57 story

The image of hexagram 57
Xùn, gentle penetration

Hexagram 57 has trigram Xùn, Wind below or inside, Xùn above or outside. The Xùn are the idios daemon, the shape or blueprint of the soul of beings, places, climate or of the earth herself, and their influence on a life or on surroundings.

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

When trigram Xùn is below (popup)

When trigram Xùn is above (popup)

Xùn below Xùn: everything is influenced and influences others through the power of the spirit which lives deep in the soul of creatures, objects, places, times, seasons and climates. It is the unrelenting invisible way in which things develop themselves and influence their surroundings according to what they essentially are. Circumstances can change it's effects, but fundamentally it is gently but persistingly moving in one direction, dictated by its essential core.

The old diviners gave this combination of trigrams a name: Xùn. It is the gentle but unrelenting influence of the soul of all creatures and things which shapes every outward action.

Ideogram of the hexagram name: at the top two seals, in the center two hands (which were added later), and at the bottom a stand or table. It is an image of the stand with the seals the emperor would award to those he elected and trusted to act according to his orders or his way to rule. Meanings: mild, humble, insinuating, to elect, to choose.

The 'Great Image' says: Following winds: Influence. The noble one conveys mandates and accomplishes affairs.

Hex.57 is the contrast of 51, which is about a sudden start, a change or shock.
Hex.57 is gentle and persevering influence.

Story:
  The blueprint or the seal, that one carries, decides all what one is or does. It penetrates every action like wind or roots can enter anything. It has no name, often its existence is not even known, but it is always there and directs everything one does or thinks. It decides the way one listens or looks to the world.
  Fulfilling the purpose for which one was born means to live a meaningful life.
  The emperor bestowed a seal to those who were able to carry out his ideas, and whom he trusted. The seals one carries inside come from Gods or devils, from parents or heredity, from muses or experiences with nature. Some seals can destroy a life, other seals can influence the world.

But there is a choice. Either by being so strong that one can make the difficult choice to rise above oneself, or by being so weak that even the good things get lost.

  About the 'seal' of creativity:
  "The task of setting free one’s gifts was a recognized labor in the ancient world… It was believed that each man had his idios daemon, his personal spirit which could be cultivated and developed… The genius or daemon comes to us at birth. It carries with it the fullness of our undeveloped powers. These it offers to us as we grow, and we choose whether or not to accept, which means we choose whether or not to labor in its service." — Lewis Hyde
      (quote found in "A course in Demonic Creativity" by Matt Cardin)

The image of hexagram 57 Xùn, gentle penetration

The image of hexagram 57
Xùn, gentle penetration