“They keep changing the date. It used to be 2021. Now it’s 2022. I wish they would just find a number and stick to it.”
“Like what number would you like?” replied Jay.
“It just doesn’t matter to me, just quit changing the number. 43, 32, 1 billion 987 million 324 thousand 602 would be fine.” Paul lowered his hands from where he had been gesticulating in the air and took a slug of his Barley Brew. It was the newest offering at Jakob’s Brew Pub in downtown Portland. Well, more on the river side.
“One number for all!” quipped Jay and shot him a side glance out of her framed glasses. They look like a 1957 Chevy, Paul thought for about the 20 billionth time.
“The perfect number. That’s what we need. Then we can dispense with these inferior numbers.” responded Paul.
“The perfect number.” Jay looked deep into her High Mountain Spring IPA. “How would we know that it’s perfect?” She gave Paul a sideways glance and showed him her teeth.
“The perfect number,” intoned Paul, took a long and slow draw on his Barley Brew, “would be . . . perfect . . . in every way.”
Flash fiction. Ultra-flash fiction, actually. The literary experience in less than 200 words - scene, characters, dialogue, action, journey. The basic elements of story.
And of course I know we have to change the numbers otherwise how would we keep track of the days? How would we know if we’re progressing or standing still? How would we wish each other Happy Birthday, Happy New Year and Merry Christmas? If there was just one number it would always be the same day.
So now it’s 2022. I’m ok with that. Let’s see, 2 + 0 + 2 + 2 = 6. Six is a good number. I think. I don’t know much about numerology. I am familiar with the I Ching, though, aka the Book of Changes, the ancient Chinese oracle where you throw coins and talk to the ancient Chinese sage. Let’s see what the old Chinese sage has to say about the new year.
In order to talk to the ancient Chinese sage, first you have to have a question in your mind. Hold it there, feel it’s presence, commune with it. Then throw the coins (I use quarters), three at a time and record their pattern. If there are 2 heads and a tail it’s a straight line, two tails and a head it’s broken line, if 3 heads up it’s a straight line that’s ‘changing’ and if it’s 3 tails up it’s a broken line that’s ‘changing’. Got it? The lines are recorded like that from the bottom up until you have a hexagram (6 lines).
These hexagrams and their relationships, by the way, were first envisioned by the old Chinese sage, Fu Hsi, as he sat on the banks of the Yellow River watching a turtle emerge from the water. That was quite a few thousand years ago, of course, but according to the legend he got the idea for the hexagrams from the patterns on the turtle’s shell. In fact they originally used turtle shells for divination. I have no idea how that works.
Anyways, once you have your hexagram you can refer to the I Ching (I use The I Ching Workbook by R. L. Wing) to find the reveal, the answer to your inquiry, to see what it has to say.
My question is “How to prosper in 2022?”. I shook the coins in my cupped hands and tossed them on the coffee table. Three heads, a broken line changing. Tossed them again, two heads and a tail, straight line. After throwing the coins 6 times this is the hexagram I got (I guess it’s ok to share my I Ching readings with you, that’s how we used to do it in Mexico when I lived on the beach). The dots, or blobs as they may appear, indicate a changing line.
The hexagram is split into two trigrams, a top one and a bottom one, and each one corresponds to a line in the matrix. Where the two lines intersect is where the reading is found, represented by a number.
As you can see, my trigrams are both SUN, represented by 57 in the matrix. When I open to 57 I find, PENETRATING INFLUENCE. Whoa. It begins with this: ‘Chinese art often depicts the effects of the invisible wind as it influences the landscape’. I like that. The words strike me as profound, poetic, worthy of contemplation. And I do contemplate it. Then I notice under PENETRATING INFLUENCE, two small words, bracketed in parenthesis: ‘the gentle’.
I am struck by the wisdom I find here. As usual, I feel like I am talking to an ancient Chinese sage. Someone with deep wisdom but also humor and kindness. Someone who understands exactly what I’m feeling.
‘Mountains are shown eroded and sculpted into fascinating forms, trees bend and twist into exotic shapes, clouds roll dramatically across the sky, bringing life-giving rain.’, it continues. I understand. In fact I feel like I don’t need to read anymore, I got the message. But I do read more. ‘In contemplating the wind, the Chinese mind is inspired by the profound effect of a steady, PENETRATING INFLUENCE, and how this effect might manifest itself in human affairs.’
While I was throwing the coins I was thinking about my question but I was also thinking of answers. This is the answer that came to me most clearly. That sweet, steady breath of life is what I need to focus on. That’s how to have a prosperous new year. In the language of the I Ching, that invisible wind that shapes and forms and brings the life giving rain also flows through me. Thank you ancient sage.
‘You are faced with a situation that can be influenced only by gradual efforts in a consistent direction. Gentleness is the key here’. The ancient sage continues to break it down for me. I think of my newsletter project, my attempts to acquire some kind of recognition, some kind of an audience, some kind of an identity. The advice fits exactly what I’ve been feeling for the last few days.
‘To influence effectively, you must maintain clearly defined goals over a long period of time. Your efforts should be as inconspicuous as possible. Try to imagine and emulate the gentle, unceasing wind. Success will come in a gradual way, bringing increasing clarity of purpose. That sounds so right to me. ‘Maintain clearly defined goals over a long period of time’. Real wisdom.
You don’t hear much real wisdom these days. The I Ching is full of it. They must have had a heck of a civilization back in 3,000 BC when they were first writing this down. The ideas of yin and yang, observing the sky, observing the earth and noticing the natural order of things, how things changed unceasingly and in a patterned way. Winter comes but then comes Spring and the fullness of summer and the sweetness of Autumn and then Winter again. They noticed the seasons of human affairs too and the patterns of relationships in families, in societies, in politics, even in war.
Imagine a society built on wisdom, not technology, not unbridled wealth. That’s what they had back then. Well they probably had unbridled wealth, for sure, and they had their technology but they also had wisdom. That’s gotta help.
So my changing lines transform into two new trigrams: TUI and CH’IEN. The I Ching directs me to 43, RESOLUTION. Bang! Pow! I like it. This hexagram relates to coming tendencies, where things are headed. Resolution sounds good.
Ok, here goes. I’m reading it along with you. It says, ‘The forces that threaten you are now in a position to be eradicated.’ Awright! ‘This must be done without thought of retreat, wholly in the open and without violence.’
Reminds me of a flash fiction I wrote a few months back in a post called ultra flash fiction. Aganonamesh, the character in the story, figured out the same thing. Eradicate it. Do it now. Don’t hold back. ‘You cannot engage your adversaries in battle for, in acknowledging their strengths, you engage them and give them power. Instead, you must deny their power by making a firm, public RESOLUTION to grow in the direction of what is good for your welfare.’ End quote.
The ancient Chinese revered the I Ching, or Book of Changes, as a holy scripture and so it seems. The language is strong, affirmative and always in a positive or helpful direction. Just like reading the Bible, the Koran, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the whatever scripture you like and are familiar with. That’s the point right? To get some inspiration and direction for life. They’re all the same in that regard. It’s so stupid that we divide ourselves based on religion.
‘No compromise is possible. RESOLUTION must spring from your heart and must be voiced to your friends, family, and community. Let others know fully of your intentions to overcome obstacles. This should be done calmly, cheerfully, and with authority, thus giving you a psychological advantage such as a master of gamesmanship holds over his opponent. These struggles take place without passion, emotion, or violence but with inner truth and resolve that do not know defeat.’
Heavy duty. Again. I feel the truth of it, I understand. That’s why I say it’s like talking to an ancient master from old China. Whoever wrote it is not around but the power of their wisdom remains. I think it’s amazing.
A cold front blew in a few days ago at the very start of the new year. Winds were gusting up to 45 mph, I could hear it whistling outside my bedroom at night. The temperature dropped from the mid-seventies to below freezing in just a few hours. That was notable. It set the tone for the new week - chilly and sunny. The I Ching has set the tone for my new year.
If I can only remember it. If I can only feel the power of that wisdom next week and the next and the next month and forever. ‘The forces that threaten you are now in a position to be eradicated.’ ‘No compromise is possible.’ ‘These struggles take place without passion, emotion, or violence but with inner truth and resolve that do not know defeat.’ I say amen. And I publicly declare my intention to overcome all my obstacles.
Remind me later in the year when I’ve forgotten, when I’m feeling abandoned and lost, when there’s darkness all around. ‘The forces that threaten you are now in a position to be eradicated. This must be done without thought of retreat, wholly in the open and without violence. No compromise is possible.’
music: Cafe De Anatolia - Pulse (Compiled by Serge Kraplya) from 39:20
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the Book of Changes and 2022