I Ching 12 Hexagram pǐ (Obstruction) | The Book of Change
I Ching 12 Hexagram pǐ (Obstruction) | The Book of Change
Keywords
Powerless. Hostile.
Short Interpretation of Hexagram 12 – Stagnation
Period this in love with very little dialogue. For professional activities, proceed with caution and reflect. Take a rest.
I Ching – General Description
The sign is the exact opposite of the other. The sky, above, withdraws more and more upwards, the earth, below, falls more and more downwards. Creative forces are out of relationship. It is the time of stagnation and decay. The sign is coordinated with the seventh month (August-September), when the vintage has passed its peak and the autumn wilt is preparing.
I Ching – Comment on sentence
The stagnation. Bad people are not propitious to the perseverance of the noble. The big one goes, the little one comes.
Heaven and earth no longer communicate with each other, and all things freeze. Superiors and inferiors are out of relationship and disorder and disorder reign on earth. Inside is the dark, and the clear is outside. Inside there is weakness, outside hardness; the ignoble are inside, and the nobles outside. The ignoble kind is on the rise, the noble kind on the decline. But the nobles do not allow themselves to be shaken in their principles. When they see that they no longer have the opportunity to act, they still remain faithful to their principles and withdraw into secrecy.
I Ching – Image
Heaven and earth do not unite:
The image of stagnation Thus the noble withdraws to his inner value To escape difficulties.
He does not allow himself to be honored with prerogatives.
When mutual distrust reigns in public life as a result of the influence exercised by the ignoble, any fruitful work becomes impossible, because the foundation is wrong. Therefore the noble knows what to do in such circumstances. He does not allow himself to be seduced by brilliant offers to take part in public works, which would only be dangerous for him, since he is unable to participate in the baseness of others. Therefore it hides its merits and withdraws into secrecy.
I Ching – Series
Things cannot be in lasting union; for this it follows the sign: the Stagnation.
I Ching – Single Lines
Analytical description of each individual line
I Ching – First line:
Six at the beginning means: The
turf comes off when the grass is pulled up. Each according to its gender. Perseverance brings health and success.
The text is almost the same as that of the first line of the last sign, only in the opposite direction. There one pulls the others behind him towards the career of the official, here one pulls the other with him in the retreat from the public office. Therefore, here it is not said ″ business brings health ″, but ″ perseverance brings health and success ″. Only by knowing how to retire in time, when there is no longer any possibility of acting, can one save oneself from shame and succeed in a higher sense, as long as one knows how to preserve one’s personality in its value.
I Ching – Second line:
Six in the second place means: To
carry and tolerate them, this means for the ignoble health. To the great man, stagnation serves to succeed.
The ignoble are ready to flatter by crawling their superiors. They would tolerate even the noble if he wanted to help them resolve the turmoil. This would bring them health. But the great man calmly endures the consequences of stagnation. He does not mix with the hosts of the ignoble. His place is not there. By this he procures, by suffering personally, success to his principles.
I Ching – Third line:
Six in the third place means:
They bring modesty.
The ignoble climbed by illegal routes do not feel equal to the responsibility they have assumed. They begin – even earlier without showing it outwardly – to be ashamed in silence. This is the beginning of change for the better.
I Ching – Fourth line:
Nine in the fourth place means:
Whoever works by order of the supreme remains without blemish. His peers enjoy prosperity.
The time of stagnation is approaching its reversal. Whoever wants to put things right must be called to do so and possess the necessary authority. Whoever wanted to set himself up as an unscrambler according to his own will, could cause errors and failure. But to whoever is called to do so, circumstances meet, and all his peers share in his prosperity.
I Ching – Fifth line:
Nine in the fifth place means:
Stagnation subsides. Greetings to the great man! ″ If he fails, if he fails! ″. For this he ties it to a bundle of mulberry branches.
Times change. The suitable man has come who is able to establish order. Therefore: health! But it is precisely in such times of transition that one must have fear and trembling. Only by being extremely worried, constantly thinking ″ if it doesn’t succeed! ″, Does success consolidated. When mulberry branches are cut, a cluster of particularly solid shoots emerge from the roots. Therefore the consolidation of success is symbolized by the image of tying to mulberry branches. Confucius in this regard says: ″ Danger arises where one feels safe in his place. Ruin threatens where one tries to keep his possession. Scompiglio is born where one has everything in order. For this reason the noble, when he is sure, does not forget the danger, he does not ruin it when he is steadfast and, when he has order, he does not disturb him. Thus he personally arrives at security and is able to protect the empire ″.
I Ching – Sixth line:
Nine above means:
The stagnation ceases. First stagnation, then health!
Stagnation does not last forever. It is true that it does not stop by itself, but that there is a need for a man capable of putting an end to it. This is the difference between peace and stagnation. Peace needs sustained effort to be maintained. Left to itself it would turn into stagnation and decline. The time of decline does not transform itself into peace and flowering, but an effort is needed to eliminate it. In this lies the creative position of man, necessary for the world to return to order.
