For the second time I asked the I-Ching if it had anything to say to Daily Kos about the 2006 midterm elections.
For those who don't know, the I-Ching is The Book of Changes, one of the great ancient Chinese classics. It has been used for many years to gain wisdom and has at its center the philosophy that everything changes all the time, that if you can move with these changes you can understand the times in which you live and act successfully in accordance with those changes.
I received a very interesting hexagram this time when I tossed the coins. Join me below and I'll try to explain.
First, a caveat. Although I have studied the I-Ching for many years as an amateur I am by no means an expert, so any mistakes in this explanation are entirely mine. The translation I am using is the Wilhelm/Baynes version.
Ok. Now to the answer I received. I got the hexagram (hexagram made up of 6 lines, either "yin," or broken lines or "yang" unbroken lines) of "Fu/Return (The Turning Point)." An interesting introduction to the hexagram:
The idea of a turning point arises from the fact that after the dark lines have pushed all of the light lines upward and out of the hexagram, another light line enters the hexagram from below. The time of darkness is past. The winter solstice brings the victory of light. This hexagram is linked with the eleventh month, the month of the solstice (December-January).
For so many years there have been, in the center of power, inferior men and women, the "dark lines" referred to in the hexagram. But times change, and the light returns.
The explanation goes on:
After a time of decay comes the turning point. The powerful light that has been banished returns. There is movement, but it is not brought about by force. The upper trigram K'un [3 lines out of the 6] is characterized by devotion; thus the movement is natural, arising spontaneously. For this reason, the transformation of the old becomes easy. The old is discarded and the new is introduced. Both measures accord with the time; therefore no harm results. Socieites of people sharing the same views are formed. But since these groups come together in full public knowledge and are in harmony with the time, all selfish separatist tendences are excluded and no mistake is made.
Devotion, that's an old fashioned word, isn't it? So often we think we must jump up and down and flail about endlessly, when in fact all we need to do is be receptive to what we know is right, devote ourselves to that task, and things become easy.
We will hear a veritable cacophany of noise now from our dysfunctional media. Let it wash over us like an ephemeral shower as we devote ourselves to the work that must be done, paying attention to the real issues that affect our fellow Americans. Remember what this is all about, remember those the media will not highlight - the families of our fallen soldiers, those who are hungry, who are sick, who are not being given a fair shake by this government, those who have no one to speak for them but us. If we devote ourselves to what we know to be true the task will be easy.
The I-Ching has one other piece of advice to my fellow patriot-warriors. You've all worked hard, gone without sleep, proper food, any real recuperation. The I-Ching says:
The winter solstice has always been celebrated in China as the resting time of the year -- a custom that survives in the time of rest observed at the new year. In winter the life energy, symbolized by thunder, the Arousing, is still underground. Movement is just at its beginning; threfore it must be strengthened by rest, so that it will not be dissipated by being used prematurely. This principle, i.e., of allowing energy that is renewing itself to be reinforced by rest, applies to all similar situations. The return of health after an illness, the return of understanding after an estrangement; everything must be treated tenderly and with care at the beginning, so that the return may lead to a flowering.
We've won the first step in a great battle, and I feel the same as many of us, wanting to jump right in and engage in the real work ahead. And again, the media, and our opponents the Republicans, are urging us to show our hand, to begin making grand pronouncements and start fights.
And oh there will be a fight! But for now, a moment before we enter the fray. A moment to reflect, deep in our own psyches. A moment to think about those for whom we are fighting, those who have had no voice for so long, those who perhaps haven't even had the opportunities to gather the excellent information we have been blessed to receive. Those who suffered during Katrina and are still flung out all over America. Those who are unemployed and wondering how to feed their children, or those who are working two jobs and still can't make ends meet. Those who are sick and can't get healthcare. Those whose children can't get good schooling. If we think about these fellow Americans it is less likely we'll get caught up in the media circus and the Republican spin machine.
So that's my interpretation of what the I-Ching had to say to all of us here at Daily Kos. There were no changing lines in this hexagram, so the common interpretation is that this situation will be in effect for the near future. Let's take advantage of it. The ideas will come forth and we will go forward with them to continue this good fight.