45 - Gathering Together

no2DO - eine Annäherung aus Westen

Contemporary Interpretation

45 - Gathering Together

Lesson learned.

Lesson learned.

The Changes

yin yang yang yin yin yin

Upper Trigram: Dui, Lake

2nd Core Character: Sun, Wind (Tree)

1st Core Character: Gen, Mountain

Lower Trigram: Kun, Earth

Information regarding the interpretation model

Classical Interpretation

Gathering together (45) signifies accumulation.

The image

The lake above the earth: the image of gathering together. Thus the superior man renews his weapons to meet the unforeseen.

The judgement

Gathering together. Success. The king approaches his temple. It furthers to see the great man. This brings success. Perseverance furthers. To make great sacrifices brings good fortune. It furthers one to undertake something. Full text of Richard Wilhelm's 1924 translation by Cary F. Baynes

Dynamics of the Hexagram

The Changes: 45 - gathering together

Lower Trigram: Kun, the Earth

The following image is often chosen to describe Kun: soil in which a seedling is growing. Soil is unstructured matter: in soil a ... Read more seedling finds everything it needs to grow; dead plants decay to soil. Kun's meaning, however, goes beyond unstructured matter (such as soil): Kun is unstructured potential, including tangible and non-tangible matter.
When interpreting a hexagram, Kun points at the place which we are at, here and now. Kun invites us to calm down and to use this place / moment as a source of strength. Like a wave rolling back into the sea, its origin, focusing and drawing new energies. Hide

First Change: Kun → Gen, the Mountain

During the phase of growth (Kun), while something concrete emerged from unstructured potential, we may have noticed things that are ... Read more unnecessary ballast and block our energies. When Gen evolves from Kun, we can confidingly let go of ballast and entrust ourselves to earth's gravity. This way we not only release muscles and tendons, but our entire being. Hide

Second Change: Gen → Sun, the Wind / Tree

Sun develops when a (solid) yang line is added (red arrow; yang symbolizes energy, activity). Initial disengagement (Gen) results ... Read more in forward thrusting growth (Sun). We disengaged, we released unnecessary ballast, we concentrated our energies. This way we drew the bow. Until our arrow, Sun, is shot off: unstoppable, unrelenting, heading for our goal. Hide

Third Change: Sun → Dui, the Lake

Dui develops when a (broken) yin line is added (dark arrow; yin symbolizes receptivity). Sun's powerful, uniform growth of our... Read more inner being encounters the outer world in Dui. That which has developed hidden deeply within ourselves, crosses the border of our self and becomes visible. It touches the environment and generates... reverberation. Hide

Upper Trigram: Dui, the Lake

Dui crosses the natural boundary of our self in two ways: from the inside outwardly and from the outside inwardly. From the outside ... Read more inwardly means that we open ourselves to the outside, to our environment, let us be inspired and ultimately accept and integrate what we encounter. From the inside outwardly invites us to express our innermost to the outside and let it come alive within the world. Both movements are tightly interconnected, just like the rhythm of our breathing: inhaling, exhaling. Hide

Follow the Path of the Dao: A Western Approximation

The interpretations shown above gradually moved away from Eastern concepts. Let us proceed even a little further. In this section I develop a model of interpretation from a Western perspective, more precisely: from the perspective of philosophical anthropology.
A detailed article on the subject can be found here: A Western Approximation

Dem Weg des Dao folgen: Annäherung aus Westen

Exemplary Experiences

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References and Connotations