Wiki I Ching

Pushing Upward 46.1.2.3.4.6 21 Biting Through

Step forward with patience and determination; obstacles become stepping stones to clarity and resolution.

From
46
Pushing Upward
To
21
Biting Through

One returns a little more so that the others won't notice the break-up.
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Pushing Upward 46
Steady growth and progress through perseverance and effort.
Step-by-step advancement leads to success.


Line 1
Starting with a firm foundation and trust leads to success.


Line 2
Sincerity in small actions can lead to positive outcomes.


Line 3
Advancing into a situation that seems daunting but is actually unopposed.


Line 4
Receiving recognition and support from those in power leads to success.


Line 6
Even in difficult times, continuous effort and perseverance are beneficial.


Biting Through 21
Face conflicts head-on to clear blockages; decisive action breaks through obstacles.



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Original Readings

46
Pushing Upward


Other titles: The Symbol of Rising and Advancing, Ascending, Ascension, Rising, Promotion, Advancement, Sprouting from the Earth, Organic Growth

 

Judgment

Legge:Pushing Upward means successful progress. Have no anxiety about meeting with the great man. An advance to the south is fortunate.

Wilhelm/Baynes:Pushing Upward has supreme success. One must see the great man. Fear not. Departure toward the south brings good fortune.

Blofeld: Ascending. Supreme success! It is essential to see a great man, so as to banish anxiety. Progressing towards the south brings good fortune.

Liu: Ascending. Great Success. One should see a great man. Without fear. An expedition to the south leads to good fortune.

Ritsema/Karcher:Ascending, Spring Growing. Availing-of visualizing Great People. No cares. The South, chastising significant. [This hexagram describes your situation in terms of rising to a higher level. It emphasizes that setting a higher goal and working toward it step by step is the adequate way to handle it. To be in accord with the time, you are told to: ascend!]

Shaughnessy:Ascending: Prime receipt; beneficial to see the great man. Do not pity. For the southern campaign, auspicious.

Cleary(1): Rising is greatly developmental; it calls for seeing a great person, so there will be no grief. An expedition south brings good fortune.

Cleary (2):Rising is very successful, etc.

Wu:Ascension indicates great pervasion. It will be useful to see the great man. No anxiety. It will be auspicious to go south.

 

The Image

Legge: Wood growing in the earth -- the image of Pushing Upward. The superior man accumulates small increments of virtue until it becomes high and great.

Wilhelm/Baynes: Within the earth, wood grows: the image of Pushing Upward. Thus the superior man of devoted character heaps up small things in order to achieve something high and great.

Blofeld: This hexagram symbolizes tress growing upwards from the earth. The Superior Man most willingly accords with virtuous ways; starting from small things, he accumulates a great heap of merit.

Liu: The wood grows in the earth, symbolizing Ascending. The superior man devotes his virtue to building things up from the small to the high and great.

Ritsema/Karcher: Earth center giving-birth-to wood. Ascending. A chun tzu uses yielding to actualize-tao. A chun tzu uses amassing the small to use the high great.

[Actualize-tao: ...ability to follow the course traced by the ongoing process of the cosmos... Linked with acquire, TE: acquiring that which makes a being become what it is meant to be.]

Cleary (1): Trees grow on the earth, rising. Thus do superior people follow virtue, accumulating the small to lofty greatness.

Wu: Trees grow from earth; this is Ascension. Thus the Jun zi diligently cultivates his virtues little by little to become tall and large like trees growing.

 

COMMENTARY

Confucius/Legge: The magnetic line ascends as opportunity permits. We have Flexibility, Obedience and a dynamic line below with his magnetic correlate above: this means successful progress. See the great man -- his will is accomplished in the south.

Legge: The character for this hexagram means advancing in an upward direction, or ascending. The figure symbolizes the promotion of an able officer to the highest pinnacle of distinction. The action of the dynamic second line is tempered by being in the magnetic central position of the lower trigram. As the representative of Pushing Upward he is forceful, yet modest and the magnetic fifth line ruler welcomes his advance. The officer therefore has the qualities that fit him to ascend as well as a favorable opportunity to do so.

After he has met with the "great man" in line five, advance to the south will be fortunate. Chu Hsi says that this is equivalent to "advancing forwards.” Since the south is the region of brightness and warmth, the progress will be easy and agreeable.

The lower trigram symbolizes Wood, and its weak first line is the root of a tree buried in the earth of the upper trigram. The gradual growth of this root pushes the trunk upward as the circumstances of time permit.

 

NOTES AND PARAPHRASES

Judgment: Ascend in accordance with the will of the Self. Turn toward clarity.

The Superior Man grows a little every day.

The image of the 46th hexagram is of a plant growing in the earth, gradually pushing upward toward the sun. That "an advance to the south is fortunate" means that as all plants turn southward toward the sun, their source of nourishment, so should we turn toward the light and clarity of the "great man" or Self within us.

The upward advancement of the Work is an organic process. There is no such thing as "instant enlightenment." The many stories and parables of instant Satori which are common in the Zen Buddhist tradition are actually just dramatic accounts of the final few moments' resolution that come after a lifetime of slow and patient devotion. The Work progresses at the pace of a tree -- what started out as an acorn eventually becomes a forest giant, but it doesn't happen overnight.

Remember ever that Mind in its entirety is ever the Builder. For it is step by step, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, there a little, that the attaining is accomplished in the mental, the spiritual, the material applications of an entity in this material world.
Edgar Cayce – Book of Changes

This slow growth is an accumulation of countless "gathering togethers" as depicted in the preceding hexagram, of whichPushing Upward is the upside-down image. It is estimated that an adult human being grows from a single cell to about one-hundred billion cells through a process of fifty-billion mitotic divisions. It is interesting to observe that "one-hundred-billion" is the scientific estimate of the number of stars in any given galaxy. If we apply the Hermetic Axiom: "As above, so below" to this relationship of macrocosm to microcosm we get the image of our solar system as a single atom in the "body" of a galactic entity.

That should put the Work into perspective!

Understand that thou art a second little world and that the sun and the moon are within thee, and also the stars.
Origen --Homiliae in Leviticum


Line 1

Legge: The first line, magnetic, shows its subject advancing upwards with the welcome of those above her. There will be great good fortune.

Wilhelm/Baynes: Pushing upward that meets with confidence brings great good fortune.

Blofeld: Certainty of promotion -- great good fortune!

Liu: Confident ascending. Great good fortune. [Indications are that you will be able to achieve the goal of your undertaking.]

Ritsema/Karcher: Sincere Ascending, the great significant.

Shaughnessy: Really ascending; greatly auspicious.

Cleary (1): Truly rising is very auspicious.

Cleary (2): Truthful rising is very auspicious.

Wu: The ascension is promising and with great fortune.

 

COMMENTARY

Confucius/Legge: The subjects of the upper trigram are of the same mind with her. Wilhelm/Baynes: Those above agree in purpose. Blofeld: This is because the will of our superiors accords with our own. Ritsema/Karcher: Uniting purposes above indeed. Cleary (2): There is accord with a higher aim. Wu: The ascension agrees with the wishes of the above.

Legge: Line one is magnetic where it should be dynamic. She is humble and docile, and those above welcome her advance. As the first line of the trigram of Docility, she may be supposed to concentrate this attribute within herself.

 

NOTES AND PARAPHRASES

Siu: At the outset, the man is advancing upward toward those who welcome him.

Wing: Although your position within the situation of your inquiry is low in stature, you have a natural accord with your superiors. Advancement and promotion are possible through industrious work on your part. This will give those above you confidence in your abilities. Good fortune.

Editor: Psychologically interpreted, the image suggests that forces within the superconscious realms of the psyche are supporting the ego's action.

The objective psyche, on the one hand, functions independently and regardless of the ego's intentions; in fact the ego is gradually formed by the objective psyche as its focal point ... On the other hand, the objective psyche appears to insist on a continuous dynamic relationship between itself and its focal point in the ego. The conscious ego must make the effort to relate to the unconscious, its maternal source-ground, in order to maintain adequate, healthy functioning.
E.C. Whitmont -- The Symbolic Quest

A. Advance in accordance with the goals of the Work.

Line 2

Legge: The second line, dynamic, shows its subject with that sincerity which will make even the small offerings of the vernal sacrifice acceptable. There will be no error.

Wilhelm/Baynes: If one is sincere, it furthers one to bring even a small offering.

Blofeld: Full of faith, he performed the summer sacrifice. [This suggests that faith in spiritual matters or ancient traditions will serve us well.]

Liu: If you are sincere, a summer offering is beneficial. No blame. [This line indicates good luck.]

Ritsema/Karcher: Conforming, thereupon Harvesting availing-of dedicating. Without fault.

Shaughnessy: Returning then beneficial to use the spring sacrifice; there is no trouble.

Cleary (1): When sincere it is beneficial to perform the spring ceremony. No blame.

Cleary (2): If there is sincerity, it is beneficial to perform a ceremony… etc.

Wu: With sincerity, he will have the benefit of making offerings in the summer. No error.

 

COMMENTARY

Confucius/Legge: The sincerity of the subject of the second line affords occasion for joy. Wilhelm/Baynes: Sincerity brings blessing. Blofeld: The faith (or confidence) indicated by this line leads to great happiness. Ritsema/Karcher: Possessing rejoicing indeed. Cleary (2): The sincerity of the second yang is joyful. Wu: The sincerity of the second nine brings about joy.

Legge: Compare this with the second line of hexagram number 45. Line two is dynamic, and the magnetic fifth line is his proper correlate. This suggests a dynamic officer serving a magnetic ruler. He couldn't do so unless he was possessed by a sincere and devoted loyalty. In his loyal devotion to line five he will do much good and benefit many, hence we have the words: "affords occasion for joy."

 

NOTES AND PARAPHRASES

Siu: The man is an effective but brusque officer serving a weak leader. His upright sincerity and devoted loyalty meet with a favorable response.

Wing: You can achieve your aim even though you have only modest resources. Those in authority will be moved by your sincerity despite your lack of traditional criteria.

Editor: Whenever sacrifice is mentioned in the I Ching, it is wise to meditate on the deeper meaning of the concept to see how it applies to the matter under question. The situation depicted here shows a dynamic correlate (the "representative ofPushing Upward" mentioned in Legge's commentary on the hexagram), serving a magnetic ruler. To be dynamic in a magnetic place suggests one who may be predisposed to impatience. The sacrifice could be an attitude or belief influencing one to this. If this is the only changing line, the hexagram becomes number 15, Temperance, so the sacrifice could also involve pride.

On the psychological level, transformation and sacrifice imply a giving up of some aspect of "I am," "I have" or “I can," claims and habits, a renouncing of some cherished needs, convictions or illusions. It may call for a relativization of one's superior psychological function in favor or the less developed "inferior” function. A thinking type may have to renounce exclusive reliance upon the intellect in favor of feeling and emotion. A feeling type may have to learn to subordinate or at least coordinate emotional responses with thought and reason. An overly active, driving and controlling person may have to learn a degree of receptivity, yielding and surrender which, to her or him, may feel like passivity; a passive person may have to become more actively responsible for his or her own life or therapeutic management.
E.C. Whitmont -- The Alchemy of Healing

A. The ego's sacrifices (your pretensions to knowledge? Your impulse to take action?) are necessary for the furtherance of the Work.

B. A humble offering -- every little bit helps.

Line 3

Legge: The third line, dynamic, shows its subject ascending upwards as into an empty city.

Wilhelm/Baynes: One pushes upward into an empty city.

Blofeld: He was promoted to office in a larger city.

Liu: Ascending to a deserted city.

Ritsema/Karcher: Ascending: an empty capital.

Shaughnessy: Ascending the empty city.

Cleary (1): Rising in an empty domain.

Wu: He ascends to the vacant city.

 

COMMENTARY

Confucius/Legge: He advances upwards as into an empty city -- he has no doubts or hesitation. Wilhelm/Baynes: There is no reason to hesitate. Blofeld: We cause no doubts to arise in the minds of others. Ritsema/Karcher: Without a place do doubt indeed. Cleary (2): There is no hesitation. Wu: He has no doubt.

Legge: Line three describes the bold and fearless advance of its subject. According to the K'ang-hsi editors, there is a shade of condemnation here. He is too bold, "he has no doubt or hesitation," but is presuming rather on his strength.

 

NOTES AND PARAPHRASES

Siu: No impediments retard the man's bold advance.

Wing: You may now advance with complete ease -- perhaps too much ease. This sudden lack of constraint may cause you misgivings. A little caution is a good thing now if you do not allow it to halt your progress completely.

Editor: Whenever one receives an oracle without the value judgment of "good fortune" or "there will be evil," it is wise to be especially heedful. This line describes easy progress -- which may or may not be a good thing, depending on the situation. Sometimes it can refer to making an assumption -- without, however, a clue as to whether the assumption is accurate! The line can also alert one to something new or unknown: the fact that no value judgment is appended suggests that a test may be involved.

Many times when I was concentrating on my work and thinking about nothing else, I suddenly recognized a truth which had no relationship whatever with my work...At such moments I felt as if my head had just poked up through the ceiling of one room and emerged above the floor in an upper room. It was a wonderful feeling to look around with my inward eye in this newly discovered upper room, inspecting all the hidden treasure lying there.
Elisabeth Haich -- Initiation

A. A sudden upward rush.

B. An image of rapid and easy progress -- don't let it carry you away. Maintain discipline.

C. You are moving too fast.

Line 4

Legge: The fourth line, magnetic, shows its subject employed by the king to present his offerings on mount Ch'i. There will be good fortune; there will be no mistake.

Wilhelm/Baynes: The king offers him Mount Chi. Good fortune. No blame.

Blofeld: The King sacrificed on Mount Chi -- good fortune and no error! [This suggests that faith in spiritual matters or ancient traditions will serve us well.]

Liu: The king makes an offering on Mount Ch'i. Good fortune. No regret.

Ritsema/Karcher: Kinghood availing-of Growing tending-towards the twin-peaked mountain. Significant. Without fault.

Shaughnessy: The king herewith makes offering on Mount Qi; auspicious; there is no trouble.

Cleary (1): The king makes offerings on the mountain. This is auspicious and blameless.

Wu: If the king would make offerings to mount Qi, it would have been auspicious and free from blame.

 

COMMENTARY

Confucius/Legge: Such a service of spiritual beings is according to their mind. Wilhelm/Baynes: This is the way of the devoted. Blofeld: This indicates our willing compliance with duty, tradition, circumstances, etc. Ritsema/Karcher: Yielding affairs indeed. Cleary (2): Performs services accordingly. Wu: It would have been a matter of course.

Legge: This is the place of a great minister, in immediate contact with the ruler, who confides in him and raises him to the highest distinction as a feudal prince. The capital of Chou was at the foot of mount Ch'i. The king is the last Shang sovereign; the feudal prince is Wen. The K'ang-hsi editors say about the commentary: "Such an employment of men of worth to do service to spiritual beings is serving them according to their mind."

 

NOTES AND PARAPHRASES

Siu: The man's progress is aided and abetted by gods and men. The ruler confides in him, facilitates his efforts, and raises him in distinction.

Wing: Your progress is amplified. It is now possible for your ambitions to be fulfilled. Continue in your principles and hold to sound traditions.

Editor: This line doesn't lend itself to the usual gender symbolism. Symbolically, mountains represent a high level of awareness within the psyche. To be employed by the king to present offerings on a holy mountain suggests actions which are extremely valuable to the Work, even if you may not understand what is taking place. (Compare with line 17:6.) Wu’s conditional phrasing here is in accord with a somewhat specialist historical political interpretation which may not apply in most modern contexts.

Mountains are symbols of the abode of the gods. Consider Sinai, Olympus, Meru, Fujiyama. Again, they suggest climbing, aspiration, the possibility of attainment. We all have peaks to climb, and the incentive to action, the disposing element in our consciousness which leads to volition, has always in the background this idea of climbing above our present level. Thus the mountain represents what alchemists call the Great Work.
P.F. Case -- The Tarot

A. A major insight.

B. Ego and Self are in accord. Progress is in harmony with the goals of the Work.

Line 6

Legge: The sixth line, magnetic, shows its subject advancing upwards blindly. Advantage will be found in a ceaseless maintenance of firm correctness.

Wilhelm/Baynes: Pushing upward in darkness. It furthers one to be unremittingly persevering.

Blofeld: A night ascent -- advantage lies in unremitting persistence.

Liu: Ascending in ignorance, it is still beneficial to continue unceasingly.

Ritsema/Karcher: Dim ascending. Harvesting: tending-towards not pausing's Trial.

Shaughnessy: Dark ascent; beneficial for unceasing determination.

Cleary (1): Rising in the dark. Benefit lies in unceasing rectitude.

Cleary (2): Rising into the unknown, it is beneficial to be unceasingly correct.

Wu: This is a blind ascension. It will be good to be ever persevering.

 

COMMENTARY

Confucius/Legge: She blindly advances upwards, and is in the highest place -- but there is decay in store for her, and she will not preserve her riches. Wilhelm/ Baynes: At the top is decrease and not wealth. Blofeld: But the night ascent will lead to loss, not to wealth. [Taking the text and commentary of this line together, we may assume that righteous persistence will win some advantage for us as a result of rather blind progress, even though we are bound to suffer materially.]Ritsema/ Karcher: Dim Ascending located above. Dissolving, not affluence indeed. Cleary (2): Rising into the unknown on high dissolves poverty.Wu: A blind ascension at the top means a loss, not a gain.

Legge: What can the subject of the hexagram want more? She has gained all her riches, and still she is for going onwards. Her advance is blind and foolish, and only the most exact correctness will save her from the consequences. When one has reached the greatest height, she should think of retiring. Ambition otherwise may overleap itself.

 

NOTES AND PARAPHRASES

Siu: The man advances blindly. Only the most exacting correctness will save him from unfortunate consequences.

Wing: Advancement without constant re-evaluation and discrimination can easily become blind impulse. Such behavior will surely lead you into dangerous mistakes. Only the most careful and exacting conduct can save you from certain damage.

Editor: This line is a clear warning to be extremely careful in whatever endeavor prompted your question.Legge's translation of the Confucian commentary is quite literal here: "there is decay in store for her" refers to hexagram number eighteen: Decay (or Repair), which is the hexagram created if this is the only changing line. Cleary’s version of the Confucian commentary reads: “Rising into the unknown on high dissolves poverty.” This seems to be the exact opposite of all the other translations. (Wilhelm’s rendering is the most succinct:At the top is decrease and not wealth.”) Cleary’s rendition is based on Chi-hsu Ou-I’s Buddhist commentary, which states: “When one rises into the unknown, then one can stop; but if one is unceasingly correct, then one should rise yet further into the unknown. This is what is called spiritual rank. If they cultivate spiritual rank, people of low social status are not really poor and lowly – their poverty can disappear.” Since Chi-hsu Ou-i was not a translator, but reading and writing in his own language, one wonders how such a seemingly anomalous interpretation of Confucius could occur. Nevertheless, from the Buddhist perspective the concepts of poverty and wealth are reversed: “poverty” is wealth, “wealth” is poverty in terms of spiritual value at the top of the hexagram of Ascending.

I go the way that Providence dictates with the assurance of a sleepwalker.
Adolph Hitler

When you got nothin,’ you got nothin’ to lose.
Bob Dylan

A. Blind advance leads to loss.

B. Proceed with caution in an uncertain situation.

C. Don't jump to conclusions when you don't understand what is going on.

D. Keep your wits about you during an opportunity for transcendence.

21
Biting Through


Other titles: Biting Through, Gnawing, The Symbol of Mastication and Punishment by Pressing and Squeezing, Gnawing Bite, Severing, Chewing, Punishment, Reformation, Reform, Differentiation, Discrimination, Making a Distinction, Getting the message "Something which should be, or has to be bitten through. This is essentially the legal hexagram. When asking about a man's intentions, he is probably married." -- D.F. Hook

 

Judgment

Legge: Success is found in Discernment. The restrictions of the law bring advantage.

Wilhelm/Baynes:Biting Through has success. It is favorable to let justice be administered.

Blofeld: Gnawing. Success! The time is favorable for legal processes. [The concept of gnawing is suggested by the component trigrams, which are regarded (owing to the arrangement of their lines) as not commingling; they are as separate from each other as the upper and lower jaw when something tough is being gnawed.]

Liu: Chewing: Success. It benefits to administer justice. [Chewing indicates success through hard work. Those who get this hexagram will have trouble in the beginning.]

Ritsema/Karcher:Gnawing Bite, Growing. Harvesting: availing of litigating. [This hexagram describes your situation in terms of confronting a tenacious obstacle. It emphasizes that biting through and picking things clean until the essential is revealed is the adequate way to handle it. To be in accord with the time, you are told to: gnaw and bite through!]

Shaughnessy: Biting and chewing: Receipt; beneficial to use a court case.

Cleary (1):Biting through is developmental. It is beneficial to administer justice.

Cleary (2): Biting through is successful. It is beneficial to apply justice.

Wu: Discernment is pervasive. It will be advantageous to exact punishments.

 

The Image

Legge: The images of thunder and lightning form Discernment. Thus the ancient kings promulgated their laws and framed their penalties with intelligence.

Wilhelm/Baynes: Thunder and lightning: The image of Biting Through. Thus the kings of former times made firm the laws through clearly defined penalties.

Blofeld: This hexagram symbolizes lightning accompanied by thunder. The ancient rulers, after making their legal code perfectly clear to all, enforced the laws vigorously. [The firm and yielding lines more or less alternate; or the lower trigram can be regarded as filled with the power of thunderous force, while the upper trigram, representing beauty, is soft and yielding. (Li, the upper trigram, stands for lightning as well as for fire, beauty, etc.) I do not know what the ancient Chinese views on thunder and lightning were; it appears from this that they were regarded as two forces which, like steel and flint, emitted brilliance when brought into sharp contact with each other. A pair of trigrams both with yielding centers is not felt to be a good arrangement; that it nevertheless favors the process of the law may have been suggested to the writer of the Text by the fact that the weak lines (morally weak people?) are fully contained by the strong (prison walls, warders and so forth?)]

Liu: Thunder and lightning symbolize Chewing. The ancient kings made the laws and clarified the penalties.

Ritsema/Karcher: Thunder, lightning. Gnawing Bite. The Earlier Kings used brightening flogging to enforce the laws.

Cleary (1): Thunder and lightning, biting through. Thus did the kings of yore clarify penalties and proclaim laws. [Those who administer laws should emulate the ancient kings in first clarifying them before executing them, in order to avoid mistakenly injuring life.]

Wu: Thunder and lightning form Discernment. Thus the ancient kings made just punishments and upheld the law of the land.

 

COMMENTARY

Confucius/Legge: The existence of something between the jaws gives rise to the name Discernment-- union by means of biting through the intervening article. The dynamic and magnetic lines are equally divided in the figure. Movement is denoted by the lower trigram, and Clarity by the upper -- thunder and lightning uniting in them, and having brilliant manifestation. The magnetic fifth line is in the center, and acts in her high position. Although she is not in her proper place, this is advantageous for the use of legal constraints.

Legge: Discernment means literally "union by gnawing." The figure consists of undivided lines in the top, bottom and fourth places -- giving the image of open jaws with something in them "being gnawed." When the object has been bitten through, the upper and lower jaws come together in union -- hence: " Union by gnawing." Remove the obstacles to union and high and low will meet together in understanding. The force exerted by gnawing suggests the idea of legal constraints.

The equal division of the dynamic and magnetic lines is seen by taking them in pairs, though the order of the first pair is different from the other two. The magnetic fifth line is the ruler of the hexagram, indicating that judgment is tempered by leniency.

Ch'eng-tzu says that thunder and lightning are always found together, and hence their trigrams go together to give the idea of union intended in Discernment: one trigram symbolizing majesty and the other intelligence.

Cleary (1): Practice of the Tao is like administering justice: Discerning true and false, right and wrong, is like the judge deciding good and bad; getting rid of falsehood and keeping truth, so as to preserve essence and life, is like the [just] administration rewarding the good and punishing the bad, so as to alleviate the burden of injustice.

 

NOTES AND PARAPHRASES

Judgment: Further the Work through careful Discernment between what is true and false, right and wrong, correct and incorrect.

The Image portrays the connection between cause and effect, where consequences are always based on the inexorable laws of nature.

To bite is to comprehend, and to bite through is to make distinctions. The top and bottom lines of the hexagram represent the upper and lower jaws, and both bear images of restriction and punishment. Each of the lines between them portrays some version of biting through flesh. Hence, the jaws define the general problem, and the teeth differentiate the details.

The symbol of losing teeth has the primitive meaning of losing one's grip because under primitive circumstances and in the animal kingdom, the teeth and mouth are the gripping organ. If one loses teeth, one loses the grip on something. Now this can mean a loss of self-control, etc. The English word grip is contained in the German word begriff (conception or notion). The Latin word conceptio means the same, i.e., catching hold of something, having a grip on something.
Jung -- Letters

In I Ching symbolism, the "ancient kings” are always synonymous with spiritual authority. Analogous to gods or cosmic forces, their "laws" are like the laws of karma or of nature -- inexorable in their outcome. Therefore, the punishment theme in the hexagram warns us that a lack of Discernment in the matter at hand has built-in penalties: i.e., "Get the message or suffer the consequences.”

Behold, sin and punishment are one, and the fire of punishment is the fire that refines my works. Even in the sinner I am the actor, and I, too, am the sufferer in the experience of punishment.
P.F. Case -- The Book of Tokens

To receive this hexagram without changing lines indicates a need to make some important distinctions in the matter at hand. “Figure it out” might make a good alternate title at such times. Cleary’s Taoist note on the image (“Those who administer laws should emulate the ancient kings in first clarifying them before executing them, in order to avoid mistakenly injuring life”) is a clear admonition to get all of your facts straight before proceeding with your inquiry. That you don’t know or understand something is implied.

 

SUGGESTIONS FOR MEDITATION

The twenty-first hexagram turned upside down becomes the twenty-second. The message for the superior man in the Image of each concerns the enforcement of law. What is the relationship between Discernmentand Persona in such a context? The component trigrams of these two figures also make up hexagrams number fifty-five, Expansion of Awareness and number fifty-six, Transition.The messages for the superior man in each of these figures also relate to litigation. Why? What do the four hexagrams suggest about the nature of the Work?