Comments on: Hexagram 23? Now what? http://onlineclarity.co.uk/answers/2007/08/21/hexagram-23-now-what/ Readings, insights and understanding from the I Ching, the oracle of Change. Fri, 09 Jan 2009 13:10:04 +0000 By: R http://onlineclarity.co.uk/answers/2007/08/21/hexagram-23-now-what/#comment-75241 R Fri, 19 Sep 2008 03:20:47 +0000 http://onlineclarity.co.uk/answers/2007/08/21/hexagram-23-now-what/#comment-75241 This was very funny and comforting. You are a good writer and I would love to read more. Very touching. This was very funny and comforting. You are a good writer and I would love to read more. Very touching.

]]> By: Claire Lloyd http://onlineclarity.co.uk/answers/2007/08/21/hexagram-23-now-what/#comment-58118 Claire Lloyd Wed, 05 Sep 2007 16:16:20 +0000 http://onlineclarity.co.uk/answers/2007/08/21/hexagram-23-now-what/#comment-58118 Thanks for this John - the question was relating to my ex husband so your interpretation of a bad influence worming its way in certainly makes sense! Thanks for this John - the question was relating to my ex husband so your interpretation of a bad influence worming its way in certainly makes sense!

]]> By: John http://onlineclarity.co.uk/answers/2007/08/21/hexagram-23-now-what/#comment-57631 John Thu, 23 Aug 2007 16:15:16 +0000 http://onlineclarity.co.uk/answers/2007/08/21/hexagram-23-now-what/#comment-57631 I think it means an aggressive woman who goes after a guy she likes. I've gotten it in static form and with changing lines more than once yet I haven't met her yet. Ha! It also has the idea of predestined elements being joined together, as long as it's a feminine element and not an actual woman. It can also mean a bad influence worming its way in which must be stopped. Like a slithery snake coming out of the woodwork. The I-ching translation by Huang doesn't see anything wrong with the woman approaching the man for sex. He also has the interpretation of a queen meeting the king with her lady-in-waiting. John I think it means an aggressive woman who goes after a guy she likes. I’ve gotten it in static form and with changing lines more than once yet I haven’t met her yet. Ha!
It also has the idea of predestined elements being joined together, as long as it’s a feminine element and not an actual woman. It can also mean a bad influence worming its way in which must be stopped. Like a slithery snake coming out of the woodwork.
The I-ching translation by Huang doesn’t see anything wrong with the woman approaching the man for sex. He also has the interpretation of a queen meeting the king with her lady-in-waiting.
John

]]> By: Claire Lloyd http://onlineclarity.co.uk/answers/2007/08/21/hexagram-23-now-what/#comment-57624 Claire Lloyd Thu, 23 Aug 2007 12:15:00 +0000 http://onlineclarity.co.uk/answers/2007/08/21/hexagram-23-now-what/#comment-57624 Thanks for pointing me in the direction of an alternative description of Hexagram 44 - the interpretations are all so different depending on the individual authors! Thanks for pointing me in the direction of an alternative description of Hexagram 44 - the interpretations are all so different depending on the individual authors!

]]> By: Hilary http://onlineclarity.co.uk/answers/2007/08/21/hexagram-23-now-what/#comment-57623 Hilary Thu, 23 Aug 2007 11:42:51 +0000 http://onlineclarity.co.uk/answers/2007/08/21/hexagram-23-now-what/#comment-57623 Basically - I think - because it means the arrival of something unpredictable, out of our control, and way outside the comfort zone. We tend not enjoy this kind of thing (!), and so we label it as 'bad'. So where Yi simply talks about a 'strong woman' who's not to be married (or literally not to be 'taken'), you get commentary talking about subversive influence, insidious seduction, harmless-looking evils, etc, etc. For a more interesting view, have a look at <a href="http://www.yijing.nl/i_ching/hex_33-48/hex_e_44.htm">LiSe's page on hexagram 44</a>. Basically - I think - because it means the arrival of something unpredictable, out of our control, and way outside the comfort zone. We tend not enjoy this kind of thing (!), and so we label it as ‘bad’.

So where Yi simply talks about a ’strong woman’ who’s not to be married (or literally not to be ‘taken’), you get commentary talking about subversive influence, insidious seduction, harmless-looking evils, etc, etc. For a more interesting view, have a look at LiSe’s page on hexagram 44.

]]> By: Claire Lloyd http://onlineclarity.co.uk/answers/2007/08/21/hexagram-23-now-what/#comment-57622 Claire Lloyd Thu, 23 Aug 2007 11:30:49 +0000 http://onlineclarity.co.uk/answers/2007/08/21/hexagram-23-now-what/#comment-57622 Why is Hexagram 44 perceived as one of the 'bad' Hexagrams? This is one which comes up for me quite frequently and I must admit I have very little understanding of its true meaning. I have even experienced all 6 lines changing so goodness only knows what that represents! Now I feel quite nervous!! Why is Hexagram 44 perceived as one of the ‘bad’ Hexagrams? This is one which comes up for me quite frequently and I must admit I have very little understanding of its true meaning. I have even experienced all 6 lines changing so goodness only knows what that represents! Now I feel quite nervous!!

]]> By: Hilary http://onlineclarity.co.uk/answers/2007/08/21/hexagram-23-now-what/#comment-57616 Hilary Thu, 23 Aug 2007 10:36:43 +0000 http://onlineclarity.co.uk/answers/2007/08/21/hexagram-23-now-what/#comment-57616 Capturing the essence that makes change possible. It makes all kinds of sense - there's a fine line, responding to Hexagram 23, between dread and anticipation. When I'm made lighter by all the stuff that is in-essential, what will I become aware of, and where might it go in all that cleared space? Thank you for sharing that remarkable dream. The Highlands would be the perfect place to dream it. Capturing the essence that makes change possible. It makes all kinds of sense - there’s a fine line, responding to Hexagram 23, between dread and anticipation. When I’m made lighter by all the stuff that is in-essential, what will I become aware of, and where might it go in all that cleared space?

Thank you for sharing that remarkable dream. The Highlands would be the perfect place to dream it.

]]> By: Mauricio http://onlineclarity.co.uk/answers/2007/08/21/hexagram-23-now-what/#comment-57614 Mauricio Thu, 23 Aug 2007 10:11:01 +0000 http://onlineclarity.co.uk/answers/2007/08/21/hexagram-23-now-what/#comment-57614 The Art of Mercaptan Sometime ago, whilst camping on the Scottish highlands I had a most unusual dream which I recorded at the time, and now see as very much related to hexagram 23. In the dream I was in the presence of a man whom, from previous dream appearances, I knew to be some kind of a teacher. In this particular dream, this man was telling me about the importance of being able to recognise the true essence of things, and of being able to differentiate that essence from that which merely adorns it. He started the lesson by showing me a painted portrait of a man’s face. He said: “Within the complexity of this painting, there are only two or three lines which hold the essence of this face.” He then started, as if by magic, to erase one by one, all the painting's lines until only two were left. He then said: “there!! That is the essence of this face; the rest is unimportant, just mere adornment. "I’ll show you with another example!” We then heard a full and vibrant orchestra playing a most beautiful and haunting piece of music. He said: “Just as with the painting, only a few notes hold the essence of the whole. To show you, this time we will instead just take away those few notes so that we can hear how the rest sounds without them.” Suddenly, the beauty of the melody turned into a most dissonant and unrecognisable sound. He then said, "See? It is the same with every thing in life.” The dream then came to an end with him saying “that which we have been doing today is what we call MERCAPTAN." I then awoke with this strange word resonating in my mind. A word I had never heard before nor could associate with anything. I quickly wrote it down on a scrap of paper. I few days later, upon arriving home, I took my Oxford dictionary wondering in disbelief whether there could be an entry for ‘Mercaptan’. To my surprise there it was. Oddly enough the definition was first given in Latin: Mercaptan: 'Mercurium Captans' (capturing mercury). Further reading, revealed that in modern chemistry Mercaptan refers to a group of chemical compounds which have a strong affinity for mercury. Nothing particularly revealing there. However, following a hunch I had, I soon found myself browsing and reading, for the first time in my life, historical accounts on medieval alchemy. I soon learned however, that in its most mystical and esoterical rendering the alchemical quest to turn base metals into gold constituted a metaphor for the spiritual transformation of man. I found that one of the central themes to European, Indian and Chinese alchemy was the belief that, as a symbol, mercury constituted an essence permeating all matter, and that which made the process of transformation possible. So there you go: Stripping away= Mercaptan. The Art of Mercaptan
Sometime ago, whilst camping on the Scottish highlands I had a most unusual dream which I recorded at the time, and now see as very much related to hexagram 23.
In the dream I was in the presence of a man whom, from previous dream appearances, I knew to be some kind of a teacher. In this particular dream, this man was telling me about the importance of being able to recognise the true essence of things, and of being able to differentiate that essence from that which merely adorns it. He started the lesson by showing me a painted portrait of a man’s face. He said: “Within the complexity of this painting, there are only two or three lines which hold the essence of this face.” He then started, as if by magic, to erase one by one, all the painting’s lines until only two were left. He then said: “there!! That is the essence of this face; the rest is unimportant, just mere adornment. “I’ll show you with another example!” We then heard a full and vibrant orchestra playing a most beautiful and haunting piece of music. He said: “Just as with the painting, only a few notes hold the essence of the whole. To show you, this time we will instead just take away those few notes so that we can hear how the rest sounds without them.” Suddenly, the beauty of the melody turned into a most dissonant and unrecognisable sound. He then said, “See? It is the same with every thing in life.” The dream then came to an end with him saying “that which we have been doing today is what we call MERCAPTAN.” I then awoke with this strange word resonating in my mind. A word I had never heard before nor could associate with anything. I quickly wrote it down on a scrap of paper. I few days later, upon arriving home, I took my Oxford dictionary wondering in disbelief whether there could be an entry for ‘Mercaptan’. To my surprise there it was. Oddly enough the definition was first given in Latin: Mercaptan: ‘Mercurium Captans’ (capturing mercury). Further reading, revealed that in modern chemistry Mercaptan refers to a group of chemical compounds which have a strong affinity for mercury. Nothing particularly revealing there. However, following a hunch I had, I soon found myself browsing and reading, for the first time in my life, historical accounts on medieval alchemy. I soon learned however, that in its most mystical and esoterical rendering the alchemical quest to turn base metals into gold constituted a metaphor for the spiritual transformation of man. I found that one of the central themes to European, Indian and Chinese alchemy was the belief that, as a symbol, mercury constituted an essence permeating all matter, and that which made the process of transformation possible. So there you go: Stripping away= Mercaptan.

]]> By: John http://onlineclarity.co.uk/answers/2007/08/21/hexagram-23-now-what/#comment-57589 John Wed, 22 Aug 2007 18:19:52 +0000 http://onlineclarity.co.uk/answers/2007/08/21/hexagram-23-now-what/#comment-57589 Well I tried that once, asking "What's going on?" and the answer was fairly clear but without specifics it's hard to get a handle on the answer's meaning. It may be answering another, more pressing question while also indirectly answering the original question. It's more polite that way. Also, I find it helpful not to ask too many questions but to be more sparing. We don't want to bother them too much. Cheers, John Well I tried that once, asking “What’s going on?” and the answer was fairly clear but without specifics it’s hard to get a handle on the answer’s meaning.
It may be answering another, more pressing question while also indirectly answering the original question. It’s more polite that way.
Also, I find it helpful not to ask too many questions but to be more sparing.
We don’t want to bother them too much. Cheers, John

]]> By: Hilary http://onlineclarity.co.uk/answers/2007/08/21/hexagram-23-now-what/#comment-57585 Hilary Wed, 22 Aug 2007 17:44:43 +0000 http://onlineclarity.co.uk/answers/2007/08/21/hexagram-23-now-what/#comment-57585 Hi John, Thank you - always good to know someone is reading. :) RL Wing says for 23 unchanging, "When <i>Deterioration</i> is received without changing lines, it implies a situation for which there is little hope. It is not in your control, and therefore your interests are not considered. Reaffirm and support your position by being benevolent towards others. If there is a way out, it lies in a submissive attitude." Hm... it seems to me that some of this would sometimes be accurate if you were asking the oracle for a prediction, but it doesn't contribute so much when you ask for advice. About questions - I'm all in favour of clear, specific questions. But on occasion, the best of these is, 'What should I be attuned to now?' or 'How should I be?' I find that this way I can allow Yi to point my attention in a good, fruitful direction. It's my way of setting aside my personal agenda for a few minutes at least, and showing a willingness to see what's there to be seen. Hi John,

Thank you - always good to know someone is reading. :)

RL Wing says for 23 unchanging,
“When Deterioration is received without changing lines, it implies a situation for which there is little hope. It is not in your control, and therefore your interests are not considered. Reaffirm and support your position by being benevolent towards others. If there is a way out, it lies in a submissive attitude.”

Hm… it seems to me that some of this would sometimes be accurate if you were asking the oracle for a prediction, but it doesn’t contribute so much when you ask for advice.

About questions - I’m all in favour of clear, specific questions. But on occasion, the best of these is, ‘What should I be attuned to now?’ or ‘How should I be?’ I find that this way I can allow Yi to point my attention in a good, fruitful direction. It’s my way of setting aside my personal agenda for a few minutes at least, and showing a willingness to see what’s there to be seen.

]]>