Jul 07 26
The Hanged Man (reversed)
16. Enthusiasm
58. The Joyous, Lake
58. The Joyous, Lake
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 “M.E.I.”: Many people say they vault science over all other methods of determining what the world means. But, if science is really to be science, one (more often than not) needs to accept pretty harsh truths about reality— which non-scientists (and probably a few scientists) have a hard time stomaching.
So then, most people that claim science as their co-pilot are really just anecdotal science cherry pickers, which is hardly science (wildly, they often claim themselves as progressive — “progress” and science can hardly be self-serving at base, if either is to have any durable meaning or relevance).
What to do if you find both religious ear pluggers and science cherry pickers deeply annoying (and sometimes even violently/squarely destructive)?
For the record, the person asking this question is not religious; we find religious people deeply annoying too. (Also, for the record, we often find the person looking back at us in the bathroom mirror deeply annoying.)
Oracle reply: Two general things first and then a specific note.
Always strive for sincerity. That is, maintain a momentum of “trying to do the right thing.” Always remember, there is no right thing but trying to do the right thing. We as humans do not have access to knowing whether something is absolutely right; but we can try, which is the dignified height of our abilities.
Do not deliberate about things that are apparent. If something feels unhealthy get rid of it (or at least mark it as such and keep whatever distance you can from it); if something feels healthy stay with it; feed it, treat it like a garden.
Now specifically, it seems that you are a stressed person. You are asking about removing a stress or “correcting” a problem. It is always a foolish assumption that removing, or changing, something is solving. You can’t remove a heart to save the head or the reverse. You are a small movement within larger movements; you will have to find ways to move with larger movements.
Complete Reading:
This week we pulled The Hanged Man (reversed).
When The Hanged Man is in normal aspect, that is upside down (🙃) it represents something like constructively biding time (like taking time out to educate oneself at the risk of missing out on advancing) — that is, sacrificing time to contemplate/take-stock for longer term gains. When The Hanged Man is in reversed aspect, as it is here, there is a feeling that the sacrifices one is making are for nought — if a martyr falls in a forest with no one around to hear them do they have an effect? No.
Our first hexagram this week is #16, Enthusiasm. “The inviolability of natural laws rests on this principle of movement along the line of least resistance.” We find it highly interesting/fun to think of the laws of physics as being laws of enthusiasm. In human terms, a quote from Austin Osman Spare: “There is more truth in our erotic zones, than in the whole of religions and mathematics.”
Also here, is a principle regarding the significant movement(s) of all things and peoples (wow!); it’s pretty straightforward: when relevant energies are in accord they will move with momentum along the path of least resistance. The latter part of that statement is usually associated with weakness (“the path of least resistance”); in this case it is a simple fact to be meditated on. An isolated individual doesn’t shape nature alone, they may catalyze a reaction larger than themselves, but it is only through collective energy (enthusiasm) that large scale effects are achieved (please remember, and this is particularly relevant to today’s querent, these “groups” and “leaders” need not be external but are applicable, inwardly to the self alone).
There were three changes this week of which the notes are: “Enthusiasm should never be an egotistic emotion; it is justified only when it is a general feeling that unites one with others” also, neither delay in taking advantage of the first clear signs of good momentum nor delay in ending a project that shows signs of negative momentum, also, constant stress and pressure can prevent one from moving about freely, but for some it is a blessing as, if they were totally free, they’d likely consume all their resources and reserves.
Our second hexagram, the one that suggests how best to meet the challenges (or the changes) is #58, The Joyous, Lake. Joy cannot be intimidated or bullied into existence. Joy comes from having a consistently sincere and open relationship with oneself in order to have a harmonious relation to the world. “True joy… rests on firmness and strength within, manifesting itself outwardly as yielding and gentle.” Also, joy must not be overdone. “The joyous mood is infectious… but joy must be based on steadfastness if it is not to degenerate into uncontrolled mirth.” As well, “knowledge” is a kind of balance of within and without that yields joy. “Knowledge should be a refreshing and vitalizing force. It becomes so only through stimulating intercourse with congenial friends with whom one holds discussion and practices application of the truths of life.” (Like consulting the I Ching weekly with a close companion.)
- Sacrifice (martyrdom) is not really its own reward, one must also be shrewd about effectiveness.
- Enthusiasm should never be egotistic; it is only justified when it unites you with others.
- Neither delay in taking full advantage of the first clear signs of good momentum, nor delay in ending a project when it shows signs of negative momentum. (Do not deliberate about things that are apparent.)
- When relevant energies are in accord they will move with momentum along the path of least resistance.
- For some, the prison of constant pressure and stress saves them — such types, when free, will likely consume all their resources and reserves. The stress keeps them alive longer.
- Joy cannot be intimidated or bullied into existence. Rather, it is cultivated by firmness and strength within, whilst being outwardly yielding and gentle.
Question from “M.E.I.”: Many people say they vault science over all other methods of determining what the world means. But, if science is really to be science, one (more often than not) needs to accept pretty harsh truths about reality— which non-scientists (and probably a few scientists) have a hard time stomaching.
So then, most people that claim science as their co-pilot are really just anecdotal science cherry pickers, which is hardly science (wildly, they often claim themselves as progressive — “progress” and science can hardly be self-serving at base, if either is to have any durable meaning or relevance).
What to do if you find both religious ear pluggers and science cherry pickers deeply annoying (and sometimes even violently/squarely destructive)?
For the record, the person asking this question is not religious; we find religious people deeply annoying too. (Also, for the record, we often find the person looking back at us in the bathroom mirror deeply annoying.)
Oracle reply: Two general things first and then a specific note.
Always strive for sincerity. That is, maintain a momentum of “trying to do the right thing.” Always remember, there is no right thing but trying to do the right thing. We as humans do not have access to knowing whether something is absolutely right; but we can try, which is the dignified height of our abilities.
Do not deliberate about things that are apparent. If something feels unhealthy get rid of it (or at least mark it as such and keep whatever distance you can from it); if something feels healthy stay with it; feed it, treat it like a garden.
Now specifically, it seems that you are a stressed person. You are asking about removing a stress or “correcting” a problem. It is always a foolish assumption that removing, or changing, something is solving. You can’t remove a heart to save the head or the reverse. You are a small movement within larger movements; you will have to find ways to move with larger movements.
Complete Reading:
This week we pulled The Hanged Man (reversed).
When The Hanged Man is in normal aspect, that is upside down (🙃) it represents something like constructively biding time (like taking time out to educate oneself at the risk of missing out on advancing) — that is, sacrificing time to contemplate/take-stock for longer term gains. When The Hanged Man is in reversed aspect, as it is here, there is a feeling that the sacrifices one is making are for nought — if a martyr falls in a forest with no one around to hear them do they have an effect? No.
Our first hexagram this week is #16, Enthusiasm. “The inviolability of natural laws rests on this principle of movement along the line of least resistance.” We find it highly interesting/fun to think of the laws of physics as being laws of enthusiasm. In human terms, a quote from Austin Osman Spare: “There is more truth in our erotic zones, than in the whole of religions and mathematics.”
Also here, is a principle regarding the significant movement(s) of all things and peoples (wow!); it’s pretty straightforward: when relevant energies are in accord they will move with momentum along the path of least resistance. The latter part of that statement is usually associated with weakness (“the path of least resistance”); in this case it is a simple fact to be meditated on. An isolated individual doesn’t shape nature alone, they may catalyze a reaction larger than themselves, but it is only through collective energy (enthusiasm) that large scale effects are achieved (please remember, and this is particularly relevant to today’s querent, these “groups” and “leaders” need not be external but are applicable, inwardly to the self alone).
There were three changes this week of which the notes are: “Enthusiasm should never be an egotistic emotion; it is justified only when it is a general feeling that unites one with others” also, neither delay in taking advantage of the first clear signs of good momentum nor delay in ending a project that shows signs of negative momentum, also, constant stress and pressure can prevent one from moving about freely, but for some it is a blessing as, if they were totally free, they’d likely consume all their resources and reserves.
Our second hexagram, the one that suggests how best to meet the challenges (or the changes) is #58, The Joyous, Lake. Joy cannot be intimidated or bullied into existence. Joy comes from having a consistently sincere and open relationship with oneself in order to have a harmonious relation to the world. “True joy… rests on firmness and strength within, manifesting itself outwardly as yielding and gentle.” Also, joy must not be overdone. “The joyous mood is infectious… but joy must be based on steadfastness if it is not to degenerate into uncontrolled mirth.” As well, “knowledge” is a kind of balance of within and without that yields joy. “Knowledge should be a refreshing and vitalizing force. It becomes so only through stimulating intercourse with congenial friends with whom one holds discussion and practices application of the truths of life.” (Like consulting the I Ching weekly with a close companion.)