The crux of the meaning of the I Ching is that we can learn to advance ourselves through the nature of the Tao, and not through force or intrigue, or attempts to control. But in order to do that, we must build up character. This is one of several lessons taught to us especially through hexagram twenty six, although also through the I Ching as a whole. The mountain dams up the energy of the creative until the power of the creative becomes so great that it explodes as a volcano might explode after a buildup of gases and other forces within the mountain.

But the I Ching tells us that in order to build up creative energy, we must build character day by day. As such it is imperative that we follow the Tao each day and create within ourselves more and more of the energy of the heavenly realm. One way of expressing this is that we create more and more positive karma, not by good deeds that have the conscious intention of building karma, but by following the natural way. This is explained throughout the I Ching, and cannot be expressed in one or even several posts. It will be the sort of thing that one exposes themselves to as they build their intuition into spiritual matters, and allow the teachings to fester within until one finally matures in ways that are not easily describable.

When the light dawns through, one can say they have reached a certain level of enlightenment but not the whole. Each day one adds to the understanding within, and "finds treasure within the mountain." (Hexagram twenty six.) Finding treasure within the mountain refers on one level to finding intuitively nuggets of truth in sacred scripture. When these "pearls of great price" are found, we realize that we are leaving the "outer band of discipleship," (the outer mysteries) and are gaining insight into the second level of discipleship where we understand the allegorical meanings of the text and of symbols. We begin the process of reaching the inner level. Usually we have to have an initiate teach us these things, as they are not going to reveal themselves. We can however, after long periods of meditation and research, and speculation, arrive at some of the deeper truths that were meant for us. The "daily renewal of character" referred to in hexagram twenty six eventually leads us to these intuitive insights. Since it requires meditation and cumulative effort within to gain these insights, having attained them, it is useless to try to impart such wisdom to others. They cannot see what they are not ready for. Therefore the initiates into the greater mysteries as a rule do not discuss their secrets with others. As Jesus said, "cast not your pearls before the swine." Most people will not understand that there is a deeper level of wisdom here, there or anywhere, so will interpret these messages as utter nonsense. But for those who are ready, there is "great treasure within the mountain."