Line image
We feel and accept the quietness of the life force (lines 2 and 6) and of our outer world (line 4). Feeling will be dominant as there is no other activity for us to identify, lines 1 and 3 being yang. So this is about feeling a lack or failure of identification and as this distinguishing we do is the “light” of our intelligence the common name of the hexagram is “darkening of the light”.
Trigram image
With a hesitant emerging energy (Li) which falls to a low in the outside world (K’an) there is not much to please our identifying function (identity), but this dearth of material causes changes in us, perhaps even traumatic ones (Chên) which create a free flow of activity in our inner being (K’un).
The inner and outer views of this tao are very different, it is developing a great movement in our inner being which will be nourishing, but the outer identified experience is a frustration of activity. If we identify ourselves with what we can do, therefore, this will be a hard tao, but if we can go with this inner movement it is very beautiful and approaches a major transition.
The Chinese Oracle
Darkening of the light.Continuance in the way despite difficulty.Advantageous realizations.
Comments
The light of identity comes from something to identify, which at present is not available. As in hexagram 29 we must not give ourselves up for lost just because we have lost our freedom; there we lost it in identification with polarity, here we lose it because we are no longer supported by that polarity which was our guiding light for distinguishing the real. Our motivation fails here, our sense of the real, and by continuing, not seeking a new motivation but in “the way” which is being within our present circumstances, we find a beauty we had not expected; it was obscured by the brightness of our personal light. The opportunity here is to find that we can see in the darkness—reality is real even if we do not shine our light upon it (defining it in our own terms).
Manifestations
Outward movement of the life forceis opposed but not quenched.Its work in the opposition itselfis creating lifeto the benefit of the world.
He cannot achieve his purpose,turns his frustrationto lasting benefit for others.
Earth-fire under water does not shine.The seas boil, new islands appear.
Efforts are absorbedby fluidity of form.Continuing the effortenables unexpected forms to appear.
Changing Lines
Line 1 goes yin
life force shows more changeThe inner activity shown here draws our motivation inwards and the outer energy is depleted.
He flies with drooping wings.The superior man, in his cycle,goes without food for three days.The people speak of it.
Motivated parts of our identity, the people, do not like the situation, but the wide view is that one must go with the cycle and experience all its aspects.
Line 2 goes yang
intuitive feeling less activeHere we feel the life force less and have some confusion, so we ride life, we ride on the acceptance in this tao which enables us to act without owning the action.
Injured in the left thigh.Strength in the horse gives relief.Success.
The left side of the body is controlled by the right side of the brain where immediate, whole action dominates; the thigh gives power to the knee joint as we run and leap. These together with injury show that our ability to move instinctively in our circumstances is impaired. We are helped by allowing ourselves to be carried.
Line 3 goes yin
outer world changes moreIn this tao the light, the identification, becomes inner so the Chinese image speaks of the increasing outer activity of this line as a rebel.
The light is darkenedduring a hunt to the south.The rebel leader is captured.Excess should be avoided.
The hunt is for identification and the south stands for the high noon of activity, so we have this rebel identification in the outer place; what leads this is the desire to be in control of circumstances and the tao does not support this. If, however, we take outer activity itself as the evil this is excessive.
Line 4 goes yang
accepting the outer state lessOur outer world is inactive. We withhold our identification even from this inactivity and experience something that is most inner.
He enters the left side of the belly;reaches mind in darkness.Leaves the gate and courtyard.
Entering the centre of the instinctive there is no sense at all (no light of reason). Reason in the mind is the contained reality that we leave here; it is not that we become unreasonable but we enter a reality undefined, unfenced, outside the gate and courtyard.
Line 5 goes yang
less awareness of intuitionHere we become less involved because the feeling is too painful. This tao has a transitory nature because outer expression cannot be held for a long time without stress developing from the essential need to manifest, and if this is blocked we must feel less or break through the blockage. This moving line indicates that we cannot easily experience the silence any longer but we have this way of withstanding it by withdrawing attention.
Darkening of the lightlike that of prince Chi.Persistence although wounded.
Prince Chi lived at a time of outer despotism and he hid his convictions in order to preserve them. Here we do likewise. When wounded we are unable to give battle.
Line 6 goes yang
our inner being accepts lessThis tao of inner experience is supported largely by this line 6 accepting the quietness of the emerging life force in line 1. Here this acceptance goes and inner reality is inaccessible to us, the beauty is not seen and the tao takes on its aspect of a blockage to progress.
No light, only darkness.First he rose to heaventhen fell into the earth.
When our inner being fails to accept the implications of wholeness, which include the sacrifice of identifying, we go back to the identified state to start a new cycle of growth, like a seed falling from a flower into the earth. We still need that experience.