My Time with The Well (Hexagram 48)
Alright, so today I decided to spend some time with the I Ching, specifically Hexagram 48, Jing, The Well. Felt a bit stuck lately, like I was drawing from an empty source, you know? So, seemed fitting.
I got out my coins – yeah, I just use the simple three-coin method, nothing fancy. Did my usual routine: quieted my mind a bit, held the coins, focused on this feeling of needing… well, replenishment, I guess. Then I did the six throws.
Got Hexagram 48. The Well. Makes sense, right? When I looked it up, the imagery really hit home. Water over Wood. It’s like the structure needed to bring up the life-giving water. The judgment talks about how the town can change, but the well remains. That unchanging source.
Here’s what struck me:
- The idea of a reliable, deep source. Am I tapping into mine? Or am I just scraping the surface?
- The well needs maintenance. The rope can break, the jug can shatter. It made me think about my own ‘tools’ for accessing inspiration or energy. Are they in good shape? Am I being careless?
- It serves the community. A good well isn’t just for one person. Made me consider if I’m sharing what I have, or just hoarding it.
I didn’t get any changing lines this time, just the static hexagram. Sometimes that feels even more potent, like the message is just “Sit with THIS. Understand the core idea.”
So, I spent a while just thinking about that image. The town square, the central well. How vital it is. How easily it can be neglected. It wasn’t some earth-shattering revelation, more like a quiet reminder. Look after the source. Don’t let the bucket break before you get the water.
It pushed me to actually do some things I’d been putting off – simple stuff, like tidying my workspace, taking a proper break instead of powering through. Small acts of ‘well maintenance’, I suppose you could call it.
It’s funny how these old symbols can still nudge you. Not with lightning bolts, but just a quiet “Hey, maybe look at this.” That was my practice with Hexagram 48 today. Just sitting with it, seeing how it fits. Still processing it, really.
