I Ching, Yijing or Zhou Yi
"Oracle of the moon": © 2000 LiSe
Yi Jing, Oracle of the Moon
Hexagram 45
Cuì, Gathering
You attract what resonates with your own nature - or with what you miss. Thus you become the center of a life which reflects yourself - or you get sucked into a sect or gang.
When the central force is narrow, it creates a dogmatic group, and these groups can be very dangerous. Even when it is only a group of ideas in one head. But a broad rich mind will gather high values.
On a spiritual level, being one with a group can mean being one with all things and people in your life. The borders disappear, you ARE this life. Which is not the same as being one in yourself.
The pictogram of cui is a uniform, like soldiers or servants wear. The gathering of 45 is not one based on affection. It can be harsh, even include death. Everyone who wants or needs to fight, tries to gather allies. Once you fight together, the goal is more important than the individual wellbeing (or even survival). This is the danger of every group. "The king serves the temple" - not the individual people. A good leader has their wellbeing in mind as well, but his first priority will be the group, not you.
Hex.45 is the opposite of hex.26, the hexagram of higher values and culture. In 45 in the assembly everyone is undefined. Nobody is specifically more or less than another, and ambitions are not welcome.
It forms a complementary pair with 46, ascending step by step. In 45 there are ranks, and you can make your way up step by step. It is the personal achievement, which completes the non-individual task of being one of a uniform group.
CUÌ. gather together: a jacket (1) with a sign on it (3): a uniform jacket of a soldier, servant or adherent. This character also means sudden death or accident. At the top 'plants' (2): uniforms like grass. Assemble, bundle, a heap or a lot, collection, dense vegetation.
The trigrams: Lake on the Earth:
A marsh on the earth, gathering.
The noble one puts weaponry out of sight and is alert for danger. Or, 'elimimates war but guards against eventualities'.
Earth carries all creatures. When they all gather in the fertile marsh, things can easily get out of hand. People and animals can relate to those who resemble themselves, but see enemies in those who are different. Temples and sacrifices create a bond which goes higher than everyday disagreements, they create mutual connections.