To identify less with the outer world is modest whether it is active or passive; modesty is about finding an approach to reality where we ourselves exist less, consider ourselves less rather than consider ourselves to be less; this has to be done without purpose or we exist in our purpose. True modesty is to be found at the centre of our being where we are not separate, where the life force flows through without being held.

The natural flow of the life force starts innerly with change that we cannot distinguish consciously, then we have awareness of it as feeling before it manifests outwardly. In this line there is inner activity soon to be distinguished and this is part of the harmonious manifestation of the tao, nature’s manifestation, not identity’s.

This line has very varied translations of which this appears to be the root meaning. There is worry when we think we are responsible for something that we cannot influence.

Feeling is our first and least specific awareness of the life force; in this tao our intuitive feeling is in the emerging pattern of Tui, the lake that has not yet quite overflowed to water the land, and in one of the most evocative of the Chinese images this is seen from the inner point of view, the life force offering to share with us.

The natural flow of this tao is halted if the giving out is withheld, the tao requires that we do not interfere with the life flow, we simply take part. When we do not take part there is some purpose, a desire to make something better or worse, and for these purposes we push reality this way and that.

The “other” that we meet creates polarity and the world of pendulum swinging from one pole to the other. When we do not remain centred but project our self into attitudes, this image symbolizes the experience we have.

Here our interest in outer activity diminishes as our outward-looking phase comes to an end.

This tao is carried by the two yin lines 3 and 4, one of which now goes yang; it was a team of activity and acceptance. Now inner energies are nearing their most effective phase (the full moon) and the identity is drawn away from outer participation; it is a natural effect and so no error.

Intuitive feeling is quiet in this tao as we quietly trust the life force, not separately feeling it. In this moving line we are involved in allowing the life force to carry us without distinguishing what we feel about it and so we become less separate (because line 2 is yang).

In this moving line the inner being accepts the experience of the tao into itself. This tao, however, is the experience of the way the whole flows of itself, which cannot be owned by any part of it.

The misfortune is that we take the whole to ourselves (which can only be a point of view of it) instead of giving ourselves up to it. We cannot reach whole by declaring ourselves, only by forgetting ourselves.

When beset with polarity we are in stress, choosing yet unable to make a choice and changing our choice even before putting it into effect. Here in this line the life force becomes quiet and this gives choice a rest.

It is the life flow emerging more quietly and lessening the stress, it is not our doing and cannot possibly be an error, but when beset by choice we are always overconscious of error.

Greater activity of our intuitive feeling enables us to find direction in the life force.

Yellow is an active colour (almost in the middle of our visible spectrum), applied to an arrow which indicates a chosen direction—we have chosen an active direction; this direction is between extremes, being given as “one” which is the whole or middle way of unchoosing. This direction ends the vacillation of choice which deprived us of identifying, in the same way a fox deprives man of his nourishment (three foxes because continual change of choice was the problem).

To obtain freedom of flow identity needs to act out without identifying itself in the movement. Here in the line we seem to be confused about this and expect the life force to carry us out of stress without our taking part at all.

We want to be carried yet we do not want to let go; not allowing activity is still controlling it.

To become involved in outer activity is to make it our own; this gives entanglement, not deliverance. Only when we take ourselves out of the equation do we see that it balances.

The toes lead our steps and our steps are our personal way. The friend with trust is the life flow itself; willful activity causes the flow of circumstances to appear untrustworthy.

We are no longer trying to discern the life force and so in a tao of release we allow it to be what it will.

We cannot be released by following something, for we are attached to what we follow. It is necessary to be alone and open to be free; separating from attachment enables us to be free.

Here identity chooses not to choose, which is release as the stress was in the choice.

The hawk sits on a high wall choosing what he will catch. High up is symbolically the head and a wall is a boundary and barrier, so we have been choosing from our position of defining which confines the choice; here the prince (identity) takes a direction (shoots an arrow) which kills the chooser.