22. Pi / Grace

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-- -- above KEN KEEPING STILL, MOUNTAIN
-- --
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-- -- below LI THE CLINGING, FIRE
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This hexagram shows a fire that breaks out of the secret depths of the earth ane, blazing up, illuminates and beautifies the mountain, the heavenly heights. Grace = beauty of form = is necessary in any union if is to be well ordered and pleasing rather than disordered and chaotic.

L

IC+ 22

22 Grace
Adorning, Facading. Gloss
In a context of guidance we utilise discernment.

"PI : embellish, ornament, deck out, beautify; variegated (flowers); elegant, brilliant; also: energetic, passionate, eager, intrepid; capable of great effort; brave. The ideogram : cowrie shells (money) and flowers, linking ornaments and value."ERANOS p284

Some pairs to bring out aspects:

In the binary sequence hexagram 22 pairs with hexagram 36.
The overall focus in this pair is on covering-up, be it the need to hide one's "light" by being uncompromising or suffering the attacks of the uncompromising, or else by a need to draw attention away from the core and to the surface through beautifying the exterior, also known as facading or even to gloss-over and so draw attention away. In hexagram 36 the focus is on integration, like pulling a blanket over onself to cover up, whereas in hexagram 22 the focus is more on differentiation, on exaggeration of something to draw attention.

In the binary sequence hexagram 22 opposes hexagram 47.
With this pairing, both 47 and 22 deal with enclosure but 47 deals with being forced to drive one's roots 'deep' due to the enclosure and so become more integrated with the context, whereas 22 builds a facade to attract attention to the exterior and so has a more differentiating aspect. Thus in 47 one is enclosed whereas in 22 one is doing the enclosure, the source is within as compared to 47 where it is without.

At the LOCAL level we are dealing with an octet of hexagrams with the FIRE trigram as base. In this sequence hexagram 22, the focus upon facading, 'opposes' hexagram 49, revelation, to unmask. More so, the exaggerated focus on revolution/revelation is reflected in a more balanced format by a focus on facading, gloss-over.

In the traditional sequence hexagram 22 pairs with hexagram 21.
The overall focus in this pair seems to be in problem solving, with 21 we 'chew it over' whereas in 22 we cover it up. The focus on 'chewing it over' reflects the need to 'removing the unnecessary' and so avoiding any further action. With 22 the focus on covering up can develop into a focus on beautyfying (as in such an act is needed), facading, gloss over.
PROBLEM SOLVE:

21 : problem solve - through chew over; 21 problem solving comes out of a context described by hexagram 16 - foresight, plan, enthuse

22 : problem solve - through gloss over; 22 facade, beautify comes out of a context described by hexagram 15 - modesty, to level-out


In the traditional sequence hexagram 22 opposes hexagram 43.
In this pairing the characteristics of 22 reflect selling through packaging whereas for 43 the focus is more on selling through use of the 'gab'.
The generic properties of hexagram 22 reflect the mixing of the generic properties of hexagram 36 with the generic properties of hexagram 15.
A combination of being uncompromising (hide the light) with a focus on reducing highs and lows (covering up) reflect the properties of general facading, gloss-over, beautyfy expressed in hexagram 22.

In the variations on a theme sequence, hexagram 22 complements hexagram 52.
The quality emphasis here is in an internal development in 52 versus an external development of 22.

Some XOR perspectives:

description of 22s infrastructure, skeletal form, is given by analogy to generic properties of hexagram 15 and its focus on modesty, levelling out, reduce highs, fill in the lows. These generic acts reflect 'make-up'. (research suggests that beauty is more often found in a bland, symmetric face etc that allows for projections. Asymmetric features can limit the scope - make 'character actors' rather than those who can play any role)

22 begins, keep coming back to, a state described by 52, the development of discernment, quality control, from blocking, stopping and so the use of such to get past such blocks.

22 finds its perpetual source of nourishment described by analogy to 61 - hard exterior, soft interior, as one can get when putting on a facade. Note that 61 is the particular version of meaning that it shares with 60 and ITS focus on standardisations and so limitations (and link to archetype/stereotype etc)

Chris.

Rosada, you've imaged 30 in the first post, not 22. You been drinking again?

lightofreason said:

PROBLEM SOLVE:

21 : problem solve - through chew over;

Click to expand...

Chew over, yes, and bite through, just like Wilhelm says. The biting or chewing through is what differentiates this one from 27.

Do you see any particular connection worth talking about between 21/22 and 27?

dobro said:

Chew over, yes, and bite through, just like Wilhelm says. The biting or chewing through is what differentiates this one from 27.

Click to expand...

? - you appear to show symmetric thinking here in the form of metonymy, taking a small part of my prose re 21 and presenting it as if the whole of 21. There is a lot more as covered in the focus on issues of deviation where that causes the chewing over!

dobro said:

Do you see any particular connection worth talking about between 21/22 and 27?

Click to expand...

the 21/22 pair are the 27-ness of the 16/15 pair and visa versa.

When working with the traditional sequence the 21/22 pair covers problem solving and the 15/16 pair covers reduced exaggerations:

REDUCE EXAGGERATIONS:

15 : reduce exaggerations - through re-distribution, even-out; 15 modesty comes out of a context described by hexagram 22 - facading, gloss over, cover up

16 : reduce exaggerations - through planning, think beforehand; 16 foresight, planning comes out of a context described by hexagram 21 - problem solving, to chew over

Since 21 brings up the focus on issues of deviation and 22 on facading and 15/16 cover issues of exaggerations there is a general relationship across the PAIRS as ONE.

But note that the issues require consideration of the different sequences used, binary vs traditional. In the binary sequence 15 pairs with 52, 16 with 35, 21 with 51, 22 with 36. The relationships across 15,16,21,22 are only brought out in the XORing with 27 where THAT focus is on invarient forms.

Since the IC takes on the form of a language, so difference sequences reflect different general natures mainfest in the root pair - by this I mean for the binary sequence the root pair is yang/yin represented in 01/02 but in the traditional it appears as if covering 01/64... and there are a LOT more as covered in the IC+ matrix pages.

If we focus on 27 in the traditional sequence context we have:

In the traditional sequence hexagram 27 pairs with hexagram 28.
In this pair the focus is on consequences of excess, be it an excess of being empty (27) or an excess of being full (28).

EXCESS:

27 : excess - through too little, too empty, needs filling, hungering; 27 hungering comes from a context described by hexagram 02 - devoting, trusting others, dualmindedness

28 : excess - through too much, to full, needs emptying; 28 exceeding comes from a context described by hexagram 01 - singlemindedness, trust in self

In the binary sequence these oppose:

In the binary sequence hexagram 27 opposes hexagram 28.
This pairing reflects the differences of being 'empty' and so developing a hungering (27) vs being too full (28). This overall focus is on excess, as in excess of emptyness vs excess of fullness. 28 can be extended to include the concept of doing more than is required to aid in someway, to go the extra distance etc.
[for 27] At the LOCAL level we are dealing with an octet of hexagrams with the THUNDER trigram as base. In this sequence hexagram 27, the focus upon hungering, 'opposes' hexagram 17, establishing a belief, someone/something to follow. More so, the exaggerated sense of finding a particular belief system (17) is reflected in a more balanced format through a focus on using discernment in ingesting 'brain food' (27).

So - map all of them in the traditional sequence and 27/28 cover issues of excess, 15/16 reduce exaggerations, 21/22 problem solving.

Whereas in the binary we have 36/22 (cover up, hide), 24/27 basic issue on beginnings, 21/51 (new paths), 15/52 discernment issues, 16/35 foresee, bring something to attention.

the binary ordering covers a 'logic of relationships' as in 36 is to 22 as 02 is to 01, 24 is to 27 as 02 is to 01, 51 is to 21 as 02 is to 01, 15 is to 52 as 02 is to 01, 16 is to 35 as 02 is to 01 (these are symmetric and so 35 is to 16 as 01 is to 02 etc etc)

useful?

Chris.

22. Saturn (Mountain) over Jupiter (Fire)

In astrology Saturn and Jupiter are in many ways opposites. Saturn is careful, introverted and pessimistic (catastrophic in the extreme, always expecting the worse). Jupiter is optimistic, extraverted, expansive and loves to gamble (anastrophic in the extreme, blind for risks and potential problems).
A bottle that seems half empty from a Saturnian perspective, seems half full to Jupiter - look at the bright side of life.

In an organism or system Saturn represents structure, form, the 'hard' parts (bones, skeleton, etc) while Jupiter represents growth, the 'soft', more fluid or more 'alive' parts.

In this hexagram Jupiter is held in check by Saturn. The optimistic, expansive, abundant and possibly reckless nature of Jupiter is tempered by Saturnian carefulness, realism, and (if that is the right word) modesty.
Saturn also adds form, structure, so we get growth/life within a form.

eh..you're right, dobro. But isn't that what we're supposed to do at 22?

martin said:

22. Saturn (Mountain) over Jupiter (Fire)
...Saturn is careful, introverted and pessimistic (catastrophic in the extreme, always expecting the worse). Jupiter is optimistic, extraverted, expansive and loves to gamble (anastrophic in the extreme, blind for risks and potential problems)... In an organism or system Saturn represents structure, form, the 'hard' parts (bones, skeleton, etc) while Jupiter represents growth, the 'soft', more fluid or more 'alive' parts...Saturn also adds form, structure, so we get growth/life within a form.

Click to expand...

Li (fire) in the Yijing does not not emphasize optimism. Expansiveness is better handled by Qian or Dui the Joyful.

Li may be narrow in vision, in the sense of preferential highlighting (but not blind to risk). Recognition or awareness of pattern is central to its meaning. This makes it somewhat different from the astrological Jupiter symbolism.

Besides fire, another natural image related to the Li trigram is "pattern" or "marking." "Pattern"[wen2] is becomes culture---a set of patterns a community subscribes to. The trigram Li2 is about patterns by which we recognize things, especially things that belong to a community or kind.

It's intriguing to think of Li/fire as the "soft, fluid, more alive part" of something. That would expand the symbolism of Fire in the Yijing. But Zhen/thunder is the Yijing's preferred trigram for the alive, quickening part of something.

I've always thought that Fire, Water, Heaven and Earth in the Yijing can be accomodated to the Four Elements of Western astrological thought. So maybe reading in these Jovian qualities is valid. But I would start with "highlighting, pattern, recognition" as the core meaning of Li. That is the traditional symbolism of Li, as commentators understand it.

Also, Gen in the Yijing is not necessarily pessimistic or worried about catastrophe. Gen may be conservative, being the formation that a process settles into. It is the result of prior action--the sedimentation of history. But come to think of it, a conservative viewpoint often tends to be pessimistic!

Put these two together and you get the personalized (inner) patterns that people work on within the established structure. The Fire part is not neccessarily extroverted and expansive, because here it is solidly contained. Maybe it is content with elaborate face painting, or some other kind of baroque patterning. It could be some aesthetic achievement that gives a sense of freedom under given conditions, so maybe that fits your expansive meaning of Fire.

The Image Treatise speaks of "attending to civil affairs" in #22. This is contrasted with "formulating new laws" and deciding capital cases in #21. So in #22, the patterning extends to community work and administrative service. But these accept the given conditions and find their fulillment there.

Regards,

Denis M.

THE JUDGEMENT
Grace has success.
In small matters
It is favorable to undertake something.

Grace brings success. However, it is not the essential or fundamental thing; it is only the ornament and must therefore be used sparingly and only in small things. In the lower trigram of fire a yielding line comes between two strong lines and makes them beautiful, but the strong lines are the essential content and the weak line is the beautifying form. In the upper trigram of the mountain, the strong line takes the lead, so that here again the strong element must be regarded as the decisive factor. In nature we see the world depends on it. But this strong, essential thing is changed and given pleasing variety by the moon and the stars. In human affairs, aesthetic form comes into being when traditions exist that, strong and abiding like mountains, are made pleasing by a fluid beauty. By contemplating the forms existing in the heavens we come to understand time and its changing demands. Through contemplation of the forms existing in human society it becomes possible to shape the world.
-Wilhelm

THE IMAGE

Fire at the foot of the mountain:
The image of GRACE.
Thus does the superior man proceed
When clearing up current affairs.
But he dare not decide controversial issues in this way.

The fire, whose light illuminates the mountain and makes it pleasing, does not shine far; in the same way, beautiful form suffices to brighten and throw light upon matters of lesser moment, but important questions cannot be decided in this way. They require greater earnestness.
-Wilhelm.

There was an election here in Pasadena last week and it resulted in an exact tie between two men running for city council. A new election would have cost $35,000 so it was decided to chose the winner with a coin toss. A simple elegant solution - the results of which left half the city hopping mad. The winner - who was so opposed to this selection process himself that he had refused to even touch the coin - commented in words to the effect that "such an important question should not be decided in this way."

It's not his place to complain about how the tie was decided. Presumably that was in the hand (literally) of the election authorities. Also, the outrage around this shows a lack of respect for the amazing phenomenon of balance. The coin toss was a way of acknowledging something remarkable in the psyche of the city---contrasting views were poised in equlibrium. The coin toss also acknowledged the tragic fact that too perfect an equlibrium cannot endure: it must be tipped to create momentum (and get things done at city hall). Misplaced outrage! It was a fine idea: the controlled intervention of tiny randomness to move a large, deadlocked situation.

Well, whatever. In fairness to the winner, he was not complaining about the process so much as showing sympathy for the loser. Anyway, I was just posting the story as an example of syncronicity as we discuss 22 with its admonishments not to try to decide controversial issues too simplisticly.

Interesting how letting things be decided by the toss of a coin can symbolize a deeply spiritual act, or a carelessly irresponcible one.

I think it would have been carelessly irresponsible to have spent 35 grand on a new election. Now if you have a problem with the city councilman you'll just have to argue with the gods of chance.

By the way I think Wilhelm is full of dog poo...

From Thomas Cleary's pocket-sized edition:

IMAGE
There is fire below a mountain, adorning it; thus do cultured people bring clarity to government affairs without presumptuous adjudication.

IC+

Image :
"[with guidance comes discernment]. Below mountain there is fire : [Facade]. One uses [the guidance/awareness] of the many regulations rather than dare to stop legal proceedings."

These translations of 22 seem to support the decision of using the coin toss method to determine the winner of the recent election. I mean, tossing a coin WAS an option according to election regulations and it allowed the election to give a result, rather than requiring a "stop to the legal proceedings" to have a new vote. Perhaps if the population had been more aware of the I Ching there could have been a more GRACEful transition.

THE LINES

Nine at the beginning means:
He lends grace to his toes, leaves the carriage,
and walks.

A beginner in a subordinate place must take upon himself the labor of advancing. There might be an opportunity of surreptitously easing the way - symbolized by the carriage - but a self contained man scorns help gained in a dubious fasion. He thinks it more graceful to go on foot than to drive a carriage under false pretenses.
-Wilhelm

''Nine at the beginning means:
He lends grace to his toes, leaves the carriage,
and walks.''

About a year ago I was in South Korea. There, most Buddhist temples are on top of mountains. You can usually drive part-way up but hike it the rest of the way. I was going to one particular temple by taxi and had a very annoying taxi driver. When I told him where I was going he said ''Why would you want to go there?'' When I asked him to turn on the radio, he said ''I don't like music.''

I told him to stop the taxi, paid the man, and got out at the very bottom of the mountain. Started hiking up, not knowing my way exactly. So I just kept going up the mountain, following the sun. When I got to the temple, the settting sun was right over the temple complex like a big beacon. That's fire adorning the mountain.

IC+

22.1

Line 1
"Only enhancing one's foundations and progressing just on those is more beneficial than using a full facade."

with/from facading (22) comes discerning - quality control (52)

From the XOR perspective this covers the 24-ness of 22 as 52, what 22 begins with, keeps coming back to is a focus on quality control but here it can be superficial in the form of covering up the outside, make IT look good and so draw attention away from the inside (note that 22 shares space with 36 and both cover covering/hiding etc)

I walked onto the temple grounds and felt that Buddhism here had lost its way. The monks there were more concerned about appearances and being seen to be doing the right thing. I left my offering on the altar and walked out of the temple grounds feeling disillusioned.

''A man may shave his head
But if he still lies and neglects his work,
If he clings to desire and attachment,
How can he follow the way?''
--Dhammapada

Good one, Jack.

getojack said:

I walked onto the temple grounds and felt that Buddhism here had lost its way. The monks there were more concerned about appearances and being seen to be doing the right thing. I left my offering on the altar and walked out of the temple grounds feeling disillusioned.

Click to expand...

That's #56.

denis_m said:

That's #56.

Click to expand...

Or 56 22.1-ing, or observing 22.2.

* Six in the second place means:
Lends grace to the beard on his chin.

The beard is not an independant thing; it moves only with the chin. The image therefore means that form is to be considered only as a result and attribute of content. The beard is a superfluous ornament. To devote care to it for its own sake, without regard for the inner content of which it is an ornament, would bespeak a certain vanity.
-Wilhelm

Yes, that sure sounds like 22.2 to me getojack. Interesting that you had that experience just after the magnificent one of seeing the "fire on the mountain." Guess that would be a hard act to follow. So when you got down the hill did you do something worthy of 22.3? A cup of sake perhaps?

rosada said:

So when you got down the hill did you do something worthy of 22.3? A cup of sake perhaps?

Click to expand...

Well, this was Korea so that would be a cup of soju, not sake. Nasty stuff, soju... but that's another thread.

IC+ 22

Line 3
"Adopting a facade (look) also requires one to immerse one's self (mind) in the moment. This may be successful but it must be continuously maintained."

This gets into the controller of line position 3, hex 15 and so covers issues of keeping words close to facts, levelling out etc. Here the 15-ness of 22 is described by analogy to issues covered by 27 and so infrastructure issues (quality control re what goes into the skeletal form where here the outer skin is done but issues are on what is inside)

Chris.

Dripping with superficiality, is how I'd describe line 3. And I agree with what Chris says about the effort to maintain appearances, rather than the line implying benefit of perseverance. But, hey, isn't that what Hollywood is all about?

Saw a show on Oprah yesterday about people who had come into windfalls and then ended up broke after squandering the money. Sort of a 22.3 moment. Then last night we went out to dinner and at a particularly nice restaurant. It was very pleasant to get out of the house and to have food I didn't have to cook, but since nobody had died or was getting married, it felt kinda indulgent to be spending the big bucks. I stayed on my diet though and passed on the $8 scoop of ice cream. So good fortune.