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◈ Primary hexagram: 49—Breaking out of the old.

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Name from “Language of the Lines”

Breaking out of the old.

Lines

Image created from the lines

Intuitive feeling (line 2) does not flow into outer action, line 3 is yang, but identity is not accepting this situation (line 4) nor recognizing the feeling (line 5). This inactive tao is accepted by our inner being (line 6). Here is a blockage of expression which is not yet fully realized so the feeling builds up towards a sudden realization or change; the common name of the hexagram is “revolution” but this clearly refers to the preparation rather than the explosion of change itself.

Image created from the trigrams

The life force emerges hesitantly (Li), meets a rigid outer world structure (Sun) and our inactive identity (Ch’ien); here there is no activity showing, but in our ongoing inner self there is Tui, an expectation of change.

The hexagram has also been called “skin” and “moulting”, referring to the way a snake will change its outer form when the inner can no longer be contained.

The Chinese Oracle

> Revolution.

> Not before it is seen

> will it be believed.

> Great success.

> Continuance in the way is fruitful.

> regret disappears.

Comments

In this tao of preparation for change the outcome cannot quite be believed, cannot be known for certain. We have been in a compressed state for so long that the release seems incredible; yet the conditions for it are here, success will come if we continue to follow the tao and so regret will disappear.

Manifestations

The pattern

The bright,

belonging to the new,

needs something mature to change

before reaching fulfillment.

For humans

When he has invested himself

in his life,

he must divest himself

to start anew.

In nature

The snake

renews his skin

when the old

is no longer flexible enough

for him to grow.

In forms we make

When the old form

will not change enough

the lower revolts and destroys

to form the new.

Moving lines

Line 1 goes yin — life force shows more change

Here is the very beginning of change towards activity, not yet defined into any form and still hidden by existing structure that it will eventually replace. If we recognize it there is relief that here at last is change coming, but it is just the first sign and not yet time for action.

> Yellow oxhide.

All contained in two words. Yellow is the great activity we feel for, long for, and wish to bring about; oxhide is the container of great strength (the ox). This is our situation in a nutshell, we must contain this great urge to act prematurely.

❧

Line 2 goes yang — intuitive feeling less active

This is a rejection of the structure that holds us and a rejection of being confined by inactivity. We extract our feelings from the lassitude of having no energy of flow, undoing our links with present structure and so making it into past structure. As with all our manifestation, revolution starts with feeling.

> When completed,

> to advance brings good fortune.

> No error.

The feeling must be made our own, it must be allowed to complete itself before the next stage of manifesting externally. When we proceed like this in tune with the way the life force manifests we have “success” for we are one with the life energy.

❧

Line 3 goes yin — outer world changes more

If when in a state of transition we open up outer activity too soon we bring out the old way of doing things and put off the change. Outer activity should develop from change within which leads it, then it is in perfect order.

> Movement brings misfortune.

> Continuing brings danger.

> After discussion three times

> confidence is made into action.

Movement before we have thoroughly changed our old mode of being and thinking (this change is the three discussions) is unfortunate because we would be drawing on the same forces we have used before and are so tired of; only when a new way is firmly in our consciousness is it time to act outside in the world.

❧

Line 4 goes yin — accepting the outer state more

The outer reality that we are accepting here in this line is inactive. Revolution is not basically an external phenomenon, what happens outside is a symptom of what has happened inside; realizing this we are in the right position for revolution, it comes because it already exists, not because we make it.

> Regret disappears.

> Belief is established.

> Changing the government

> brings good fortune.

Regret disappears because we now realize that revolution has its own force, comes inevitably from within, and this leads to the change in governing our actions, which used to be for the sake of the outside, the symptom, but now is given up to the tao. In the innermost interpretation this change is the revolution we are talking about.

❧

Line 5 goes yin — more awareness of intuition

Accepting the feeling of the tao that the old is spent enables the new to emerge, it comes out naturally and we act instinctively, which is of the whole nature.

> The great man acts as a tiger would.

> He acts like the oracle itself.

Changing like a tiger is to change with the natural power of this great cat; he does not doubt or falter but springs instinctively.

❧

Line 6 goes yang — our inner being accepts less

Revolution completes itself, so to go on revolting is to overturn what we have just created. We no longer need aggressive attitudes which have served their purpose.

The division of reality into rules to live by created the structure; seeing through the structure healed the divisions; if we remain divisive we shall find ourselves imprisoned by rules once more.

> The superior man changes like a leopard.

> The inferior man changes his face.

> Movement brings misfortune.

> Continuance in the way

> brings good fortune.

We have a phrase “can the leopard change its spots?” This shows an unchanging character attributed to this cat. The wide seeing (superior) man does not change his mode of being but accepts the new, but the narrow mode that chooses and identifies has now to change attitude (its face).

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