Nov 21 23
Four of Wands
2. The Receptive
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.”: When we were younger we thought we were missing qualities. We despised ourself for not being organized or not being able to go along with fashionable beliefs to improve our station (or whatever). Now a new understanding is emerging, it seems that humans simply ARE qualities. That is, now we are entertaining the idea that you can’t pursue a missing quality, but need to use and work with the qualities you inherently have — whether they’re shitty or admirable. (We’d add, that in this light, we see the cactus as BECAUSE of the desert, the penguin as BECAUSE of the ice, the adult persona as BECAUSE of the childhood.)
Any thoughts?
There is consistency to one’s character though it is of course complex and complexly arrived at. Ultimately, it is our memory structure that makes the personality persistent; like, remembering past pain or happiness, affects our hopes/expectations and therefore, subsequentlywhether we move towards or away from something.
There is little one can do about the past — so, you certainly can’t choose your fears, predilections, inclinations — but you can be receptive to them.
A bad thing would be to listen to what strangers have to say about you. Listen yourself to your behavior, your tendencies, what’s there? Are you a worrier and feel badly about it? Well if you are a worrier it could mean that you are also very analytical — which in certain contexts is a supreme quality to have. So yes, be receptive and yielding to what you are (perhaps unless you are a sociopath, psychopath or the like).
Complete Reading
This week we pulled The Four of Wands. It could be said that harmony begins at home. With this card we have something like a celebration of this notion. Whatever the base unit of your domestic situation, family, roommates or completely solo, there is an intimation here to revel in the accoutrements and comfort of a home environment.
Our first and only hexagram this week is #2, The Receptive. This hexagram is complement (not opposite) to the I Ching’s first hexagram, The Creative; the latter being the yang and the former being the yin. In this way it should be understood that The Receptive’s definition is its relation to The Creative. The Creative is the procreative power of the universe and all things. The Receptive means to be in accord (to receive and rhyme) with this primordial energy. The Receptive doesn’t force it yields and listens. It is said that evilness arises when The Receptive is not patient and tries to force it’s own way. This has dogmatic undertones; it is advice for being open, vigilant and attentive — generally speaking.
- Revel in the comforts of a home environment.
- Enjoy a deep, inherently personal joy.
- Be open, vigilant and attentive.
- In the most wholehearted way, listen and yield to your environment. Do not force.
From “M.S.”: When we were younger we thought we were missing qualities. We despised ourself for not being organized or not being able to go along with fashionable beliefs to improve our station (or whatever). Now a new understanding is emerging, it seems that humans simply ARE qualities. That is, now we are entertaining the idea that you can’t pursue a missing quality, but need to use and work with the qualities you inherently have — whether they’re shitty or admirable. (We’d add, that in this light, we see the cactus as BECAUSE of the desert, the penguin as BECAUSE of the ice, the adult persona as BECAUSE of the childhood.)
Any thoughts?
There is consistency to one’s character though it is of course complex and complexly arrived at. Ultimately, it is our memory structure that makes the personality persistent; like, remembering past pain or happiness, affects our hopes/expectations and therefore, subsequentlywhether we move towards or away from something.
There is little one can do about the past — so, you certainly can’t choose your fears, predilections, inclinations — but you can be receptive to them.
A bad thing would be to listen to what strangers have to say about you. Listen yourself to your behavior, your tendencies, what’s there? Are you a worrier and feel badly about it? Well if you are a worrier it could mean that you are also very analytical — which in certain contexts is a supreme quality to have. So yes, be receptive and yielding to what you are (perhaps unless you are a sociopath, psychopath or the like).
Complete Reading
This week we pulled The Four of Wands. It could be said that harmony begins at home. With this card we have something like a celebration of this notion. Whatever the base unit of your domestic situation, family, roommates or completely solo, there is an intimation here to revel in the accoutrements and comfort of a home environment.
Our first and only hexagram this week is #2, The Receptive. This hexagram is complement (not opposite) to the I Ching’s first hexagram, The Creative; the latter being the yang and the former being the yin. In this way it should be understood that The Receptive’s definition is its relation to The Creative. The Creative is the procreative power of the universe and all things. The Receptive means to be in accord (to receive and rhyme) with this primordial energy. The Receptive doesn’t force it yields and listens. It is said that evilness arises when The Receptive is not patient and tries to force it’s own way. This has dogmatic undertones; it is advice for being open, vigilant and attentive — generally speaking.