Comments on whole hexagrams, individual lines and so on
“The Vessel contains something real. My companion is afflicted, Cannot approach me. Good fortune.” I’ve experienced this line several times, but always found it hard to grasp why it could mean good fortune. It describes those times when you have something good within you, some realisation, joy or purpose –… Read more »Substance in the Vessel: Hexagram 50, line 2
I found this by chance (yes, I know) in a charity shop yesterday, and just finished it. So now I need to read it again! It is an extraordinary book, full of rich imagery and wisdom, and I can’t imagine why I hadn’t come across it before. The ‘Temple of… Read more »The Neverending Story
I’ve been reading in Kindred Spirit magazine about the evidence (not sure if I need inverted commas there) for an inter-life experience. Lots of people under regression hypnosis (with different therapists) report very similar experiences of a place they go between lives. While there, they review their past life, rejoin… Read more »Half-baked lunatic idea
Rosada asks at the I Ching Community about the difference between the Judgement of 24 – that talks about going out and returning, moving freely – and the Image, that says the ancient kings closed the frontiers so people couldn’t travel. Good things have been said in response. Rosalie wrote:… Read more »I Ching Community: What’s the deal with 24?
Hexagram 40 is Release: untying knots, removing artificial restraints and compulsions, and restoring complete, natural freedom of movement. Its moving lines talk about different kinds of captivity and release: simple ‘mistake’ at the first line, the release of a firm grip at the fourth, release from a looming, ominous presence… Read more »Release from the foxes
Not for the first time, someone’s written to ask me what it means that there’s ‘advantage in the southwest’ for her. So here’s a summary of one thing it means, at least – ‘The southwest’ in Yijing-language doesn’t usually mean literally the southwest. There can be the occasional exception, of… Read more »Advantage in the Southwest
It’s a pervasive character, this I Ching – its way of thinking gets everywhere. Nowadays I find that given a book and a pencil, I’ll be jotting hexagrams in the margins to remind myself of the main ideas. Here’s one that brings out the pencil – the Fourth Insight from… Read more »The Fourth Insight and Hexagram 6
