May 31 22
Two of Swords
37. The Family [The Clan]
42. Increase
This week all the information is pointing clearly to a general efficacy of behavior — like stop delaying the improvement of your personality and your subsequent influence on your/the world.
First, you are going to have to make a choice — it is going to hurt but you must do it (apply for that job or end that relationship or quit drinking or finally have that psychedelic experience or start walking to work; whatever it is — you know what you have to do…). Commit to being honest with yourself, and make that the primordial bond from which all others emanate.
These are of course lifetime level/length improvements — but when else is better to start? Also they are deceptively simple — but a complexity is usually just a mass made from an innumerable amount of simple gestures.
As well, you should have done “it” five or two or twelve years ago — so knowing what you know now — be kind to your future self.
Two key orienting notes for all this: to lead others is to serve them — to lead yourself, imitate the good you love in others, work hard to cast out what you don’t like in your own behavior.
This week we pulled the Two of Swords. There is a choice, but neither is going to feel good. This type of situation is at the heart of most indecision. Use the appearance of this card as a sign to step clearly in one direction over another (or others).
Our first hexagram this week is #37, The Family (The Clan). This hexagram details the basic relations of the family and attributes the level of soundness of all subsequent orders/relations to this base order — like — the degree to which “the family” is stable is the degree to which all others will be stable. Of course a few major changes have occurred since the writing of the I Ching — like gender not being a requisite for leader of the household status, etc. But ultimately the truth here lies in notion of the sound nucleus, that is, without a center based in dependable accordance all that radiates from there will be perplexing and strenuous. Truly the fundamental unit of the world is the self’s honesty with itself; all good or ill emanates from the trueness of this relation: “…the influence on others must proceed from one’s own person. In order to be capable of producing such an influence, one’s words must have power, and this they can have only if they are based on something real, just as a flame depends on its fuel… furthermore, the words must be supported by one’s entire conduct… only firm and consistent conduct will make such an impression on others that they can adapt and conform to it. If words and conduct are not in accord and not consistent, they will have no effect.” There was one change this week, of which the specific note is: with important relationships it is wise to balance freedom and constraint — be a beautiful/strong/wise parent to that which is important to you.
Our second hexagram, the one that suggests how best to meet the challenges (or the changes) is #42, Increase. Here we have the clearest advice to increase the strength of the group and then the self. To strengthen/nurture a group of people (a team, a country, a family, etc.) all one really need know is this: “to rule truly is to serve.” As for strengthening/improving oneself the counsel is equally clear and plain: “When a person discovers good in others, they should imitate it… if a person perceives something bad in themself, let them rid themself of it… these ethical changes represent the most important increases to personality.” That’s it.
First, you are going to have to make a choice — it is going to hurt but you must do it (apply for that job or end that relationship or quit drinking or finally have that psychedelic experience or start walking to work; whatever it is — you know what you have to do…). Commit to being honest with yourself, and make that the primordial bond from which all others emanate.
These are of course lifetime level/length improvements — but when else is better to start? Also they are deceptively simple — but a complexity is usually just a mass made from an innumerable amount of simple gestures.
As well, you should have done “it” five or two or twelve years ago — so knowing what you know now — be kind to your future self.
Two key orienting notes for all this: to lead others is to serve them — to lead yourself, imitate the good you love in others, work hard to cast out what you don’t like in your own behavior.
This week we pulled the Two of Swords. There is a choice, but neither is going to feel good. This type of situation is at the heart of most indecision. Use the appearance of this card as a sign to step clearly in one direction over another (or others).
Our first hexagram this week is #37, The Family (The Clan). This hexagram details the basic relations of the family and attributes the level of soundness of all subsequent orders/relations to this base order — like — the degree to which “the family” is stable is the degree to which all others will be stable. Of course a few major changes have occurred since the writing of the I Ching — like gender not being a requisite for leader of the household status, etc. But ultimately the truth here lies in notion of the sound nucleus, that is, without a center based in dependable accordance all that radiates from there will be perplexing and strenuous. Truly the fundamental unit of the world is the self’s honesty with itself; all good or ill emanates from the trueness of this relation: “…the influence on others must proceed from one’s own person. In order to be capable of producing such an influence, one’s words must have power, and this they can have only if they are based on something real, just as a flame depends on its fuel… furthermore, the words must be supported by one’s entire conduct… only firm and consistent conduct will make such an impression on others that they can adapt and conform to it. If words and conduct are not in accord and not consistent, they will have no effect.” There was one change this week, of which the specific note is: with important relationships it is wise to balance freedom and constraint — be a beautiful/strong/wise parent to that which is important to you.
Our second hexagram, the one that suggests how best to meet the challenges (or the changes) is #42, Increase. Here we have the clearest advice to increase the strength of the group and then the self. To strengthen/nurture a group of people (a team, a country, a family, etc.) all one really need know is this: “to rule truly is to serve.” As for strengthening/improving oneself the counsel is equally clear and plain: “When a person discovers good in others, they should imitate it… if a person perceives something bad in themself, let them rid themself of it… these ethical changes represent the most important increases to personality.” That’s it.