The I Ching Series: A Contemplation of Ancient Chinese Text
Each week I have been sharing one of the 64 hexagrams’ Decision as well as Confucius’ Commentary on the Decision and Symbol. I then meditate on the hexagram for a week, review the Significance of the hexagram, and write my own reflection on each hexagram. I invite you to join me in contemplating this ancient Confuscian and Taoist philosophy.
You can read previous Introductions and Contemplations here.
This past week I contemplated Hexagram 3:
Zhun ● Beginning:
Decision
The beginning of a tiny sprout.
Sublimely prosperous and smooth.
Favorable to be steadfast and upright.
Do not act lightly.
There is somewhere to go.
Favorable to establish feudal lords.
Commentary on the Decision
Beginning.
The firm and the yielding united at the very beginning:
Difficulties come into being.
Movement in the midst of danger,
Great prosperity and smoothness comes through steadfastness and uprightness.
The action of thunder and rain
Filled things up everywhere.
At the beginning of creation,
There was irregularity and disorder.
It was favorable to establish feudal lords,
But unstable conditions still might arise.
Commentary on the Symbol
Clouds and thunder fill up.
In correspondence with this,
The superior person plans and set things in order.
.
Contemplation
Everything has a beginning. Sometimes those beginnings are smooth and sometimes they are difficult. The commentary of this hexagram suggests that when the firm and yielding come together, what is difficult comes to light. The path through these difficulties is to remain upright and steadfast. To me, this means continuing to move forward while upholding your values and commitment through difficult times.
Each time I reflect on the I Ching, I am amazed at how the hexagrams reflect my personal and professional challenges and successes. I have been working on several projects recently – some have stagnated, some have been met with challenges, and others are starting to see success and come to a close.
Throughout all of these projects, I have remained upright and steadfast . . . and in some cases, I have had to revisit my values and what is really important. This reflection inevitably prompts either a course correction or development of a new plan to put things in order.
Zhun ● Beginning suggests the establishment of feudal lords because of irregularity and disorder. Feudal lords were leaders who granted land ownership and protection in exchange for loyalty, military service, or other obligations. Feudalism is an outdated and archaic system, so how can we apply this concept to modern times?
When we strip away the patriarchal implications of feudalism, there is a concept of exchange. A leader provides something of value (land, protection) in exchange for their team’s loyalty, service, and other obligations. A modern view of this concept could be that of employer and employee. The key here is understanding and upholding each other’s duties, obligations, and the social contract of exchange. Only when the social contract is upheld can plans be made and things set in order.
There are two lessons for me in Zhun ● Beginning. One is the importance of remaining upright, steadfast, and true to one’s values, and the other is the importance of maintaining social contracts. It is only when these factors exist that we are able to adequately plan and create order.
Where are some places in your life that you have had to remain upright and steadfast? What values do you hold dear that enhance your ability to remain upright and steadfast? What social contracts are you aware of in your personal and professional lives? Have you ever reflected on these social contracts and their value? Where in your life have you noticed a breakdown in the social contracts?
About the Author
As a practitioner and healer in Washington, DC for more than a decade, I take a patient-centered approach to care through acupuncture, cupping, herbal medicines, and mind-body coaching, with a specialty in full-spectrum reproductive health care.
