I Ching, Yijing or Zhou Yi
"Oracle of the moon": © 2000 LiSe
Yi Jing, Oracle of the Moon
The image of hexagram 16
Yú, weaving images
What does it mean, 'inner' and 'outer trigram' (popup)
Earth below Thunder: the electricity of Thunder wakes up seeds, makes chicks hatch, and fills the air with energy. The fertile soil of Earth maks ideas and plans grow into trees, birds, inventions or art, renewing life over and over again. It is when creativity flows all by itself. One is fully immersed in what one does, losing one's sense of time.
Ideogram of the hexagram name: the left part is a shuttle, the little thing a weaver throws from side to side through the warp, creating the weft. The right part is Xiang, an elephant. Weaving elephants, but since xiang also means ‘image’, or even 'iconic image': weaving images. The "xiang" of a hexagram: its image.
In later characters the shuttle looks more like two hands, passing on of handing over, which one does with a shuttle: throwing it through the warp left-hand to right-hand and back. It can refer to repeated movements which don't require thought.
Meanings of Yù: enthusiasm; in advance, beforehand, make or get ready; participate in; pleased, content, happy, comfort; travel, a trip; to cheat, lie, hesitate, indecision. It can range from anticipation to cheating, from inventions to sight-seeing. Imagination in all its forms.
The 'Great Image' says: Thunder emerges from the Earth, flying over the fields: YU. The ancient kings composed music, honored virtue, with dancers worshipped the Lord on High. They associated with the deceased ancestors.
Hex.16 is the contrast of 9, which is about all those daily duties which make up a solid and safe life.
Hex.16 is the grand vision, hope and fear for the future, the imagination which colors the days and fills the mind with possibilities. And also expressing the joy they bring and the connection with and reverence for the spirits which grant those inspirations.
Inspiration needs big images. They don’t have to represent big things – even out of something small one can make a big idea. An elephant surpasses human size, it carries people and heavy weights, it can move about immovable things. Only an image of more than human size can sweep along people.
Touch the elephant first: is it real? It might be a dream, or someone might try to cheat with a virtual elephant. But if it can really carry the things promised, then it is the means to surpass the borders of an idea or existence that is only-human.
It encompasses all those feelings which make an impression of coming from somewhere else, from the gods, from heaven - certainly not from logical human thinking. How can one explain the origins of a great inspiration, an insight, a foreknowledge of an event? Who can catch motivation or find the source of creativity? They come and go inspired by greater forces. But if you are close to this source you will have succes (see line 4).