Yi Jing, Oracle of the Moon

神數

“Shen Shu”, Spirit Numbers 121-144

Numbers

1-24
25-48
49-72
73-96
97-120
121-144
145-168
169-192
193-216
217-240
241-264
265-288
289-312
313-336
337-360
361-384

121 Rosy clouds

虛名虛位久沈沈
祿馬當求未見真
一片彩雲秋後至
去年風物一時新

False reputations and vacant seats have been around for long dreary times
The proper salary and horses you seek
do not yet appear to exist
One wisp of rosy clouds arrives after the autumn harvest
The atmosphere of years past is back
for a while

-

  Maybe you have to accept that the time is not favorable for what you want. Do not despair. There might come a day when suddenly things change, even after a long time. Don’t live in hopes but don’t give up either, or you might miss this little window when it finally comes around.
  祿 official salary: good luck.
  風物 "wind stuff", atmosphere, scenery typical of a place.
  秋後 after autumn, autumn harvest, middle age.

*

122 Cycles

止止止
有終有始
似月加花
守成而出

A dead stop
There are ends and there are beginnings
Similar to moon or flowers
Maintain the achievements of your predecessors but also go beyond

-

  Life moves in cycles, so don’t stop and completely end things. Start new but keep the good while also adding your own input. Respect the old and nourish the new and create something which is more than the sum of its parts. This way you can give it your love and it will not perish with change.

*

123 Harmony *

明月全園
顏色欣然
風雲相送
和合萬年。

The bright moon is perfectly round
A pleased face
Wind and clouds escort each other
Harmony together throughout the years

-

  Are you able to give yourself entirely to someone? Even when people trust or love, it is still difficult. There is a moment when the full moon is exactly facing the sun, not turning sideways at all. If you find someone who responds in this way, it means you found a friend or partner for life.
  明月 The bright moon, the legendary luminous pearl.
  風雲wind and clouds: high position; precarious situation.
  和合joint harmony; family harmony.
  萬年thousand years.

*

124 The precious mirror *

寶鏡親
照兩人
心中結
合同心

The precious mirror of relations
Reflects two people
Connected in their hearts
Joined and of one heart

-

  Some people believe in ‘soul mates’. But to find a soul mate, you need a big heart which can love another totally. If you find someone who also has a heart like this, then you can become soul mates. The predestination is not between the two of you, it is in each of you. It is inside your hearts.

*

125 Not holding things together

居下不親上
人心易散離
事機終失一
凡百盡成灰

Not content to follow superior relatives
Human hearts easily break up and leave
Situations in the end lose unity
The whole ultimately turns to dust

-

  All people have different talents. When they come together, as partners, team, or family, and each honors the talents of the other, cooperation will be successful. As soon as anyone refuses to acknowledge superiority, things start to fall apart. It is this weakest link which breaks the chain.

*

126 Come out of the dark

兀兀塵埃久待時
幽窗寂靜有誰知
若逢青紫人相引
財利功名自可期

Piles of dust and a long period
of biding one’s time
A secluded window in silence
who knows of you
If you meet a man of high rank
to guide one another
Wealth, profit and honor
can certainly be expected

-

  Don’t stay in the dark and unknown. Find peers you can exchange with or people you can learn from. Find a goal to believe in, make friends, stop waiting and start acting. You can find inspiration if you clean and clear up your life and step out in the open. Creativity does not wait, it happens.

*

127 Natural caution

虎伏在路途
行人莫亂呼
路旁須仔細
災禍自然無

A tiger lies on the road
The traveler on foot should not cry out
in confusion
At the roadside one must be careful
Then there will be no natural disaster

-

  Adapt your reactions to the circumstances. Being straightforward may sound honest and genuine, but it can also kill or ruin you. Very often the reality around you is larger than your own truth. You are supposed to live a long, good and healthy life, and you yourself are responsible that it happens.
    伏 lying prostrate, yielding, hot season, dog days.

*

128 Small result

和不和
同不同
翻雲覆雨幾成空
進退須防終少功

When harmony is not harmony
When together is not together
Given to shiftiness how much becomes empty
Advancing and retreating you must guard against ending with small results

-

  Without steadiness in what you are or what you do, nothing steady will come of it. You need commitment and loyalty, or people will discard you. You need perseverance and a clear direction, or nothing will come out of your hands. Inside you have to be one, before you can accomplish anything on the outside.
  翻雲覆雨 turning over clouds and upsetting rain: given to playing tricks, play fast and loose, shifty.

*

129 Playing the flute

東邊事酉邊成
風物月華明
高樓弄笛聲弄玉

Affairs in the East
Success in the West
A scenery of bright moonlight
From a tall building
the sounds of a flute drift down

-

  If you start early and work on until you succeed, you will achieve much. The result will be that you can enjoy what you really love in your free time. Your achievements made it possible, your life is fulfilled in all ways. You know both the satisfaction of success and the joy of a contented heart.
   東 酉ast west: sowing and harvest; begin, end.
   風物 "wind thing”, atmosphere, scenery typical of a place; the law (core, secret) of things.
  弄play with, play tricks, alley.

*

130 Affairs come together

事團圓
物周旋
一來一往
平步青天

Affairs come together
The world revolves
Back and forth
Level steps and a blue sky

-

  Everything is fine, nothing goes wrong, things are how and where they are supposed to be, people behave better than ever, even nature cooperates in all ways. Don’t question it, enjoy it for as long as it lasts. The balance will swing back to bad times soon enough, use this easy time to the fullest.
   一來一往 one come one go, back and forth, in and out.
   青天blue sky; a respectful sobriquet for a clean and upright official.

*

131 Groundless fears

淺水起風波
平地生荊棘
言語慮參商
猶恐無端的

From shallow water rise wind and waves
From level ground grow thistles and thorns
Considering the morning and evening star when speaking
Still afraid for no reason

-

  Facts and ideas can both change in the blink of an eye. One moment everything is fine, the next things or the mind or both fall apart. Build up solid surroundings and a strong mind so you are less vulnerable and less fearful, and trust yourself that you can get out again when fate hits you.
  參商 morning and evening star, two friends/relatives who are permanently separated or estranged.

*

132 Easy again

秋月雲開後
薰風雨過時
若逢楚國舊知己
等閒一薦不須疑

A harvest moon after the clouds open up
A warm southerly breeze
after a period of rain
It seems you meet an intimate old friend
in the state of Chu
An equal and off duty
don’t hesitate to ask for a recommendation

-

  When things open up and opportunities come along, then grasp them immediately and make use of what presents itself. These chances may not come a second time, and very often they don’t arrive with pomp. They come by in the form of small happenings, unexpected and gentle, accidentally.
   國舊Chuguó, a powerful state that existed 740-223 B.C., known for its strong and enterprising people.

*

133 The golden-scaled fish

心已定
事何憂
金鱗已上鉤
功名一網收

The heart already settled
Why worry about matters
The golden-scaled fish already takes the bait
Scholarly honor and official rank
gathered in one net

-

  When you worked hard for something, it is not easy to relax and just wait for the result. If you feel you did enough, then let the rest happen by itself. No need to go on worrying. The only thing you should do right now is enjoy the satisfaction of a job well done. Celebrate this transition.
   金鱗achievement and reputation.
   金鱗Golden scaled fish: wealth.

*

134 Never a whole

意迷己不迷
事寬心不寬
要知端的信
猶隔兩重山

The meaning is unclear
but you are not unclear
Matters are relaxed
but your heart is not relaxed
You want to know and really to believe
Yet you’re still divided like two big mountains

-

  You either doubt everything or you are too certain. A common mistake is, that insight has to do with looking at the bare facts. It has more to do with balance and trusting your heart, and that will connect you with the world around you instead of setting you apart from it. Facts divide, insight connects.

*

135 The real joy

笑中生不足
內外見愁哭
雲散月光輝
轉禍當成福

Laughter coming up inside is not enough
Inside and outside you see
worry and weeping
The clouds disperse and the moon is bright
Turn misfortune around
and regard it as blessing

-

  Forgetting one’s worries and hurts for a moment is not enough. They will catch up with you again. The only thing which is stronger than the dark, is turning the dark into a valuable part of your life. Only hardship can strengthen your soul, use it and appreciate its lessons.

*

136 Magpies and love

檐前鵲噪正翩翩
憂慮全消喜自然
一人進了一人退
下梢還有好姻緣

In front of the eave chattering magpies in perfect swift flight
Worry vanishes entirely in the happiness of the natural world
One person advances
and one person retreats
It will end however in a good destiny
for lovers

-

  Emotions are not to be fixed. Give them the freedom to find their true course. Let your love go where it goes all by itself. It is not wrong if it changes, if one person goes and another comes. Life is about learning, nothing stays the same, so learn and apply what you learned.
  鵲噪 chattering od magpies: auspicious omen.
  姻緣Destiny that brings lovers together.

*

137 Setting sun

荊棘生平地
風波起四力
倚欄惆悵望
無語對斜陽

Thistles and thorns sprout from level ground
Wind and waves arise all around with force
Resting against the fence
gazing sadly in the distance
No words or answers in the setting sun

-

  The time is turbulent and difficult. There comes a moment when it feels useless to try anything anymore. Decide what you want to do about it. You can get up and try to change things, or you can relax and accept all of it. Just don’t stay in between. Whatever you decide, do it all the way.
  風波 Wind and waves: crises, disturbance.
  斜陽 slanting yang: setting sun.

*

138 A nod of the moon.

謀已定
事何憂
照月上重樓
雲中客點頭

The strategy has been established
Why worry over your affairs?
The moon shines above a high building
The cloud-traveler nods its head

-

  Part of the ability to organize and decide on matters is being able to stop. Keep your mind clear and free and you will detect anything you need to detect. People who climb high have this kind of strong mind. Freedom and success both have to do with being bold, not with endless planning.
  雲中客 "Cloud-center guest", cloud-traveler, moon.
  重樓 high building: symbol of accomplishment.

*

139 Right place right time.

奇奇奇
地利與天時
燈花傳信後
動靜總相宜

How marvelous and strange!
The right place and the right time
Later the lantern wick passes the message on
All the activities are right

-

  Luck was on your side, but good thinking and acting were right there as well. You did everything exactly right, all circumstances cooperated, and nothing went wrong. Later, when all is done and you relax, you already begin to see the first signs of your success. Now you only need to believe it yourself.
  Right place right time: the text says literally: favorable geographical position assists heaven's timing.
  燈花When a lantern wick buzzes because it produces a little smut-ball, it is an good omen that someone is about to return with good news.

*

140 Dreaming.

遇不遇
逢不逢
月沉海底
人在夢中

Meeting but not meeting
Visiting but not visiting
A moon deep down on the seabed
A person who is dreaming

-

  You have to stop this unrealistic pursuit and find new ways and methods. Most of all change the way you go about it. Turn your dreams into reality by realistic solid actions, by finding the ways to reach your goal, talking to the right people and making sure things happen the way you want them to.

*

141 In the blink of an eye.

暗中防霹靂
猜慮渾無實
轉眼黑雲散
擁出扶桑日

In the dark on guard against thunderbolts
Suspicion and worry entirely
without substance
In the blink of an eye
the black clouds disperse
Embracing the sun which appears in the east

-

  In the dark of the night, but also when consumed by insecurity, misgivings, doubts, the unknown, all these obscure thoughts and feelings can inspire worry and anxiousness. The moment the light comes back, everything is bright and familiar again. Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you.

*

142 Making a name *

利在中邦出戰征
一番獲醜在王庭
鳳啣丹詔歸陽畔
得享佳名四海榮

Earning merit in the Middle State
of marching out to fight
Capturing the disgraceful
in the king’s court
The Fengbird holds the imperial edict
Achieve and enjoy a distinguished name around the world

-

  Life is not only about what you like. One has to make a living, perform duties, follow one’s conscience. Very often it seems as if it is not about you, but you’re wrong. Without earning honor, inside and outside, you will never feel the satisfaction of fulfilling a purpose, of giving meaning to your life.
   征 expedition, march; levy taxes; draft, conscript.
  四醜 'four seas', around the world.
  鳳 male phoenix, fabulous bird of good omen

*

143 Everything entangled.

堪歎外邊憂
更嗟門裏鬧
意緒更牽纏
心神亦顛倒

Sighing enduring outside worries
Furthermore moaning about
indoor troubles stirring
Entangling the mood even more
And also confusing your state of mind

-

  The time is tough. Try not to engage but rather to calm everything down, to assist instead of fueling the fire. Be the best you can, strong, with empathy, authority or intelligence or whatever is needed most. And if nothing works, stay aloof. Everything is better than to be part of the trouble.

*

144 Heaven in the bottle

一重水一重山
風波道坦然
壺中別有天

Many mountains and many rivers
Wind and waves but the road is calm
In the bottle is a different heaven

-

  Life is usually not easy and most people try to find some peace among all its challenges. If you can find your Dao, you are blessed. It brings joy and peace. Many try to find it in the oblivion of substances, but that is very different. It does not bring peace but removes the awareness of missing peace.
  風波 Wind and waves: disturbances, storm.

*