|
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Progress!
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 announces a time of significant and easy progress." [Walker] Its
Image is Fire over Earth: the sun rising, with ever-increasing
light --- surely a good omen as we enter a new year.
Progress may come on the
inner, or outer, plane. "Good ideas are now best put to use in serving others."
[Wing]
On the 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 & Moog]
On the outer plane: "[G]ranted audience three times" means that people will
listen - attentively - to what you have to say.
Does
this mean you will instantly meet with universal acclaim? Hardly. This new era may
get off to a rough start, as we will see in our single changing line, Line 1.
Tomorrow: "Progressing, but turned back."
Friday, December 30, 2011
For the New Year . . .
No. 57,
The Gentle / Penetrating Wind:
“The Gentle. Success through what is small.
It furthers one to have somewhere to go.
It furthers
one to see the great man."
"Success through what is small" is the future of Temptation. "
. . .[O]ne must have a clearly defined goal, for only when the penetrating influence works always
in the same direction can the object be obtained." [Wilhelm]
The New Year is upon us. Do
you have a "clearly defined goal" for 2012, that all-important "somewhere to go?"
If you are unclear,
now is the perfect time to consult "the great man" --- the Sage that speaks through the Yi, the
I Ching. Throw the coins yourself, asking "What direction should I take in the
New Year?"
If
you don't have your own book version of the I Ching to guide you, follow the instructions below. Send the
results of your coin toss to me at susanlee@bookofchanges.org if you want some help interpreting the hexagram you receive.
......................................................................
You consult the I Ching by asking a question,
and then:
1. Shake three coins in your hands, like you would dice, and then drop them.
2. Count
heads as three and tails as two. Add the value of the three coins. Three tails equals 6, two tails and one
heads equals 7, two heads and one tail equals 8, three heads equals 9.
3. If the number is 7 or 9, draw an unbroken
line. If the number is even, draw a line that is broken in the center. This is your first line. Write down its number
value next to it.
4. Throw the coins again, going through the same process as above. Draw this line above
the first line.
5. Repeat this procedure until you have six lines, with the first line you drew
at the bottom, and the last line you drew at the top.
6. This
will give you your six-lined message, or hexagram.
For example, hexagram No. 3, Difficulty at the
Beginning, will look like this:
Sixth line ____ ____ 6
Fifth line _________ 7
Fourth line ____
____ 8
Third line ____ ____
6
Second line ____ ____ 8
First line __________
9
Thursday, December 29, 2011
"This leads to misfortune . . ."
No. 44,
Coming to Meet / Temptation (Sexual Intercourse, Meeting, Etc.), Line 4:
"No fish in the tank. This leads to misfortune."
Are you cutting yourself
off from others, people who may seem insignificant now? Be careful.
If you continue, you will have no reserves; no
"credit" built up with others in your community, no back-up when you need help.
"Insignificant people must be tolerated in
order to keep them well disposed. Then we can make use of them if we should need them." [Wilhelm] Personally,
I find this advice offensive and very un-I Ching like.
Is this your Temptation? Regarding others as "insignificant," but
tolerating them so you can use them when the need arises, quite likely in a sexual context?
This will lead to misfortune,
as rightly it should.
Tomorrow: "The Gentle. Success through what is small."
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
The Temptation is here . . .
No. 44,
Coming to Meet / Temptation (Sexual Intercourse, Meeting, Etc.):
"Coming to meet. The maiden is
powerful.
One should not marry such a maiden."
The Temptation is here, my friends.
We received Temptation as a
future message four times since Nov. 13. Today, it arrives as the
main message.
Modern
translations speak of a "powerful influence" rather than a "powerful maiden,"
but today I am going back to the Wilhelm translation. Perhaps we received this so many times because the warning
I was relaying was too broad in concept.
Is sexual intercourse
[Blofeld's translation] your most dangerous Temptation?
"The inferior
thing seems so harmless and inviting that a man delights in it; it looks so small and weak that he imagines
he may dally with it and come to no harm." [Wilhelm]
Whatever this "inferior thing" is that tempts you, the I Ching has
been jumping up and down and waving a red flag, shouting: Don't go there!
We received one changing
line, Line 4, which may help you identify and defeat this Temptation.
Tomorrow:
"No fish in the tank."
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
"You
are sincere and are being obstructed."
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."
Do you have some "unfinished business," a Conflict
you feel you must take care of before you can move in a new direction?
A new, Creative future is possible now. [Our last main message) But not
if you can't let go of this Conflict.
You are not at fault ,
the I Ching makes that clear. But . . . we received this hexagram without changing lines.
That means: As long as you keep butting up against this obstruction, you
will be blocked.
Our closest relationships often contain
fundamental disagreements for which there is no true resolution.
The Yi says: Make a "cautious
halt halfway" --- agree to disagree, and move on, in
your own direction.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Patience, Grasshoppa!
No. 9, The Taming Power of
the Small / Restraint: "The Taming Power of the Small
Has success.
Dense clouds, no rain from our western region."
Did you make
the choice to be the "dragon getting ready to leap out of
the abyss and fly into the sky" (yesterday's changing line) ?
This future message says, "Patience, Grasshoppa."
The I Ching's main message, The Creative, said
"success will come . . . from the primal depths of the universe." This future
message says: "The time has not yet come for sweeping measures." [Wilhelm]
The
future must unfold in keeping with natural cycles. Rain must fall before the seed can sprout.
Potential --- like the moisture in the clouds --- is there. Use this time to prepare.
Be content to carefully plant your seeds.
Then you can make
the most of the "rain" when it does come.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
You can soar to the heights . . .
No. 1, The Creative,
Line 4:
"Wavering
flight over the depths. No blame."
"A place of transition has been reached, and free choice can enter in." [Wilhelm]
"The fourth line symbolizes
a dragon getting ready to leap out of the abyss and fly into the sky."[Huang]
For the Chinese, the dragon is not a fearsome beast to be slain. On the contrary, it symbolizes the Creative spark,
"the electrically charged, dynamic force" that is the beginning of all new growth.
Here, you are presented with a clear choice of paths to follow: You can "soar
to the heights and play an important part in the world," or you can "withdraw into solitude"
and develop yourself.
The I Ching gives no advice on which way you should choose. You must make the choice
for yourself, based on "the inner law of your being."
"This way is right for [you] and without blame." [Wilhelm]
Tomorrow: "The time has not yet
come for sweeping measures."
Saturday, December 24, 2011
"The Creative works sublime success"
No.
1, The Creative:
"The
Creative works sublime success,
Furthering through perseverance."
"Vast indeed is the sublime Creative Principle, the Source of All, co-extensive
with the heavens! . . . Its dazzling brilliance permeates all things from first to last.
. . . The Creative Principle functions through Change; accordingly, when we rectify our way of life by conjoining
it with the universal harmony, our firm persistence is richly rewarded." [Blofeld]
This hexagram,
Heaven above and Heaven below, is the very first, signaling the beginning of a new and
Creative time. "When an individual draws this oracle, it means that success will come to him from the
primal depths of the universe and that everything depends upon his seeking his happiness and that of others
in one way only, that is, by perseverance in what is right." [Wilhelm]
Which poses this question: "What is right --- for you?"
Anthony and Moog suggest
it is "the real purpose of human life, which is for each individual to fulfill his
uniqueness (instead of the empty ideal of being special). Only in this way can each person
contribute to the on-going evolution of the Cosmic Whole."
How
are you going to do that? We received one changing line, Line 4, which points to a very fundamental decision you will
have to make . . .
Tomorrow: "A place
of transition has been reached . . ."
Friday, December 23, 2011
"Evil people". . . John Boehner and the U.S. Congress ?
No. 12, Stagnation / Standstill :
"Standstill.
Evil people do not further
The perseverance of the superior man.
The great departs; the small approaches."
We have just received a very favorable message --- Increase --- which
came with the reminder that no time of Increase lasts forever.
Today we receive, as our future message, Stagnation.
Anthony and Moog discuss the "many states of mind" that may cause this
Stagnation: " . . . the melancholic state that locks a person into the view that everything
meaningful has already occurred in his life; a hopelessness that sees no prospect for a resolution of the
problems in his life; a helplessness that envisions him as abandoned and all alone in life, forever."
In public life, "Stagnation produces an ambiance of decay and decadence.
Inferior persons and ideas can rise to positions of great influence. . . . Leaders are not in touch
with the people whom they lead, and social systems become irrelevant. The people become lost in a labyrinth
of discordant purpose and are filled with mistrust. Things come to standstill and people,
therefore, cannot be helped." [Wing]
John Boehner and the U.S, Congress, perhaps? Looks like "evil people" may bring "removal
of the capital" (yesterday's changing line) to a Standstill.
The Yi says: The only way through this time of Stagnation/Standstill is to gut it out.
"Hold courageously and unobtrusively to your values and inner confidence,
for these times will certainly pass." [Wing]
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Remove the capital?
No.
42, Increase, Line 4:
"If you walk in the middle And report to the prince, He will follow. It furthers one to be used In the removal of the capital."
The Yi says: Be moderate in your
actions, and be both loyal and truthful. This will create a relationship of trust
that will be strong enough to accomplish "great deeds."
"Removal of the capital" refers to a major, fundamental change. Huang's translation
of this line relates the story of King Wen:
"After King Wen levied taxes from the people and instructed them in increasing production and
practicing economy, both the government and the people accumulated wealth.
King Wen believed that it was favorable for the government to overcome hindrance for the public welfare. The Duke
of Zhou narrates that work for the welfare of the people always brought good fortune.
The administration helped people live through natural disasters and moved the capital from Cheng to Feng,
which is both a place name and the Chinese word for abundance."
Can we here in the U.S. move our capital from Wall Street to
a place of abundance for all? The Yi seems to think so.
On a personal level, what fundamental change is the Yi urging you
to make? Remember, as the main message cautioned, the time of Increase does not endure.
You must make the most of it while you can. Hesitate too long, and . . .
Tomorrow: "Standstill. Evil people do not further . . ."
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
"Supreme good fotune"
No. 42, Increase, Line
1:
"It
furthers one to accomplish great deeds. Supreme
good fortune. No blame."
What do
you want to accomplish?
This is the beginning (Line 1) of a time Increase, so do not hesitate to set your sights high.
Not just success, but "great deeds" are now possible. . As the main message
said, progress will be relatively easy. You will be aided, especially if you aid others.
When what you are doing benefits you and benefits others --- that is "supreme good fortune."
To accomplish this "great deed," you will likely have to enlist the aid of others. Blofeld
says that "no blame" means they will "not complain of having too much to do."
Don't
be afraid to ask for the help you need. Tomorrow: "If you walk in the middle, and report to the prince, he will follow."
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
"Increase."
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 on a new venture --- here it is.
It's a time of Increase. Progress will be relatively easy. You will be aided, especially if
you aid others.
"This is a particularly fortuitous time to discard
a self-indulgent attitude, or endeavor . . . Self-awareness and self-discipline are the keys
to this transformation." [Wing]
Just keep in mind that nothing Increases forever.
"The time of Increase does not endure, therefore it must be
utilized while it lasts." [Wilhelm]
In other words: Use it or lose
it. The Yi sent two changing lines to guide us in how to make the most of this Increase . . .
Tomorrow: "It furthers one
to accomplish great deeds."
Monday, December 19, 2011
Yoda and the Yi are on the same page . . .
No.
44, Coming to Meet / Temptation:
"Coming
to meet. The influence is powerful.
One should not join with such an influence."
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.
It is important to acknowledge this danger." [Anthony]
This is the fourth time since Nov. 13
we have received Temptation, all four times as a future message; first as the future of Establishing
the New, then as the future of The Creative, then as the future of Before Completion, and today as
the future of Preponderance of the Great/Excess."
'The influence is powerful' is also a warning not to allow any negative influence that is drawn by self-doubt,
guilt, or fear." [Anthony & Moog]
Don't believe the Yi? Then maybe you'll listen to Yoda:
"Anger, fear, aggression. The dark side are they. . . . Named must your fear
be before banish it you can.”
Sunday, December 18, 2011
"This presages a misfortune . . ."
No.
28, Preponderance of the Great / Excess, Line 6:
"One must go through the water. It goes over one's head. Misfortune. No blame."
"While he was fording the river,
the water rose above his head --- misfortune, but he was not at fault. This presages a misfortune for
which we cannot possibly be blamed." [Blofeld]
Yesterday's main message said that "the pressures of the moment are enormous."
Our single changing line says that circumstances may indeed overwhelm us, but there should
be no blame or guilt attached to this.
Anthony and Moog discuss the dangers of believing that "you are responsible for others,
and for the greater good," and that you must "do it all" yourself. "Believing
that he is responsible for making everything work invariably leads to stress, and when success does
not come, the stress leads to hardness, indifference to others (from whom the person has become isolated), and
a serious disturbance in his will to live."
Are you "in over your head?" The I Ching says: You may get drenched, but you don't
have to drown.
Tomorrow: Temptation --- again!
Saturday, December 17, 2011
"The pressures of the moment are enourmous . . ."
No. 28, Preponderance of the
Great / Excess:
"Preponderance of the Great.
The
ridgepole sags to the breaking point.
It furthers one to have somewhere to go.
Success."
Are you, like
the main beam of a roof, stressed out to the max? "The pressures of the moment
are enormous . . ." [Walker]
"This is
a condition that cannot last; it must be changed, must pass, or misfortune will result. . . .
It is necessary to find a way to transition as quickly as possible, and to take action. This promises
success." [Wilhelm]
You need to get out from under all this pressure.
Believing that you are responsible for everything and everyone will cause you to collapse.
The Image says,
" . . . the superior man, when he stands alone, is unconcerned, and if he has to renounce the world,
he is undaunted."
The Yi is reminding
us that we, as individuals, may have little or no control over the larger forces at work. What we can
do, as The Image suggests, is decide on the course of action that is best for us, personally, and
follow it. Perhaps this is the "adaptation to the demands of the time" mentioned in
yesterday's message.
Do you have "somewhere to go?" Success lies in moving in that direction, even if you have
to go alone. Do not underestimate the difficulty of this . . .
Tomorrow: "One must go through the water. It goes over one's head."
Friday, December 16, 2011
"Following has supreme success"
No. 17,
Following / Adaptability:
"Following has supreme success.
Perseverance
furthers. No blame."
"The thought of obtaining a following through adaptation
to the demands of the time is a great and significant idea . . ." [Wilhelm]
This is future of the main message, Gathering Together. We received Following/Adaptability as
the main message not long ago, on Nov. 28.
Receiving it
again, as a future message, indicates that this need to develop a following --- people who will endorse
and support your actions --- is still a controlling factor, and likely to remain so.
"It is essential now to
quietly accept the way things are. This does not mean that you endorse or celebrate current circumstances, just that
you do not resist them. Acceptance is the most fundamental principle in the philosophy of the
I Ching." [Walker]
There is "no blame" in this. In fact,
it is the course of action that will help you Gather Together a Following,
bringing you "supreme success."
What life circumstance is the Yi
urging you to adapt to?
Thursday, December 15, 2011
With "one grasp of the hand" . . .
No. 45,
Gathering Together / Bringing Together, Line 1:
"If you are sincere, but not to the end, There will sometimes
be confusion, sometimes gathering together. If you call out, Then after one grasp of the hand you can laugh again. Regret not.
Going is without blame."
Indecision, wavering, nagging doubts --- that's what our only changing line says is the main stumbling
block to Gathering Together.
"This
line points to a situation in which a person in a position of leading others, and who is normally held in their confidence,
is uncertain within himself, and therefore causes them to be uncertain of him, and to resist his
direction." [Anthony & Moog]
The same is true of your intimate relationships. As long as you hold back, or run hot and cold, there
will be confusion, not only on your part, but on the part of your significant other.
But if you reach
out and make a firm commitment to the situation, with "one grasp of the hand"
you can move forward --- joyously.
Commitment does not mean rigidity, however. The future will require . . .
Tomorrow:
" . . . adaptation to the demands of the time . . ."
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Break out the "big animals"
No.
45, Gathering Together / Bringing Together:
Gathering together. Success.
The king approaches his temple.
It furthers
one to see the great man.
This brings success. Perseverance furthers.
To bring great offerings creates good fortune.
It furthers one to undertake something."
"Our power as individuals is multiplied when we gather together as families, groups,
and communities with common goals. It is our collective strength that makes positive change
possible." [Walker]
How to do that? Wilhelm's translation says " . . . bring great offerings." Huang says,
"Use big animals."
In
this holiday season, maybe the Yi is saying: Give a gift through Heifer International, the nonprofit that lets
you donate an animal to a family in a developing country. Go big --- give a camel or a water
buffalo.
Or it may be that you, personally and internally, need to "get
it together."
"When you are
not in accord with your goals, you may well feel indecision, conflict, or malaise; when you are,
a sense of confidence and well-being will surround you." [Wing]
Now is the time to focus on that new project or direction, and give it everything you've got.
This will call for some perseverance . . .
Tomorrow:
"If you are sincere, but not to the end . . ."
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
But the well cannot be changed . . .
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."
The future of Dispersion/Reuniting is The Well.
The
Well is the Yi's reminder that surface circumstances may change, but the truth of each
life is there, unchanging.
"We
must go down to the very foundations of life. For any merely superficial ordering of
life that leaves its deepest needs unsatisfied is as ineffectual as if no attempt at order had ever
been made." [Wilhelm]
Lower your bucket all the way down. Don't
just skim the surface.
And take time and
care drawing the wisdom out. Grabbing for a quick-fix answer will bring misfortune.
Monday, December 12, 2011
"Departing
. . . is without blame"
No. 59, Dispersion
/ Reuniting, Line 6:
"He dissolves his blood.
Departing, keeping at a distance,
going out,
Is without blame."
Are
you having trouble letting go of hard feelings or a rigid attitude, as the I Ching
has advised?
Line
6 is a final warning: If you insist on "bloody" thinking --- keeping the
fight going --- you only attach yourself more firmly to the problem.
"Dissolve" these
feelings. Distance yourself from any continuing contention. You owe it not only to yourself,
but also to those close to you.
"But here the thought is not that a man avoids difficulties for himself alone, but rather that he rescues his
kin --- helps them to get away before danger comes, or to keep at a distance from an existing danger, or to find
a way out of a danger that is already upon them." [Wilhelm]
There is no blame
in that.
Tomorrow:
"But the well cannot be changed."
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Dissovle your "self"
No. 59, Dispersion / Reuniting, Line 3:
"He
dissolves his self. No remorse."
In your relationships, have you been focused on how right you are, and how
wrong everyone else is?
The I Ching
says: You've got to let go of that if you want to reap the benefits of this time of Dispersion/Reuniting.
Let
the hard, icy position you have taken (yesterday's message) melt away. Dissolve your
"self."
If it's someone
else who has the hard attitude, let yourself be the "warm spring breeze" that flows over it ---
and keeps on moving.
The best way to do this? Set as a
goal a "great task outside" yourself. [Wilhelm] By pouring yourself into an endeavor that
benefits others, the contention that has dominated your life will fade into insignificance. You will have no cause for
regret.
Tomorrow:
"He dissolves his blood."
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Something is separating you . . .
No. 59,
Dispersion / Reuniting:
"Dispersion. Success.
The king approaches his temple.
It furthers one to cross the
great water.
Perseverance furthers."
Something is separating you from those with whom you should be joined.
It is likely a rigid attitude - maybe it's yours, maybe it's someone else's.
The Image produced by the combined trigrams of Wind over Water
is a warm spring breeze flowing over the ice of winter, dispersing it. Are you holding a rigid attitude that is keeping
you "frozen?" Are you in a relationship or group where all parties have staked out their positions,
and no one will budge?
An example would be holiday family gatherings where some members insist on
renewing arguments or resentments that are decades old. This year, be the "warm spring breeze flowing over the
ice."
Perhaps you can use "the means employed by the great rulers to unite men. The sacred music
and the splendor of the ceremonies aroused a strong tide of emotion that was shared by all
hearts in unison, and that awakened a consciousness of the common origin of all creatures." [Wilhelm]
This
can set the stage for "cooperation in great general undertakings that set a high goal for the will of the people;
in common concentration on this goal, all barriers dissolve . . ." [Wilhelm]
Will
this be easy? Probably not. The I Ching sent two changing lines to guide us, Lines 3 and 6.
Tomorrow:
"He dissolves his self. No remorse."
Friday, December 9, 2011
Tempted to ______ ?
No. 44,
Coming to Meet / Temptation:
"Coming to meet.
The influence is powerful.
One should not join with such an influence."
"I am strongly Tempted
to ________________. " (Fill in the blank.)
This is the third time in a month we have received Temptation, all three times as a future
message; first as the future of Establishing the New, then as the future of The Creative, and now as the
future of Before Completion.
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. It is important to acknowledge
this danger." [Anthony]
" 'The influence is powerful' is also a warning not to allow any negative influence that is drawn by
self-doubt, guilt, or fear." [Anthony & Moog]
Where is your
biggest danger coming from?
""When you give your attention to darkness, you grant it a position of power in your life. This encounter
cannot be avoided, but you can prevent it from gaining in influence." [Wing]
Thursday, December 8, 2011
"Success has justified the deed"
No. 64,
Before Completion / Not Yet Fulfilled, Line 5:
"Perseverance brings good fortune. No remorse. The light of the superior man is true. Good fortune."
"The victory has been won. The power of steadfastness
has not been routed. Everything has gone well. All misgivings have been overcome.
Success has justified the deed." [Wilhelm]
How often do you hear that from the I Ching? Receiving Line 5 indicates that the
transition you have been going through will be successful.
You need have "no remorse" over
the "new situation" that has been created (yesterday's changing line).
"And just as the sun shines forth in redoubled
beauty after rain . . . so the new era appears all the more glorious by contrast with the
misery of the old." [Wilhelm] Enjoy it, because the future holds . . .
Tomorrow: "Temptation"
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
No. 64, Before Completion / Not Yet Fulfilled, Line
3:
"Before completion, attack
brings misfortune. It
furthers one to cross the great water."
As both Huang and Blofeld
point out, the two parts of this line seem to be contradictory. Are you to hang back, or forge ahead?
They both conclude the message is: Move forward, but be extremely cautious.
The I Ching
is advising you: Staying where you are and fighting it out is not the solution. "A
new situation must be created; one must engage the energies of able helpers and in this fellowship take the
decisive step --- cross the great water. Then completion will become possible." [Wilhelm]
What "new situation" do you need to create?
Tomorrow: "The new time has arrived, and with it good fortune."
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Be careful! You're not there yet.
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."
This
hexagram is the last hexagram in the I Ching, but it does not signal an end.
It describes "the condition before transition." [The Image]
The last two hexagrams we received were
Deliverance and Breakthrough. Receiving Before Completion means: Be
careful! You're not there yet.
". . . [I]t could suggest that you are not
prepared to see clearly what must be done and take the final steps into the future.
. . . All aspects of life and human affairs must come to an end and begin anew." [Wing]
Are you a "word"
person or a "numbers" person? Those who say the I Ching predicts the world will end
in 2012 base their theory on a complex analysis of the "numbers" involved.
The "words," however, send another message entirely: " . .
. there is nothing final about it; the cycle of change continues, passing from H.64 onto
the first hexagram, and so on eternally." [Blofeld]
In the cycle of change, you
are --- right now --- at H.64. How do you move forward? We received two changing
lines to guide us . . .
Tomorrow: "A new situation must be created . . ."
Monday, December 5, 2011
" . a long-awaited change
is at hand."
No. 43,
Breakthrough / Resoluteness:
"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."
"The arrival of this hexagram
indicates that a long-awaited change is at hand. A difficulty that has oppressed you
over a long period is now about to dissolve. It is important to respond in the proper way."
[Brian Browne Walker]
Sound a lot like the main message? It is. The I
Ching is telling you: The future of Deliverance will require Resoluteness --- continued
resolve.
Make a clear declaration of your intentions, but
do not argue or feel you
have to defend your position. There is always an element of danger in telling people
what they don't want to hear. If your new path involves doing less for others and more for yourself, you may run into
some stiff opposition --- or at the very least, a lot of whining and complaining.
Proceed "calmly, cheerfully,
and with authority" and with "inner truth and resolve that do not know defeat."
[Wing]
Sunday, December 4, 2011
"Only you can save yourself"
No. 40, Deliverance
/ Relief, Line 5:
"If only the superior man
can deliver himself, It brings good fortune. Thus he proves to inferior men that he is in earnest."
The I Ching says --- again ---
that reaping the benefits of this Deliverance depends on you. As the main message said, this Relief comes from a change
in the way you look at things.
"Times of deliverance demand inner resolve.
Inferior people cannot be driven off by prohibitions or any external means. If one desires to be rid of them, he must
first break completely with them in his own mind; they will see for themselves
that he is in earnest and will withdraw." [Wilhelm]
This is not easy, even for the strongest of us. As Michael Corleone said in The Godfather, Part
III: "Just when I thought I was out . . . they pull me back in!"
Don't let others "pull you back in."
"Only you
can save yourself." [Wing]
Tomorrow: "Resoluteness"
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Once you've got it, don't flaunt it
No. 40, Deliverance
/ Relief, Line 3:
"If a man carries a burden
on his back And nonetheless rides in a carriage, He thereby encourages robbers to draw near. Perseverance leads to
humiliation."
This paints the picture of a common man, used to shouldering his own burdens and moving forward
under his own power, using his Deliverance to take it easy.
The I Ching warns: This will
encourage others to try to relieve you of your good fortune. Flaunting your new-found Relief will only lead
to humiliation. As the main message cautioned, you should greet your Deliverance " . . . with no
show of emotionalism. There is no reason to dwell petulantly upon the past or glory in your new-found Liberation."
[Wing]
These
"robbers" may well be those who are trying to make you feel guilty for moving
in a new direction, as explained in yesterday's changing line. Remember, "You are without blame."
You need to keep your boundaries up, as we will see . . .
Tomorrow: "Times
of deliverance demand inner resolve."
Friday, December 2, 2011
You are "without blame"
No. 40, Deliverance
/ Relief, Line 1:
"Without blame."
"When hardship begins to find Relief, although there is not yet good
fortune, at least there is no fault." [Huang]
Your Deliverance will come from seeing things in a new light, and this may
involve giving up long-standing values and beliefs that have actually been blocking your
path.
The I Ching is
warning you: In this first step toward Deliverance, you may be confronted by a sense of guilt,
for having rejected these values and beliefs, which are still held by those around you. Anthony and Moog
call this "the reinstalling feature of the conditioning program of the collective ego."
Don't be dragged
back in. You are "without blame."
The holiday season provides an example. Are you in a family that has a tradition of over-spending on gifts? Is
this just not possible for you this year? Don't be "guilted" into it. You are "without
blame" in telling everyone that you can't participate.
Several challenges remain
in securing your Deliverance . . .
Tomorrow: "He thereby encourages robbers to draw near."
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Deliverance from a long-standing difficulty . . .
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.
"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. . . . And, once you finally
dispense with emotional ruts or resentments from former times, you will have an excellent
opportunity for personal advancement." [Wing]
What "rock" is blocking your path? The I Ching sent three changing lines to guide us
in how to get around it . . .
Tomorrow: "Without
blame."
|
