Carl Jung wrote the introduction to the Richard Wilhelm edition of the I Ching in 1949. It was where he first addressed the concept of synchronicity. The hexagram, the basis of the I Ching, is – according to Jung – “the exponent of the moment in which it was cast…an indicator of the essential situation prevailing in the moment of origin. This assumption involves a curious principle that I have termed synchronicity.”
The premise is simple: you toss 6 coins 6 times, and depending on how they fall, you either end up with a single hexagram or, if you have changing lines, with two hexagrams. The second one is how the situation evolves. But while the process is simple, penetrating ancient Chinese thought is not.
I’ve been using the I Ching since I was 18 (way too many years ago). You would think that when I toss the coins and a particular hexagram comes up, I would take it as the answer. But recently, I tossed hexagram 33, about a possible business deal. Hexagram 33 is Retreat. In other words, I should have backpedaled quickly. I didn’t. I decided I didn’t like that hexagram, that it couldn’t possibly be true, so I tossed it again. Big mistake. All the reason I should have retreated ended with the disruption of a friendship. So tonight while we were watching the news, I decided to ask the I Ching about the situation in the gulf, on day 79. My question: Is the gusher going to turn the gulf into a dead zone?
My first hexagram was, well, #33, Retreat. A certain sychro there, for sure. I had three changing lines – the 2nd place, 3rd place, 4th place. The evolving hexagram was #59, Dispersion. So let’s look at the changing lines. In the interest of space, I won’t quote everything. The changing line in the 2nd place, summed up, says: “While the superior men retreat and the inferior press after them,the interior man represented here holds on so firmly and tightly to the superior men that the latter cannot shake him off.” If BP is the inferior man, and perhaps the people of the gulf are the superior men, this doesn’t sound good.
3rd line: This one seems to be addressing why the government continues to allow BP to be in charge of this mess: “When it is time to retreat it is both unpleasant and dangerous to be held back. In such a case, the only expedient is to take into one’s service, so to speak, those who refuse to let one go. But even with this expedient the situation is far from satisfactory – for what can one hope to accomplish with such servants?”.
4th line: I’m not sure what this line is addressing: “Voluntary retreat brings good fortune to the superior man and downfall to the inferior man.”
This brings us to the second hexagram, which addresses how the situation evolves: #59, Dispersion. Since dispersants are being used in the gulf, this one feels like it’s on target. “Through hardness and selfishness the heart grows rigid, and this rigidity leads to separation from all others. Therefore the hearts of men must be seized by a devout emotion.”
Perhaps this hexagram addresses the power of a collective emotion – rage, outrage, horror – to break the hold of the inferior man. When I initially turned to Hexagram 59, the first words I read were: “Wind blowing over water disperses it…” And I immediately thought of a hurricane. So, is it going to take a hurricane dispersing oil and toxic chemicals across the gulf states and the eastern seaboard to break BP’s hold on this situation?
The two hexagrams don’t seem to answer my question about whether the gulf will become a dead zone, but they do appear to address the situation. Any I Ching masters out there who can illuminate this issue for the rest of us?
A tiny PS to this story. As I went to schedule it on the dashboard, I noticed I had started it at 9:11.
Adelle – love your interp! Thank you so much for posting.
Gypsy – quantum?! 🙂
Hi Rob and Trish,
Well, of course, I HAVE to respond to a post about I Ching.
As Jung reminds us, an encounter with the I Ching is always a subjective one. My response to your answer, Hexagram 33, Retreat changing to 59, Dispersion, is "as if" I asked the question. I would take this answer to mean that the oil spill will eventually retreat and then disperse. I don't take "Dispersion" as a negative. Wilhelm says, "Dispersion shows the way that leads to gathering together." We are trying to gather the oil and disperse it.
It would take too much space to analyze this subject in depth but I thought this quote,"A further means to the same end is co-operation in great general undertakings that set a high goal for the will of the people; in the common concentration on this goal, all barriers dissolve, just as when a boat is crossing a great stream all hands must unite in a joint task."
This oil spill has become something that requires all hands united.
The 3 lines that change in "Retreat" seem to me to be part of what has already happened and describes the situation very well.
The 2nd line in Wilhelm words, "While the superior men retreat and the inferior press after them the inferior man represented here holds on so firmly and tightly to the superior men that the latter cannot shake him off."
I can project into this that what has been retreating are the people from the beaches and the wildlife there and the oil (the inferior) has not been able to be "shaken off."
The third line talks about being "nerve-wracking and dangerous." Surely this has been a very nerve wracking situation.
In Wilhelm's interpretation, as in others, the view is from the perspective of a person asking the question that usually involves the ego. But in this case, I think of the oil as taking the place of the person questioning. When consulting the I Ching, one has to take any interpretation as a symbol that points towards a meaning, and not the exact literal words. All interpretations are subjective and based on the questioners own view. The original I Ching evolved over thousands of years in a pictorial language.The language itself is symbolic, unlike Western language which is linear with a more narrow meaning in our way of using the alphabet, versus the Chinese language in image form.
For this particular issue I think Steven Karcher's view in line 4 of Retreat is appropriate: "The sacrifice is accomplished. Goodness and love come through Retiring. Think about what you care for. It will open the Way. Keep greedy people who are eager to serve you at a distance now. Proceed step by step. Gather energy for a decisive new move."
Another thought. Wilhelm mentions that the nuclear or "hidden" hexagram within any Hexagram is also important. The "hidden" hexagram in #33, is #44, "Coming to Meet." Interesting.
The first and last line of any hexagram is considered outside the action of the situatiion. Since the nuclear hexagram is made up of lines 2,3 4 and 5 and it was lines 2,3 and 4 that changed, we get an response here of the action that is actually taking place.
While I feel that my response here is brief, considering the subject, also realize it may be too long.
very intriguing, trish and just reading your take on things – for some reason i had a literal visceral response – really interesting your two different slants on it – and perhaps i've missed something the last couple of weeks, but why is is that it can now be capped successfully [it is thought] and not initially?
great post, you two!!!
– MU –
wv=quattem – quantum?
Sam Reifler – don't have this one, Mike. Thanks for mentioning.
I rarely use the I Ching nowadays but when I did I used the Wilhelm version. I couldn't find this yesterday, after reading your post, so used one by a Sam Reifler – which he describes as 'a new interpretation', but it's about 30 year old now.
I love the i-ching… i love numbers – i love the synchro
keep it up keep it up… well done
They would like to stop the flow by the 27th, the day BP reports to its shareholders. But most estimates say mid-August is more realistic.
We'll see.
At 4:37:34 EDT, there was an "Extreme risk" invasion on my computer. My security system took care of it. Details: Less then ten users of that particular system that invaded mine. is this weird or what! I had just finished an emial to T and R and clicked onto the Synchro site when my security flagged me. Lots going on, guys! cj in MU
Rob, do you truly believe the latest news bulletin that the gusher will be capped by Monday? Just curious. I saw that headline a moment ago on my news page, and taking everything into consideration, am not certain something else is not going to interfere. Hope you're right and I'm wrong! cj in MU wv: valifurn
My take on this a little different from Trish's. To me, it seems clear that retreat relates to the oil itself retreating. It's about to be plugged when they finish the relief well and pour mud and concrete into the well.
Dispersion relates to the clean-up efforts that will continue. The Gulf will survive…a close call.
Rob
WV: sopro
"Retreat" as a definition could indicate the need to re-locate or move back and away from danger?
WV: crunsin (cruising?)
I'm emailing you the name and email address of a very close friend in a northwestern state who is one of the very few GoldenShieldQiGong Masters in the world. It has taken him years to achieve this. He is not Chinese but is a Doctor of Chinese medicine, (again, years and years of schooling), and he will have an answer for you. You'll need to send him, via email, this post, as his computer internet service is down (weather?) and he'll be receiving your message via his phone.
I just received my Power Tarot and hopefully the cards are not far behind. I'll keep this question in mind.
Each day brings an incredibly sad feeling for the Gulf. To know that there are 27,000 abandoned oil and gas wells out there, just makes me ill. There has been an unconsciousness about oil and gas for far too long. Now we are paying the price. The ultimate price.
Which edition do you have, Mike? I like that line three interpretation!
I have a different I Ching version. In #33 line3 it mentions a third party: "Your falling back from a hostile force has been halted by an unlooked for interference of a third force. You are frustrated and in danger. If you can somehow establish a community of interest with the newcomer he may, instead of hindering you, faciliate your withdrawal."
Maybe divine intervention makes more sense! The I Ching is often confusing for me, but sometimes the hexagram are breathtakingly literal.
I tip my hat to you! I bought a copy of IChing and am still confounded after many attempts to make sense of it. I shall wait for divine intervention.