Hexagram 18 Overcoming Indifference to Suffering (Gu)

Ignoring the suffering we cause others and the Earth degenerates social and natural conditions.  This situation has roots in the abuse of human freedom:  people choose to willingly harm others and the Earth for self-benefit.   These harms can only be undone by humans freely choosing to benefit all.  In this challenging time, unless we stop harming others and the Earth, then we as a species, along with the rest of life of Earth, will struggle to survive.      

The I Ching speaks to those who belong to the group that have willingly harmed others for self-benefit but who come to regret the suffering they cause.  These people seek another way to live with others on the Earth that benefits all.   Those already on the path may have reached the point in which forsaking some deeply cherished attachments to worldly concerns[1] challenges them, and they have reluctance and doubt blocking the deepening of their spiritual path. 

People have the power and capacity to choose between self-benefit and benefiting all.  This choice has great consequences.  We return to the Way by through our intentions to master our selfishness and ill will, turning toward the spirit for guidance.  When we understand the fundamentals of the Way of humanity[2], the path develops our willingness to get rid of what harms and return to the highest good by benefiting all.

This work of spiritual transformation comes about through correcting degeneration in the midst of the experience of great selfishness and ill-will.  When people have allowed the worldly concerns[3] to proliferate within their lives and in the world over a long time, we come to consider these crimes against others and nature as normal.  We see no clear way to undo the harm.  Yet whenever we are strained by great danger, we must look for the enormous workings of change beneath the surface and act.  Growing awareness of our dire situation moves people to action and nourishing virtue creates fresh strength and resolution to do great things – including crossing into the new era.

Success depends on proper deliberation.  When we do not fathom the cause and instead rely on speculation, our efforts will not get to the root of the danger and likely make it even more dangerous.  We need to take the time to fully understand the root of suffering and then more time to discern the path to resolutely and effectively remove it.  This steady application of attention frees us of our own selfishness and ill will that blocks our responsibilities to others and the Earth.

When they understand the root cause, the wise can then work on removing it.  Such an effort accords with the possibilities of the time.  Once we act to remove the source of suffering without abandoning gentleness and trust in the transformative power of the good, healing and regeneration begin.  We can neither imagine nor predict the shape of the new era, but its emergence depends upon us creating the conditions in which it can emerge and thrive. 

We cannot recoil from this work that will lead us through great danger and difficulty.  The task is now to bring awareness and action to the place that suffering begins: selfishness and domination.  Decisiveness and energy take the place of the inertia and indifference that have led to the decay so that uprooting the cause leads to a new beginning.   We need to courageously go beyond the normality of worldly concerns and do what is best to for all and the Earth.  

It is only by the shouldering of responsibility and acting despite our conditioned fears that we become the courageous leaders we have sought.  There is no other way. 

Love must prevail and extend over both the beginning and the end.

Line 1:  The rigid adherence to cultural conditioning leads to decay.  However, as the harmful conditions have not yet penetrated deeply, the line easily remedies them.  However, the situation cannot be ignored.  The line knows the dangers connected with social change; thus, its efforts turn out well.

The line is the one who remedies the decay.  If the line has the necessary care and diligence, it will handle the situation well. The line, in charge of important affairs, remains cautious and wary of its own attachment to worldly concerns.  Only by releasing our attachment to the worldly concerns and their conditioning can we open to the beneficial influences of the spirit

Line 2:  Injustices allowed by weakness and complicity have brought about decaying conditions.  In setting things right, the situation requires the line to exercise gentle consideration.  In order not to wound, the line does not proceed too drastically.  It restrains its anger and self-righteousness and approaches the situation as if correcting the mistakes of a beloved mother, gently helping her make beneficial decisions.    

The strong and talented line does the work of those who have the duty to do so.  It helps those responsible to fulfill their responsibilities in ways that benefit all.  If those responsible do not go along with the line’s advice and bring about failure, the fault lies with the advisor who did not guide well.

An aggressive and brusque approach with those responsible for harmful conditions will cause them to resist.  The line finds ways to agreeably guide the reform of injustices. 

An underlying fear keeps us from seeing the truth.  The wise gently but persistent locate and release the fear.

Line 3:  The line works on what the past actions have spoiled.  In this situation, it expresses anger for their degeneracy and exerts excessive energy to right their mistakes.  The line may have a slight cause for regret, but it remains free of blame as its good intentions compensate for the imbalance.  The line regrets its blaming behavior as it did not have the capacity to reform those responsible in a loving way.  The line regrets correcting degeneracy too adamantly.

To proceed too vigorously in righting our mistakes or injustices within the world invites discord but no serious harm results.  In this time, too much effort is better than not enough

Line 4:  The line’s weakness prevents it from taking measures against decay, which has its roots in the past and has just begun to manifest itself.  The line will regret allowing the decay to take hold.  We gain nothing by allowing things to drift.

People who adhere to conventional selfish norms do not have the courage to go beyond what the culture accepts as normal and correct themselves and others.

The wise remain firm and immediately correct degeneracy when it occurs.  They remain vigilant and do not let corruption grow.  However, this weak line cannot correct degeneracy. It knows only how to yield without firmness.  It ignores degeneracy when it occurs.  It knows the abuse but does nothing about it.  It reaps nothing but regret.

Tolerating what is wrong leads to ruin.  Decay must be met with clarity and firmness.

Line 5:  This line confronts the corruption originating from neglect in former times, but it lacks the power to ward it off alone.  Even with partners, the line cannot create a new beginning, but at least it can bring about a thorough reform, which has great value.

Epoch-making work needs people of strength and understanding.  When weak leadership delegates responsibilities to strong and wise people, the Way of humanity will manifest.

The flexible and receptive line gives credit to others and uses the strength and clarity of others to break through its own ignorance and correct selfishness and ill will within the world. 

Some may feel obligated to conform to the existing unjust society or even support it.  The duty of the sage is to always uphold proper principles and to resist injustice.

Line 6:  The highly developed distance themselves from the turmoil of the world life in order to create incomparable human values for the future.  They do not enter public life to reform it.  However, they do not remain idle and merely criticize.  They work not for one era but for all life and for all time.

When sages cannot engage with the time without violating the Way and cannot contribute positively to society, they turn inward and do not conform with the world.  Such a withdrawal is justified only when they strive to realize in themselves the higher aims of humanity. 

The strong line, at the highest point of the mountain, does not condemn or serve the world but sets its goals higher. 

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[1] Worldly concerns are the 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 believe themselves superior to others and express their self-cherishing through patriarchy, discrimination, and subjugation, willing to use violence to protect their rung within the hierarchy and support the powerful.  The selfish consume as much as they can and seek constant distractions for the pleasures they derive from their addictions, enriching the exploiters.  

[2] The Way of humanity:  The path of love that creatively responds to the experiences of life in ways that benefit all.  Sages shape the energies of Creation through the virtues of love, morality, justice, and wisdom.  The sage finds happiness by obeying the command of heaven to reduce inner faults and manifest the sacred within the world.  Suffering ends when we have the lived experience that our being and the other are the same and arise from the sacred mystery.

[3] Worldly concerns are the 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 believe themselves superior to others and express their self-cherishing through patriarchy, discrimination, and subjugation, willing to use violence to protect their rung within the hierarchy and support the powerful.  The selfish consume as much as they can and seek constant distractions for the pleasures they derive from their addictions, enriching the exploiters.