Life is endless change. The organism wants to be in rhythm with its environment. But absolute security cannot be in a world of such unpredictable novelty. What is to be done?

Live a life that strives to cast out all that is inferior and degrading.

To do this one must be courageous and non-punishing — basically an example of what is right. Over time one can develop a technique of predicting poor behavior of others in the environment to forestall all sorts of ill effects.


This week we pulled The Lovers. For humans, meaning comes from comparison (seeing difference). One way of gaining meaning through comparison is by being in a relationship. Meaningful relationships occur by developing trust. Trust requires a pointed lack of punishment united with courageous trial an error (this is not easy). If you are in a relationship, this week might be a good time to relinquish some control and foster openness. This obviously also applies to the self (as perhaps you are not in a relationship and don’t want to be) either way, consider giving up some self-control/self-awareness and be bolder this period.

Our first hexagram is #1, The Creative. This is the hexagram from which all others spring; — kind of like the primary testament of the I Ching. It is important to remember that the I Ching is called “the book of changes” — this hexagram details the ultimate way of dealing with the transcendental mutability of life. The key words here are: perseverance and creativity. “Perseverance” is “the power of persisting in time.” “Creativity” is the power of awakening and developing. It would naturally follow to ask what exactly should we persist in awakening and developing? Well, the process of “consciously casting out all that is inferior and degrading” as to develop a “tirelessness which depends upon consciously limiting the fields of one’s activity.” So that one’s “influence may endure.” There were four changes this week, of which the specific notes are: bide your time, beware of success and ambition destroying your integrity and finally ambition must be in proportion to skill, otherwise disaster will follow (a tower built too tall will topple dramatically).

Our second hexagram, the one that suggests how best to meet the challenges (or the changes) is #45, Gathering Together (Massing). It is only through the united efforts of masses of people that great things are achieved — even if a wonderful proposition (or discovery) of a single person or small group is responsible for a great achievement — it is through broad adoption that such achievements are realized. And since large groups are unwieldy, great and influential people must make the forestalling disaster a parallel pursuit of their great idea(s).