Hexagram 25 Free of Self-Cherishing and Hostility

Free of self-cherishing and hostility.

What is true for a part is true for the whole.

To try to further correct oneself would be in mistake.

No benefit from moving in that direction.

Structure: 

·          Creative above 1. Action below 2.  Being active, firm and strong.  Vigorous advancement of strength. 

·          Action under the influence of the Creative. 

When we entangle ourselves with self-cherishing and hostility for others, we become ambitious or anxious, skipping over the present to the uncertain future.  We close ourselves off from the spirit within the unfolding moment.  Similarly, when we dwell on the past and feel anger or remorse, we lose the opportunities to serve the spirit now. Focusing on worldly concerns[1], we create our own suffering.

Sages move in harmony with the ways of the spirit, our true and natural way. Once the sage frees its being from self-cherishing and hostility for others, it firmly preserves this selfless state of being.  The sage does not value using its strength to get its way but remains open to the loving and gentle ways of the spirit. When the spirit rules within, the sage acts with instinctive sureness and without any ulterior thoughts of reward or personal advantage. 

The sage has a proper relationship with the spirit, innately embodied within all beings.  We devote ourselves to following and serving the spirit, which provides us guidance and loving support. By devotion to the spirit within us, we free ourselves from self-cherishing and willingly act in ways that benefit all without thoughts of personal advantage, bringing to life the ways of the spirit within the world[2].

Not all of our innate nature is spiritual.  Self-cherishing and fear and hostility for others emerge out of our predatory evolutionary history. Following the instinct to willingly harm others for self-benefit causes great harm. The sage aligns with its spiritual being and the sacred purpose to benefit all. Loss of this alignment occurs when self-cherishing and hostility for others stir. 

The sage, unshadowed by designs for self-benefit, easily discerns the difference between the two inclinations and chooses to accord with the spirit. Wherever we pursue taking advantage of the moment for self-benefit, alignment with the spirit is lost. 

 

Unbidden thoughts and feelings emerge into experience, yet the sage discerns whether they accord with the ways of the spirit or self-cherishing.  If harmful thoughts and feelings arise, the sage simply lets them pass without following them.  The sage chooses to abide within the love and joy of the spirit and to follow its direction. Any harm that the selfless sage experiences has an external origin and will pass on its own.

Sages focus their total attention on what is and know the sacred within the moment. Only by fully accepting the now and opening to the mystery within the moment, free of the entanglements of self-cherishing, can we know how to respond to arising experience in ways that benefit all.  

Nature develops the individual myriad beings and the natural communities in which they live. Any attempt to improve beyond what nature has developed brings error.  Those who have aligned their lives with the ways of the spirit do not go beyond overcoming their self-cherishing and ill-will for others as that would lead back to reactivating their predatory tendencies.  The wise know when enough is enough.  Beyond mastery, continuous self-improvement become a fault. 

When advancing their spiritual being reaches wholeness, sages then extend their blessing to the world.  Those aligned with the spirit can achieve whatever they intend.  No external thing can thwart them.  Sages consider the spiritual path the one matter of importance in their lives. 

 

Line 1:  The line has freed itself from the influence of self-cherishing, hostility for others, and the willingness to harm others for self-benefit. It focuses its life upon the great purpose of benefiting all.

Line 2:  The line diligently completes each step toward a greater purpose for its own sake and not in anticipation of the outcome. The sage adheres to the path in all it does to benefit all.

Line 3:  Making an error causes calamity for the state of no error. Even if the line gains from the error, those who experienced the injustice will suffer.

Line 4:  The sage remains true to the spirit and does not follow the ways of the world.  It firmly possesses the ways of the spirit. 

Line 5:  Unexpected external circumstances may bring harm to the sage, yet it has no need to correct itself as it is not to blame for the external harm. The sage would not be in harmony with the path if it tried to remedy the harm instead of letting nature simply take its course.

Line 6:  The line, free of self-cherishing and hostility for others, represents the culmination of no error.  Sages in such a state do not seek to further reduce their faults and increase their virtues as that would exceed reason and reactivate self-cherishing and hostility and loss. Those who know how to advance but not to withdraw, persistently applying their strength, will fail.  They do not know when enough is enough.

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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 from facing the harms they caused others, all life, and the Earth.      

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