#12, Line 6, #45
It is natural to assume that, if Earth above Heaven forms the hexagram for Peace and Paradise, then the opposite configuration, with Heaven over Earth would represent the antithesis of Paradise, Hell.
Not so.
This hexagram is actually the Dark side of Peace, its unsavory byproduct, Stagnation. In a time when most of our wants are provided, there is little need for the heroes, the artists, the great thinkers and innovators. As they recede into the shadows, Idleness, Apathy, and Lassitude come to the forefront. Peace has become boring, bland, unchallenging — Stagnant.
Now our attention turns to the quick fix, the instant celebrity, the fad, the one-nighter, the current buzz.
There is no room for depth.
If you are a passionate soul, you must wait for a better time to find kindred spirits.
In these times, they are only curious legends, bas-relief, dead poets.
The oppressive stagnation rots to the inevitable end that all such corruption must meet. Its compost nourishes the seeds of great joy and fortune.
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.
Ignorance and apathy have lead to the profound state of corruption that we are experiencing. There is no quick fix: celebrity, a pill or an app won’t save us. Only coming together in common cause will lend each individual’s contribution to our salvation. The effect will be overwhelming and relentless. We will no longer feel alone.