The Abyss Over The Joyous
The Deep/Water Above, The Marsh/Mist Below
| ATTRIBUTES | ANATOMY | ELEMENT | COLOR | SEASON | DIRECTION | FAMILY | |
| — x — | |||||||
| ——– | Danger | Ear | Wood | Red | Winter | North | Middle Son |
| — — | |||||||
| — — | |||||||
| — 0 — | Pleasure | Mouth | Flesh | Blue | Autumn | West | Young Daughter |
| ——– |
Water over the lake.
The great man conceives number and gauge,
He ponders the character of his ethics and proper behaviour.
Constraint. Auspicious.
He should not be determined to proceed on a course
Which sets excessive restrictions.
A lake can only hold a limited amount of water. If more water is added to it once it is full, the lake can only spill over. In the same way that a lake is restricted to containing only a finite quantity of water, so too, must man be able to set limits on his own attitudes and actions. This is the signification of the term constraint. A man must impose constraints on himself and his interests if he is to accomplish any deed of merit. Without these self imposed constraints the man would simply drift aimlessly from one interest to another. The man must clearly see his purpose and then go about setting constraints on his own character to ensure that he can attain his goals. In no way does a man lose his own personal freedom by setting these constraints on himself. On the contrary, he gives his actions meaning and purpose while remaining free to choose his goals. Nothing can be achieved from aimless wandering from one interest to another or from one project to another. The man must determine what it is that he wants to accomplish and then focus on achieving it by setting the proper constraints on himself. The man must be careful not to go too far when imposing constraints upon himself. There is a just measure which should be adhered to. If he tries to impose unjust constraints on others this will only cause them to revolt against him. There are limits to the constraints that one can impose. His main concern should be that he maintains a proper attitude towards himself and others.
1 –0– He does not leave his own house. He remains without blame.
There are times when a man must keep himself from acting too quickly. In this situation, the man is surrounded by many overwhelming obstacles but if he remains calm and accepts the present situation in a quiet manner he will then be able to gather from within himself the power he will need to pass to action when the proper moment arrives. The man must comprehend this fact and not try to move beyond his capabilities at this time.
2 –0– He does not leave his own house. Ominous.
The proper time for action has come but the man waits too long and his opportunity passes him by. It is fine to pause and gather inner strength in anticipation of the proper time for action but when it is time to move, one should act quickly and without any reluctance. Once hindrances have been eliminated, the man would be making a serious miscalculation if he chose not to act.
3 –X– He does not set constraints on himself. He will have cause to weep. No blame if he understands his error.
A man who is self serving and only seeks self-gratification has lost his proper sense of perspective. Abandoning himself to the excesses of this lifestyle with bring on dire repercussions and cause for remorse. He can only blame himself for the life he has chosen to lead. Only once he has understood that he is the cause of his own troubles will he be able to liberate himself from the mistaken path he has embarked upon.
4 –X– Satisfaction from his own constraints. Auspicious.
If a man must always repress his own emotions and actions he will soon find that he has uselessly drained himself of his vital energy. However if restraints are spontaneous and natural, his energy will not be wasted by ineffective efforts. If he can focus his energy on the problem at hand and gain a clear perspective of what the obstacles are he will find that the solutions to his troubles will come to him naturally and his triumph over these difficulties will be certain.
5 –0– Auspicious if he can impose proper constraint. Exemplary behaviour brings respect.
Constraints must be applied properly if they are to be effective. The man must not forget to include himself when he is setting constraints on others. He must be able to follow his own rules otherwise he will meet with strong opposition from the others. The man must himself act as an example for the others and only then will they follow his guidance wholeheartedly. This is the only way that the man will be able to bring about a successful conclusion to this situation.
6 –X– Irritating constraints. Ominous if he is determined to remain on this course. Remorse will disappear if he can correct his conduct.
When a man sets out to impose austere constraints on others he will only be met with great resistance. In this situation the opposition to the constraints which the man is trying to force upon others is totally justified. There are times when such drastic measures is the only way one has to preserve his own integrity. If this is the case remorse will disappear. The man must be careful in making sure that his actions, especially towards others are justified and necessary. Before he sets out to correct the attitudes of others he must be sure that his own inner being is following the proper path. His problems might simply be the result of how he sees things. Maybe if he can change his perspective his troubles will be resolved and all things will fall into their proper place.