So, I was messing around with the I Ching the other day, just for kicks, you know? I’ve been trying to get more in touch with my spiritual side, and I figured, why not give it a shot? I decided to focus on hexagram 57, the one they call “Gentle Penetration” or “The Gentle.” Sounds nice, right?
I started by grabbing my three coins. Nothing fancy, just some regular old coins I had lying around. I found this quiet spot in my living room, lit a candle to set the mood, and got ready to start tossing. I cleared my mind, or at least I tried to, and focused on a question I had about a project I’m working on. It’s been kind of stuck, and I was hoping for some insight.
Now, for each line of the hexagram, you gotta toss the coins six times. Heads is 3, tails is 2. Add ’em up for each toss, and you get either a 6, 7, 8, or 9. These numbers determine if you draw a solid line or a broken line, and if the line is changing or not. It’s a whole thing, but pretty straightforward once you get the hang of it.
- First toss: Heads, heads, tails. That’s 3+3+2 = 8. A broken, unchanging line.
- Second toss: Tails, tails, tails. That’s 2+2+2 = 6. A broken line, but this one’s changing.
- Third toss: Heads, tails, heads. That’s 3+2+3 = 8. Another broken, unchanging line.
- Fourth toss: Heads, heads, heads. That’s 3+3+3 = 9. A solid line, and it’s changing.
- Fifth toss: Tails, heads, tails. That’s 2+3+2 = 7. A solid, unchanging line.
- Sixth toss: Heads, tails, tails. That’s 3+2+2 = 7. Another solid, unchanging line.
So, there I was, with my six lines drawn out. Two changing lines, which means you also look at a second hexagram, the one you get after you change those lines. Kind of like a “before” and “after” picture. In my case, with the two lines changed it formed a new hexagram, number 18, called “Work on what has been spoiled” or “Decay”.
I spent a good chunk of time reading up on both hexagrams. Hexagram 57, “The Gentle,” is all about subtle influence, like the wind gradually shaping the landscape. It talks about perseverance and adapting to circumstances. For example the lower trigram, with the broken lines at the bottom, indicates humility and going with the flow. Then the solid lines up top indicate being strong and steadfast.
Then I moved onto reading about hexagram 18, “Decay”. This one, in my case, was derived from the two changing lines in hexagram 57. At first glance, the meaning sounds a bit ominous. This hexagram emphasizes the importance of recognizing, addressing, and repairing problems and issues that have been ignored or neglected. It suggests that things might have deteriorated, but with conscious effort and corrective action, they can be restored and improved. When I first read the meaning I thought that it meant that my project is doomed! But after some deeper reflection, I came to the realization that it’s not as doomy and gloomy as it seemed initially.
Now I needed to see how hexagram 18 relates to the initial hexagram 57 that was generated. In my case, the transition from “The Gentle” to “Decay” suggests a need to address underlying issues in my project with a gentle but persistent approach. It’s like the I Ching was telling me, “Hey, you gotta be gentle, but you also gotta deal with the stuff that’s not working.”
It took me a good couple of days and a few more sessions of just sitting there and thinking, but I feel like I got a handle on it. It’s not about quick fixes, it’s about the long game. I need to keep at it, keep refining, and not be afraid to adapt. It also made me realize that maybe I’ve been neglecting some aspects of this project. Time to roll up my sleeves and get to work on fixing things.
My Key Takeaways
This whole experience was really eye-opening. I went in looking for a quick answer, but what I got was a whole lot more to ponder. It’s like the I Ching gave me a roadmap, not a destination. Pretty cool, huh? I’m definitely going to keep doing this. Maybe next time I’ll try to figure out what’s for dinner.
