679986 · 32.1.3.4.6Hexagram 32

Continuing. Branching out.

Line image

While the energy manifesting from the inner and our own inner being are both active (lines 1 and 6), our direct feeling of the life force and our outer world approach is quiet (lines 2, 3, and 4 are yang). In line 5 we accept this inactivity by which we do not translate the life force into action.

This is a pattern of inner activity, attentiveness to quiet feeling, and an absence of outer activity. Because identity is always looking for outer activity to keep itself identified, the inner activity of the life force is not overtly felt; here we are watching for a feeling to develop, all our attention is on this and we are not interested in the world of outer activity.

Trigram image

Emerging energy is mature and unchanging (Sun) and does not make outer action (Ch’ien); identity has hope of activity (Tui) and our inner being is changing forcefully (Chên).

From this flow we can see that we are watching the life force and looking ahead for activity in the future; this persistence and expectation gives the hexagram its common name of “duration”.

The Chinese Oracle

Long duration.
Success.
No error.
Continuance brings advantage.
Movement is favourable.

Comments

Movement is favourable because this tao is the continuation of movement in the life force to bring it to manifestation. We are working towards something new even if it is not at present clearly defined, and we need to keep going and not despair at what may seem tardy progress.

Manifestations

The pattern
A new cycle comes from the old.
It does not wither but continues,
producing new growth.
For humans
More than one life in life.
Maturity does not stagnate,
middle age no signal of decline.
Youth continues into the old.
In nature
From mature wood
new strong shoots continue to appear.
In forms we make
By continual renewal
living form has duration.
By exceptional renewal, rejuvenation.

Changing Lines

Line 1 goes yang

life force shows less change

When inner energy does not flow we turn to something new in our environment for comfort, stimulation, food for identity.

The Chinese Image
He concentrates on his desire for continuation.
Misfortune.

His desire for continuation is for this identity-feeling to continue, it requires activity, demands experience, or it fears for its validity and existence. This makes it difficult for us to follow the tao when it is inactive.

Line 2 goes yin

intuitive feeling more active

Feeling is the link between our inner and outer selves (one self in larger terms, but we feel it as two). Persisting in feeling the tao is, here, to have faith that the life force is providing the nourishment we need; this is the continuance in following the tao of which the oracle speaks.

The Chinese Image
All regret disappears.

Following the tao is choiceless and when we make no choices we cannot regret them.

Line 3 goes yin

outer world changes more

Here we cannot endure the inactivity of identity so we act out. Although this gives relief of the pressure to act, the outcome has no inner meaning and so is unsatisfactory.

The Chinese Image
He who is not faithful to continuance meets with disgrace.

Even when there is no one judging us, dis-grace is a fact for we have lost our grace, we are clumsy here, not graceful.

Line 4 goes yin

accepting the outer state more

Outer activity is potential in this tao, not manifest, but now we are concentrating on this outer place for our sense of activity; we are looking in the wrong place.

The Chinese Image
No game in the field.

We are searching outside for what is inside, but what we seek will come from the inner, from nowhere it will seem, it does not exist out there.

Line 5 goes yang

less awareness of intuition

Here we are not awaiting the emergence of the life force so feeling is released from being interpreted; the distinguisher or definer, on the other hand, is less able to operate.

The Chinese Image
Continuance brings good fortune to the woman and evil to the man.

We do not simply remain open to everything, we take attention away from feeling, this narrows conscious identity in its ability to define our circumstance but allows intuitive feeling to be itself.

Line 6 goes yang

our inner being accepts less

If we are not accepting the active emerging life force as the source of our next activity there is a tendency to prolong our present outer situation, especially in this tao of long duration.

The Chinese Image
Forced continuance has no merit.

To insist that activity must always flow tries to replace the natural cyclic reality with an imposed linear one; we distort the cycle to get something we desire. We miss the essence of continuing inner acceptance if we do this.

Secondary HexagramHexagram 41

Failure of expectation.

Line image

There is activity outside (line 3) and acceptance of this (line 4); the emerging life force is quiet (line 1) and so is our feeling for this (line 2); so energy is flowing outside and not being replaced from within. In line 5 identity accepts the quietness of feeling, so the tao is about emptying ourselves of activity, not seeking the new.

Trigram image

We become one with the flow of activity outwards, shown by trigrams Chên and K’un, while our inner being (Kên) is observing and not creating new impulses out of this. It is as though we were breathing out without thought for our next breath to come, it will come but for now we need to be in the emptying out so that the new breath comes entirely of itself. It is important not to be goal-seeking here for this retains the old as a plan for the future, when we do this the tao becomes a failure of expectations.

The Chinese Oracle

Decrease with genuine involvement.
Greatest good fortune and no error.
A direction is of advantage.
Two small bowls for the sacrifice.

Comments

Really genuine involvement in emptying out is necessary to make the decrease complete so that it will fill of its own accord, and this self-filling of the life force is the great good fortune. Having a direction we do not need to seek for one, so we need to complete directions we have already started upon. When we sacrifice with two small bowls, one in each hand, we no longer choose, we sacrifice both, and only then is it possible to be empty.

Manifestations

The pattern
Starts with great promise,
grows with vigour,
has no offspring.
Makes way for the new.
For humans
No outcome.
After growth, no activity
of fertility.
No coming together of diversity.
Where has he gone?
Into the stillness.
How did he reach it?
Giving up both.
In nature
The crop fails.
Look what is growing.
In forms we make
Not to expect the unexpected
is the natural failure of those who plan.

Changing Lines

Line 1 goes yin

life force shows more change

As this tao is about finishing off activity, now the emerging life force becomes active again we are talking about the beginnings of a new activity.

The Chinese Image
Going quickly when the work is finished is without error,
but consider the effects of this.

The work is done, the outgoing breath is finished so there is a new breath coming. In practical life there are many breaths taking place together and out of phase so that they interact. Our breathing out in one respect is the breathing in of somebody or something else and if we leave suddenly this is a shock to the shared experience.

Line 2 goes yin

intuitive feeling more active

To feel for finishing off activity is following the tao, but if we feel for making a new course of action it would be out of place.

The Chinese Image
Continuance in the way brings good fortune but to attempt to advance brings misfortune.
Not decrease but increase.

Translators do not agree on the last line, making different sense of this basic idea that they have in common. Our intuitive feeling is normally looking for how to act in our circumstances, so a simple warning that we may be facing the wrong direction seems in keeping.

Line 3 goes yang

outer world changes less

The single aim of completing activity will make the way clear for a new flow.

The Chinese Image
Three going in company will lose one.
One alone finds company.

Three symbolizes transition, change. Change is what the journey is about and during it we may become polarized in choice and so become two and lose our wholeness, one. So if we are trying to be empty, and so whole and symbolically one, as well as choosing, which is symbolically two, we are three and we lose our wholeness, one. If, on the other hand, we are alone in our wholeness and do not choose we have the company of all things.

Line 4 goes yang

accepting the outer state less

The outer state shown by line 3 is active, so here we are accepting this activity less, identifying in it less.

The Chinese Image
Reducing the number of his mistakes,
others come to him in happiness.
no error.

When we are not always choosing our aims, our future, all the other futures we would not choose are available to us; these others arising spontaneously are happiness.

Line 5 goes yang

less awareness of intuition

Here we are no longer watching the feelings we have of the life force, we are trusting it and allowing it to be what it will.

The Chinese Image
There is one who gives him very many tortoise shells and who would not be refused.
Greatest good fortune.

Tortoise shells were used in China for oracle reading. When we are unconcerned whether we are feeling correctly, we feel naturally and flow in the tao; this is the same as having the oracle in abundance.

Line 6 goes yin

our inner being accepts more

Accepting the life force is genuine decrease of separate self; we do not choose and it is choice that separates the one who chooses.

The Chinese Image
Increase that does not diminish others.
No error.
Continuance in the way brings good fortune.
Having a direction is beneficial.
He has followers but no home.

When we choose we increase what we choose and diminish others, but this increase in acceptance does not do this. If we have a direction we have no need to choose one so it is easier for us. Our home is where we identify and here we do not identify and so have no home, but if we are just part of the life force this is where people identify and we will appear to have followers.

Nuclear HexagramHexagram 43

A peak of accumulation.

Line image

The life force emerges and manifests without activity (lines 1, 2, and 3) and although we accept this stillness in our inner being (line 6) we are not accepting inactivity in our feelings nor in our outer world (lines 5 and 4). So there is a certain amount of stress here towards action, as though we wish to break out of a confined situation; we are watching the emerging life force for signs of movement. The common name of the hexagram is “resolution” or “breakthrough”.

Trigram image

All the trigrams are Ch’ien except the top one and nothing is manifestly active except that the inner is preparing activity (Tui). This flow is beautiful if we are at peace with it, but has dangers and is stressful if we are not; there is energy building up and our outer identity has no role in this, so the danger is from aspects of our identity trying to force the issue in order to gain expression.

The Chinese Oracle

Resolution in proclaiming the truth
at the king’s court. Danger.
Announce it to your own city.
Do not carry arms.
To have direction is favourable.

Comments

The king’s court is peopled by aspects of our identity because we, as identified beings, are ruled by the identifying process, our king. It is necessary that they all know what the situation is so that they do not “carry arms” or try to force their way. If we have direction then we are not looking for one and then the danger does not arise.

Manifestations

The pattern
The power of the creative
withholds action,
building up such a store
it brims over.
For humans
The time of accumulation
reaches its peak.
The time for movement approaches.
Do not squander it
there is power enough.
In nature
The lake has risen,
it must flow out
and water the land.
In forms we make
When the rich and powerful
do not notice
the poor and weak,
catastrophe threatens.

Changing Lines

Line 1 goes yin

life force shows more change

The first sign of inner movement is not the time to make outer action. We should not be too eager or we shall not have the support of the life force and whatever we do will be superficial and unsatisfactory.

The Chinese Image
To set out with a show of strength and then fail is a mistake.

Line 2 goes yin

intuitive feeling more active

Activity is identity’s chosen role; here we feel the inactivity of the life force and fear for our ability to act.

The Chinese Image
Warning cries at night.
Armed, no fear.

In the darkness (activity is the “light” of consciousness) there are calls for light, for activity to avert extinction of our ability to identify, but we are armed with the light of the tao—the movement will come when it comes, we need not fear to miss but we will stay alert, that is how we are armed.

Line 3 goes yin

outer world changes more

Here we are not peaceful enough to withstand the anticipation of the tao and we create outer activity which will divert the life flow.

The Chinese Image
Powerful cheekbones.
Misfortune.
The superior man is resolute
and walks alone splashed with mud.
They speak against him
but he is blameless.

The cheekbones enable us to read determination in another’s face; here there is this power of self-will which is misfortunate in this context because no amount of it can be effective and it produces stress with no flow for its relief. The wide-seeing superior man is just going about his business, not trying to push things, and this is correct in our present circumstances.

Line 4 goes yin

accepting the outer state more

Here we are involving our identity in outer inactivity, which is to say we are worried about it and consider it a problem to be solved; this is an impatience for activity and is not supported by the life force.

The Chinese Image
His thighs are without skin
and walking is difficult.
If he would be led like a sheep
all would be well, but what
is said is not heard.

The muscles of the thigh carry us forward, and here there is no support from the life force if we go forward. If we were following the life force we would not have this problem.

Line 5 goes yin

more awareness of intuition

Our intuitive state is inactive (line 2) so here we become aware of this lack of feeling. This has dangers in this tao because unless we can persevere with quiet feeling, our interest will arouse desire for active feeling; if we create activity with desire we will miss the next movement of circumstances.

The Chinese Image
Ground-clinging plants.
The middle way is free of blame.

The middle way is neither identified outside nor inside, it is non-identified, clinging to the real or wholeness or earth. Staying with what exists, not searching, is the advice contained here.

Line 6 goes yang

our inner being accepts less

This whole tao is a watching for potential to be manifest and this sixth line is the watcher of the emerging life force; if we cease to be alert it will catch us by surprise and we will be out of step with it.

The Chinese Image
No warning.
Misfortune.