Yin and yang are different. They compose a comprehensive whole and cannot be separated, they both are essential, and cannot exist without the other, and yet they are different and in terms of male and female especially, they have a very different social makeup and play by different social rules. This creates a problem because it is almost impossible for either sex to truly understand the other and that creates serious difficulties in relationships. If you are a male, it is very, very hard to understand the female. And if you are female it is very, very hard to understand the male. This leads to multiple problems in relationships that cannot easily be resolved because neither side understands the underlying nature of the problem. And before we go any further, let this be understood, that just because you do not think things should be a certain way does not mean they are not that way. The version of "fairness" that each individual holds in mind is based on a limited view of universal principle. None of us hold a complete view of the nature of the universe. Therefore, we truly need to keep our version of fairness in abeyance, and be more receptive to what we see around us.
Yang is more intellectual, yin is more emotional. Yang is spirit, yin is matter. The conscious mind in both males and females is more intellectual, the subconscious mind, male or female, is more emotional. However, women are a little more in touch with the subconscious than men are. Society has trained the subconscious out of our awareness for both male and female, but more male than female. Women are a little more in touch with their feeling nature. This can be of great service to them because they can feel when things are wrong. Women feel it, men look for the clues. Both ways work, but in some cases feeling works better, in others, the clues work better.
Why is this important? Well, because it keeps us from understanding each other. Women, being more in tune with their emotions, tend to get caught up in their emotions more than men do. This can be a great advantage in many ways, but it can also be a disadvantage if we get overly caught up in emotional drama. It seems to men often that women wish to just wallow in their emotions without being willing to do anything about it. It is almost as if they "love" their drama. Women feel that men do not validate their emotions. In not validating their emotions, women feel, and correct me if I am wrong women, or at least put it in a slightly different light, for I am not female, and therefore cannot truly speak for females, that we men are not validating them as persons. To men, this doesn't even make sense. To them, there needs to be a solution to an emotional feeling and they will search logically for an answer to that feeling. They will give a solution. Women often do not like this. To them it lacks validation, and to men, the emotion lacks logical analysis. Men do feel emotion. But to them, emotion is just something that "gets in the way." It slows down their logical processes so they are not comfortable with it. When they do feel comfortable with it, they consider it their own private little domain that no one else has the right to see. It is personal and private. Therefore, they are not comfortable sharing emotions with each other. As such, sports and similar activities become very important to them as it gives them something to discuss with each other without divulging their feelings, except of course, for the outcome of the game. Men lose respect very quickly for another man who shows any form of personal emotion, and will likely just say, "Sounds like a personal problem, I don't want to hear it." Men expect every person to be responsible for themselves, and not burden others with personal feelings. Men are competitors. Women are cooperative. Men bond with other men by going through tough times and finding solutions to those problems. Women bond with each other by sharing emotional states of being and feelings. To men women seem like drama queens who just exult in carrying emotions to the extreme. To women, men seem like emotional cowards who are too afraid to show their emotions. And next time, I promise to discuss how this is a misunderstanding of the male position, and how to understand it better. Men need to understand the female position much better too. Although both sexes need to understand too that neither sex is going to ultimately understand the other no matter how much discussion is given because we are different, and can never fully understand those differences and just live with it.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Sunday, May 29, 2011
A little bit about hexagram two, the yin force
Before we get into the meaning of the lines, or even deeper into the mysteries of yin and yang, space and time, force and receptivity, we need to hone a little bit our understanding of pure yin energy. It is in every way the opposite of yang, and therefore would seem to be contradictory and in opposition to yang. In its state of falsehood, it is, yet in its true state of receptivity, it does not combat yang energy. When yin and yang oppose each other, and struggle against each other, the result is that which is depicted in the sixth line of each hexagram. It is not a pretty picture, for these two energies are eternal, indestructible, and uncontrollable, yet when they fight, they create destruction on an unprecedented scale in the constructs of space and time. Line six of hexagram one says, "Arrogant dragon will have cause to repent." If yang thinks it can act and accomplish without the use of yin energy, or if it thinks to overcome and suppress yin energy, it will find it cannot accomplish anything. Yang provides the energy, but yin provides the space. Yang creates, but yin is the receptacle in which yang creates. Without that receptive power, nothing can be created. In the same way, If yin energy competes with yang, or tries to diminish it, the result, as depicted in line six, "dragons fight in the meadow; their blood is black and blue." A fight between the two energies is unthinkable because they are both equal, and cannot diminish each other. Therefore they don't destroy each other but create havoc with each other. This can go on perpetually since both are equal, indestructible, and neither side can be in any way victorious.
Therefore it is wise for them to cooperate, and not compete. Yet we will see soon that proper forms of competition are also forms of cooperation. But lets look at the two forms of energy for a moment. Considering the nature of the two forms of energy we see that competition is primarily an attribute of yang energy, while cooperativeness is primarily a form of yin energy. In the world of humans, males tend naturally to compete, (and now days women do to to a large extent, but not as much,) and women tend to cooperate. There is a great deal of addage to the concept that "men are from Mars and women from Venus." For mars is the ruler of the first sign of the zodiac, Aries, which tends to put self first. Venus is the ruler of Libra which tends to think in terms of relationships. The weakest aspect of men is that they tend to think of themselves first, and will often sacrifice a relationship for their own needs, while the weakest aspect of women is that they often tend to sacrifice themselves, their dignity, and their pride, for the sake of the relationship. It is two opposite ways of being. The key is to remember that neither side is totally right or totally wrong. It is just a different type of energy. Once we become aware of this, we can integrate the two forces, and become more cooperative, or more unwilling to sacrifice our own dignity for the sake of relationships. The key in all things is to have balance, which is why the central line of each trigram is usually the ruler of that trigram. We must integrate both sides into a unified whole, and be consciously aware of the choices we make, rather than just having random tendencies never realizing that others do not react in exactly the same way. We tend to react unconsciously, inadvertently, and without awareness. We are what we are. It never occurs to us that there is another way to act, unless a master of life brings it to our attention.
We have to realize that competition when properly used really is a form of cooperation, because we are cooperating with our competitor in order to get better. If we cooperate without really realizing what we are doing, we lose the incentive to find ways to get better, and we tend to stagnate. However, we must be aware of the cooperative aspect of it. We must want to win, but not just for ourselves, but because, when we get better, so does our competition. We figure out a way to win, then they figure out a better way to be winners also, and in the end we are all winners. This is how competition becomes cooperation.
Cooperation can also be a form of competition however, if we are doing it to serve the greater good. Sometimes cooperation can become a matter of manipulation, making ourselves look better, showing how useful and how needed we are, and how competent we are. Cooperation nevertheless teaches us to work together, to try to solve a problem for our group, our neighborhood or societal unit that needs to be solved. This does in some ways the same thing as competition in that it makes us work together as a team to figure out a way to do it better, not by competing but by cooperating. When a baseball team plays another team it is trying to win, and in doing so becomes better not only as the winning team, but helps the other team get used to superior hitting and fielding and pitching in order to learn to handle better hitting and fielding and get better themselves. But at the same time that they are competing with the opposing team they are also cooperating with the other players on their own team to figure out ways to get better, to steal an extra base or two, or to get the ball to the right player to make a surprise out. It is all a team effort, and competing and cooperating are generally two sides to the same coin. We need both. The coin is not complete without the other side. In the same way, yin is not complete without yang and vice versa.
Therefore it is wise for them to cooperate, and not compete. Yet we will see soon that proper forms of competition are also forms of cooperation. But lets look at the two forms of energy for a moment. Considering the nature of the two forms of energy we see that competition is primarily an attribute of yang energy, while cooperativeness is primarily a form of yin energy. In the world of humans, males tend naturally to compete, (and now days women do to to a large extent, but not as much,) and women tend to cooperate. There is a great deal of addage to the concept that "men are from Mars and women from Venus." For mars is the ruler of the first sign of the zodiac, Aries, which tends to put self first. Venus is the ruler of Libra which tends to think in terms of relationships. The weakest aspect of men is that they tend to think of themselves first, and will often sacrifice a relationship for their own needs, while the weakest aspect of women is that they often tend to sacrifice themselves, their dignity, and their pride, for the sake of the relationship. It is two opposite ways of being. The key is to remember that neither side is totally right or totally wrong. It is just a different type of energy. Once we become aware of this, we can integrate the two forces, and become more cooperative, or more unwilling to sacrifice our own dignity for the sake of relationships. The key in all things is to have balance, which is why the central line of each trigram is usually the ruler of that trigram. We must integrate both sides into a unified whole, and be consciously aware of the choices we make, rather than just having random tendencies never realizing that others do not react in exactly the same way. We tend to react unconsciously, inadvertently, and without awareness. We are what we are. It never occurs to us that there is another way to act, unless a master of life brings it to our attention.
We have to realize that competition when properly used really is a form of cooperation, because we are cooperating with our competitor in order to get better. If we cooperate without really realizing what we are doing, we lose the incentive to find ways to get better, and we tend to stagnate. However, we must be aware of the cooperative aspect of it. We must want to win, but not just for ourselves, but because, when we get better, so does our competition. We figure out a way to win, then they figure out a better way to be winners also, and in the end we are all winners. This is how competition becomes cooperation.
Cooperation can also be a form of competition however, if we are doing it to serve the greater good. Sometimes cooperation can become a matter of manipulation, making ourselves look better, showing how useful and how needed we are, and how competent we are. Cooperation nevertheless teaches us to work together, to try to solve a problem for our group, our neighborhood or societal unit that needs to be solved. This does in some ways the same thing as competition in that it makes us work together as a team to figure out a way to do it better, not by competing but by cooperating. When a baseball team plays another team it is trying to win, and in doing so becomes better not only as the winning team, but helps the other team get used to superior hitting and fielding and pitching in order to learn to handle better hitting and fielding and get better themselves. But at the same time that they are competing with the opposing team they are also cooperating with the other players on their own team to figure out ways to get better, to steal an extra base or two, or to get the ball to the right player to make a surprise out. It is all a team effort, and competing and cooperating are generally two sides to the same coin. We need both. The coin is not complete without the other side. In the same way, yin is not complete without yang and vice versa.
Senate Bill on Hold
The senate bill that just passed the judiciary committee, I have just been told, has been put on hold by Senator Ron Wyden, and will not be passed anytime soon. You can read about it here:
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/05/sen-ron-wyden-to-place-a-hold-on-the-protect-ip-act.ars
The bill is S968
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/05/sen-ron-wyden-to-place-a-hold-on-the-protect-ip-act.ars
The bill is S968
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Censorship Bill
A censorship bill for stopping unwanted material on the internet has passed the Senate Judiciary Committee now. If taken to the extreme, any domain name that is deemed inappropriate by the senate committee will be seized by the Feds. This is the end of freedom of speech for America if this bill goes through. Any one disputing official government policy will be considered an "untruthful" site and will be blocked. This has only passed the Judiciary committee, but it is likely to go into law eventually. No one will be allowed to know the truth of government, because the truth will be considered a lie. This has far sweeping ramifications. More than just political.
The Way of the Tao is Love
There is so much available in the I Ching for personal development, for instruction in divination, for wisdom and deeper understanding, that it would take ten thousand years to even come close to exhausting it, although, ultimately, it cannot be done. Therefore, when I sit down to write, I don't even know where to begin, and even when I do, as I start to write, the words just start to come out and it ends up nothing like I had planned. If we try to do things through the ego, our actions may temporarily have some benefit, but ultimately they go by the wayside. It is important to just let things flow. Ultimately, that flow, bigger than our little selves, is born of love. For the I Ching itself, and all sacred literature is primarily and primordially created out of love and is given to mankind as a gift.
The four attributes, listed in the first hexagram as: sublime, success, furthering, and perseverance, all are cornerstoned by the function of love. Love is the primary motivator of the creation of all that exists within the universe. It is not true that the universe is just a bunch of particles created by unknown and unknowing forces by accident, and without any conscious direction or plan. Everything that exists exists as a force of love. And as a force of love has an energy field unimaginable in human terms. If we could tap but a trillion trillionth of that power we could rule the galaxy. We would be an unassailable force not imagined by any man. Yet we don't know how, which in our present condition is an act of unimaginable love. Out of love comes the four fundamental attributes. The Wilhelm/Baynes version of the commentary on hexagram one states, "To sublimity, which, as the fundamental principle, embraces all the other attributes, it links love." It is easy to think we understand the term love, as an emotion, but we do not. For true love is greater than emotion. It is a fundamental state of being, and we must uncover this fundamental state of being within ourselves, or our relationships will never work. That is not the powerful, but very limited nature of romantic love, which is based on emotion only and is based on what our partner does for us. True love functions under all circumstances, regardless, and does not depend on any external factor that makes us happy. One great definition of love was spoken by one of the kung fu masters on the David Carradine Kung Fu show. The master said, "love is harmony, even in discord." How many of us can love even when all around us is discord. No, our love is ego based, and based on what's in it for me. And this love can never hold a relationship together. (In order to hold together both partners need to have uncovered this love inherent in their deeper selves. One cannot do it alone.) So, when the I Ching gives us an answer, it does so out of love. Not just love for the seeker, but love for all humanity and indeed all creation.
Since love is the primary attribute of the universe, then the only hell anyone can experience is the experience of thinking of oneself as isolated and not part of the stream or flow of the universe. That is the prodigal son who has left his father's home. He thinks he is separate from his father, but he is not. Therefore he puts himself into the wastelands of materialism only to find out that he is a slave to that very materialism. Since he is still truly the son of his father, he is by nature love, but he, (or she) hides that love behind a facade of self interest, and puts self first. This is in effect hell, and it is right here, right now on earth. To be condemned to hell is to be condemned to another incarnation in the flesh. Nothing more than that. But through understanding the hidden truths in the I Ching, we can come to learn our true heritage as "heirs," with the Father. Then we allow that love to shine through, and recognize that we are not separate but that we are all one.
One more little note here, although somethings are temporarily being skipped, but this is important, is that, as the commentary says, "The attribute furthering is correlated with justice, which creates the conditions in which each receives that which accords with his being, which is due him and which constitutes his happiness." In these words we have the foundation for the concept of reincarnation, and karma. We are not born into a world happenstance, in which anything can happen to us at any time by accident or circumstance, but something within us unconsciously creates the circumstances in which we find ourselves. The entire universe is a machine of justice. Everything that happens is fair play because it is born out of our own attitudes and conditioning, which we ourselves have created, and which conform to the laws of the universe, whether we are aware of them or not. Things don't just happen to us, we attract those things by the nature of our being.
Gene
The four attributes, listed in the first hexagram as: sublime, success, furthering, and perseverance, all are cornerstoned by the function of love. Love is the primary motivator of the creation of all that exists within the universe. It is not true that the universe is just a bunch of particles created by unknown and unknowing forces by accident, and without any conscious direction or plan. Everything that exists exists as a force of love. And as a force of love has an energy field unimaginable in human terms. If we could tap but a trillion trillionth of that power we could rule the galaxy. We would be an unassailable force not imagined by any man. Yet we don't know how, which in our present condition is an act of unimaginable love. Out of love comes the four fundamental attributes. The Wilhelm/Baynes version of the commentary on hexagram one states, "To sublimity, which, as the fundamental principle, embraces all the other attributes, it links love." It is easy to think we understand the term love, as an emotion, but we do not. For true love is greater than emotion. It is a fundamental state of being, and we must uncover this fundamental state of being within ourselves, or our relationships will never work. That is not the powerful, but very limited nature of romantic love, which is based on emotion only and is based on what our partner does for us. True love functions under all circumstances, regardless, and does not depend on any external factor that makes us happy. One great definition of love was spoken by one of the kung fu masters on the David Carradine Kung Fu show. The master said, "love is harmony, even in discord." How many of us can love even when all around us is discord. No, our love is ego based, and based on what's in it for me. And this love can never hold a relationship together. (In order to hold together both partners need to have uncovered this love inherent in their deeper selves. One cannot do it alone.) So, when the I Ching gives us an answer, it does so out of love. Not just love for the seeker, but love for all humanity and indeed all creation.
Since love is the primary attribute of the universe, then the only hell anyone can experience is the experience of thinking of oneself as isolated and not part of the stream or flow of the universe. That is the prodigal son who has left his father's home. He thinks he is separate from his father, but he is not. Therefore he puts himself into the wastelands of materialism only to find out that he is a slave to that very materialism. Since he is still truly the son of his father, he is by nature love, but he, (or she) hides that love behind a facade of self interest, and puts self first. This is in effect hell, and it is right here, right now on earth. To be condemned to hell is to be condemned to another incarnation in the flesh. Nothing more than that. But through understanding the hidden truths in the I Ching, we can come to learn our true heritage as "heirs," with the Father. Then we allow that love to shine through, and recognize that we are not separate but that we are all one.
One more little note here, although somethings are temporarily being skipped, but this is important, is that, as the commentary says, "The attribute furthering is correlated with justice, which creates the conditions in which each receives that which accords with his being, which is due him and which constitutes his happiness." In these words we have the foundation for the concept of reincarnation, and karma. We are not born into a world happenstance, in which anything can happen to us at any time by accident or circumstance, but something within us unconsciously creates the circumstances in which we find ourselves. The entire universe is a machine of justice. Everything that happens is fair play because it is born out of our own attitudes and conditioning, which we ourselves have created, and which conform to the laws of the universe, whether we are aware of them or not. Things don't just happen to us, we attract those things by the nature of our being.
Gene
Friday, May 27, 2011
So much going on
Right now there is so much going on it is hard for me to get to my work. But I will be posting again soon. Maybe tonight on the I Ching. But at the moment I am distracted by the fact that the U.S. is on the verge of absolute dictatorship. If you don't think so, look at what is going on in Texas. The state was contemplating passing laws not to allow the TSA to grope people, and the Feds said, if you try to stop us, we will blockade all travel in and out of the state. (This is a violation of states rights) I also heard, but cannot yet verify, that the TSA and/or the military are stopping cars on highways in a few chosen parts of the country, and searching cars, no warrants or anything, just random. This is just a small part. The president may be declaring martial law very soon. This is not speculation, it is really going on. Today I am hearing that Utah is contemplating a similar bill threatening to arrest TSA agents. What if every state does this? I have been saying for a few years now we are on the verge of civil war. This may be the spark.
I will be posting regularly, though, as long as I can.
Gene
I will be posting regularly, though, as long as I can.
Gene
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
A Sample Reading for Personal Development
I digress again here for just one day to give an example of a personal reading for spiritual development, since we have discussed that just a little lately anyway. It is important to realize how the lines and hexagrams fit together to make a story. In Carol Anthony's book she states that six hexagrams seem to make a full dialog. Here I only use three. The reading is as follows:
1. Hexagram three line five.
2. Hexagram forty with no changing lines.
3, Hexagram forty one line three.
The Wilhelm/Baynes commentary on hexagram three line five says, "...However, this influence is impaired in several ways." Since we are talking about a reading for development here, we must accept that in every line the I Ching is talking about its relationship to us. So we know that the influence that is impaired is that of the I Ching itself. Since the I Ching is perfect in every way, we must conclude that the problem is inherent in our own being. The lesson that the I Ching is trying to teach us is not being received fully. The message is somehow distorted. When we go into the rest of the reading we can get a clue to the problem.
The next hexagram may clue us into the problem. The commentary in hexagram forty says, "...At such times we must make our way back to ordinary conditions as soon as possible." It is very likely that somewhere along the line we have gotten off the path that is meant for us by being in some way distracted. At these times we must recall our path and return to it. (Hexagram twenty four). It is also possible under such conditions that we have allowed remorse and guilt to set in and are distracted by our own preoccupation with our personal ego problems or feelings of guilt. Therefore we must learn to forgive ourselves for any transgression, including getting distracted and off the path. The image says, "Therefore the superior man pardons mistakes and forgives misdeeds. Here the superior man first refers to the sage, the I Ching itself, and secondly to our own inner selves, who accepts us regardless of circumstances. Finally, hexagram forty teaches us that we must release anything that is not attuned to our highest good. That doesn't mean just bad deeds but even good deeds that keep us locked into an egoistic outlook on life and our nature.
The third hexagram wraps it all up. This is, granted, a very simple and basic reading but it is useful for instruction. The commentary on hexagram forty one line three says, "When there are three people together, jealousy arises. One of them will have to go. A very close bond is possible between only two people. But when one man is lonely, he is certain to find a companion who complements him." The lesson here parallels the lesson that Jesus taught his disciples when he said, "No one can serve two masters..." The I Ching is telling us that our loyalty must be first and foremost to our own spiritual development, Anything else is distracting and needs to be let go of, like the second master or the person or thing interfering with our love for the Sage. In effect, line three is saying, "Whatever is attached to us that is not truly ours must be released, only then can we have fellowship with our true master." The third line in hexagram forty one finds its true correlation with the nine in the sixth line, and lets the others go.
This is very basic but shows how patterns are developed.
Gene
1. Hexagram three line five.
2. Hexagram forty with no changing lines.
3, Hexagram forty one line three.
The Wilhelm/Baynes commentary on hexagram three line five says, "...However, this influence is impaired in several ways." Since we are talking about a reading for development here, we must accept that in every line the I Ching is talking about its relationship to us. So we know that the influence that is impaired is that of the I Ching itself. Since the I Ching is perfect in every way, we must conclude that the problem is inherent in our own being. The lesson that the I Ching is trying to teach us is not being received fully. The message is somehow distorted. When we go into the rest of the reading we can get a clue to the problem.
The next hexagram may clue us into the problem. The commentary in hexagram forty says, "...At such times we must make our way back to ordinary conditions as soon as possible." It is very likely that somewhere along the line we have gotten off the path that is meant for us by being in some way distracted. At these times we must recall our path and return to it. (Hexagram twenty four). It is also possible under such conditions that we have allowed remorse and guilt to set in and are distracted by our own preoccupation with our personal ego problems or feelings of guilt. Therefore we must learn to forgive ourselves for any transgression, including getting distracted and off the path. The image says, "Therefore the superior man pardons mistakes and forgives misdeeds. Here the superior man first refers to the sage, the I Ching itself, and secondly to our own inner selves, who accepts us regardless of circumstances. Finally, hexagram forty teaches us that we must release anything that is not attuned to our highest good. That doesn't mean just bad deeds but even good deeds that keep us locked into an egoistic outlook on life and our nature.
The third hexagram wraps it all up. This is, granted, a very simple and basic reading but it is useful for instruction. The commentary on hexagram forty one line three says, "When there are three people together, jealousy arises. One of them will have to go. A very close bond is possible between only two people. But when one man is lonely, he is certain to find a companion who complements him." The lesson here parallels the lesson that Jesus taught his disciples when he said, "No one can serve two masters..." The I Ching is telling us that our loyalty must be first and foremost to our own spiritual development, Anything else is distracting and needs to be let go of, like the second master or the person or thing interfering with our love for the Sage. In effect, line three is saying, "Whatever is attached to us that is not truly ours must be released, only then can we have fellowship with our true master." The third line in hexagram forty one finds its true correlation with the nine in the sixth line, and lets the others go.
This is very basic but shows how patterns are developed.
Gene
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
The Great Way
Further on hexagram one, we have the commentary in Wilhelm/Baynes that says, "Here it is shown that the way to success lies in apprehending and giving actuality to the way of the universe (tao), which as a law running through end and beginning, brings about all phenomenon in time. Thus each step attained forthwith becomes preparation for the next. Time is no longer a hindrance but the means of making actual what is potential."
Anything that is to last must be accomplished over time. It cannot be done all at once. In this way patience becomes a paramount virtue. Arts and sciences that have not developed over a long period of time will not have a great and long term appeal. As hexagram thirty line four says, "It flames up, dies down, is thrown away." That which is not developed step by step, is doomed eventually to fail.
Both hexagram four and twenty nine give information about and instruction to the teacher. To a certain extent so do all the hexagrams but not to such an obvious extent. The commentary on the image in hexagram twenty nine says, "So likewise in teaching others everything depends on consistency, for it is only through repetition that the student makes the material his own." In studying the I Ching everything depends on consistency. There is a larger awareness here that comes from the depths of the universe itself. That universal subconscious mind, if we give it a chance, teaches us through such instruments as the I Ching, and other tools. It not only teaches us but it does so in a personal way, clear and concise, like the life giving water of a well, (hexagram forty eight). It teaches in such a personal way that it finds our weaknesses and settles upon them and hits on them until the lesson is learned. Then it goes on to the next step as pertinent to the individual who approaches it in a spirit of humility. (Hexagram fifteen.)
And finally, The image on hexagram one says, "The movement of heaven is full of power. Thus the superior man makes himself strong and untiring." In order to make ourselves strong and untiring, one must contemplate the "Tao" of the universe, in order to understand its way, method and manner. Then one must take that understanding, and apply it daily to develop greater and greater power and wisdom within him or her self.
Gene
Anything that is to last must be accomplished over time. It cannot be done all at once. In this way patience becomes a paramount virtue. Arts and sciences that have not developed over a long period of time will not have a great and long term appeal. As hexagram thirty line four says, "It flames up, dies down, is thrown away." That which is not developed step by step, is doomed eventually to fail.
Both hexagram four and twenty nine give information about and instruction to the teacher. To a certain extent so do all the hexagrams but not to such an obvious extent. The commentary on the image in hexagram twenty nine says, "So likewise in teaching others everything depends on consistency, for it is only through repetition that the student makes the material his own." In studying the I Ching everything depends on consistency. There is a larger awareness here that comes from the depths of the universe itself. That universal subconscious mind, if we give it a chance, teaches us through such instruments as the I Ching, and other tools. It not only teaches us but it does so in a personal way, clear and concise, like the life giving water of a well, (hexagram forty eight). It teaches in such a personal way that it finds our weaknesses and settles upon them and hits on them until the lesson is learned. Then it goes on to the next step as pertinent to the individual who approaches it in a spirit of humility. (Hexagram fifteen.)
And finally, The image on hexagram one says, "The movement of heaven is full of power. Thus the superior man makes himself strong and untiring." In order to make ourselves strong and untiring, one must contemplate the "Tao" of the universe, in order to understand its way, method and manner. Then one must take that understanding, and apply it daily to develop greater and greater power and wisdom within him or her self.
Gene
Monday, May 23, 2011
Everyting is a sine wave
Since hexagram one is in one aspect about time, it is said in the Wilhelm/Baynes commentary that "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." The superior man knows that just doing something will not necessarily work if it is not done at the right time. We harvest our crops in the fall, and plant them in the springtime. All things need to be done at the right time.
There once was a time when I kept running across the concept of sine waves and on a given day at work a coworker was telling me about how information was passed through the telephone wire in the form of a sine wave. When the moon moves around the earth it does so in the form of a circle, but in aspect to its movement around the sun, it moves as a sine wave. When the earth moves about the sun it moves in circular form, but the sun too, is moving around a star in space, and the earth in relation to that star forms a sine wave. Sine waves have various frequencies and amplitudes, and the modulation of frequency in radio terms gives us FM radio, and the modulation of amplitude in radio terms gives of AM radio. The answers we get from the I Ching show us where we are on a given sine wave modulation and how we should act at that time under those circumstances. And the first hexagram on the I Ching is an encapsulated description of the various phases of a given cycle.
More later,
Gene
There once was a time when I kept running across the concept of sine waves and on a given day at work a coworker was telling me about how information was passed through the telephone wire in the form of a sine wave. When the moon moves around the earth it does so in the form of a circle, but in aspect to its movement around the sun, it moves as a sine wave. When the earth moves about the sun it moves in circular form, but the sun too, is moving around a star in space, and the earth in relation to that star forms a sine wave. Sine waves have various frequencies and amplitudes, and the modulation of frequency in radio terms gives us FM radio, and the modulation of amplitude in radio terms gives of AM radio. The answers we get from the I Ching show us where we are on a given sine wave modulation and how we should act at that time under those circumstances. And the first hexagram on the I Ching is an encapsulated description of the various phases of a given cycle.
More later,
Gene
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Yin and Yang Everywhere
Throughout the world it seems as though nature itself is screaming at us to look at and understand the nature of yin and yang. For example, the world is divided between east and west. The east has been traditionally associated militarily speaking with passive aggressiveness, using subtlety in battle. The west has been associated more with the use of brute force. Personally speaking, the east has been concerned with the evolution of the person through meditation and quietness. The West has been oriented toward outward expansion and conquest. The east goes to war but it has traditionally been more concerned with inward struggles, with the possible exception of world war two, and China seems to becoming more aggressive, but still the emphasis is on secrecy and subtle warfare. Granted the west has also become more secretive and strategically oriented over the last few years. Nevertheless, there is a big difference between the orientation of east and west.
We see this same division as well in the separation of the two worlds, with the Atlantic ocean on one side and the Pacific on the other, the former having the reputation of being more stormy and the latter having the reputation of being more peaceful, although that too is changing.
In the book of changes we have the separation between the upper canon, and the lower, the upper covering hexagrams one through thirty, and the lower hexagrams thirty one through sixty four. Supposedly the lower canon relates more to the affairs of men, and the upper to the affairs of heaven, although from a modern western perspective it is harder to see. I am sure that the ancient Chinese understood more in the terms of its separation.
In the west too, the considered holy book called the Bible is divided into two halves, the first half depicting an angry God who will not tolerate sinners, and the second half depicting a loving non judgmental God who's sun shines on the righteous and the evil.
In ancient times the Egyptian nation was divided into upper and lower Egypt and later the Hebrew nation was divided into the northern kingdom and the southern. There was considerable tension between the two groups as they both had different versions of the meaning of their God. They had several names for their "one and only" God, but there were two primary parts to the name of God, some having the prefix EL, and some having the suffix AH. These two designations related in many ways to the conscious and subconscious minds. Most of the prophets had names that started or ended with EL, showing their relationship with this form of their God, and others had names that ended with the suffix AH. Others had names with both aspects which referred to their familiarity with both aspects of God. Names such as Elijah or Elishah fit this category.
There is also in sacred literature a division between soul and spirit, the spirit seeming to relate more to the thinking aspect of mankind, and the soul relating to feelings. If we take the garden of Eden story, and replace the female Eve with the subconscious mind, or the feeling nature, and replace the male with the conscious mind, or thinking nature, we get a much bigger view of the allegorical meaning of the story.
Finally, life shows us the division through the concept of life and death itself. And life can be associated with the conscious mind, death with the unconscious, for the unconscious tends to hide itself from view and works in the dark.
One more point, in the early days of the church, the orthodox church, which became the Roman Catholic, was in conflict with the gnostic church which it eventually repressed, and the gnostic church became almost non existent. In other words, hidden from view just as the subconscious is. In many ways, yang, being powerful and forceful, tends to bully the yin force, forcing it into darkness, (which is an attribute of yin) and becomes dominant. The yin force is forced to hide, which is its nature anyway, and becomes manipulative and uses subterfuge to fight back. As such man and woman is at war with him or herself.
In the gnostic tradition, it is only when male and female stop the war, stop opposing each other, and start complementing each other, that mankind ends the war within, allows the subconsciousness to become conscious, the male becomes as the female and the female as the male, that mankind makes peace with itself, and enters the "kingdom of heaven." Then there is no more "death."
Why is this important? Because it is only in changing the opposition into complementary energies that anyone can ever escape the cycle of death and rebirth without any remembrance of former lives and therefore never gaining ground.
More on this later.
Gene
We see this same division as well in the separation of the two worlds, with the Atlantic ocean on one side and the Pacific on the other, the former having the reputation of being more stormy and the latter having the reputation of being more peaceful, although that too is changing.
In the book of changes we have the separation between the upper canon, and the lower, the upper covering hexagrams one through thirty, and the lower hexagrams thirty one through sixty four. Supposedly the lower canon relates more to the affairs of men, and the upper to the affairs of heaven, although from a modern western perspective it is harder to see. I am sure that the ancient Chinese understood more in the terms of its separation.
In the west too, the considered holy book called the Bible is divided into two halves, the first half depicting an angry God who will not tolerate sinners, and the second half depicting a loving non judgmental God who's sun shines on the righteous and the evil.
In ancient times the Egyptian nation was divided into upper and lower Egypt and later the Hebrew nation was divided into the northern kingdom and the southern. There was considerable tension between the two groups as they both had different versions of the meaning of their God. They had several names for their "one and only" God, but there were two primary parts to the name of God, some having the prefix EL, and some having the suffix AH. These two designations related in many ways to the conscious and subconscious minds. Most of the prophets had names that started or ended with EL, showing their relationship with this form of their God, and others had names that ended with the suffix AH. Others had names with both aspects which referred to their familiarity with both aspects of God. Names such as Elijah or Elishah fit this category.
There is also in sacred literature a division between soul and spirit, the spirit seeming to relate more to the thinking aspect of mankind, and the soul relating to feelings. If we take the garden of Eden story, and replace the female Eve with the subconscious mind, or the feeling nature, and replace the male with the conscious mind, or thinking nature, we get a much bigger view of the allegorical meaning of the story.
Finally, life shows us the division through the concept of life and death itself. And life can be associated with the conscious mind, death with the unconscious, for the unconscious tends to hide itself from view and works in the dark.
One more point, in the early days of the church, the orthodox church, which became the Roman Catholic, was in conflict with the gnostic church which it eventually repressed, and the gnostic church became almost non existent. In other words, hidden from view just as the subconscious is. In many ways, yang, being powerful and forceful, tends to bully the yin force, forcing it into darkness, (which is an attribute of yin) and becomes dominant. The yin force is forced to hide, which is its nature anyway, and becomes manipulative and uses subterfuge to fight back. As such man and woman is at war with him or herself.
In the gnostic tradition, it is only when male and female stop the war, stop opposing each other, and start complementing each other, that mankind ends the war within, allows the subconsciousness to become conscious, the male becomes as the female and the female as the male, that mankind makes peace with itself, and enters the "kingdom of heaven." Then there is no more "death."
Why is this important? Because it is only in changing the opposition into complementary energies that anyone can ever escape the cycle of death and rebirth without any remembrance of former lives and therefore never gaining ground.
Gene
Saturday, May 21, 2011
The Essence of Power
It must be reiterated here that Hexagram one represents the primal power of the universe. Power creates movement, but movement cannot be accomplished if there is no space in which the movement can take place. Therefore, there can be no yang without yin, and no yin without yang. It is important too to conceptualize that these two powers are really one and the same thing. Energy in itself is a form of a field and space is also a field. We will talk more about that with lines one and two in the first two hexagrams.
But when it comes down to the human affair, hexagram one is embodied, according to the Wilhelm/Baynes commentary, in the holy man or sage. In the west, the holy man has traditionally been the priests and pastors. In the past they were able to give a lot of consolation to their congregation. But the time is past, and the world is in many, many ways more sophisticated than it was then. They do not have the appeal they once had. Now men and women go to the psychiatrist or psychologist, but they have been materialistically educated and do not have the means to give a great deal of guidance beyond a certain level. In the east, there once were holy men and wise men as well, but to access them one had to show the greatest dignity and protocol and respect or the wise man could not be reached. Now in the east, as in the west, the value of the holy man or sage has eroded. But even the holy man or sage must have a place to go to learn wisdom higher than this world has to offer, and that is the I Ching itself.
So, in hexagram one, the I Ching starts off immediately with information about the nature of the universe and the holy man. The Judgment in hexagram one says, "The Creative works sublime success, Furthering through perseverance." Right away we know there are four attributes ascribed to "The Creative" which we must also instill within ourselves. Those four attributes are:
1. Sublimity
2. Potentiality of Success
3. Furthering, or making greater, accomplishing
4. Perseverance
These will be discussed in greater depth later
The Wilhelm/Baynes commentary also says, "When an individual draws this oracle,it means that success will come to him from the depths of the universe.: Herein is the primary and most important lesson in all of the I Ching. It is not we ourselves that do the work, but a greater power, hidden from us. These powers are hidden deep within the subconscious which the average man does not have access to. In order to access this power, we must have humility, (hexagram fifteen) and recognize this power greater than the conscious mind, or, as we would say in the west, the ego.
Therefore, when we speak of sublimity, we are speaking of recognizing the source of power. The source of power is pure, creative, yang essence. We must be able to access this power in order to make anything in our lives work to their fullest extent. We must know the attributes and the nature of this pure power which includes the deepest aspects of yin, and yang. We must become like "two eyes working together," (hexagram fifteen) in contradistinction to the "one eyed man" of hexagram fifty four line two. The one eyed man is still able to see, although not far. When our conscious and subconscious are not married, we are like the "one eyed man." We can accomplish things, but they are not likely to last because they were not built on a sure foundation. The one eyed man cannot see far.
The commentary also says, "The beginning of all things lies still in the beyond in the form of ideas yet to become real." It is "in the beyond." It is not within our limited conscious mind. Our limited conscious mind may access the form but only through imagination. When the imagination is activated we create as we wish, but only by being in harmony with that universal power in the beyond. This is how all things are created. They are created by the imagination, ours, or the power of the universal subconscious mind which ultimately imagines all things into existence through its creative power and the receptivity of space, the yin power. In that sense, all things in space are the prodigal son because they all are emanations from the Father. They return to the Father through recognizing their oneness with Spirit, or yin's oneness with yang. Most seekers of truth east and west miss this one extremely important point. With it you understand the nature of space and time, without it there is no understanding at all, but we continue to deceive ourselves as did the prodigal son.
More on this later,
Gene
But when it comes down to the human affair, hexagram one is embodied, according to the Wilhelm/Baynes commentary, in the holy man or sage. In the west, the holy man has traditionally been the priests and pastors. In the past they were able to give a lot of consolation to their congregation. But the time is past, and the world is in many, many ways more sophisticated than it was then. They do not have the appeal they once had. Now men and women go to the psychiatrist or psychologist, but they have been materialistically educated and do not have the means to give a great deal of guidance beyond a certain level. In the east, there once were holy men and wise men as well, but to access them one had to show the greatest dignity and protocol and respect or the wise man could not be reached. Now in the east, as in the west, the value of the holy man or sage has eroded. But even the holy man or sage must have a place to go to learn wisdom higher than this world has to offer, and that is the I Ching itself.
So, in hexagram one, the I Ching starts off immediately with information about the nature of the universe and the holy man. The Judgment in hexagram one says, "The Creative works sublime success, Furthering through perseverance." Right away we know there are four attributes ascribed to "The Creative" which we must also instill within ourselves. Those four attributes are:
1. Sublimity
2. Potentiality of Success
3. Furthering, or making greater, accomplishing
4. Perseverance
These will be discussed in greater depth later
The Wilhelm/Baynes commentary also says, "When an individual draws this oracle,it means that success will come to him from the depths of the universe.: Herein is the primary and most important lesson in all of the I Ching. It is not we ourselves that do the work, but a greater power, hidden from us. These powers are hidden deep within the subconscious which the average man does not have access to. In order to access this power, we must have humility, (hexagram fifteen) and recognize this power greater than the conscious mind, or, as we would say in the west, the ego.
Therefore, when we speak of sublimity, we are speaking of recognizing the source of power. The source of power is pure, creative, yang essence. We must be able to access this power in order to make anything in our lives work to their fullest extent. We must know the attributes and the nature of this pure power which includes the deepest aspects of yin, and yang. We must become like "two eyes working together," (hexagram fifteen) in contradistinction to the "one eyed man" of hexagram fifty four line two. The one eyed man is still able to see, although not far. When our conscious and subconscious are not married, we are like the "one eyed man." We can accomplish things, but they are not likely to last because they were not built on a sure foundation. The one eyed man cannot see far.
The commentary also says, "The beginning of all things lies still in the beyond in the form of ideas yet to become real." It is "in the beyond." It is not within our limited conscious mind. Our limited conscious mind may access the form but only through imagination. When the imagination is activated we create as we wish, but only by being in harmony with that universal power in the beyond. This is how all things are created. They are created by the imagination, ours, or the power of the universal subconscious mind which ultimately imagines all things into existence through its creative power and the receptivity of space, the yin power. In that sense, all things in space are the prodigal son because they all are emanations from the Father. They return to the Father through recognizing their oneness with Spirit, or yin's oneness with yang. Most seekers of truth east and west miss this one extremely important point. With it you understand the nature of space and time, without it there is no understanding at all, but we continue to deceive ourselves as did the prodigal son.
Gene
Friday, May 20, 2011
Hexagram one
The first two hexagrams are indicative of pure yang and pure yin. Each of these forces have definite essences assigned to them, and yet it is important to understand that it is really only one energy. There is no distinction or separation. They operate together as one. As such, these two energies normally complement each other and work together as one pure force, but they, in the course of the creation of the universe get divided into two different but equal, (yet still actually united) forces that while supposing to complement each other, being equal but opposite, end up contrasting oropposing, or competing with each other. The problem is that when one force becomes too great, it starts to change into its opposite. (Throughout the universe there is always an equal amount of yin and yang because they are really one undivided force.) Each force contains the other within it, and the extreme of each force becomes the opposite force.
The Wilhelm Baynes commentary says of pure yang, first that it is "consistently strong." Now to digress just for a moment, for both yin and yang, there is false yin and false yang. The false yin carries the negative aspects of yin and the false yang carries the negative aspects of yang. But we will ignore that for the moment and get into it later. Nevertheless, understanding false yin and false yang explains why the book of changes appears to extol yang energy while the tao teh ching appears to extol yin. They are both essential, but they must operate in their positive forms. Yang, being consistently strong, therefore has the attribute of movement. Strength in order to manifest itself must do something. It must take on activities. Otherwise its strength is wasted. Therefore it moves either itself and/or objects. It's value is in activation, or as Alfred Huang says, "Initiation." For anything to happen energy must create action, or things remain in a state of inertia. And since yang is movement, it correlates with the concept of time.
The Wilhelm Baynes version also says, "Its essence is power or energy." That has already been mentioned, but to add to the previous, without any power, there can be no accomplishment. Therefore, being power or energy, it is also spirit. Yang is the essence of heaven or spirit. It is therefore the essence of the unseen world. In contradistinction, yin, being receptive, receives the yang power or energy, and becomes the physical manifestation. In other words, it becomes the material world. By becoming the material world, it corresponds with space rather than time.
The entire multiverse, the entire cosmos, everything seen and unseen are made of these two energies as they interact and complement each other. Without space there can be no time. Without time there can be no space. The third aspect of yang energy, (and the only ones we will cover today, there are more) is that yang is "unrestricted by any fixed condition in space." In other words, it is unstoppable. But that is only possible because yin energy is receptive to yang. Without the receptivity of yin there can be no movement in space. Yin is also yielding, (which also allows yang energy to be unstoppable.) But it is important to understand on these two forces that without the possibility of unrestricted movement, there could be no time. Time by itself implies movement. Without movement there is no time. So these two great forces come into being. The movement of yang in space creates the concept of time.
These are very general discussions on the concepts of yin and yang. It is absolutely essential to understand that one cannot exist without the other. Take away one force and the other disappears forever as well, and time and space itself cease to exist. A deeper and more down to earth discussion should follow soon.
Gene
Thursday, May 19, 2011
The gateway to the I Ching
I have been talking for a while about how hexagram one and two are a prototype for everything that follows in the I Ching, and I thought I would digress shortly to talk about these two hexagrams and then get back to hexagram fifty three. Hopefully these posts will go into my I Ching in sequential order sequence also a little later, and eventually become part of a book. I noticed today in Alfred Huang's book on the I Ching that in his writeup about hexagram one and two, he calls these two hexagrams "the gateway to the I Ching." This is a somewhat different way of saying the same thing. I will go into this a little tomorrow and more in depth later. For today I will say this. The I Ching is a spiritual book which contains within its pages the method of developing spiritual power, only the surface will be available to you if you do not understand the depth of this book, and granted, that is all many people want. But the real depth is very profound, even within the context of an English translation, there is much material to be absorbed. If you do not believe this you are going to miss out on a lot, and will not be able to accept much of what I have to say. That is okay, you can still get something out of it on your own level. But understand, there is a spiritual world, and it is very real, and it is in fact one and the same as the material world, the only thing that needs to be understood is that this material world has consciousness, and therein lies the depth of its teaching. Once you grasp this, you grasp an understanding of the cosmos, until you do, you will still be freaking out over things that happen to you day to day. That being said, tomorrow I hope to begin a series more in depth than anything in the past.
Gene
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Financial Armageddon
It is coming, it really is, and that is not just vain talk of conspiracy theorists. Mainstream media is talking about this. Of course, it all boils down to the budget problems in Washington D.C. but the point is it doesn't matter who wins the debate. We have gotten ourselves into a debacle. If we borrow more we will have to pay higher interest rates. If we do not, many parts of government will have to shut down.
This is far more serious than most people think. I suspect we are going to see crisis, real crisis, within one to three months. I could be wrong, but only about the date. It is coming and it has been planned. It is too hard to maintain control over billions of people if they are financially well off. That is why we have 9% or worse unemployment. That is why we have allowed ourselves to go $14 trillion into debt. We expect the government to fix all of our problems, but forget there is a cost to it. We have to fix our own problems....
And if that isn't enough, next year it is expected that the greenhouse light bulb laws will go into effect. These bulbs are very costly if broken, and cost $50 apiece. Also there is talk of a tax per mile driven in your private car. There is also pending regulation allowing the government to go into your home at any time, and check the thermometer in your house to see if you are using too much heat,(supposedly causing global warming) and they will have the right to turn the thermostat down, and possibly fine you. There is the strong likelihood of, due to the deficit problem, a serious devaluation of the dollar, and if people think they are hurting at the gas pump and the grocery store now, just wait.
On other fronts, there are serious weather problems causing flooding in the Midwest and South. This is not over yet, and is going to get much worse. You will see for yourself soon. The sun is preparing for another massive burst of solar radiation that will no doubt have an affect on earth, a serious one, if it comes directly toward us.
I am not talking about end of the world here, but our world is on the verge of very, very serious disruption. Our way of life will be forceably changed, and it would be wise for everyone to start looking for ways to protect themselves and their families in any way they can. Most people right now are still in the dark about the serious situation they and the United States are in. It is gong to hit a lot of people by surprise. But a lot of people on the financial market already know that it is armageddon time at least on the financial markets. I expect, though I do not know that there will be a major stock market crash sometime this year, probably earlier rather than later, when it becomes apparent there is no real solution to this problem. We have been asleep and have not been informed by the leaders of our nation until now.
Incidentally, this problem will soon affect the entire world.
Gene
This is far more serious than most people think. I suspect we are going to see crisis, real crisis, within one to three months. I could be wrong, but only about the date. It is coming and it has been planned. It is too hard to maintain control over billions of people if they are financially well off. That is why we have 9% or worse unemployment. That is why we have allowed ourselves to go $14 trillion into debt. We expect the government to fix all of our problems, but forget there is a cost to it. We have to fix our own problems....
And if that isn't enough, next year it is expected that the greenhouse light bulb laws will go into effect. These bulbs are very costly if broken, and cost $50 apiece. Also there is talk of a tax per mile driven in your private car. There is also pending regulation allowing the government to go into your home at any time, and check the thermometer in your house to see if you are using too much heat,(supposedly causing global warming) and they will have the right to turn the thermostat down, and possibly fine you. There is the strong likelihood of, due to the deficit problem, a serious devaluation of the dollar, and if people think they are hurting at the gas pump and the grocery store now, just wait.
On other fronts, there are serious weather problems causing flooding in the Midwest and South. This is not over yet, and is going to get much worse. You will see for yourself soon. The sun is preparing for another massive burst of solar radiation that will no doubt have an affect on earth, a serious one, if it comes directly toward us.
I am not talking about end of the world here, but our world is on the verge of very, very serious disruption. Our way of life will be forceably changed, and it would be wise for everyone to start looking for ways to protect themselves and their families in any way they can. Most people right now are still in the dark about the serious situation they and the United States are in. It is gong to hit a lot of people by surprise. But a lot of people on the financial market already know that it is armageddon time at least on the financial markets. I expect, though I do not know that there will be a major stock market crash sometime this year, probably earlier rather than later, when it becomes apparent there is no real solution to this problem. We have been asleep and have not been informed by the leaders of our nation until now.
Incidentally, this problem will soon affect the entire world.
Gene
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Hexagram fifty three and keeping still
In several ways we are taught in the book of changes that gradual progress is based on "keeping still," or on meditation. One way is that hexagram fifty three comes immediately after hexagram fifty two which is "keeping still." Another way is that the lower trigram in "gradual progress" is k'en, or keeping still, (the mountain). A third way is that when line five, the ruler of the hexagram changes we have hexagram fifty two, keeping still.
This is the basis for everything. Without times in meditation, quietness, and keeping still we can never get in touch with our deeper, or our higher self, and therefore never really know ourselves. Many people today, especially young people, have the attitude that silence is oppressive. That is because through silence they are forced to come to terms with themselves which they do NOT want to do, at all costs. It is too frightening.
And speak of frightening, look at hexagram fifty one. This hexagram is the very opposite of keeping still, it refers to shocking movement. Yet it says that, "The shock terrifies for a hundred miles, And he does not let fall the sacrificial spoon and chalice. In otherwords, he or she is so accomplished in meditation and keeping still that even the greatest shock, the greatest unexpected event of epic proportions, does not cause him or her to lose their inner peace of mind. We would all like to have that inner tranquility, yet we do everything in our power to keep from having it. We must set aside time each day to go within. Without that time our electromagnetic field degenerates faster and we die at an earlier date, or manifest disease which was not meant for us in our life times. Without that we become unstable, and unable to deal with the perplexities of life. And we are unable to gradually develop into better and more accomplished people in our lives.
At the same time we must not let stillness become such a mainstay in our lives that we forget to do our work. If we become lazy, if we become indulgent, and do not apply ourselves, then things tend to spoil, and the opposite of development is experienced. When lines two and five change, the upper trigram becomes the lower, and the lower becomes the higher, which results in hexagram eighteen, which implies decay. Then we must take action. Lao T'zu said, "The way to overcome coldness, is through movement, and the way to overcome heat, is through stillness." There must be a moderation in all things. When we are heated, or when we are angry, we must maintain stillness. Stillness will overcome the anger. When we are cold, or when we are inactive, lazy, we must produce activity within ourselves. Activity will overcome depression. Activity will overcome laziness. We just get out and do it. If we try to accomplish too much all at once, we become like line four in hexagram thirty. We "flame up, die down, and get thrown away," We must progress just a little bit each day, with a consistency that never slackens. Then we achieve our goals, and our achievement makes us happy.
Gene
This is the basis for everything. Without times in meditation, quietness, and keeping still we can never get in touch with our deeper, or our higher self, and therefore never really know ourselves. Many people today, especially young people, have the attitude that silence is oppressive. That is because through silence they are forced to come to terms with themselves which they do NOT want to do, at all costs. It is too frightening.
And speak of frightening, look at hexagram fifty one. This hexagram is the very opposite of keeping still, it refers to shocking movement. Yet it says that, "The shock terrifies for a hundred miles, And he does not let fall the sacrificial spoon and chalice. In otherwords, he or she is so accomplished in meditation and keeping still that even the greatest shock, the greatest unexpected event of epic proportions, does not cause him or her to lose their inner peace of mind. We would all like to have that inner tranquility, yet we do everything in our power to keep from having it. We must set aside time each day to go within. Without that time our electromagnetic field degenerates faster and we die at an earlier date, or manifest disease which was not meant for us in our life times. Without that we become unstable, and unable to deal with the perplexities of life. And we are unable to gradually develop into better and more accomplished people in our lives.
At the same time we must not let stillness become such a mainstay in our lives that we forget to do our work. If we become lazy, if we become indulgent, and do not apply ourselves, then things tend to spoil, and the opposite of development is experienced. When lines two and five change, the upper trigram becomes the lower, and the lower becomes the higher, which results in hexagram eighteen, which implies decay. Then we must take action. Lao T'zu said, "The way to overcome coldness, is through movement, and the way to overcome heat, is through stillness." There must be a moderation in all things. When we are heated, or when we are angry, we must maintain stillness. Stillness will overcome the anger. When we are cold, or when we are inactive, lazy, we must produce activity within ourselves. Activity will overcome depression. Activity will overcome laziness. We just get out and do it. If we try to accomplish too much all at once, we become like line four in hexagram thirty. We "flame up, die down, and get thrown away," We must progress just a little bit each day, with a consistency that never slackens. Then we achieve our goals, and our achievement makes us happy.
Gene
Monday, May 16, 2011
Hexagram fifty three line three
In hexagram fifty three line three it is said, "It furthers one to fight off robbers." The third line is almost always in a position of relative danger. It is yang and properly yang so the prototype for it is in hexagram one line three. Here it is said, "Danger. No blame." Yang lines tend to rise, and the third line, being properly a yang line, tends to rise, or wants to rise into the upper trigram. The upper trigram relates to heaven or a place of power. In order to rise to this position one must be careful of his actions and attitudes, or it can be struck down in its attempt to rise. (See hexagram sixty two line three) But if it does get struck down it is because it has acted in a way that is "contrary to the law of development." Line three does not have a correlation with line six, and line two is already taken by line five. Line four is its only connection, but this line is not appropriate for it. (That can give you a hint as to the meaning of the reading if you get line three and four changing.) Therefore, it is said, "The woman carries a child but does not bring it forth." In other words, speaking in terms of relationships, though the relationship is there, it really carries no weight. Nothing comes of the relationship. Not being a proper match, the best that can be hoped for is minor satisfaction. ("A safe place in which life can go on, although he may be surrounded by danger.")
In other terms, it is also said, "The man goes forth and does not return." This normally can be translated into, he tried to enter the higher realms,(of the king or whatever,) and did not make it. Perhaps he was struck down. But the reason is this: He tried to enter rashly through struggle. He did not heed the meaning of the timing, and did not wait for the proper time. He tried to do it on his own without acceding to the wisdom and planning of the deeper self. The conscious mind does not have the resources to know all of the "hidden lines," (Hidden dragon, do not act) and plunges in of his own choice. We must always wait for the right timing. We do this through preparation, but in all things being aware that our conscious powers are not enough, we must have the humility to wait for that inner prompting, for only it knows the right timing for an event to occur.
There is a theme here, in all the pages of the I Ching, that teaches us that all things depend on a higher power of which we are not fully aware. The key is to tap into that higher power and open a connection. This is normally done through meditation, combined with understanding the spiritual power inherent in sacred literature, including the I Ching, the Bible, the Tao Teh Ching, and multiple other sources. All of these sources should be consulted in relationship to one another. They should not be taken alone, or literally, or at face value. Their deeper messages are not meant for the masses or the unready. They are only meant for those who are ready to concede to a higher power in their lives and allow that higher power to be their guidance systems.
Gene
In other terms, it is also said, "The man goes forth and does not return." This normally can be translated into, he tried to enter the higher realms,(of the king or whatever,) and did not make it. Perhaps he was struck down. But the reason is this: He tried to enter rashly through struggle. He did not heed the meaning of the timing, and did not wait for the proper time. He tried to do it on his own without acceding to the wisdom and planning of the deeper self. The conscious mind does not have the resources to know all of the "hidden lines," (Hidden dragon, do not act) and plunges in of his own choice. We must always wait for the right timing. We do this through preparation, but in all things being aware that our conscious powers are not enough, we must have the humility to wait for that inner prompting, for only it knows the right timing for an event to occur.
There is a theme here, in all the pages of the I Ching, that teaches us that all things depend on a higher power of which we are not fully aware. The key is to tap into that higher power and open a connection. This is normally done through meditation, combined with understanding the spiritual power inherent in sacred literature, including the I Ching, the Bible, the Tao Teh Ching, and multiple other sources. All of these sources should be consulted in relationship to one another. They should not be taken alone, or literally, or at face value. Their deeper messages are not meant for the masses or the unready. They are only meant for those who are ready to concede to a higher power in their lives and allow that higher power to be their guidance systems.
Gene
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Off topic, but important
This film is long, but full of information, right or wrong. You decide if you wish to view it. You can agree or disagree as you choose.
http://www.forbiddenknowledgetv.com/videos/war/arsenal-of-hypocrisy-documentary-feature-film.html
Gene
http://www.forbiddenknowledgetv.com/videos/war/arsenal-of-hypocrisy-documentary-feature-film.html
Gene
Saturday, May 14, 2011
More still on hexagram fifty three
In line two of hexagram fifty three we have a sign of initial progress, with a temporary stillness, as the young person in line one takes a break. Notice here the correlation with hexagram five line five. This happens because the I Ching is more than just an oracle. It is a designator of a way of life, and there is a spiritual philosophy that emanates from its pages. Line two of hexagram fifty three says, "...Eating and drinking in peace and concord." In hexagram five line five it is said, "Waiting at meat and drink." (We should be, when we receive oracles from the I Ching, noticing the correlation with other lines and judgments in order to get a broader view of the message of the I Ching, not just for a reading but for personal growth.) There are times when we can and should do nothing. That doesn't mean nothing is happening. But we must wait for the right time to act. The commentary on line five in five says, "It is not possible to achieve everything at once." We must understand this, and allow it to reflect in our lives. There are times when the clouds seem to cover the sun, (see hexagram fifty five) and our way seems darkened. We do not know which way to go. But if we just allow ourselves to wait, the way eventually shows itself out of the darkness. (Hexagram five line six, among many.) It often seems as if we are in a pit. We stray into a gloomy valley, and all seems lost. But that is just a preparation. We cannot do everything ourselves. There is a deeper subconscious part of us that is working when we are not. It fills in the missing pieces while it seems nothing is happening. It is necessary to let go of the ego in order to allow this deeper level to do its work behind the scenes. The prototype for this line is found in hexagram two line two. (A yin line in one of the two primary hexagrams defining yin and yang.) The line says, "...without purpose, yet nothing remains unfurthered. (The second hexagram lends itself well to the functioning and nature of the subconscious mind.) And hexagram one line two says, "Dragon appearing in the field." The dragon arises from the depths of the unconscious and it does so only when it is time (hexagram one is about time, hexagram two is about space) for it to do so. It cannot be called forth by the conscious mind, but acts in its own time and on its own terms.
So... line two commentary says, "This first success, opening up a path to activity...." It is only when the dragon appears that the time is ripe. Line one of hexagram one says, "Hidden dragon, do not act." Line two says the dragon appears, and here is our opportunity. We must wait for the time to reveal itself. This is true in relationships as well. We cannot force the issue, it must happen in its own time, when the "dragon" has appeared in the field. When it does, then we can "Eat and drink in peace and concord."
And one more thing. Notice how this line relates to line two in hexagram sixty one. "A crane calling in the shade. Its young answers it. I have a good goblet. I will share it with you." This line is not correct, but it doesn't have to be in this case, because hexagram sixty one speaks of the uniting of two people who are inwardly alike. When we do what we are supposed to do, and act in a way that is in accord with the time, peace prevails, at least eventually, when the time is right, and we can renew ourselves and prepare for futures struggles.
Gene
So... line two commentary says, "This first success, opening up a path to activity...." It is only when the dragon appears that the time is ripe. Line one of hexagram one says, "Hidden dragon, do not act." Line two says the dragon appears, and here is our opportunity. We must wait for the time to reveal itself. This is true in relationships as well. We cannot force the issue, it must happen in its own time, when the "dragon" has appeared in the field. When it does, then we can "Eat and drink in peace and concord."
And one more thing. Notice how this line relates to line two in hexagram sixty one. "A crane calling in the shade. Its young answers it. I have a good goblet. I will share it with you." This line is not correct, but it doesn't have to be in this case, because hexagram sixty one speaks of the uniting of two people who are inwardly alike. When we do what we are supposed to do, and act in a way that is in accord with the time, peace prevails, at least eventually, when the time is right, and we can renew ourselves and prepare for futures struggles.
Gene
Thursday, May 12, 2011
New website planned
I hope soon, hopefully less than two months, to have a full website offering services such as readings. There are some administrative difficulties in the moment.
But I also highly recommend Hilary's onlineclarity.co.uk. There you will have the opportunity to have readers look at your readings and offer answers. You will also have the opportunity to contact Hilary about more detailed and professional readings by her terms. I highly recommend the site as a source of information about the I Ching and a place to discuss anything.
Gene
But I also highly recommend Hilary's onlineclarity.co.uk. There you will have the opportunity to have readers look at your readings and offer answers. You will also have the opportunity to contact Hilary about more detailed and professional readings by her terms. I highly recommend the site as a source of information about the I Ching and a place to discuss anything.
Gene
Prayers for those going through the floods after the tornadoes
My heart goes out, and I'm sure all of America's do too, for the families and individuals of the south and midwest and elsewhere who are presently going through the horrible flooding after the recent spate of storms. May you receive comfort from God or whoever or whatever you believe in, or let's say, May you receive comfort, and help.
Gene
Gene
First steps
In a way, hexagram fifty three is a mirror or a microcosmic view of the message of the I Ching overall. The I Ching is a guidebook on how to make our lives work, and is a teacher to help us through life. In that way hexagram fifty three and hexagram four and hexagram twenty nine have a lot in common. In hexagram four the young person has a teacher. There is someone there to guide him. In our cases that is the I Ching itself. It is a guide post to help us through life. In hexagram twenty nine, life itself is the teacher and in hexagram fifty three line one, experience is the teacher. For an actual teacher outside of ourselves can only take us so far. He or she can give us a framework to go on, but it is experience that teaches us how to apply the lessons learned. So, in hexagram fifty three line one it says, "The young son is in danger. There is talk. No blame." The young son is in danger because he does not yet know how to apply the principles taught him by the sage in hexagram four. Since others more experienced do not remember the stumbles they took in applying the teaching, they tend to be critical of the mistakes of youth. The sage him or her self, however, is not so critical, except as a teaching tool.
Since hexagrams one and two are the prototype for all that follow, the first line of hexagram one says, "Hidden dragon, do not act." This fits in well with the principles of hexagram fifty three, twenty five, and all other hexagrams as well, since it is never wise to act in a contrived manner. Attempts at manipulation will always come back to bite us sooner or later. When we are inexperienced we cannot apply the lessons of the teacher in the right way. We have misunderstood the context in which the sage presents each lesson. Therefore, upon going out alone, as is spoken of in hexagram fifty three line one, it is necessary that we be cautious in the beginning, like the little fox in hexagram sixty four, who cautiously checks the ice on the stream he is trying to cross. (Life itself is a stream as if of flowing water.) We must learn to pay attention to the promptings of the sage, (our own higher selves) in order to rehear the messages and begin to apply them in the right way. As it says in hexagram four, line four, "Often the teacher... has no other course, but to leave the young person to himself for a time..." For life itself makes it necessary that we eventually step out on our own, and make our own way, hesitantly following the course as best we can in the way that is presented to us.
The commentary on hexagram fifty three, line one says, "Since no one comes to help him, his first steps are slow and hesitant..." This teaching is presented over and over in the I Ching, that everything begins with the first step, but it is nearly impossible to originally apply the principles of life correctly in the early stages of our life. Therefore we receive criticism, but by "practicing chariot driving and armed defense daily," (hexagram twenty six line three) we begin to understand how to properly apply the principles that the teacher has taught us, and though at first the progress is very slow, after years of studying we start making gains in our life faster and faster. Finally, hexagram fifty three line one commentary says, "but these very difficulties keep him from being too hasty, and his progress is successful." Life is the true teacher. Any other teacher can only take us so far, then it is up to us. No one comes out to help us because it would only be counterproductive anyway. We must make life's teachings our own in our own individual way. In this way the sage teaches us in a personal manner, and our life's lessons are not the same as someone else's.
Gene
Since hexagrams one and two are the prototype for all that follow, the first line of hexagram one says, "Hidden dragon, do not act." This fits in well with the principles of hexagram fifty three, twenty five, and all other hexagrams as well, since it is never wise to act in a contrived manner. Attempts at manipulation will always come back to bite us sooner or later. When we are inexperienced we cannot apply the lessons of the teacher in the right way. We have misunderstood the context in which the sage presents each lesson. Therefore, upon going out alone, as is spoken of in hexagram fifty three line one, it is necessary that we be cautious in the beginning, like the little fox in hexagram sixty four, who cautiously checks the ice on the stream he is trying to cross. (Life itself is a stream as if of flowing water.) We must learn to pay attention to the promptings of the sage, (our own higher selves) in order to rehear the messages and begin to apply them in the right way. As it says in hexagram four, line four, "Often the teacher... has no other course, but to leave the young person to himself for a time..." For life itself makes it necessary that we eventually step out on our own, and make our own way, hesitantly following the course as best we can in the way that is presented to us.
The commentary on hexagram fifty three, line one says, "Since no one comes to help him, his first steps are slow and hesitant..." This teaching is presented over and over in the I Ching, that everything begins with the first step, but it is nearly impossible to originally apply the principles of life correctly in the early stages of our life. Therefore we receive criticism, but by "practicing chariot driving and armed defense daily," (hexagram twenty six line three) we begin to understand how to properly apply the principles that the teacher has taught us, and though at first the progress is very slow, after years of studying we start making gains in our life faster and faster. Finally, hexagram fifty three line one commentary says, "but these very difficulties keep him from being too hasty, and his progress is successful." Life is the true teacher. Any other teacher can only take us so far, then it is up to us. No one comes out to help us because it would only be counterproductive anyway. We must make life's teachings our own in our own individual way. In this way the sage teaches us in a personal manner, and our life's lessons are not the same as someone else's.
Gene
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
More on hexagram fifty three
Another statement in the commentary on hexagram fifty three is as: "...within is tranquility, which guards against precipitous actions, and without is penetration, which makes development and progress possible." Here there is some afinity with hexagram sixty one, which speaks of "inner truth," or the way that people who naturally belong with each other attract each other, or find each other. It is through tranquility that the natural truths of the universe come to rest within the individual mind. Only when we have tranquility do we receive "inner truths" from the universe. It is then that we are able to contact spirit and have communication lines open between spirit and person. Line two of hexagram sixty one says, "A crane calling in the shade. Its young answer it." The one's who hear the call are the ones that truly belong to us. The shade can be a metaphor for that time in which we are quiet, and undistracted by the calls of the world. When we focus on that which belongs to us, we hear the call of our own. The young can be a metaphor for the individual person and the crane for our higher selves. It is only through meditation that we can receive communication from the deeper part of ourselves.
This is a gradual process. We do not get in touch with our deeper self, at least not normally, through one meditation practice no matter how exceptional we may be. We must practice. Those who have natural ability will still fall behind those who practice daily. (In hexagram twenty six line three it says, "Practice chariot driving and armed defense daily.") It is tranquility which guides us in actions such that we do not make precipitous mistakes. In other words, we are not hasty. Tranquility comes from an inner confidence that can be derived only from daily contact with our higher self, and with a modesty, (hexagram fifteen) that comes from knowing there is a higher self, something greater than the ego.
When we open the doors of communication with the higher self, through tranquility, and we trust that communication with the higher self, which is a very high form of self confidence, then we are not subject to precipitous actions, or actions that are taken on the basis of limited or inadequate knowledge of the situation. Instead, our actions work properly with the right timing, in accordance with the nature of the teachings in hexagram twenty five which tells us that our actions should come from innocence, not contrived manipulation.
Hexagram twenty five, sixty three and fifty three all have a definite correlation, as do to a certain extent all of the hexagrams in the book of changes. More on this later
Gene
This is a gradual process. We do not get in touch with our deeper self, at least not normally, through one meditation practice no matter how exceptional we may be. We must practice. Those who have natural ability will still fall behind those who practice daily. (In hexagram twenty six line three it says, "Practice chariot driving and armed defense daily.") It is tranquility which guides us in actions such that we do not make precipitous mistakes. In other words, we are not hasty. Tranquility comes from an inner confidence that can be derived only from daily contact with our higher self, and with a modesty, (hexagram fifteen) that comes from knowing there is a higher self, something greater than the ego.
When we open the doors of communication with the higher self, through tranquility, and we trust that communication with the higher self, which is a very high form of self confidence, then we are not subject to precipitous actions, or actions that are taken on the basis of limited or inadequate knowledge of the situation. Instead, our actions work properly with the right timing, in accordance with the nature of the teachings in hexagram twenty five which tells us that our actions should come from innocence, not contrived manipulation.
Hexagram twenty five, sixty three and fifty three all have a definite correlation, as do to a certain extent all of the hexagrams in the book of changes. More on this later
Gene
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Hexagram Fifty Three and relationships
On onlineclarity.co.uk, I was doing a series on relationships in hexagrams that have the second line yin and the fifth line yang. The principle of the I Ching is that the first third and fifth lines of the hexagram are more properly yang, and the second, fourth, and six lines of a hexagram are more properly yin. It is not necessary at this point to go into that any deeper.
I have just discussed, minimally, hexagram twenty five, and was asked if I could talk about hexagram fifty three. There are a few things I can about that. Hexagram fifty three is another hexagram that contains a yin line in the lower central point of the lower trigram, and a yang line in the central line of the upper trigram. Therefore, it tends to lend itself to instruction about relationships as well. (Of course, it's usefulness is infinite, not just about relationships).
One of the first things that jumps out at mean while reading the Wilhelm/Baynes commentary on the I Ching is as quoted, "The development must be allowed to take its proper course." Is it clear how the message here has an afinity with the message in hexagram 25? Hexagram twenty tells us that we are not to take "contrived" action. That we must simply do the work and allow things to follow naturally. Here we see a related message in the sense that "we cannot force the issue." We must simply do the work, and from that point wait for the proper time. We can plant a tree and cultivate it, but the fruit ripens at its own rate and we cannot force it.
In relationships, this principle is applicable for both men and women, but men in general have a harder time with it, as it is natural for them to be goal oriented. When a more immature man sees an attractive women he is immediately interested, and he will do thing to test the waters or try to create some action. This is natural for men because it seems they must do something or nothing happens. In a way this is true, but it is important that they be very careful about what they do do, and make sure it doesn't appear as an unnatural attempt at seduction. Even more mature men will do the same thing, just more subtley. Unfortunately women pick up on this mannerism much more quickly than men would. Men are activators and go getters. They must learn to allow things to mature at their own rate just as a fruit ripens on the tree. Men must be able to allow things to happen in their own course, and not to move too quickly in a relationship. At the same time, it would be wise for women not to interpret every friendly gesture as meaning something that would create sexual tension. (Sexual tension seems to be a term women understand but men have no clue what it is, they don't feel it. And since they don't, they often do not know how they are coming across.)
I think that is enough for the moment. I will try to get more on this subject in the next day or so.
Gene
Friday, May 06, 2011
The nature of innocence, hexagram 25
The commentary on hexagram twenty five line two says, "We should do every task for its own sake as time and place demand and with an eye to the results. Then each task turns out well and anything we undertake succeeds." In one way this is a continuation of the theme in line one. Line one speaks of innocent action. Line two defines this as doing things for the sake of doing them, and not to contrive an outcome. This goes back again to Lao t'su's principle of nonaction. Manipulation and subterfuge might work for a while, but eventually the actions will boomerang back on the perpetrator. It would be wise to stay away from such activities. When we simply do what is right because it is right, without worrying about the outcome, we find that normally things turn out well. Ths is a universal principle and this principle applies at all times, not just when we receive this hexagram.
In relationships we must apply principles consistently, and follow these principles even when it seems counterproductive. We do what is right. Even if it seems not to be going well, in the long run it will, because we do not always realize what is best for us in the long run. We go by the initial perception only, and do not recognize the longer term outcome of our actions. We have ideas about the rightness or wrongness of the outcome, but we are limited in our perspective, and what appears to be disaster is often a good thing.
These principles will only appeal, and make sense, to those who have a deeper understanding of the nature of the universe. It will be a requirement to understand that the universe has a consciousness, and an intelligence. Without this understanding the deeper elements of the I Ching will make no sense and will be indecipherable. We look for answers from what appears to us to be nothing more than a machine which will automatically give us the answers we want. It doesn't work that way. We are leaving out the spiritual aspect of its nature. If we do so, we will not be able to gain spiritual knowledge that helps us to know and understand ourself and grow spiritually. It is absolutely essential that one understand this principle of universal consciousness. Without this knowledge you will never truly understand the I Ching, and will not be able to tap its true richness. It will be like the well, (hexagram 48) that has not been lined, and/or is not being used. You may get some good answers to many of your questions, but you will continue to live your life in frustration, and will continue to feel like a victim of circumstances even when you get good answers. The I Ching is meant to teach you, especially about yourself, not just inform you about the next course of action. As Confucius says in the commentary on the image, "He who departs from innocence, what does he come to? Heaven's will and blessings do not go with his deeds."
Hexagram fifteen tells us that we are a part of the greater whole, and in order to access that greater part of us, we must have humility. Cunning and manipulation do not form any part of humility, and that greater knowledge, that greater awareness, the higher self within each of us cannot be accessed if we have the wrong attitudes or the wrong desires. Without humility we are cut off from universal circuits; we cannot access our higher selves. We cannot make our relationships, or our careers work, we cannot accomplish tasks in a way that they turn out to be a blessing. We must become aware of this greater consciousness that is aware of all things. and has more information and more access to "hidden lines" than we do.
In relationships we must apply principles consistently, and follow these principles even when it seems counterproductive. We do what is right. Even if it seems not to be going well, in the long run it will, because we do not always realize what is best for us in the long run. We go by the initial perception only, and do not recognize the longer term outcome of our actions. We have ideas about the rightness or wrongness of the outcome, but we are limited in our perspective, and what appears to be disaster is often a good thing.
These principles will only appeal, and make sense, to those who have a deeper understanding of the nature of the universe. It will be a requirement to understand that the universe has a consciousness, and an intelligence. Without this understanding the deeper elements of the I Ching will make no sense and will be indecipherable. We look for answers from what appears to us to be nothing more than a machine which will automatically give us the answers we want. It doesn't work that way. We are leaving out the spiritual aspect of its nature. If we do so, we will not be able to gain spiritual knowledge that helps us to know and understand ourself and grow spiritually. It is absolutely essential that one understand this principle of universal consciousness. Without this knowledge you will never truly understand the I Ching, and will not be able to tap its true richness. It will be like the well, (hexagram 48) that has not been lined, and/or is not being used. You may get some good answers to many of your questions, but you will continue to live your life in frustration, and will continue to feel like a victim of circumstances even when you get good answers. The I Ching is meant to teach you, especially about yourself, not just inform you about the next course of action. As Confucius says in the commentary on the image, "He who departs from innocence, what does he come to? Heaven's will and blessings do not go with his deeds."
Hexagram fifteen tells us that we are a part of the greater whole, and in order to access that greater part of us, we must have humility. Cunning and manipulation do not form any part of humility, and that greater knowledge, that greater awareness, the higher self within each of us cannot be accessed if we have the wrong attitudes or the wrong desires. Without humility we are cut off from universal circuits; we cannot access our higher selves. We cannot make our relationships, or our careers work, we cannot accomplish tasks in a way that they turn out to be a blessing. We must become aware of this greater consciousness that is aware of all things. and has more information and more access to "hidden lines" than we do.
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