English text : "I Ching, or Book of Changes" - English translation of the German Richard Wilhelm version,
. . . . . . . . . . . with forword by C.G.Jung , Pinguin Books (Arkana), 1950, 1989.
. Dutch text : "I Tjing Kaarten" (short text taken from English version), Ank-Hermes, Deventer, NL. 1975.

The judgement : Dispersion. Success. The king approaches his temple.
-- It furthers one to cross the great water. Perseverance furthers.
The text of this hexagram resembles that of Ts'ui: Gathering (45): Earth under Lake (000.110). In the latter, the subject is the bringing together of elements that have been separated, as water collects in lakes upon the earth. Here the subject is the dispersing and dissolving of divisive egotism. Dispersion shows the way, so to spreak, that leads to gathering together. This explains the similarity of the two texts.
-- Religious forces are needed to overcome the egotism that divides men. The common celebration of the great sacrificial feasts and sacred rites, which gave expression simultaneously to the inter-relation and social articulation of family and state, was the means employed by the great rulers to unite men. The sacred music and the splendor of the ceremonies aroused a strong tide of emotion that was shared by all hearts in unison, which awakened a consciousness of the common origin of all creatures. In this way disunity was overcome and rigidity dissolved.
-- A further means to the same end is co-operation in great general undertakings that set a high goal for the will of the people. In the common concentration on this goal all barriers dissolve, just as when a boat is crossing a great stream: all hands must unite in a joint task.
-- But only a man who is himself free of all selfish ulterior considerations, and who perseveres in justice and steadfastness, is capable of so dissolving the hardness of egotism.

The image : The wind drives over the water : the image of dispersion.
-- Thus the kings of old sacrificed to the Lord, and built temples.
In the autumn and winter, water begins to freeze into ice. When the warm breezes of spring come, the rigidity is dissolved, and the elements that have been dispersed in ice floes are united. It is the same with the minds of the people. Through hardness and selfishness the heart grows rigid, and this rigidity leads to separation from all others. Egotism and cupidity isolate men. Therefore the hearts of men must be seized by a devout emotion. They must be shaken by a religious awe in face of eternity -- stirred with an intuition of the One Creator of all living beings, and united through the strong feeling of fellowship experienced in the ritual of divine worship.

Het oordeel : De oplossing. Welslagen. De koning nadert zijn tempel.
-- Het is bevorderlijk het grote water over te steken. Bevorderlijk is standvastigheid.
Om het scheiding brengende egoisme der mensen te overwinnen zijn religieuze krachten nodig. Het gezamelijk vieren van grote offerfeesten en godsdienstige plechtigheden manifesteerde het onderling verband en de sociale rangorde van familie en staat. De gevoels opwelling, door heilige muziek en ceremoniele pracht, werd door de grote heersers aangewend om alle harten tot het bewustzijn van de gemeenschappelijke oorsprong van alle wezens te brengen. Hierdoor werd de scheiding overwonnen, en de verstarring opgelost. Een tweede middel is het samenwerken aan gemeenschappelijke grote ondernemingen.

Het beeld : De wind waait over het water. Het beeld van de Oplossing.
-- Zo offerden de oude koningen aan hun heer en bouwden zij tempels.
Door hardheid en zelfzucht verstart het hart, en in deze verstarring zondert het zich af van al het andere. Egoisme en hebzucht isoleren de mensen. Daarom moet een vrome ontroering zich meester maken van hun harten. Ze worden verlost door een huivering van ontzag in het aangezicht van de eeuwigheid die hun als in een bliksemflits een intuitief begrip geeft van de enige schepper van alle levende wezens, en die hen verenigt.

( 42 ) = 100.011 = Increase . . Thunder | Wind . : . Healthy Growth . . ( I ) The idea of increase is expressed in the fact that the strong lowest line of the upper trigram has sunk down and taken its place under the lower trigram. This concept also expresses the fundamental idea of the Book of Changes, namely: to rule truly, is to serve. In other words, a sacrifice of the higher element to produce an increase of the lower: it indicates the spirit that alone has the power too help the world (NB, in the Western World: the essence of Christmas). The Judgement : INCREASE. It furthers one to undertake something, and to cross the great water. . . . ("Spirit of St.Louis" Charles Lindbergh, 21may1927;-) --- Sacrifice by those above for the benefit of those below fills the people with a sense of joy and gratitude, which is extremely valuable for the flowering of the commonwealth. When people are thus devoted to their leaders, undertakings are possible, and even difficult and dangerous enterprises will succeed ("Discovery" John Glenn(77), 7nov1998;-) Therefore, in such times of progress and successful development it is necessary to work and make the best use of the time. This time resembles that of the marriage of Heaven and Earth, which latter partakes in the creative power of Heaven, thus forming and bringing forth living beings. The time of INCREASE (growth) does not endure, so it must be utilized while it lasts. The Image : Wind and Thunder: the image of INCREASE. So does the superior man: if he sees good, he imitates it; and if he faults, he rids himself of it. --- While observing how thunder and wind increase and strengthen each other, a man can note the way to self- increase and self- improvement. When he finds good in others, he should imitate it. On the other hand, if he finds fault in himself, let him rid himself of it. (NB, St.Paul: "Try all and retain the good"). This way he becomes free of evil, and this ethical change represents the most important growth of personality.

( 50 ) = 011.101 = The Caldron . . Wood | Fire . : . Culture, fine food . . (Ting) The six lines construct the image of Ting, the Caldron. At the bottom are the legs, over them the belly, then come the ears (handles) and at the top the carrying rings. At the same time, the image suggests the idea of nourishment. The ting, cast of bronze, was the vessel that held the cooked viands in the temple of the ancestors and at banquets. The head of the family served the food from the ting into the bowls of the guests. The well (48) likewise has the secondary meaning of giving nourishment, but rather more in relation to the people. The ting, as a utensil of a refined civilization, suggests the fostering and nourishing of able men, which benefits the state. This hexagram and the well are the only two in the Book of Changes that represent concrete, man-made objects. Yet here too the thought has its abstract connotation. Below is Sun (wood and wind) and above is Li (flame). Thus together they stand for the flame kindled by wood and wind, which likewise suggests the idea of preparing food. The Judgement : The CALDRON : Supreme good fortune. Success. While the well relates to the social foundation of our life, and this foundation is likened to the water that serves to nourish growing wood, the present hexagram refers to the cultural superstructure of society. Here it is the wood that serves as nourishment for the flame, the spirit. All that is visible must grow beyond itself, extend into the realm of the invisible. Thereby it receives its true consecration and clarity, and takes firm root in the cosmic order. Here we see civilization as it reaches its culmination in religion. The ting serves in offering sacrifice to God. The highest earthly values must be sacrificed to the divine. -- But the truly divine does not manifest itself apart from man... The supreme revelation of God appears in prophets and holy men. To venerate them is true veneration of God. The will of God, as revealed through them, should be accepted in humility. This brings inner enlightenment and true understanding of the world, and this leads to great fortune and success. The Image : Fire over wood : the image of the CALDRON. Thus the superior man consolidates his fate by making his position correct. --- The fate of fire depends on wood : as long as there is wood below, the fire burns above. It is the same in human life : the fate of a man lends power to his life. -- And if he succeeds in assigning the right place to life and to fate, thus bringing the two in harmony, he puts his fate on a firm footing. These words contain hints about the fostering of life as handed down by oral tradition in the secret teachings of Chinese yoga.

( 22 ) = 101.001 = Grace . . Fire | Mountain . : . Beauty, Ornament . . ( Pi ) This hexagram shows a fire that breaks out of the secret depths of the earth and, blazing up, illuminates and beautifies the mountain, the heavenly hights. Grace -- beauty of form -- is necessary in any union to be well ordered and pleasing, rather than disordered and chaotic. The Judgement : GRACE has success. In small matters it is good to undertake something. --- Grace brings success. However, it is not the essential or fundamental thing; it is only the ornament, and must therefore be used sparingly and only in little things. In the lower trigram of fire a yielding line comes between two strong lines and makes them beautiful, but the strong lines are the essential content, and the weak line is the beautifying form. In the upper trigram of the mountain, the strong line takes the lead, so that here again the strong line is regarded as the dicisive factor. -- In nature we see in the sky the strong light of the sun; the life of the world depends on it. But this strong, essential thing is changed and given pleasing variety by the moon and the stars. In human affairs, aesthetic form comes into being when traditions exist that, strong and abiding like mountains, are made pleasing by a lucid beauty. By contemplating the forms existing in the heavens, we come to understand time and its changing demands. Through contemplation of the forms existing in human society it becomes possible to shape the world. The Image : Fire at the foot of the mountain : the image of GRACE. Thus does the superior man proceed when clearing up current affairs. But he dare not decide controversial issues in this way. --- The fire, whose light illuminates the mountain and makes it pleasing, does not shine far. In the same way, beautiful form suffices to brighten and to throw light upon matters of lesser moment, but important questions cannot be decided in this way. They require greater earnestness.

( 21 ) = 100.101 = Biting through . . Thunder | Fire . : . Law, Storm . . (Shih Ho) This hexagram represents an open mouth with an obstruction between the teeth (in the 4-th place), so that the lips cannot meet. To bring them together one must bite energetically through the obstacle. Since the hexagram is made up from trigrams thunder and lightning, this indicates how objects are forcibly removed in nature. Energetic biting through overcomes the obstacle that prevents joining of the lips. The storm with its thunder and lightning overcomes the disturbing tension in nature. So does recourse to law and penalties overcome the disturbances of harmonious social life caused by criminals and slanderers. The theme of this hexagram is a criminal lawsuit, different from Sung = Conflict (6) which refers to civil suits. The Judgement : Biting Through : It is favourable to administer justice. --- When an obstacle to union arises, energetic biting through brings success. This is true in all situations. Whenever unity cannot be established, the obstruction is due to a talebearer and traitor who is interfering and blocking the way. To prevent permanent injury, vigorous measures must be taken at once. Deliberate obstruction of this sort does not vanish of its own accord. Judgment and punishment are required to deter or obviate it. -- However, it is important to proceed in the right way. The hexagram combines Li (clarity) which is yielding, and Chen (excitement) which is hard. Unqualified hardness and excitement would be too violent in meting out punishment; while unqualified clarity and gentleness would be too weak. Together they create just measure. The man who makes the decisions (the fifth line) is gentle by nature, yet commands respect due to his conduct in his position. The Image : Thunder and lighning: the image of BITING THROUGH. Thus the king of former times made firm laws, with clearly defined penalties. --- Penalties are the individual applications of the law, which specifies the penalties. Clarity prevails when mild and severe penalties are clearly differentiated, according to the nature of the crimes. This is symbolized by the clarity of lightning, strengthened by just application of penalties - symbolized by the terror of thunder. This combination of clarity and severity instills respect; it is not that the penalties are ends in themselves. The obstructions in social life increase when there is lack of clarity in the penal codes, and slackness in their execution. The only way to strengthen the law is to make it clear and to make penalties certain and swift.

( 43 ) = 111.1110 = Break-through . . Heaven | Joyous, lake . . Resoluteness . . ( Kuai ) This hexagram signifies on the one hand a break-through after a long accumulation of tension, as a swollen river breaks through its dikes, or in the manner of a cloudburst. On the other hand, applied to human conditions, it refers to the time when inferior people gradually begin to disappear (the top weak line). As a result of resolute action, a change in condition occurs: a break-through (months April-May). The Judgment : Break-Through. One must resolutely make the matter known at the court of the king. It must be announced truthfully. Danger: it is necessary to notify one's own city. Do not resort to arms, but do undertake something. --- Even if one inferior man is occupying a ruling position in a city, he is able to oppress superior men. Even a single passion still lurking in the heart has power to obscure reason. Passion and reason cannot exist side by side - therefore fight without restraint is necessary if the good is to prevail. In a resolute struggle of good against evil there are, however, definite rules to follow, if it is to succeed. First : resolution must be based on a union of strength and friendliness. -- Second : a compromise with evil is not possible, evil must under all circumstances be openly discredited. Nor must our own passions and shortcomings be glossed over. -- Third : the struggle must not be carried on directly by force. If evil is branded, it thinks of weapons, and if we do it the favor of fighting against it blow for blow, we loose in the end because thus we ourselves get entangled in hatred and passion. Therefore, it is important to begin at home, to be on guard in our own person against the faults we have branded. In this way, finding no opponent, the sharp edges of the weapons of evil become dulled. For the same reasons we should not combat our own faults directly, since as long as we wrestle with them, they continue victorious. -- Finally : the best way to fight evil is to make energetic progress in the good. The Image : The lake has risen up to heaven : the image of BREAK-THROUGH. Thus the superior man dispenses riches downward, and refrains from resting on his virtue. --- When the water of a lake has risen up to heaven, there is reason to fear a cloudburst. Taking this as a warning, the superior man forestalls a violent collapse. If a man were to pile up riches for himself alone, without considering others, he would certainly experience a collapse. For all gathering is followed by dispersion. Therefore the superior man begins to distribute already while he is accumulating. -- In the same way, in developing his character, he takes care not to become hardened in obstinacy, but to remain receptive to impressions by strict and continuous self-examination.