. Now
is the time to reach out to them.
You may be hesitant to move forward, or to take the lead. Don't
wait too long. You want to be at the head of this movement, not trailing behind.
Tomorrow: "Truth, like a full earthen bowl . . ."
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