Would like input on my first i ching

[T.C.]

Since having a car accident last month, I've felt like I've been under a lot of pressure and attacks from the general law. There have been events leading to monetary drains, energy drains; things which have kept me extremely busy, taking up my time; two unrelated friends popped up out of the blue - friends from former lives/paths of T.C. which I have left behind and don't want to get involved in.

All these external events, coupled with a lot of introspection on negative aspects of my personality/being have formed into one word in my mind - slavery. I have no freedom, and thus no ability to do anything. My last two journal entries are just a few lines each and I found it very difficult to structure my thoughts and feelings coherently:

10/2/11 - 23:00

Stuck. Wall. No time. No energy. Slavery. Feel like I've reached my limit.

Can't Do!


12/2/11 - 18:00

Slavery.

Slave to my programs and false personality.

I've come a long way but haven't made any progress.

The i ching was brought to my attention recently and I wondered if it could give me any help on my current situation.

I formulated my question: Please comment on my ongoing struggle with slavery.

51. Chên / The Arousing (Shock, Thunder)

above CHêN THE AROUSING, THUNDER
below CHêN THE AROUSING, THUNDER

The hexagram Chên represents the eldest son, who seizes rule with energy and power. A yang line develops below two yin lines and presses upward forcibly. This movement is so violent that it arouses terror. It is symbolized by thunder, which bursts forth from the earth and by its shock causes fear and trembling.

THE JUDGMENT

SHOCK brings success.

Shock comes-oh, oh!
Laughing words -ha, ha!

The shock terrifies for a hundred miles,
And he does not let fall the sacrificial spoon and chalice.

The shock that comes from the manifestation of God within the depths of the earth makes man afraid, but this fear of God is good, for joy and merriment can follow upon it. When a man has learned within his heart what fear and trembling mean, he is safeguarded against any terror produced by outside influences. Let the thunder roll and spread terror a hundred miles around: he remains so composed and reverent in spirit that the sacrificial rite is not interrupted. This is the spirit that must animate leaders and rulers of men-a profound inner seriousness from which all terrors glance off harmlessly.

THE IMAGE

Thunder repeated: the image of SHOCK.

Thus in fear and trembling

The superior man sets his life in order
And examines himself.

The shock of continuing thunder brings fear and trembling. The superior man is always filled with reverence at the manifestation of God; he sets his life in order and searches his heart, lest it harbor any secret opposition to the will of God. Thus reverence is the foundation of true culture.

I feel that the shock described is the shock of knowing one is a slave, and the suffering the realisation brings. This slavery is an element of nature, though, if we look at it from the esoteric christian angle - a natural law - and so is "the manifestation of God (that) makes man afraid, but this fear of God is good, for joy and merriment can follow upon it. When a man has learned within his heart what fear and trembling mean, he is safeguarded against any terror produced by outside influences." It seems I need to work on inner seriousness and inner composure.

"The shock of continuing thunder brings fear and trembling. The superior man is always filled with reverence at the manifestation of God; he sets his life in order and searches his heart, lest it harbor any secret opposition to the will of God. Thus reverence is the foundation of true culture."

:/ Not sure how I should take that in relation to the question.

There were three changing lines

Six in the third place means:

Shock comes and makes one distraught.
If shock spurs to action
One remains free of misfortune.

There are three kinds of shock-the shock of heaven, which is thunder, the shock of fate, and, finally, the shock of the heart. The present hexagram refers less to inner shock than to the shock of fate. In such times of shock, presence of mind is all too easily lost: the individual overlooks all opportunities for action and mutely lets fate take its course. But if he allows the shocks of fate to induce movement within his mind, he will overcome these external blows with little effort.

Nine in the fourth place means:

Shock is mired.

Movement within the mind depends for its success partly on circumstances. If there is neither a resistance that might be vigorously combated, nor yet a yielding that permits of victory-if, instead, everything is tough and inert like mire-movement is crippled.

Six in the fifth place means:

Shock goes hither and thither.
Danger.
However, nothing at all is lost.
Yet there are things to be done.

This is a case not of a single shock but of repeated shocks with no breathing space between. Nonetheless, the shock causes no loss, because one takes care to stay in the center of movement and in this way to be spared the fate of being helplessly tossed hither and thither.

Fate seems to be a big factor here. But again, composure is the answer given.

The changing lines gave hexagram 63

63. Chi Chi / After Completion

above K'AN THE ABYSMAL, WATER
below LI THE CLINGING, FIRE

This hexagram is the evolution of T'ai PEACE

11. The transition from confusion to order is completed, and everything is in its proper place even in particulars. The strong lines are in the strong places, the weak lines in the weak places. This is a very favorable outlook, yet it gives reason for thought. For it is just when perfect equilibrium has been reached that any movement may cause order to revert to disorder. The one strong line that has moved to the top, thus effecting complete order in details, is followed by the other lines. Each moving according to its nature, and thus suddenly there arises again the hexagram P'i, STANDSTILL

12. Hence the present hexagram indicates the conditions of a time of climax, which necessitate the utmost caution.

THE JUDGMENT

AFTER COMPLETION. Success in small matters.
Perseverance furthers.
At the beginning good fortune.
At the end disorder.

The transition from the old to the new time is already accomplished. In principle, everything stands systematized, and it si only in regard to details that success is still to be achieved. In respect to this, however, we must be careful to maintain the right attitude. Everything proceeds as if of its own accord, and this can all too easily tempt us to relax and let thing take their course without troubling over details. Such indifference is the root of all evil. Symptoms of decay are bound to be the result. Here we have the rule indicating the usual course of history. But this rule is not an inescapable law. He who understands it is in position to avoid its effects by dint of unremitting perseverance and caution.

THE IMAGE

Water over fire: the image of the condition
In AFTER COMPLETION.

Thus the superior man

Takes thought of misfortune
And arms himself against it in advance.

When water in a kettle hangs over fire, the two elements stand in relation and thus generate energy (cf. the production of steam). But the resulting tension demands caution. If the water boils over, the fire is extinguished an its energy is lost. If the heat is too great, the water evaporates into the air. These elements here brought in to relation and thus generating energy are by nature hostile to each other. Only the most extreme caution can prevent damage. In life too there are junctures when all forces are in balance and work in harmony, so that everything seems to be in the best of order. In such times only the sage recognizes the moments that bode danger and knows how to banish it by means of timely precautions.

So hard work brings good results, but these must be continuously maintained and defended with vigilance and awareness.

Comments welcome.

T.C.

 

[Ollie]

Hi T.C.

Earlier in the year I too cast a 51, although for a different question (as did someone else). It could be a shocking world for us this year. :)

"The shock of continuing thunder brings fear and trembling. The superior man is always filled with reverence at the manifestation of God; he sets his life in order and searches his heart, lest it harbor any secret opposition to the will of God. Thus reverence is the foundation of true culture."

:/ Not sure how I should take that in relation to the question.

In terms of slavery, we are slaves to our inner limiting decisions, buffers, negative introjects, etc, hence there is a need to search for, and clear out these ‘secret opposition’, as a means of setting your life in order. Maybe this is what is alluded to?

The Wilhelm reading has further interpretations (later in the book – The Commentaries) and these may add a different perspective (taken from my notes): The fear aroused makes one cautious, leading to good fortune. There is inner calm in the midst of outer storm. You know you have to make yourself respected by all about you, be careful and exact in the smallest detail. You have a special task. Re-awakening of the life force in the spring. Fear and trembling followed by shaping and exploring.

Another interpretation, in more everyday terms (Ref: The Everyday I Ching – Sarah Dening), is: You see that everything has happened for the best. The outcome is positive. It is an opportunity to change direction from what you were doing, that was other than working. Or, you are carrying too large a burden and the shake up will remove it. You are freed up to relax and take a more optimistic view. New possibilities beckon, leading to a stronger, wiser, and happier person.

If you resist change your unconscious wisdom may give you a push by causing a disturbance in your life, forcing the necessary change in you. Respond in a creative way for increased self-confidence.

This may help, or not.

 

[T.C.]

Thanks, Trevrizent.

 

[13 muluc]

Congratulations on having discovered the I-Ching oracle. I'm familiar with several sytems of divination and consider the I-Ching to be the best and wisest of them. What I get from the answer you received is that these repeated experiences of oppression are potentially a great gift. They are providing you with tangible and immediate awareness of what is really at stake: your freedom. If you pay attention to what you are being shown, you may begin to realise that relative freedom is not freedom. Any compromise of the spiritual authenticity that is your birth-right is a form of slavery. This is difficult for most people to face up to because real freedom only comes with real responsibility. That's just too high a price for someone who doesn't clearly know the cost of not being free. But if you will accept that responsibility, and never forget it, you will be free and that freedom cannot be taken from you. Well that's my two cents. I hope it's helpful.

 

[Jacques]

Hi 13 muluc,

Welcome to our forum. :)

We recommend all new members to post an introduction in the Newbies section telling us a bit about themselves, how they found the cass material, and how much of the work here they have read.

You can have a look through that board to see how others have done it.

 

[HowToBe]

I'm no expert or anything, so this is just my impression.

You are in a period of great upheaval both within and without (Thunder above and below). This 'cataclysm' marks the closing of a cycle and is thus an opportunity to transition from "confusion to order". Within or through the "Thunder", the "manifestation of God" appears (ie Truth; the realization of enslavement). This invokes inner terror, revealing the "secret opposition" (which Trevrizent described), and presenting the opportunity to "set your life in order". Vigilant self-remembering is the tool which will allow you to endure and be transformed by these events, and which will protect you from the danger of becoming "mired" in "indifference" once the following period of calm is reached.

To summarize, it seems like continued and earnest effort in self-remembering will allow you to avoid harm and guide the "Thunder" to light a fire within you (represented by the fire below), and if maintained, will cultivate this fire, allowing you to accomplish controlled work (boiling the water above the fire) and move into a new major life cycle.

It really reminds me of Mouravieff and the shocks which heat the crucible, starting a fire which, if maintained, allows the formation of a magnetic center through inner fusion. Perhaps I am wrong, and my interpretation is flawed. I don't think you should hang too much importance on my or anyone else's interpretation. As the Cassiopaeans said (trying to remember correctly), "It is not where you are that matters, but who you are, and also what you see". The I-Ching is just a tool that may or may not help you see yourself and/or your situation in a new or clearer light.

Anyway, hopefully some of this is helpful, and just maybe a portion of it is correct. Best wishes!