17 story

The image of hexagram 17
Suí, following, hunting

Hexagram 17 has trigram Thunder below or inside, Lake above or outside. Thunder starts or renews instantly, not from a plan. Lake is the given space in which things happen, the society or players, the terrain, the facts and relations all this brings in.

What does it mean, 'inner' and 'outer trigram' (popup)

When trigram Thunder is below (popup)

When trigram Lake is above (popup)

Thunder below Lake: Lake is a confined space, the place 'where, and with who, it happens', the immediate environment. You have to reckon with it. It is not possible to make something happen outside of the space you can reach. Thunder, with all its energy, has to adapt to this reality. But if it is done well, it means being at ease with one's life and possibilities, making the best use of what it has to offer. Moving along in a smooth and meaningful way.

The old diviners gave this combination of trigrams a name: Suí, Hunting. The best hunter is one with the animal he follows. He 'knows' it, its habits, its terrain. He reads the tracks of creatures, ideas and things.

Ideogram of the hexagram name: the left part is a foot with a road: going. The right part is a (left: helper) hand with a tool and a piece of meat. In between is a height or mound. An image of hunting in a rough terrain. Meanings: to hunt, to follow, to trace, to come after, pursuit, along, compliance, follower, attendant, letting go, listen, listen to the call, immediately. When the 'mental' lines 3 and 6 change, there is hex.13: the one who reads the trails and classifies creatures.

The 'Great Image' says: In the center of the marsh is thunder: Following. The noble one, towards nightfall, goes inside to eat and relax.

Hex.17 is the contrast of 18, which is about changing things, spoiling them or cleaning them up. Turning them into how you want them to be.
Hex.17 sees how things are and follows the best way to deal with them or to live among them.

  Story:
   A violin that has been made by a master resonates only with pure tones, and it does so deep and abundantly. A cheap one resonates to many tones, but in a dull way.
  Make sure everything you do, or add to yourself, is made of Pinus Resonanza wood, and according to universal proportions. Then your life will resonate with the good and worthwhile, and you will be a Stradivarius for yourself and everyone you meet.

The image of hexagram 17 Suí, following, hunting

The image of hexagram 17
Suí, following, hunting