29 / 18 The Abysmal, Water.
Containing, Control
(63->29->64->30)

"HSI K'AN -

HSI : Practise, rehearse, train, coach; again and again; familiar with, skilled; repeat a lesson, drive, impulse. The ideogram portrays wings and a cap. It suggests thoughts carried forward by repeated movements...

K'AN : dangerous place; hole, cavity, hollow; pit, snare, trap, grave, precipice; critical time, test; risky. The ideogram: earth and pit" ERANOS p344

Image :

"[with containment comes overcoming(control)].
Flowing water arrives at the top. Repeated Pit.
And teaches affairs through repetition.[Rote-Copying-it's safer]"

In a context of containment we utilise control.

Commentary

In hexagram 29 we recognize that there is always the need to guide and protect; if not done properly we end up not complete. But what is security to some is danger to others and thus the concept of rote-learning is dangerous in that it is just filling the individual as a social requirement. The complement of this hexagram, 30, is also dangerous in that it can lead to the uncovering of 'facts' that may be socially unacceptable. Contextually we start with the concept of a soft center and a hard exterior (61) - the latter acting as a form of mask (04). From this emerges the concept of containment (e.g. 'social knowledge') as a form of control, and thus a continual awareness of the presence of danger.

(Note that since none of the other hexagrams made-up of the same trigram in upper and lower positions have the word "HSI" in their names, it is assumed that it is of special significance in this hexagram. The more traditional systems seem to ignore this point. When looking at the contextual hexagrams, we find that the hexagram immediatly prior to 29 is 04, which deals with social 'masking' and education, thus reinforceing the refined educational aspects within 29.)

Hexagram 29 is the general form of hexagram 14

The Traditional Single Changing Line Comments:

Line 1

"One has a bias towards danger. Danger in a dangerous place. Unfortunate."

Line 2

"When one enters a dangerous place one should seek small gains."

Line 3

"One finds dangers everywhere. Deal with it by relaxing[trust]. Getting involved is of no benefit."

Line 4

"[In dangerous times] One limits oneself to food and wine and only enlightening writings, thus progressing. No harm in this."

Line 5

"Although still present, the dangers are still(passive). [By avoiding disturbing them one survives]. No harm in this."

Line 6

"Devoted to availing oneself of a high social position, one is found wanting in formal requirements [social knowledge]. Three times one tries. Three times one fails. Unfortunate."

Extended Commentary

The raw context from which the situation derives is described by hexagram 61 yielding/centering accord. It passes through hexagram 04 Masking before reaching here.

Transformative methods

By introducing this hexagram as context, you can change a state described by any other hexagram into a state described by hexagram 59. To make a state associated with another hexagram transform into this state, introduce hexagram 59 as context.

It is important to remember that, when using transformative methods, the more lines requiring change, the more energy required when attempting to introduce a different context. It may therefore be of benefit to work on existing changing lines and achieve your goal in steps rather than attempt, for example, a six-line change all at once.

Further IC+ extensions