47. Oppression

The two trigrams

above

☱

The Lake

兌 · duì

gathered water, as in a marsh or lake

below

☵

Water

坎 · kǎn

flowing water: rain, the clouds, springs, streams in defiles, the moon

The Judgement

The name of this hexagram depicts a tree enclosed within a fence: a plant with no room to spread its branches. It is the image of someone who feels straitened, oppressed, worn out: a period of tight money, of energy at rock bottom, of relationships that suffocate, of principles that find no way to be realised. If you recognise yourself in this weariness, the old text begins with a word of hope: even in oppression there may yet be progress and success. For those who remain firm and correct, for the truly great person, there will be good fortune, and they will fall into no error. Then comes the most concrete warning of the whole hexagram: if they make speeches, their words cannot be made good. In a time of oppression, that is, talking is useless: no one believes you, explanations sound like excuses, promises like illusions. Only deeds count. The practical advice: stop justifying yourself and making announcements, and focus the little energy you have on one or two concrete actions that speak for you. Hold your principles firm even if no one seems to appreciate them, take care of your body and your sleep, and remember that plants confined in a narrow space, as soon as they find an opening, start growing again with surprising strength.

The Image

The image is a lake above a ravine that has drained it dry: the water has gone down and flowed away, and none is left in the lake. It is the sign of exhaustion, of resources that have departed. The wise person, in accordance with this, is willing to sacrifice their life in order to carry out their purpose. Do not take it literally: the meaning is that, when everything seems drained, what keeps you standing is a purpose larger than comfort, and that for that purpose it is worth giving up a great deal. In practice, if you are going through a period of deprivation, ask yourself what you are doing it for, and keep that answer clearly in sight. The advice: write your purpose on a sheet of paper and reread it every morning.

First line

You sit without shelter on a tree stump, in the most uncomfortable and humiliating condition, and you enter a dark valley with no way out in sight for three years, that is for a long time. You are low down, isolated, and the one who should help you is unable to. The commentators say that this person, through their own dullness, makes their situation worse. If you feel like this, the first step is to stop making things even harder with blind choices. The advice: do not take big decisions now; look for a little light, a person, some concrete help, before you move.

Second line

You are straitened amidst your wine and viands: materially you lack nothing, but you feel suffocated, because you cannot achieve what you believe in. But soon the red knee-covers of the one who leads arrive: the right person comes looking for you and offers you a role. It is best for you to keep the sincerity of someone performing a rite; acting on your own initiative would lead to harm, but you will still be free from blame. If you are well outside and unwell inside, do not force the pace: cultivate your seriousness, and let the opportunity come to you.

Third line

You are straitened before a looming rock, you lay hold of thorns, you enter your home and do not find the one you expected: there will be harm. It is the line of someone who acts rashly in a hard time: they collide with what cannot be moved, lean on what wounds, and end up without the comfort of their loved ones. If you recognise yourself in this rush to crash into everything, stop. The advice: do not confront the obstacle head-on now, do not trust prickly supports, and go home to rebuild, not to make demands.

Fourth line

You proceed very slowly toward the one who needs you, the one below who is blocked by a carriage adorned with metal, that is by someone more powerful and wealthier standing in their way. There will be cause for regret because of your slowness, but the end will be good. You are strong, but in an awkward position, and your help arrives with hesitation; in the end, however, you and the person you want to rescue will come together. If you know you must help someone and you are stalling, speed up: better late than never, but better now than late.

Fifth line

You are wounded above and below, like one who has lost nose and feet: you are in a position of responsibility, but those above crush you and those below, your collaborators in scarlet aprons, obstruct you. And yet you move calmly and are at peace, because your position is central and your conduct correct. It is best for you to be as sincere as one performing a rite: from this sincerity blessing will come. If you are a boss or a parent who feels blocked on all sides, do not get agitated: keep calm, do things properly, and those watching will eventually recognise it.

Sixth line

You are straitened as if bound with creepers, or in a high and dangerous position, and you say to yourself: if I move, I shall regret it. It is the peak of the oppression, but also your opportunity: the extremity of difficulty moves you to think of repenting. The text says that if you truly repent of past errors, going forward will bring good fortune. If you feel immobilised by ties you partly created yourself, do not stay brooding. The advice: honestly acknowledge what you did wrong, apologise where needed, and then take the first step. The creepers loosen as soon as you move with this intention.

Source