Hexagram 47 - Keeping a Glad Mind

Hexagram 47  Keeping a Glad Mind

Oppressive situation.

Blessings.

Proving the sage.

                            Be trustworthy.

                           Words untrustworthy.

Structure: 

·          Lake 8 over water 3.  The lake dries when its water drains downward.

·          The top weak line holds down two strong lines.  In the lower trigram, two weak lines hem in a strong line.  This represents oppression.

·          Joyful (upper trigram) in the face of danger (lower trigram.)

Image:  A tree grows in a deep ravine within a restricted space.

The forces of worldly concerns[1] shape values, beliefs, and morals. Worldly success depends upon a person’s willingness to harm others for their self-benefit and then ignore the suffering they cause.  Those on the spiritual path fulfill their lives by bringing to life the ways of the spirit within the world[2] to benefit all.  They are in the world but not of it.

Inner path

Self-cherishing and hostility for others confine and bind us to worldly concerns because we have insufficient capacity to free ourselves from them so that we can live in ways that benefit all. Many practice in easy circumstances, but their resolve wavers when in difficulties.  The petty and selfish easily ignore the path when things do not go their way, and they complain about how things are and blame others.  Some stumble further into the ignorance of darkness when they use force against what they want to overcome.  The weak fall into despair and doubt the path. 

Sages gradually undo their faults and root themselves in the spiritual path. They find release from adverse situations by cultivating within their hearts and minds what benefits all through patience and by turning to the sacred. When challenged by danger, they deepen their spiritual path to discern the way forward.  The wise alone can endure an adverse fate without losing their creative powers to benefit all. 

Outer path

Everywhere the wise are oppressed and held in check by the ruthless. The time restricts their outside influence as their words have no effect.  Such times of adversity can lead to success for sages, however, as their inner stability allows them to withstand the difficult situation and act in small ways that benefit all.

The undeveloped and the sage differ in how they relate to their situation and how they find joy.  If adversity only bends us, this strength and adaptability gives rise to a power to react in ways that benefit all when the changing times again create opportunities to do so.

Glad mind

The effectiveness of our practice is measured by having a glad mind from following the spiritual path.  Throughout the whole process of transformation, the sage always has an inner joy that supports both staying present to the moment and bringing the ways of the spirit to life in the world. 

Whatever comes up, sages remain cheerful and calm, the sign of a good practitioner. They respond with good humor and persevere, knowing that the outcome of challenges is not in doubt for they have prepared themselves thoroughly to choose ways that benefit all.  Even when oppressive situations encroach on their spirit, sages use joy to resolve their exhaustion, producing joy within the midst of danger from following the path. When we seem to have no options, the wise rely upon their faith in the path to get through the dark night of the soul. 

If the situation does not exhaust the will’s adherence to the ways of the spirit, the path continues.  Pleased with their lives and joyful in living in ways that benefit all, the wise fulfill their purpose.  True joy always emerges from benefiting others and following the ways of the spirit. Times of adversity can lead to success if we keep a glad mind despite all danger and a trust in the path which is stronger than any external condition.

 

Line 1: Despair overcomes the weak, who fall ever more deeply into despair and gloom.  This only makes the situation more hopeless.  Such a dangerous attitude comes from a self-delusion that we must struggle inwardly to overcome. When the weak resign themselves to despair by making a great adversity out of a little one, they do not get out of danger for a long time.

Line 2: When an oppressive situation prevents the wise from acting the in world, they hold to the spirit and further develop their spiritual path. The situation does not exhaust them, and they never forget the great purpose.  The line overcomes a disagreeable situation by developing patience by abiding with the spirit. In this way we develop the capacity to move through hardships and find ways to benefit all.

Throughout history, good and wise people have found themselves limited by obscure and remote positions, but by clarifying their virtues others come to recognize their way of life.  At last, they can use what they have accumulated to manifest the spirit sincerely and truthfully within the world in ways that benefit all.

Line 3:  The line, restless and indecisive in time of adversity, pushes ahead but then encounters an obstruction of the line’s own doing, which oppresses only when recklessly managed.  Those who exhaust themselves struggling against their own conditioned projections cause an even more dangerous situation for themselves.   Then the line retreats but no longer can find a place to rest.  The ignorant line acts rashly and forgets the teachings and practices, striving for externals and losing the spiritual path.  The line accomplishes nothing.

Line 4:  The wealthy and privileged line wants to meet the needs of others, but instead of proceeding with speed and energy to address injustices, the line begins in a measured and hesitant way.  Then obstructions arise when the powerful and wealthy draw this line back into their circle.  The line has to do as they say and cannot withdraw from them.  Yet this trouble is transitory as the line reaches for wise guidance.

Line 5:  In times of oppression, those responsible for others remain mindful of the people’s suffering and seek out the assistance of the wise.  In this instance, both the leadership and the wise are strong and would not naturally attract each other. The wise and strong intentionally seek each other out and cooperate based on duty and justice.  They share the same path, and their virtues combine.  By cooperating, they alleviate injustice within the world.  Their sincerity for the common good makes possible this partnership, which leads to blessings.

Line 6:  When oppressive power over others reaches an extreme, it changes.  This line finds itself at the extreme of oppression, the most dangerous place.  It fears that its resistance will bring even more oppression, which robs its resolve to act.  Once we end our yielding to oppression and end our complicity, we discern the path to effectively act within the world to overcome the oppression for the benefit all.

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[1]Worldly concerns are the amoral ways in which the selfish willingly harm others for self-benefit and then ignore the suffering they cause.  Selfish individuals seek power and domination over others and willingly use violence to do so.  The selfish accumulate wealth through the unlimited exploitation and ultimate destruction of people, other life forms, and the Earth.  The selfish seek the attention of others.  The selfish consume as much as they can and seek constant distractions to avoid facing the harms they cause others, all life, and the Earth.       

[2] World does not refer to nature but to how people live within nature.  The world –  civilization, culture, economics, history, society, beliefs, worldly influences – is embedded as a subsystem within the natural system.