Nov 14 23
The Lovers (reversed)
34. The Power of the Great
43. Break-through (Resoluteness)
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.)
From “M.S.”: What's the best way to meld short term thinking and long term thinking? There is understanding behind this question as to what motivates each and what makes each valuable (and obviously, the difficulties of each) — it's just that, they are often at odds, consciously.
Are long term thinking and short term thinking really at odds? Maybe it’s just a general disharmony you are feeling.
Rather than thinking in terms of short term gratification and long term gratification you should simply try to act rationally, whether in service of a goal near or far. From day to day, you will not regret acting rationally — you will not regret discouraging belligerence and stubbornness.
The future, in the way you are thinking of it, is an illusion. Committing moment to moment to dignified decision making (“resoluteness”) is perhaps the true way.
Small good steps — maybe try not to discourage yourself with grandiose potentials.
Complete Reading
This week we pulled The Lovers (reversed). There is disharmony. When regular aspects are in accord they are usually invisible; it is when things are out of sync that they start to appear — and atonally so. Something serious/foundational, that is supposed to be moving healthily along, is grinding — so what’s out of whack?
Our first hexagram this week is #34, The Power of the Great. Great power is needed to move any large scale scenario or object. But, since life is generally a push against greater forces, once had, great power can be seductive in its own right — one might forget that power is agnostic and needs to be fortified with love and reason. “The hexagram points to a time when inner worth mounts with great force and comes to power. But its strength has already passed beyond the median line, hence there is danger that one may rely entirely on one’s own power and forget to ask what is right. There is danger too that, being intent on movement, we may not wait for the right time. Therefore the added statement that perseverance furthers. For that is truly great power which does not degenerate into mere force but remains inwardly united with the fundamental principles of right and of justice. When we understand this point — namely, that greatness and justice must be indissolubly united — we understand the true meaning of all that happens in heaven and on earth.” There was one change this week, of which the specific notes are: “Give up a belligerent, stubborn way of acting; you will not regret it.”
Our second hexagram, the one that suggests how best to meet the challenges (or the changes) is #43, Break-through (Resoluteness). To get anywhere good there needs to be resoluteness — “resoluteness” meaning, honor with purpose over time. This is the essence of this hexagram — in order for a loving, health-desiring effort to win out over passionate selfishness, loving commitment is the only way. “Even if only one inferior person is occupying a ruling position in a city, they are able to oppress superior people. Even a single passion still lurking in the heart has power to obscure reason. Passion and reason cannot exist side by side —therefore fight without quarter is necessary if the good is to prevail... It is important to begin at home, to be on guard in our own persons against the faults we have branded. In this way, finding no opponent, the sharp edges of the weapons of evil become dulled. For the same reasons we should not combat our own faults directly. As long as we wrestle with them, they continue victorious. Finally, the best way to fight evil is to make energetic progress in the good.”
- Something serious/foundational, that is supposed to be moving healthily along, is grinding — pull over and check the engine.
- “Give up a belligerent, stubborn way of acting; you will not regret it.”
- “Even a single passion still lurking in the heart has power to obscure reason.”
- “Passion and reason cannot exist side by side.”
- “Strict and continuous self–examination.”
- Commitment to love fueled rationality is the only way to thwart passionate selfishness.
- If you acquire power, do not let mere power overshadow kindness and equanimity.
From “M.S.”: What's the best way to meld short term thinking and long term thinking? There is understanding behind this question as to what motivates each and what makes each valuable (and obviously, the difficulties of each) — it's just that, they are often at odds, consciously.
Are long term thinking and short term thinking really at odds? Maybe it’s just a general disharmony you are feeling.
Rather than thinking in terms of short term gratification and long term gratification you should simply try to act rationally, whether in service of a goal near or far. From day to day, you will not regret acting rationally — you will not regret discouraging belligerence and stubbornness.
The future, in the way you are thinking of it, is an illusion. Committing moment to moment to dignified decision making (“resoluteness”) is perhaps the true way.
Small good steps — maybe try not to discourage yourself with grandiose potentials.
Complete Reading
This week we pulled The Lovers (reversed). There is disharmony. When regular aspects are in accord they are usually invisible; it is when things are out of sync that they start to appear — and atonally so. Something serious/foundational, that is supposed to be moving healthily along, is grinding — so what’s out of whack?
Our first hexagram this week is #34, The Power of the Great. Great power is needed to move any large scale scenario or object. But, since life is generally a push against greater forces, once had, great power can be seductive in its own right — one might forget that power is agnostic and needs to be fortified with love and reason. “The hexagram points to a time when inner worth mounts with great force and comes to power. But its strength has already passed beyond the median line, hence there is danger that one may rely entirely on one’s own power and forget to ask what is right. There is danger too that, being intent on movement, we may not wait for the right time. Therefore the added statement that perseverance furthers. For that is truly great power which does not degenerate into mere force but remains inwardly united with the fundamental principles of right and of justice. When we understand this point — namely, that greatness and justice must be indissolubly united — we understand the true meaning of all that happens in heaven and on earth.” There was one change this week, of which the specific notes are: “Give up a belligerent, stubborn way of acting; you will not regret it.”
Our second hexagram, the one that suggests how best to meet the challenges (or the changes) is #43, Break-through (Resoluteness). To get anywhere good there needs to be resoluteness — “resoluteness” meaning, honor with purpose over time. This is the essence of this hexagram — in order for a loving, health-desiring effort to win out over passionate selfishness, loving commitment is the only way. “Even if only one inferior person is occupying a ruling position in a city, they are able to oppress superior people. Even a single passion still lurking in the heart has power to obscure reason. Passion and reason cannot exist side by side —therefore fight without quarter is necessary if the good is to prevail... It is important to begin at home, to be on guard in our own persons against the faults we have branded. In this way, finding no opponent, the sharp edges of the weapons of evil become dulled. For the same reasons we should not combat our own faults directly. As long as we wrestle with them, they continue victorious. Finally, the best way to fight evil is to make energetic progress in the good.”