Sep 23 25
The Hanged Man
24. Return (The Turning Point)
36. Darkening of the Light
These first few lines are the general aphoristic returns for the week. They are raw and uninterpreted; there to use how you’d like. (The specific readings follow.)
Question from “E.R.”: Sometimes (and we say this understanding the irony) the only thing that feels undeniably true is that humans are not capable of rightness (the quality of being absolutely correct).
Generally, blah blah blah, we see this as due to humans’ inability to think and act outside a very narrow (wildly exclusive) set of human-based abilities/strictures. So, to us, every utterance, every memory, every move, every desire, every belief, every argument, every counter argument, every effort of every laboratory, every effort of every religion, every effort of every political party/regime (amateur, standing or aspirant), every song, every commitment, that humans endeavor, could never be said to be anything like correct (or true).
Since wrongness is endless, what’s very easy then, is to comment on, exploit, and instrumentalize another’s wrongness for one’s own (or group’s) benefit; it all becomes a battle of fear, charm, persistence and volume. And before you go and say “are you saying that _____ is equally as wrong as _____?!!” Kind of, yes. For two main reasons, one, the factors that cause/surround/disseminate any action (not to mention their effects) are complex beyond human measure — and two, humans, because of the absolute privacy of their thoughts/brains, can lie whenever and however they want. And be sure, all humans are liars, full stop. Every person is hiding their deeper intentions from the other — whether in the lab, in the mosque/temple/etc., at the demonstration, on a “deserved” vacation, while writing a text ;) — everywhere really. (We are very wary of those that don’t admit to this.)
But it’s worse. Because of society’s (relatively recent) near full adoption of corporately organized, simplified, binary, person-to-person/corporation-to-person technologies (social media, news feeds, etc.), the mechanisms of belief, “tradition” (🙄) and outrage (🙄) are corporately defined and simplified to exacerbate and hyperbolize as a means of very detailed, controlled emotional inflammation.
These are the very same controlled inflammation strategies (hyperbole/fatigue cycles) that were perfected, and are very much in use, with salty/fatty/sweet/cheap processed foods, financial debt structures, and of course with the endless systems that cause so much environmental waste. Now, corporations have been invited(!) into our minds turning our thoughts into simplistic salty/fatty/sweet/cheap processed thoughts.
They have been able to do this because of the endless wrongness pointed to in the beginning of this query. Since humans love to offset/distract from their own wrongness by pointing out another’s wrongness — the system was already there — corporations only had to exploit it. And all corporations want to do is transcendentally distract everyone from their mega-wrongness — so they don’t mind if everyone hates everyone else, is tired, hateful and mistrustful of others — just as long as their wrong doings (and massive nest eggs) are securely out of view.
Our (perhaps naive) question is this, why are there no demonstrations or riots calling Mark Zuckerberg to account? He’s upriver as a chief catalyst and architect of this whole digital controlled inflammation system (this net of dark psychological control and exploitation) and is making no plans to stop (let alone reform) any of it.
Oracle reply: Hmmm. The Oracle’s return here is kind of a pickle; almost like a Magic 8 Ball’s “reply hazy, try again.”
We have the Hanged Man, which is a kind of sacrifice, or relinquishment of the current moment — for future benefit. Then hexagram 24 Return, where darkness is descending and the light is returning, and finally, hexagram 36, Darkening of the Light which is almost the opposite of 24, as it depicts a time when the dark is ascendent and light diminishing.
We are inclined to say that this digital culture that Zuckerberg has created is both the beginning of a cycle and the end of a cycle — and full of a momentum (he has no control over it at this point). The Hanged Man is a symbol of a person betwixt (between states) — it is a somewhat voluntary position. They are dramatically surrendering, by stepping outside of a difficult situation, to acclimate to it.
So yes, study the Hanged Man — be like the Hanged Man — he is adjusting. Restful. Patient. Not boastful. Quietly listening, working and improving. You’ll get upright eventually.
Complete Reading:
This week we pulled the Hanged Man. Here, the suggestion is to relinquish oneself to a difficult situation, in the service of eventual betterment (transcendental acceptance). Also, perhaps, to see the world properly, you must see it reversed. Like it is with meditation, when one meditates seriously, one is similar to the hanged man, they are reversing the world; instead of being quick and acquiring, one is quiet and abandoning. Instead of ignoring, or falsely embroidering reality, one just faces its inscrutability.
Our first hexagram this week is #24, Return (The Turning Point). This hexagram deals with a very specific time of The Cycle — the time at the end of a process, right before the sequence begins again — the fulcrum point of change from the darkest point to initial light (the moment just before the light returns). It is a time where potential is at its highest, but felt energy at the lowest. A time of tremendous opportunity (and experience is key). A time to get ready and shape the power and light, but calmly, because it is inevitable. NB: it seems wise to consider, a cycle isn’t a binary; they don’t exclude drift and mutation — they aren’t repetitions. They are arcs of difference that are intelligible and tangible. It is said that just before renewal, calm and rest should be the mode. “Movement is just at its beginning; therefore it must be strengthened by rest so that it will not be dissipated by being used prematurely. This principle, i.e., of allowing energy that is renewing itself to be reinforced by rest, applies to all similar situations. The return of health after illness, the return of understanding after an estrangement: everything must be treated tenderly and with care at the beginning, so that the return may lead to a flowering.”
There was one change of which the specific note is: though one can learn by putting oneself in harms way, it is a hard path — it is not the norm in non-human nature (which should be considered).
Our second hexagram, the one that suggests how best to meet the challenges (or the changes) is #36, Darkening of the Light. The discussion here regards a scenario where darkness is more dominant than light; meaning that procreative power is not to be had by those that live by truth and enlightenment. It points to a time of inner preservation as opposed to outward authority. “In a time of darkness it is essential to be cautious and reserved.” “In adversity it furthers one to be persevering.” “With this attitude one can overcome even the greatest adversities.” “In social intercourse one should not try to be all–knowing. One should let many things pass, without being duped.” So, yes, when a darkness descends upon one’s journey, the best thing to do is maintain your “inner light” (your deepest intentions and talents) and wait for a more favorable circumstance to express them. So, in interim periods as this, don’t reveal your light but be “outwardly yielding and tractable” but DO secretly protect it and develop it!!
- To see the world properly, one must try to see it reversed — like it is with meditation or stepping out of the human fray for a time.
- The period of return, at the end of a cycle, before it all begins again, is to be treated with calmness and rest — for it is a delicate time.
- Putting oneself in harm’s way works for some things, but is not a good long term strategy — often it’s not even a good short term strategy.
Question from “E.R.”: Sometimes (and we say this understanding the irony) the only thing that feels undeniably true is that humans are not capable of rightness (the quality of being absolutely correct).
Generally, blah blah blah, we see this as due to humans’ inability to think and act outside a very narrow (wildly exclusive) set of human-based abilities/strictures. So, to us, every utterance, every memory, every move, every desire, every belief, every argument, every counter argument, every effort of every laboratory, every effort of every religion, every effort of every political party/regime (amateur, standing or aspirant), every song, every commitment, that humans endeavor, could never be said to be anything like correct (or true).
Since wrongness is endless, what’s very easy then, is to comment on, exploit, and instrumentalize another’s wrongness for one’s own (or group’s) benefit; it all becomes a battle of fear, charm, persistence and volume. And before you go and say “are you saying that _____ is equally as wrong as _____?!!” Kind of, yes. For two main reasons, one, the factors that cause/surround/disseminate any action (not to mention their effects) are complex beyond human measure — and two, humans, because of the absolute privacy of their thoughts/brains, can lie whenever and however they want. And be sure, all humans are liars, full stop. Every person is hiding their deeper intentions from the other — whether in the lab, in the mosque/temple/etc., at the demonstration, on a “deserved” vacation, while writing a text ;) — everywhere really. (We are very wary of those that don’t admit to this.)
But it’s worse. Because of society’s (relatively recent) near full adoption of corporately organized, simplified, binary, person-to-person/corporation-to-person technologies (social media, news feeds, etc.), the mechanisms of belief, “tradition” (🙄) and outrage (🙄) are corporately defined and simplified to exacerbate and hyperbolize as a means of very detailed, controlled emotional inflammation.
These are the very same controlled inflammation strategies (hyperbole/fatigue cycles) that were perfected, and are very much in use, with salty/fatty/sweet/cheap processed foods, financial debt structures, and of course with the endless systems that cause so much environmental waste. Now, corporations have been invited(!) into our minds turning our thoughts into simplistic salty/fatty/sweet/cheap processed thoughts.
They have been able to do this because of the endless wrongness pointed to in the beginning of this query. Since humans love to offset/distract from their own wrongness by pointing out another’s wrongness — the system was already there — corporations only had to exploit it. And all corporations want to do is transcendentally distract everyone from their mega-wrongness — so they don’t mind if everyone hates everyone else, is tired, hateful and mistrustful of others — just as long as their wrong doings (and massive nest eggs) are securely out of view.
Our (perhaps naive) question is this, why are there no demonstrations or riots calling Mark Zuckerberg to account? He’s upriver as a chief catalyst and architect of this whole digital controlled inflammation system (this net of dark psychological control and exploitation) and is making no plans to stop (let alone reform) any of it.
Oracle reply: Hmmm. The Oracle’s return here is kind of a pickle; almost like a Magic 8 Ball’s “reply hazy, try again.”
We have the Hanged Man, which is a kind of sacrifice, or relinquishment of the current moment — for future benefit. Then hexagram 24 Return, where darkness is descending and the light is returning, and finally, hexagram 36, Darkening of the Light which is almost the opposite of 24, as it depicts a time when the dark is ascendent and light diminishing.
We are inclined to say that this digital culture that Zuckerberg has created is both the beginning of a cycle and the end of a cycle — and full of a momentum (he has no control over it at this point). The Hanged Man is a symbol of a person betwixt (between states) — it is a somewhat voluntary position. They are dramatically surrendering, by stepping outside of a difficult situation, to acclimate to it.
So yes, study the Hanged Man — be like the Hanged Man — he is adjusting. Restful. Patient. Not boastful. Quietly listening, working and improving. You’ll get upright eventually.
Complete Reading:
This week we pulled the Hanged Man. Here, the suggestion is to relinquish oneself to a difficult situation, in the service of eventual betterment (transcendental acceptance). Also, perhaps, to see the world properly, you must see it reversed. Like it is with meditation, when one meditates seriously, one is similar to the hanged man, they are reversing the world; instead of being quick and acquiring, one is quiet and abandoning. Instead of ignoring, or falsely embroidering reality, one just faces its inscrutability.
Our first hexagram this week is #24, Return (The Turning Point). This hexagram deals with a very specific time of The Cycle — the time at the end of a process, right before the sequence begins again — the fulcrum point of change from the darkest point to initial light (the moment just before the light returns). It is a time where potential is at its highest, but felt energy at the lowest. A time of tremendous opportunity (and experience is key). A time to get ready and shape the power and light, but calmly, because it is inevitable. NB: it seems wise to consider, a cycle isn’t a binary; they don’t exclude drift and mutation — they aren’t repetitions. They are arcs of difference that are intelligible and tangible. It is said that just before renewal, calm and rest should be the mode. “Movement is just at its beginning; therefore it must be strengthened by rest so that it will not be dissipated by being used prematurely. This principle, i.e., of allowing energy that is renewing itself to be reinforced by rest, applies to all similar situations. The return of health after illness, the return of understanding after an estrangement: everything must be treated tenderly and with care at the beginning, so that the return may lead to a flowering.”
There was one change of which the specific note is: though one can learn by putting oneself in harms way, it is a hard path — it is not the norm in non-human nature (which should be considered).
Our second hexagram, the one that suggests how best to meet the challenges (or the changes) is #36, Darkening of the Light. The discussion here regards a scenario where darkness is more dominant than light; meaning that procreative power is not to be had by those that live by truth and enlightenment. It points to a time of inner preservation as opposed to outward authority. “In a time of darkness it is essential to be cautious and reserved.” “In adversity it furthers one to be persevering.” “With this attitude one can overcome even the greatest adversities.” “In social intercourse one should not try to be all–knowing. One should let many things pass, without being duped.” So, yes, when a darkness descends upon one’s journey, the best thing to do is maintain your “inner light” (your deepest intentions and talents) and wait for a more favorable circumstance to express them. So, in interim periods as this, don’t reveal your light but be “outwardly yielding and tractable” but DO secretly protect it and develop it!!