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â Primary hexagram: 54âHeld backâbreaks forth.
ⶠSelect a secondary hexagram
Held backâbreaks forth.
6. - - yin (top) 5. - - yin 4. --- yang 3. - - yin 2. --- yang 1. --- yang (bottom)
There is contradiction in this structure. We accept what is inactive innerly (lines 6 and 5) and reject what is active outside (line 4), so all movement is held up and nothing can be done. Such restraints on change cannot last for long because without change there is atrophy and the structure gives way to another; commonly the danger signals of being contained cause identity to break out of the restraint in some way.
It is an awkward structure because anything we do will be to relieve our feelings of being trapped without really changing our situation. While held thus by circumstances we will benefit by witnessing our reactions to it; it is always identity that traps itselfâouter identity (line 4) cannot recognize activity as valid, it may, indeed, have been afraid for a long time, and then activity becomes awkward and undisciplined.
The flow is self-restricting, starting with hope (Tui) and then tentative in the world (Li) and sluggish in identity (Kâan), but then with great force in our inner being (ChĂȘn). We hope for release of pent-up energies, but realizing their difficulties we are hesitant to let them out, so our activity is full of plans but very little outer action is possible. When energy cannot flow outwards it moves in our inner being and then awaits another chance of expression; when this chance comes the feeling that comes with it is âemotionalââcharged with a purposeful need for expression.
The maiden seeks marriage.
Active undertakings bring misfortune.
No direction is favoured now.
The maiden (feeling) seeks the âotherâ, seeks definition and sense of purpose; a goal or direction is other to feeling, it is the male element to the female element. This goal or direction is to express the feeling in outer activity but this need is now out of phase with the taoâagainst the circumstances we are now inâand we usually get into such a situation by having experienced frustration of action at some earlier time and that action still needs expression. At present the circumstances of that challenge do not exist so if we act we are out of context.
Young and joyful
but shy to venture.
Jumps with both feet;
becomes an active force.
His natural flow,
too long held back,
accepts any course for action.
Desire long unfulfilled
breaks forth.
How else could it become?
The lake flows out.
A young river, reluctant to flow,
comes to an abyss
and turns into a torrent.
When great force
overcomes unmoving friction
it is suddenly unopposed.
A change to greater activity of the life force cannot be fully used in this tao where we are without a feeling of it and not identifying in outer action.
The maiden marries as a concubine.
A lame man can walk.
Active directions bring good fortune.
She marries but not fully, he can walk but not fully; it is better to have this partial movement than none, it is better to participate in what is on offer than to live in our images of what ought to be on offer.
â§
As the emerging life force is tending to become active in this tao (the trigram Tui) and everything is slow in our outer world, it is natural for our feelings towards activity to turn to this line which feels the life force. Feeling seeks the âotherâ, something to feel, but in these circumstances there is nothing available so we can only feel our own responses.
The one-eyed man can see.
Continuance of the solitary man brings advantage.
Feeling âlooksâ both inwards and outwards, but here vision is only on offer inwards so continuing in this is the way to proceed.
â§
We do not properly take part in the outer activity of this tao; we long to share but we cannot (sometimes dare not) give ourselves up to it. When the activity decreases we are able to take some part in it, an entrance into a world we wish to share.
From being a servant
she becomes a concubine.
A servant does not participate, a concubine does; a servant has separate quarters, a concubine co-inhabits. Here we become a participator, we enter the world of others and our energies have some outlet.
â§
In this moving line we are involved, we are interested or even dedicated to becoming involved; but this tao is a result of a long time of denial of outer flow and of acceptance of inner inactivity, so becoming interested in feelings of flow does not cause a torrent of activity, it prepares for movement.
The maiden does not marry at the usual age, she delays and makes a late marriage.
â§
In this tao we have been accepting that feeling is inactive; here we no longer accept this and so create a mind-feeling, a feeling stimulated by mind rather than the life force.
The emperorâs daughter was married in a gown less impressive than that of the serving maid.
The moon is nearly full, good fortune.
Our feeling is, in this symbol, the serving maid of our identifying, supplying the experience that is then identified, and this moving line 5 is about what identity does with feeling, how it dresses it up. The emperor is the ruler and our ruler in identity is the identifying process; this dresses up the experience in a way that is less beautiful than its original natural self. But the moon is nearly full, the growth of the feeling influence is waxing and about to reach its full radiance, so this opening to feeling will allow natural feeling to show itself again and this is good fortune.
â§
Here we cease to accept the life force as it emerges into manifestation and act as though we could create activity; but the life force is not active so our actions become gestures only.
The womanâs basket is empty.
When the man stabs a sheep
no blood flows.
No direction is now favourable.
In both these images the action of the person is empty, nothing in the basket and no blood in the sheep. Whether we feel (the woman) or try to make identifying nourishment for identity (the man) there is nothing there and no direction we take, no action we make, will produce the result we desire at present. It is something to learn that we are not the creators.