I-Ching
Current
Changing
Transformed
Current
52 - Kên / Keeping Still, Mountain
Above: KÊN KEEPING STILL, MOUNTAIN
Below: KÊN KEEPING STILL, MOUNTAIN
The image of this hexagram is the mountain, the youngest son of heaven and earth. The male principle is at the top, because it strives upward by nature, and the female principle is below, since the direction of its movement is downward. Thus, there is rest because the movement has come to its normal end. In its application to man, the hexagram turns upon the problem of achieving a quiet heart. It is very difficult to bring quiet to the heart. While Buddhism strives for rest through an ebbing away of all movement in nirvana, the Book of Changes holds that rest is merely a state of polarity that always posits movement as its complement. Possibly the words of the text embody directions for the practice of yoga.
True quiet means keeping still when the time has come to keep still, and going forward when the time has come to go forward. In this way rest and movement are in agreement with the demands of the time, and thus there is light in life. The hexagram signifies the end and the beginning of all movement. The back is named because in the back are located all the nerve fibers that mediate movement. If the movement of these spinal nerves is brought to a standstill, the ego, with its restlessness, disappears as it were. When a man has thus become calm, he may turn to the outside world. He no longer sees in it the struggle and tumult of individual beings, and therefore he has that true peace of mind which is needed for understanding the great laws of the universe and for acting in harmony with them. Whoever acts from these deep levels makes no mistakes.
The heart thinks constantly. This cannot be changed, but the metaphorical movements of the heart, (thoughts), should restrict themselves to the immediate situation. All thinking that goes beyond this only makes the heart sore.
Above: KÊN KEEPING STILL, MOUNTAIN
Below: KÊN KEEPING STILL, MOUNTAIN
The image of this hexagram is the mountain, the youngest son of heaven and earth. The male principle is at the top, because it strives upward by nature, and the female principle is below, since the direction of its movement is downward. Thus, there is rest because the movement has come to its normal end. In its application to man, the hexagram turns upon the problem of achieving a quiet heart. It is very difficult to bring quiet to the heart. While Buddhism strives for rest through an ebbing away of all movement in nirvana, the Book of Changes holds that rest is merely a state of polarity that always posits movement as its complement. Possibly the words of the text embody directions for the practice of yoga.
The Judgement
KEEPING STILL. Keeping his back still So that he no longer feels his body. He goes into his courtyard And does not see his people. No blame.True quiet means keeping still when the time has come to keep still, and going forward when the time has come to go forward. In this way rest and movement are in agreement with the demands of the time, and thus there is light in life. The hexagram signifies the end and the beginning of all movement. The back is named because in the back are located all the nerve fibers that mediate movement. If the movement of these spinal nerves is brought to a standstill, the ego, with its restlessness, disappears as it were. When a man has thus become calm, he may turn to the outside world. He no longer sees in it the struggle and tumult of individual beings, and therefore he has that true peace of mind which is needed for understanding the great laws of the universe and for acting in harmony with them. Whoever acts from these deep levels makes no mistakes.
The Image
Mountains standing close together: The image of KEEPING STILL. Thus, the superior man does not permit his thoughts to go beyond his situation.The heart thinks constantly. This cannot be changed, but the metaphorical movements of the heart, (thoughts), should restrict themselves to the immediate situation. All thinking that goes beyond this only makes the heart sore.
Changing
Nine at the top means:
Simple grace. No blame.
Here at the highest stage of development all ornament is discarded. Form no longer conceals content but brings out its value to the fullest. Perfect grace consists not of exterior ornamentation of the substance, but in the simple utility of its form.
Simple grace. No blame.
Here at the highest stage of development all ornament is discarded. Form no longer conceals content but brings out its value to the fullest. Perfect grace consists not of exterior ornamentation of the substance, but in the simple utility of its form.
Transformed
22 - Pi / Grace
Above: KÊN KEEPING STILL, MOUNTAIN
Below: LI THE CLINGING, FIRE
This hexagram shows a fire that breaks out of the secret depths of the earth and, blazing up, illuminates and beautifies the mountain and the heavenly heights. Grace and beauty of form is necessary in any union if it is to be well-ordered and pleasing rather than disordered and chaotic.
Grace brings success. However, it is not the essential or fundamental thing, it is only an ornament and therefore must be used sparingly and only for little things. In the lower trigram of fire, a yielding line comes between two strong lines and makes them beautiful, but the strong lines are the essential content and the weak line is the beautifying form. In the upper trigram of the mountain, the strong line takes the lead, so here again the strong element must be regarded as the decisive factor.
In nature, we see in the sky the strong light of the sun which the life of the world depends on. But this strong, essential thing is changed and given pleasing variety by the moon and the stars. In human affairs, aesthetic form comes into being when traditions exist that, strong and abiding like mountains, are made pleasing by a lucid beauty. By contemplating the forms existing in the heavens we come to understand time and its changing demands. Through contemplation of the forms existing in human society it becomes possible to shape the world.
The fire, whose light illuminates the mountain and makes it pleasing, does not shine far. In the same way, beautiful form suffices to brighten and to throw light upon matters of lesser moment, but important questions cannot be decided in this way. They require greater earnestness.
Above: KÊN KEEPING STILL, MOUNTAIN
Below: LI THE CLINGING, FIRE
This hexagram shows a fire that breaks out of the secret depths of the earth and, blazing up, illuminates and beautifies the mountain and the heavenly heights. Grace and beauty of form is necessary in any union if it is to be well-ordered and pleasing rather than disordered and chaotic.
The Judgement
GRACE has success in small matters. It is favorable to undertake something.Grace brings success. However, it is not the essential or fundamental thing, it is only an ornament and therefore must be used sparingly and only for little things. In the lower trigram of fire, a yielding line comes between two strong lines and makes them beautiful, but the strong lines are the essential content and the weak line is the beautifying form. In the upper trigram of the mountain, the strong line takes the lead, so here again the strong element must be regarded as the decisive factor.
In nature, we see in the sky the strong light of the sun which the life of the world depends on. But this strong, essential thing is changed and given pleasing variety by the moon and the stars. In human affairs, aesthetic form comes into being when traditions exist that, strong and abiding like mountains, are made pleasing by a lucid beauty. By contemplating the forms existing in the heavens we come to understand time and its changing demands. Through contemplation of the forms existing in human society it becomes possible to shape the world.
The Image
Fire at the foot of the mountain: The image of GRACE. Thus, does the superior man proceed when clearing up current affairs, but he dare not decide controversial issues in this way.The fire, whose light illuminates the mountain and makes it pleasing, does not shine far. In the same way, beautiful form suffices to brighten and to throw light upon matters of lesser moment, but important questions cannot be decided in this way. They require greater earnestness.