36 / 40 Darkening of the Light
Uncompromising
(07->36->13->06)

"MING YI -

MING : light-giving aspect of burning, heavenly bodies and consciousness; with fire, the symbol of the trigram radiance, LI [the clinging]..

YI : keep out of sight; remote, distant from the center; equalize by lowering; squat, level, make ordinary; pacified; colorless; cut, wound, destroy, exterminate." ERANOS p406

Image :

"[with guidance comes trust]
The light enters the centre of the earth[moves up]. Hiding the Light.
One oversees the people to know when to darken and lighten."

NOTE: In one of the alternative titles, The term 'calling pheasant' implies trickery, hiding one's true nature. Another title is 'bright pheasant'. The latter describes an excellent official who attempts to get the message across to his ruler but is totally ignored. This act of ignorance manifests the darkening of light; light in the inner position manifests guidance.

In the context of guidance we utilise trust.

Commentary

In hexagram 36 we find that at times it is necessary to control expressing one's point of view, especially when there is no other likeminded people around. In this siutuation it is best to keep the light within as you find that your guidance is ignored; best to observe when to advice and when to be quiet (as the image says). Contextually we come from a degree of self-restraint (52) and rigid structure (37) to an uncompromising position.

The complement of this hexagram is hexagram 06, Conflict or the concept of compromise, meeting halfway. This hexagram, 36, symbolizes a bias to no compromise.

The Traditional Single Changing Line Comments:

Line 1

In the beginning one needs to restrain oneself from being seen to be moving too fast and loosing touch with one's roots.

Line 2

One's movement is neutralized. One avails oneself of an offered helping hand

Line 3

By chance one acquires the source of one's opposition; a moment of celebration as disorder is avoided, but testing times still lie ahead.

Line 4

One believes one has captured the essence of the darkness and confidently wanders out of a safe place.

Line 5

Although unable to complete one's path, one maintains one's faith through testing times. Beneficial.

Line 6

One has reached the top of darkening and in the process learns the laws of darkening and lightening, for once anything reaches a peak it must inevitably collapse.

Extended Commentary

The raw context from which the situation derives is described by hexagram 52 retaining/self-restraint. It passes through hexagram 37 Rigid Structuring 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 22. To make a state associated with another hexagram transform into this state, introduce hexagram 22 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