Future of USA under President Donald Trump (2020)

Future of USA under President Donald Trump (2020)

 

 

HEXAGRAM 61 – Chung Fu – Inner Truth

Above    SUN    THE GENTLE, WIND

Below    TUI    THE JOYOUS, LAKE

The wind

• blows over the lake and
  
• stirs the surface of the water.
  

Thus visible effects of the invisible manifest themselves.

The hexagram consists of

• firm lines above and below,
  

while

• it is open in the center.
  

This indicates

• a heart free of prejudices,
  

and therefore

• open to truth.
  

On the other hand,

each of the two trigrams has a firm line in the middle;

this indicates

• the force of inner truth in the influences they represent.
  

The attributes of the two trigrams are:

• above, gentleness, forbearance toward inferiors;
  
• below, Joyousness in obeying superiors.
  

Such conditions

• create the basis of a mutual confidence
  

that

• makes achievements possible.
  

The character fu (“truth”) is actually the picture of

a bird’s foot over a fledgling.

It suggests the idea of brooding.

An egg is hollow.

The light-giving power must work to quicken it from outside,

but

there must be a germ of life within,

if life is to be awakened.

Far-reaching speculations can be linked with these ideas.

 

THE JUDGMENT

INNER TRUTH. Pigs and fishes.

Good fortune.

It furthers one to cross the great Water.

Perseverance furthers.

Pigs and fishes are

• the least intelligent of all animals
  
• and therefore
  
• the most difficult to influence.
  

The force of inner truth must grow great indeed

before its influence can extend to such creatures.

In dealing with persons

• as intractable and
  
• as difficult to influence
  
• as a pig or a fish,
  

the whole secret of success depends

• on finding the right way of approach.
  

One must first

• rid oneself of all prejudice and, so to speak,
  
• let the psyche of the other person act on one without restraint.
  

Then

one will

• establish contact with him,
  
• understand and gain power over him.
  

When

a door has thus been opened,

the force of one’s personality will influence him.

If in this way

• one finds no obstacles insurmountable,
  
• one
  
  • can undertake even the most dangerous things,
    

    such as crossing the great water, and
    

  • succeed.
    

But

it is important to understand

upon what the force of inner truth depends.

This force is not identical with

• simple intimacy or
  
• a secret bond.
  

Close ties may exist also among thieves;

it is true that such a bond acts as a force

• but, since it is not invincible,
  
• it does not bring good fortune.
  

All association on the basis of common interests

holds only up to a certain point.

Where the community of interest ceases,

• the holding together ceases also, and
  
• the closest friendship often changes into hate.
  

Only when

• the bond is based on what is right, on steadfastness,
  
• will it remain so firm that it triumphs over everything.
  

 

THE IMAGE

Wind over lake: the image of INNER TRUTH.

Thus

the superior man

discusses criminal cases

In order to delay executions.

Wind stirs water by penetrating it.

Thus

the superior man,

when

obliged to judge the mistakes of men,

• tries to penetrate their minds with understanding,
  
• in order to gain a sympathetic appreciation of the circumstances.
  

In ancient China,

the entire administration of justice was guided by this principle.

A deep understanding that knows how to pardon

was considered the highest form of justice.

This system was not without success,

for its aim was to make so strong a moral impression

that there was no reason to fear abuse of such mildness.

For it sprang not

• from weakness
  

but

• from a superior clarity.
  

 

THE LINES

Nine in the second place means:

A crane calling in the shade.

Its young answer it.

• I have a good goblet.
  
• I will share it with you.
  

This refers to

the involuntary influence of a man’s inner being

upon persons of kindred spirit.

The crane need not show itself on a high hill.

It may be quite hidden when it sounds its call;

yet its young

• will bear its note,
  
• will recognize it and give answer.
  

Where

• there is a joyous mood,
  
• there a comrade will appear to share a glass of wine.
  

This is the echo awakened in men through

spiritual attraction.

• Whenever a feeling is voiced with truth and frankness,
  
• whenever a deed is the clear expression of sentiment,
  

a mysterious and far-reaching influence is exerted.

• At first it acts on those who are inwardly receptive.
  

But

• the circle grows larger and larger.
  

The root of all influence lies in one’s own inner being:

• given true and vigorous expression in
  
  • word and
    
  • deed,
    
• its effect is great.
  

The effect is but

• the reflection of something that emanates from one’s own heart.
  

Any deliberate intention of an effect

would only destroy the possibility of producing it.

Confucius says about this line:

The superior man abides in his room.

• If his words are well spoken,
  
  • he meets with assent at a distance of more than a thousand miles.
    
  • How much more then from nearby!
    
• If the superior man abides in his room and his words are not well spoken,
  
  • he meets with contradiction at a distance of more than a thousand miles.
    
  • How much more then from nearby!
    
• Words
  
  • go forth from one’s own person and
    
  • exert their influence on men.
    
• Deeds
  
  • are born close at hand and
    
  • become visible far away.
    
• Words and deeds are the hinge and bowspring of the superior man.
  
• As hinge and bowspring move,
  
• they bring
  
  • honor or
    
  • disgrace.
    
• Through words and deeds the superior man moves
  
  • heaven and
    
  • earth.
    
• Must one not, then, be cautious?
  

 

Six in the fourth place means:

The moon nearly at the full.

The team horse goes astray.

No blame.

To intensify the power of inner truth,

• a man must always turn to his superior, from whom
  
• he can receive enlightenment
  

  as the moon receives light from the sun.
  

However,

• this requires certain humility,
  
• like that of the moon when it is not yet quite full.
  

At the moment when

• the moon becomes full and stands directly opposite the sun,
  
• it begins to wane.
  

Just as on the one hand

• we must be humble and reverent
  
• when face to face with the source of enlightenment,
  

so likewise

• must we on the other renounce factionalism among men.
  

Only by

• pursuing one’s course like a horse
  

  that goes straight ahead without looking sidewise at its mate,
  

• can one retain the inner freedom that helps one onward.
  

 

Nine in the fifth place means:

He possesses truth, which links together.

No blame.

This describes the ruler who

holds all elements together

by the power of his personality.

Only when

• the strength of his character is so ample that
  

  he can influence all who are subject to him,
  

• is he as he needs to be.
  

• The power of suggestion must emanate from the ruler.
  
• It will
  
  • firmly knit together and
    
  • unite all his adherents.
    

Without this central force,

all external unity

• is only deception and
  
• breaks down at the decisive moment.
  

 

 

MOVING HEXAGRAM

 

 

HEXAGRAM 21 – Shih Ho – Biting Through

Above    LI    THE CLINGING, FIRE

Below    CHEN    THE AROIUSING, THUNDER

This hexagram represents an open mouth (cf. hexagram 27)

with an obstruction (in the fourth place) between the teeth.

As a result the lips cannot meet.

To bring them together one must bite energetically through the obstacle.

Since the hexagram is made up of the trigrams for thunder and for lightning,

it indicates how obstacles are forcibly removed in nature.

• Energetic biting through overcomes the obstacle that prevents joining of the lips;
  
• the storm with its thunder and lightning overcomes the disturbing tension in nature.
  
• Recourse to law and penalties overcomes the disturbances of harmonious social life
  

  caused by
  

  • criminals and
    
  • slanderers.
    

The theme of this hexagram is a criminal lawsuit,

in contradistinction to that of Sung, CONFLICT (6), which refers to civil suits.

 

THE JUDGMENT

BITING THROUGH has success.

It is favorable to let justice be administered.

When an obstacle to union arises,

energetic biting through brings success.

This is true in all situations.

Whenever unity cannot be established,

the obstruction is due to a talebearer and traitor who is interfering and blocking the way.

To prevent permanent injury,

vigorous measures must be taken at once.

Deliberate obstruction of this sort does not vanish of its own accord.

Judgment and punishment are required to deter or obviate it.

However,

it is important to proceed in the right way.

The hexagram combines

• Li, clarity, and
  
• Chen, excitement.
  

• Li is yielding,
  
• Chen is hard.
  

Unqualified hardness and excitement

would be too violent in meting out punishment;

unqualified clarity and gentleness

would be too weak.

The two together create the just measure.

It is of moment that

• the man who makes the decisions (represented by the fifth line) is gentle by nature,
  

while

• he commands respect by his conduct in his position.
  

 

THE IMAGE

Thunder and lightning: The image Of BITING THROUGH.

Thus

the kings of former times

made firm the laws

Through clearly defined penalties.

Penalties are the individual applications of the law.

The laws specify the penalties.

• Clarity prevails when mild and severe penalties are clearly differentiated,
  
• according to the nature of the crimes.
  
  • This is symbolized by the clarity of lightning.
    
• The law is strengthened by a just application of penalties.
  
  • This is symbolized by the terror of thunder.
    

This clarity and severity have the effect of instilling respect;

it is not that the penalties are ends in themselves.

• The obstructions in the social life of man increase when there is
  
  • lack of clarity in the penal codes and
    
  • slackness in executing them.
    
• The only way to strengthen the law is
  
  • to make it clear and
    
  • to make penalties certain and swift.
    

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