hexagram 39 ☯️ obstruction

Surrounded by obstructions,

one must first retreat, then

seek the direction of

the Sage.

There is an old saying which fits this hexagram: “You are caught between a rock and a hard place.” In other words, you are surrounded by obstructions. As much as you may want to blame others for the difficulty, in all likelihood the true obstruction is in your own thinking. What is called for now is a retreat into self-examination and self-correction.

Emotions of desire, fear, or anger may tempt you to take action now, but do not be seduced. The presence of these strong feelings is proof that your are off balance and need to steady yourself. As long as you try to forcibly achieve results—rather than carefully following higher truth step by step—you will be obstructed from making personal progress.

Whenever we indulge in judgements about others, we obstruct our own peace of mind and progress. We should choose instead to see the best in others, allow them to come and go as they will, and turn our energies inward, toward self-improvement.

Often the faults in our own thinking are revealed only with the aid of others. You would be wise now to seek the advice of a qualified counselor or truth-minded friend. Retreat, self-examination, and self-correction will remove the obstructions that block your path now.

from The I Ching, or Book of Changes

Hexagram 39, Chien / Obstruction

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no such thing as other

trunk stuff

To the

ordinary being,

others often require tolerance.

To the highly evolved being, there is no

such thing as tolerance, because there is no

such thing as other. She has given up all

ideas of individuality and extended

her goodwill without prejudice

in every direction.

from Hua hu Ching, Chapter 15

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a treasure hidden inside

this magnificent heart

Do not go

about worshipping

deities and religious institutions

as the source of the subtle truth.

To do so is to place intermediaries

between yourself and the divine,

and to make of yourself a beggar

who looks outside for a treasure

that is hidden inside his

own breast.

If you want to worship the Tao,

first discover it in your own heart.

Then your worship will be meaningful.

Hua hu Ching, Chapter 17

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the world is a vessel for spirit

snow crows

If you try

to grab hold of the

world and do what you want

with it, you won’t

succeed.

The world

is a vessel for spirit,

and it wasn’t made to be manipulated.

Tamper with it and you’ll spoil it.

Hold it, and you’ll

lose it.

With tao,

sometimes you move ahead

and sometimes you stay back; sometimes

you work hard and sometimes you rest; sometimes

you’re strong and sometimes you’re weak;

sometimes you’re up; sometimes

you’re down.

The sage

remains alert, avoiding

extremes, avoiding extravagance,

avoiding excess.

from The Tao te Ching of Lao Tzu,

Chapter 29

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a reliable source of spiritual nourishment

the well

No community can survive without a dependable source of pure water. In a similar way, human beings cannot survive without a reliable source of spiritual nourishment. In fact, we need two wells: an external source of guidance, such as the I Ching, and an internal source of guidance, which must be our own good character. This hexagram comes to encourage you to concentrate on developing, purifying, and utilizing your two “wells.”

Notice the name of this hexagram: “Ching/The Well.” The I Ching has survived in countless civilizations for thousands of years for a simple reason: it is an inexhaustible source of spiritual nourishment. It provides us with the fundamental building blocks of a successful life. If you approach it sincerely, without mistrust or frivolity, it will guide you through every difficult hour with unimpeachable wisdom. If you muddy the well, however, by doubting the I Ching or by placing your ego desires above the counsel it gives you, you impede your own progress.

The purest of external wells, the I Ching is also an invaluable aid in developing and cleansing the internal well of your own good character. It will, if you are sincere, reveal to you the fundamental issues of your life, and it will instill in you the values necessary to successfully negotiate those issues.

The hexagram Ching comes to encourage you not to muddy the well of your good character in any way now. In relating to others, look beyond any external faults of “muddiness” and acknowledge the clear well that exists somewhere inside them. No person is without this, and by speaking to it you strengthen it. If you will follow these counsels, you will meet with a true and lasting success in life.

fifth changing line:

One must not only

draw the water from the well

but also drink it. Wisdom that is not

put to practical use is

meaningless.

from The I Ching, or Book of Changes

Hexagram 48, Ching / The Well

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