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Upheaval.
6. - - yin (top) 5. --- yang 4. - - yin 3. --- yang 2. - - yin 1. - - yin (bottom)
Our identity accepts an inactive outer world (lines 4 and 3) while it does not accept our active intuitive feeling (lines 5 and 2); this does not favour our taking new directions, but acceptance by our inner being (line 6) creates change there, so although the tao restrains outer activity we are furthered by experiencing it.
The life force seeks to be still (Kên) and there is little flow in our outer world (K’an), so we are unable to act effectively; we hesitate (Li). The K’an, Li, K’an sequence on top of the stillness of Kên contradicts itself, giving the hexagram its common name of “obstruction” as no direction can be usefully taken.
> Obstruction.
> South and west are favourable.
> North and east are unfavourable.
> There is advantage in seeing the great man.
> Continuance in the way brings good fortune.
The sun traverses the south and west from midday to night; the north and east is traversed through darkness to morning; so the south and west is activity becoming tranquil and the north and east is tranquility becoming active, so it is better to complete works rather than start new ones. It is an advantage to experience widely (the great man) when obstructed and work through the situation so that our inner experience is enriched.
The life force halts
when each tries to take
the other’s place.
They fight around him.
He does not take part,
Knowing other ways.
In upheaval.
The water is upon the land.
The mountain in the water.
Fire springs from chasms.
The life force waits its time.
When the outside forces
are attacking one another
form is overthrown.
When the life force is inactive less activity is possible, especially when we are in the tao of obstruction.
> Going meets obstruction.
> Remaining brings praise.
Remaining involves being still, being alert, being aware; more being, less doing.
❧
The natural reaction of feeling to troubled times is to become less sensitive; it is an instinctive move to balance sensitivity with aggravating circumstance.
> The king’s minister meets
> obstruction upon obstruction.
> He is disadvantaged but
> he is not at fault.
The minister supplies the king with advice and information, as feeling does for identifying. Feeling is suffering under the stress of our circumstances but this is not a fault in the way we feel.
❧
Here we act out to overcome our frustration although there is no path there; our objectives cannot be reached so we will then give up the attempt.
> Goes and meets trouble.
> Turns back.
❧
The unflowing state of outer action appears to us to be an obstruction. By becoming less involved in this we can be more aware of what is actually going on around us.
> Going leads to obstruction.
> Remaining connects together.
Connecting things together is a state of awareness, not of outer activity; here we try to understand our situation instead of battling against it.
❧
The obstruction is so great that we turn to our intuitive feeling, which we have been ignoring.
> When obstruction is at its height,
> friends come.
Feeling our circumstances helps as a friend would, be relating innerly. Our ignorance of this feeling was part of the obstruction so this improves matters.
❧
The obstruction in this tao is about our not being able to be still nor to act. Here our inner being becomes still, which is helpful.
> Going outward meets obstruction.
> Remaining is good fortune.
> To see the great man brings advantage.
> Good fortune.
Remaining is also keeping still and to see the great man is to see widely, not narrowing our view by choice; this is the good fortune.
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