10 – treading (conduct)

I was told two job stories these days. Both situations involve encroaching employers. In one case, extra (unpaid) hours are demanded with a flimsy justification; in the other, extra tasks were assigned that require extra work, which is then not paid. The I Ching‘s commentary in both cases is 10 – the treading.

Weiterlesen: 10 – treading (conduct)

17 – following

Something new is coming to light decisively and powerfully. It will transform the entire situation. However, this new beginning has a price: we must disengage and let go of what is outdated, obsolete, an old pattern – even if it is hard to abandon something that was trusted and familiar for such a long time now. Eventually this image helps: a tree discarding old foliage, getting ready for a new cycle of life, with the old foliage serving as a fertilizer for new growth. We also need this fertilizer which is generated by disengagement: for our own forward bursting growth, which soon will interweave with the world, resonating with it in giving and taking.

Weiterlesen: 17 – following

25 – innocence

Scope of Questions

I received the following questions and descriptions of situations that resulted in hexagram 25 – innocence:

  • One user writes: “After an unpleasant event a few months ago, I am more or less in a kind of crisis. I have my life under control and am getting along reasonably well, but emotionally I am still very much shaken. Since then I try to understand the best I can what actually happened – also by questioning the I Ching.”
  • Another user asks: “Please, tell me how the story between me and x will develop further during the upcoming year!”
  • A users has met a person in a quite unique way who later on turned out to be very important for her. Her question: “Will we meet again? Or: what’s the point?”
  • One user asks: “What’s next?”
Weiterlesen: 25 – innocence

45 – gathering together

Scope of Questions
  •  A user asks what exactly is meant by “lesson learned” in contemporary interpretation. His personal life situation: paradisaical abundance, tempting offers – and he immediately would like to accept everything. His question to the I Ching is: “What should I do?”
  • A user describes her situation as follows: “I am very interested in a man, who is – unfortunately – quite prominent. However, I would like to meet him.”
  •  A user asks the I Ching: “What can I do to calm down and stay focused?” Her financial situation scares her, makes her freeze up and prevents her from doing things and getting things done. She would like to better prepare and communicate her offers so that her products are noticed and bought by as many people as possible. Secretly she knows that she has treasures just waiting to be shared with the world.
  • An other user asks: “Should I take up painting art professionally to earn a living?“ And about his situation: “I am trying to find my way professionally after a long period of unemployment, following a high stress, executive position from which I was terminated without cause. My mother was a professional artist, who died right after I lost my job. I grew up working with her and am very knowledgeable about art, own her equipment and materials, and used to do art when I was much younger.“
  • One user asked the I Ching where he was in his life and career and what he need to do next/focus on. Recently he quit his job and drastically changed careers, starting his own business and adjusting to a very different life.
Case Study

Hexagram 45 – gathering together shows Kun, the earth, in the lower trigram, which indicates a nurturing, supportive environment. As in the case mentioned above (1st question, see above), this might be expressed in an abundance of possibilities. Often things happen exactly the way the user describes it: There are many possibilities and we would like to use everything that is offered.
But Kun (the earth, lower trigram) quickly develops into Gen (the mountain, first core character): letting go of what what is not yours. Indeed, if you have learned your past lessons, you are now able to judge fairly accurately what is really beneficial to yourself, what you can and eventually want to do – and what is beyond your capacities. Even though you may sometimes find it a pity not to take advantage of all the opportunities that present themselves, there is often simply no choice but to turn down some of the equally tempting offers.
The second core sign shows growth (Sun, the tree/wind), followed by attentive listening to the reactions of the environment (Dui, the lake). Lessons are never learned for good. Even the Tai Chi master continues to practice the form tirelessly. And discovers more and more subtleties.

The current interpretation can be found here: https://www.no2do.com/hexagramme_en/888778.htm

47 – oppression

Scope of Questions

Here some questions and also a very individual interpretation of hexagram 47 – Oppression:

  • “How well developed is my ability to have relationships?”
  • “Why is my own life, my urge for self expression, so massively blocked by external needs this year? How can I resolve the conflict?

When working with hexagram 47 – Oppression the user developed his reading of the hexagram which I reproduce here:

Weiterlesen: 47 – oppression