Today: “A firm commitment is required to hold the group together in common practice.  Once this happens the leader will respond.”- from the I Ching

A firm commitment is required to hold the group together in common practice.  Once this happens the leader will respond.

See Yogi Bhajan’s quote for today.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 76 – Men are born soft and supple; dead, they are stiff and hard. Plants are born tender and pliant; dead, they are brittle and dry.

Meditation: Breath to Conquer Time Space and Destiny

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45 – Forty-Five  Ts’ui / Gathering

The Lake rises by welcoming and receiving Earth’s waters:
The King approaches his temple.
It is wise to seek audience with him there.

Success follows this course.
Making an offering will seal your good fortune.
A goal will be realized now.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

This is an important Convergence, and you must be part of it.
Look for the Center of this convergence.
Like waters running to the sea, like an astronomical convergence of planets revolving around the sun, you should let the gravity of this Center draw you near.
Others are also drawn to this Center, and among them you will find shared bonds and kindred spirits.
This tribal convergence will give you a clarity of purpose.
You will no longer be alone.

Six at the beginning [yin at bottom] means:

You seem to blow both hot and cold, sometimes seeking to join in, sometimes shrinking away.
Admit your fears out loud, and a true companion will answer.
Joy returns.

If you’re sincere, but not to the end,
There will sometimes be confusion, sometimes gathering together.
If you call out,
Then after one grasp of the hand you can laugh again.
Regret not. Going is without blame.

Laughing Buddha

Laughing Buddha

The situation is this: People desire to gather around a leader to whom they look up. But they are in a large group, by which they allow themselves to be influenced, so that they waver in their decision. Thus they lack a firm center around which to gather. But if expression is given to this need, and if they call for help, one grasp of the hand from the leader is enough to turn away all distress. Therefore they must not allow themselves to be led astray. It is undoubtedly right that they should attach themselves to this leader.
17 – Seventeen  Sui / Following

Thunder beneath the Lake’s surface.
The Superior Person allows himself plenty of sheltered rest and recuperation while awaiting a clear sign to follow.

Supreme success.
No mistakes if you keep to your course.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

Thunder from the Lake — the lulling, rhythmic roar of the faithful tide, eternally wearing away the stone of the shoreline, forever obedient to the phases of the moon.
The pull of the moon on the tide is the Following called for now.
As mighty as the tide is in its own right, it is ever the puppet of the invisible, irresistible gravity of the moon.
What cyclical forces pull you along?
Are you futilely attempting to resist a natural attraction?

Today: “What use is a flower with no fragrance? What use is a mirror in which you cannot see yourself? You must know your soul and project it.” Yogi Bhajan

“What use is a flower with no fragrance? What use is a mirror in which you cannot see yourself? You must know your soul and project it.” Yogi Bhajan

Meditation: M043-19890623 See Your Soul Within Your Third Eye

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Today: “Let go of those who look up to you as a leader.  Everyone will be stronger and more effective when once they gain more self reliance.”- from the I Ching

Let go of those who look up to you as a leader.  Everyone will be stronger and more effective when once they gain more self reliance.

See Yogi Bhajan’s quote for today.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 75 – When taxes are too high, people go hungry. When the government is too intrusive, people lose their spirit

Meditation: LA041-780525- Control the Mind

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59 – Fifty-Nine  Huan / Dissolution

Wind carries the Mists aloft:
Sage rulers dedicated their lives to serving a Higher Power and built temples that still endure.

The King approaches his temple.
Success if you stay on course.
You may cross to the far shore.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

Walls meant to protect have instead separated and isolated.
Your defenses have kept you apart from those whom you most need to touch.
Whatever the reason for discord between you, it is time to lay down your arms.
Dispel the inflexible demands and fears of the Mind so that you may reunite in the Heart.
If you have begrudged, forgive.
If you have torn down, repair.
If you have injured, heal.
If you have judged, pardon.
If you have grasped, let go.

Six in the fourth place means:

He dissolves his bond with his group.1
Supreme good fortune.
Dispersion leads in turn to accumulation.
This is something that ordinary men do not think of.

He scatters his group far and wide.
Those who return will be of firmer resolve and leaner, stronger fibre.
An ingenious move.

6 – Six  Sung / Conflict

The high Heavens over a yawning Deep chasm:
An expansive void where nothing can dwell.
Even though he sincerely knows he is right, the Superior Person anticipates opposition and carefully prepares for any incident.

Good fortune if your conflict results in compromise.
Misfortune if your conflict escalates to confrontation.
Seek advice.
Postpone your crossing to the far shore.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

Conflict is a necessary part of life.
Tension upon the strings of a violin can make majestic music.
The critical mass of two hydrogen atoms trying to occupy the same space fuel the sun that nourishes our solar system.
Most conflicts you face in life are the result of your Path converging with another’s.
Your Path is not his, and one Path is not necessarily more right than the other.
Can you work together to remove the blockage?

Today: “Advise only those whom your advice suits.” Yogi Bhajan

“Advise only those whom your advice suits. Never advise a monkey, he will mess up your house. Never give advice to anybody if you don’t want enemies.” Yogi Bhajan

Meditation: LA031 19780423 – Ad Nad Kriya – Gupt Gian Shakti the Secret Power of the Knowledge

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Today: “Take care of your body.  Be sure nothing harmful passes your lips.  Do what is necessary.”- from the I Ching

Take care of your body.  Be sure nothing harmful passes your lips.  Do what is necessary.

See Yogi Bhajan’s quote for today.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 74 – If you realize that all things change, there is nothing you will try to hold on to.

Meditation: LA041-780525- Control the Mind

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27 – Twenty-Seven  I / Providing Nourishment

Beneath the immobile Mountain the arousing Thunder stirs:
The Superior Person preserves his freedom under oppressive conditions by watching what comes out of his mouth, as well as what goes in.

Endure and good fortune will come.
Nurture others in need, as if you were feeding yourself.
Take care not to provide sustenance for those who feed off others.
Stay as high as possible on the food chain.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

You are a conduit in this instance, able to provide the sustenance needed by others.
Position yourself to nourish the truly needy and worthy.
Avoid situations where you might be coerced into supporting the parasites and vermin who deprive your true charges.
Your own nourishment is an issue here, too.
Remember Lao Tzu’s three Great Treasures:
Only the person possessed of Compassion, Modesty and Frugality can remain fit enough to stay free of desperation and keep control of the situation.

yang
yin above: Kên / Keeping Still, Mountain
yin
yin
yin below: Chên / The Arousing, Thunder
yang

Eating Gigant Panda

I Ching Online

This hexagram is a picture of an open mouth; above and below are firm lines of the lips, and between them the opening. Starting with the mouth, through which we take food for nourishment, the thought leads to nourishment itself. Nourishment of oneself, specifically of the body, is represented in the three lower lines, while the three upper lines represent nourishment and care of others, in a higher, spiritual sense.

THE JUDGEMENT

THE CORNERS OF THE MOUTH.
Perseverance brings good fortune.
Pay heed to the providing of nourishment
And to what a man seeks
To fill his own mouth with.

In bestowing care and nourishment, it is important that the right people should be taken care of and that we should attend to our own nourishment in the right way. If we wish to know what anyone is like, we have only to observe on whom he bestows his care and what sides of his own nature he cultivates and nourishes. Nature nourishes all creatures. The great man fosters and takes care of superior men, in order to take care of all men through them.

Mencius, 389 - 305 B.C.

      Mencius

Mencius says about this:

If we wish to know whether anyone is superior or not, we need only observe what part of his being he regards as especially important. The body has superior and inferior, important and unimportant parts. We must not injure important parts for the sake of the unimportant, nor must we injure the superior parts for the sake of the inferior. He who cultivates the inferior parts of his nature is an inferior man. He who cultivates the superior parts of his nature is a superior man.1

Life Nourishment

‘Life Nourishment’ – Jared Kihiu Njuguna

THE IMAGE

At the foot of the mountain, thunder:
The image of PROVIDING NOURISHMENT.
Thus the superior man is careful of his words
And temperate in eating and drinking.


1. Book of Mencius, bk. VI, sec. A, 14. [Mencius lived from 389 to 305 B.C.]

Today: “Why are we limited? Because of lack of wisdom through knowledge. If you know wisdom and then you go through an experience, you have knowledge.” Yogi Bhajan

“Why are we limited? Because of lack of wisdom through knowledge. If you know wisdom and then you go through an experience, you have knowledge. Then you are one step higher and one step higher and one step higher. Any wisdom which you experience within yourself becomes a knowledge within you. A man of wisdom will fall. A man of knowledge will never fall.” Yogi Bhajan

Meditation: NM0337-Bujung Kriya – For Wisdom and Understanding

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Today: Be grateful for “saving grace” which prevents you from giving into temptationand going down a path of perdition- from the I Ching

Be grateful for “saving grace” which prevents you from giving into temptation and going down a path of perdition.

See Yogi Bhajan’s quote for today.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 73 – The Tao is always at ease.

Meditation: LA779 – 19930916 – Kriya to Create a Miracle for Yourself

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44 – Forty-Four  Kou / Compulsion

A playful Zephyr dances and delights beneath indulgent Heaven:
A Prince who shouts orders but will not walk among his people may as well try to command the four winds.

A strong, addictive temptation, much more dangerous than it seems.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

You are ignoring a clear and present danger to your well-being.
If this threat emanated from a heavy-handed oppressor, you would see it coming.
But this danger comes to you in the form of a seduction, an amusement, a diversion, an indulgence that is eating away at the fiber of your secure little world.
You are too cocksure.
You underestimate the tribute this dalliance will demand.

Nine in the third place means:

There is no skin on his thighs,
And walking comes hard.
If one is mindful of the danger,
No great mistake is made.

Walking Wisteria

‘Walking Wisteria tree with white blossoms’

There is a temptation to fall in with the evil element offering itself-a very dangerous situation. Fortunately circumstances prevent this; one would like to do it, but cannot. This leads to painful indecision in behavior. But if we gain clear insight into the danger of the situation, we shall at least avoid more serious mistakes.

6 – Six  Sung / Conflict

The high Heavens over a yawning Deep chasm:
An expansive void where nothing can dwell.
Even though he sincerely knows he is right, the Superior Person anticipates opposition and carefully prepares for any incident.

Good fortune if your conflict results in compromise.
Misfortune if your conflict escalates to confrontation.
Seek advice.
Postpone your crossing to the far shore.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

Conflict is a necessary part of life.
Tension upon the strings of a violin can make majestic music.
The critical mass of two hydrogen atoms trying to occupy the same space fuel the sun that nourishes our solar system.
Most conflicts you face in life are the result of your Path converging with another’s.
Your Path is not his, and one Path is not necessarily more right than the other.
Can you work together to remove the blockage?

Today: “Your deeds should be honorable as you want to be received by God. And your deeds cannot be honorable unless you have honorable intentions.” Yogi Bhajan

“Your deeds should be honorable as you want to be received by God. And your deeds cannot be honorable unless you have honorable intentions. If you want to kill someone, first you must kill your own feelings. If you want to take from someone, first take away your own pride.” Yogi Bhajan

Meditation:  LA372 831212 Corruption and character

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Today: “Purify your heart.  Leave behind base pleasures and trivial distractions.  The measure of your integrity will be your true satisfaction with what you choose to engage.   Come together as human beings.”- from the I Ching

Purify your heart.  Leave behind base pleasures and trivial distractions.  The measure of your integrity will be your true satisfaction with what you choose to engage.   Come together as human beings.

See Yogi Bhajan’s quote for today.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 72 – When they lose their sense of awe, people turn to religion. When they no longer trust themselves, they begin to depend upon authority.

Meditation: NM0420-20011015 – The Power of Memories – Remember the Saint Within

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58 – Fifty-Eight  Tui / Empowering

The joyous Lake spans on and on to the horizon:
The Superior Person renews and expands his Spirit through heart-to-heart exchanges with others.

Success if you stay on course.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

This is the sign of true companionship.
The principals in this situation exchange energy, ideas and feelings, constantly invigorating and encouraging each other to new heights of Spiritual achievement and Self-discovery.
This exchange is not for the glory of the Team, but for furthering the process of each individual’s ‘Te’, or pure potentiality.

Nine in the second place means:

Sincere joyousness. Good fortune.
Remorse disappears.

Temptation of St. Anthony

‘The Temptation of St. Anthony’, 1946 – Salvador Dali
Musée Royaux des Beaux-Arts, Brussels Belgium

We often find ourselves associating with inferior people in whose company we are tempted by pleasures that are inappropriate for the superior man. To participate in such pleasures would certainly bring remorse, for a superior man can find no real satisfaction in low pleasures. When, recognizing this, a man does not permit his will to swerve, so that he does not find such ways agreeable, not even dubious companions will venture to proffer any base pleasures, because he would not enjoy them. Thus every cause for regret is removed.

45 – Forty-Five  Ts’ui / Gathering

The Lake rises by welcoming and receiving Earth’s waters:
The King approaches his temple.
It is wise to seek audience with him there.

Success follows this course.
Making an offering will seal your good fortune.
A goal will be realized now.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

This is an important Convergence, and you must be part of it.
Look for the Center of this convergence.
Like waters running to the sea, like an astronomical convergence of planets revolving around the sun, you should let the gravity of this Center draw you near.
Others are also drawn to this Center, and among them you will find shared bonds and kindred spirits.
This tribal convergence will give you a clarity of purpose.
You will no longer be alone.

Today: Follow you heart without obsession, clinging or fear.- from the I Ching

Follow you heart without obsession, clinging or fear.  Seek others who will help moderate compulsions.

See Yogi Bhajan’s quote for today.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 71 – Not-knowing is true knowledge. Presuming to know is a disease.

Meditation: NM327-990930 Know Your Heart

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31 – Thirty-One  Hsien / Attraction

The joyous Lake is cradled by the tranquil Mountain:
The Superior Person takes great satisfaction in encouraging others along their journey.
He draws them to him with his welcoming nature and genuine interest.

Supreme success.
This course leads to marriage.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

There is no greater natural law in the Cosmos than Attraction.
From the magnetic pull of an atom’s nucleus to the centrifugal force that spirals a galaxy, the face of the universe is shaped by Attraction.
On a human scale, it is Attraction that fuels procreation and furthers our species.
Yet it is also Attraction that spawns greed and covetousness, threatening our extinction.
Attraction is the underlying force of the situation in question.
You are refined or debased by the objects of your desire.
What gravitational pull are you now under?
Around what sphere of influence do you circle?
Can you use your own ability to attract?

Nine in the third place means:
The influence shows itself in the thighs.
Holds to that which follows it.
To continue is humiliating.

 

The Three Graces

‘The Three Graces’ – Peter Paul Rubens c.1636-1638 Museo del Prado, Madrid Spain

Every mood of the heart influences us to movement. What the heart desires, the thighs run after without a moment’s hesitation; they hold to the heart, which they follow. In the life of man, however, acting on the spur of every caprice is wrong and if continued leads to humiliation. Three considerations suggest themselves here. First, a man should not run precipitately after all the persons whom he would like to influence, but must be able to hold back under certain circumstances. As little should he yield immediately to every whim of those in whose service he stands. Finally, where the moods of his own heart are concerned, he should never ignore the possibility of inhibition, for this is the basis of human freedom.

45 – Forty-Five  Ts’ui / Gathering

The Lake rises by welcoming and receiving Earth’s waters:
The King approaches his temple.
It is wise to seek audience with him there.

Success follows this course.
Making an offering will seal your good fortune.
A goal will be realized now.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

This is an important Convergence, and you must be part of it.
Look for the Center of this convergence.
Like waters running to the sea, like an astronomical convergence of planets revolving around the sun, you should let the gravity of this Center draw you near.
Others are also drawn to this Center, and among them you will find shared bonds and kindred spirits.
This tribal convergence will give you a clarity of purpose.
You will no longer be alone.

Today: “Actually, the person who has realized God is very humble.” Yogi Bhajan

“Actually, the person who has realized God is very humble. A man who has seen millions of dollars and tons of jewelry is not going to snatch your watch. The man who feels the Creator of this creation will be in such ecstasy that he achieves humility.” Yogi Bhajan

Meditation: KYB117-19860822 – Achieve an Experience of God

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Today: “When you see the truth, express it with your light and example.  Do not flaunt it.”- from the I Ching

When you see the truth, express it with your light and example.  Do not flaunt it.

See Yogi Bhajan’s quote for today.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 70 – My teachings are easy to understand and easy to put into practice.

Meditation: LA822-950201-Healing the Physical

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40 – Forty  Hsieh / Liberation

A Thunderous Cloudburst shatters the oppressive humidity:
The Superior Person knows the release in forgiveness, pardoning the faults of others and dealing gently with those who sin against him.

It pays to accept things as they are for now.
If there is nothing else to be gained, a return brings good fortune.
If there is something yet to be gained, act on it at once.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

The relief you experience here is not your own personal pardon, but the release of others from your rigid expectations.
Like a hot air balloon, you will rise to new heights as you cast the heavy sandbags of resentments and restrictions away from you.
Feel the lightness of being that results from forgiving others and accepting them as they are.
Free yourself of the endless vigil of policing the behavior of others.
See them for who they are, not what they can or can’t do for you.

The porter carries his burden in a gilded carriage well beyond his means.
This attracts not only the resentment of his peers, but bandits as well.
Injury and humiliation ahead.

62 – Sixty-Two  Hsiao Kuo / Lying Low

Thunder high on the Mountain, active passivity:
The Superior Person is unsurpassed in his ability to remain small.
In a time for humility, he is supremely modest.
In a time of mourning, he uplifts with somber reverence.
In a time of want, he is resourcefully frugal.

When a bird flies too high, its song is lost.
Rather than push upward now, it is best to remain below.
This will bring surprising good fortune, if you keep to your course.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

There is no profit to striving here.
To be content with oneself is the greatest success imaginable.
The enlightened person has nothing to prove to himself or others, and thus may always operate from a position of sincerity, with no pretense or posturing.
His humility is guileless simplicity.
His mourning is selfless compassion.
His frugality is an unshakeable faith that he is but a conduit, letting what is needed flow through him to others, with no loss to himself.

Today: “A man has to understand his existence in relationship to the universe. Whosoever knows this knows the truth.” Yogi Bhajan

“A man has to understand his existence in relationship to the universe. Whosoever knows this knows the truth. The whole world around you will be beautiful if you understand that you are you.” Yogi Bhajan

Meditation: NM0390-20010320 – Provoke Your Higher Self

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Today: “You have everything you need.  Your path is cleared and success is assured.  It is time to act and assert your influence.”- from the I Ching

You have everything you need.  Your path is cleared and success is assured.  It is time to act and assert your influence.

See Yogi Bhajan’s quote for today.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 69 – Rather than make the first move it is better to wait and see.

Meditation: LA779 – 19930916 – Kriya to Create a Miracle for Yourself

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1 – One  Ch’ien / Creative Activity

Heaven above and Heaven below:
Heaven in constant motion.
With the strength of the dragon, the Superior Person steels himself for ceaseless activity.

Productive Activity.
Potent Influence.
Sublime Success if you keep to your course.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

The time for action has come.
You now have the focus and the stamina necessary for accomplishing great tasks.
The path before you is being cleared and reward lies ahead.

1 – One  Ch’ien / Creative Activity

Heaven above and Heaven below:
Heaven in constant motion.
With the strength of the dragon, the Superior Person steels himself for ceaseless activity.

Productive Activity.
Potent Influence.
Sublime Success if you keep to your course.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

The time for action has come.
You now have the focus and the stamina necessary for accomplishing great tasks.
The path before you is being cleared and reward lies ahead.

53 – Fifty-Three  Chien / Gradual Progress

The gnarled Pine grows tenaciously off the Cliff face:
The Superior Person clings faithfully to dignity and integrity, thus elevating the Collective Spirit of Man in his own small way.
Development.
The maiden is given in marriage.
Good fortune if you stay on course.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

Adaptability mixed with integrity will bring a calm, steady progress.
Move from your center, always faithful to your principles, yet with the flexibility to weather any tempest.
Yours is not a meteoric rise to the top, but the solid, confident footing of one who has a clear vision of what can be, and who is willing to climb the distance to reach it.
The oracle foresees companionship along the way — a Divine comfort on any journey.

Today: “If you achieve righteousness throughout your life and conversation, it doesn’t matter who you are or to whom you belong. The goal is achieved.” Yogi Bhajan

“If you achieve righteousness throughout your life and conversation, it doesn’t matter who you are or to whom you belong. The goal is achieved.” Yogi Bhajan

The Beatitudes from St. Matthew

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Today: “You must remove yourself from your predicament.  Escape now and deal with it later from a position of strength. – from the I Ching

You must remove yourself from your predicament.  Escape now and deal with it later from a position of strength.

See Yogi Bhajan’s quote for today

Tao Te Ching – Verse 68 – The best athlete wants his opponent at his best. The best general enters the mind of his enemy. The best businessman serves the communal good. The best leader follows the will of the people.

Meditation: LA021-780319 – You Will Feel Totally Conscious

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28 – Twenty-Eight  Ta Kuo / Critical Mass

The Flood rises above the tallest Tree:
Amidst a rising tide of human folly, the Superior Person retires to higher ground, renouncing his world without looking back.

Any direction is better than where you now stand.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

Several high-priority concerns demand immediate attention.
All are crucial.
None will be denied.
Yet some demand the denial of others.
Like two atoms seeking to occupy the same space, these irresistible forces and immovable objects threaten to ignite a cataclysm that could irreversibly alter your world.
This is no time for fatal heroics.
You are at Ground Point Zero.
Remove yourself from this situation without delay.
Find sanctuary.
Later you may deal with these concerns on your own terms, from a position of strength.

 

yin  
yang above: Tui / The Joyous, Lake
yang
   
yang  
yang below: Sun / The Gentle, Wind, Wood
yin
   

 

This hexagram consists of four strong lines inside and two weak lines outside. When the strong are outside and the weak inside, all is well and there is nothing out of balance, nothing extraordinary in the situation. Here, however, the opposite is the case. The hexagram represents a beam that is thick and heavy in the middle but too weak at the ends. This is a condition that cannot last; it must be changed, must pass, or misfortune will result.

THE JUDGEMENT

PREPONDERANCE OF THE GREAT.
The ridgepole sags to the breaking point.
It furthers one to have somewhere to go.
Success.

The weight of the great is excessive. The load is too heavy for the strength of the supports. The ridge-pole on which the whole roof rests, sags to the breaking point, because its supporting ends are too weak for the load they bear. It is an exceptional time and situation; therefore extraordinary measures are demanded. It is necessary to find a way of transition as quickly as possible, and to take action. This promises success. For although the strong element is in excess, it is in the middle, that is, at the centre of gravity, so that a revolution is not to be feared. Nothing is to be achieved by forcible measures. The problem must be solved by gentle penetration to the meaning of the situation (as is suggested by the attribute of the inner trigram, Sun); then the change-over to other conditions will be successful. It demands real superiority; therefore the time when the great preponderates is a momentous time.

 

Under water trees

‘Under water trees’ – photo Andrew Poison

THE IMAGE

The lake rises above the trees:
The image of PREPONDERANCE OF THE GREAT.
Thus the superior man, when he stands alone,
Is unconcerned,
And if he has to renounce the world,
He is undaunted.

Extraordinary times when the great preponderates are like floodtimes when the lake rises over the treetops. But such conditions are temporary. The two trigrams indicate the attitude proper to such exceptional times: the symbol of the trigram Sun is the tree, which stands firm even though it stands alone, and the attribute of Tui is joyousness, which remains undaunted even if it must renounce the world.