The hexagram has a Lake trigram on top of a Thunder trigram. Lake also represents joy and Thunder represents movement. The joy of moving means following. It also means being happy in all situations. This is good adaption and contentment in any new circumstances. Agility and watchfulness are also attributes of this hexagram.
Description:
- 元亨: Great flow.
- 利贞: Good for perseverance in righteousness
- 无咎: There is no blame and no disasters.
Textual Commentary:
The strong and firm come under gentle and soft. Movement brings joy and means “隨 Following”. It is a great flow for righteousness. There is no blame. Under Heaven, following the times and tides is a great principle.
Pictorial Commentary:
Thunder inside the lakes makes up 隨 Follow. Wise men rest when night falls.
Moral Teachings:
The “Following” hexagram teaches us to adapt and be contented with the various situations one may find. It requires the following:
- Reading and Understanding of the Times and Tides. There is no one right way to handle different situations. We must be observant of the changes in our environment.
- Adapting to the Situation & Learning New Things. When night and darkness come, we must cease the activities we do during the day and take a rest – go to sleep. There are times that call forth our abandoning old ideas and habits and learning new skills. The saddest thing about growing old is the inability to handle the new convenience brought about by new technology. In the older days, we talk to people to get things done. In this new high-tech world, we have to interact with machines to get things done – they call it self-service. While one may grow old, our mindset must remain open to learning and then enjoy new conveniences with speed.
- Be contented and happy no matter what. There is no need to be upset with changes especially when they are beyond our control. Otherwise, we will be like the kids who complain about the day being not long enough for fun and having to go home because the sun is setting. Their complaints do not delay the sunset. We need to adapt to the changes over which we have no control. Better still, think of ways to enjoy the changes. Winter may be depressing because of the short daylight but playing with the snow, skiing, and ice skating are great fun.
Stage 1 Begin Nine: There are changes in the organization structure (literally, the governmental ministers), staying with integrity and righteousness is good. Leaving home, one needs to mix around and make friends to achieve success. 初九：官有渝，贞吉。出门交有功。
Pictorial Commentary: Changes in the organization are happening. It is good to follow changes with righteousness. Leaving home, one needs to mix with friends. There is no loss. 象曰： 官有渝，从正吉也。出门交有功，不失也。
In the midst of changes, especially in change from good to bad (渝 is to change from clear to dirty), we need to hold on to the righteous behavior of integrity. We will need to mix with others that are different from us. We need to move out and make new friends. In changes, there are things that need to change and there are others that should not. Friends can change but the principles of good moral character do not.
Stage 2 Second Six: Holding on to an inferior man (literal: little man) causes one to lose the great man. 六二：系小子，失丈夫。
Alternative translation: holding to a son and losing a husband.
The pictorial commentary says the inability to hold on to both causes one to hold on to the little man only. 象曰：系小子，弗兼与也。
When our ability is limited, we must be wise to choose the important and let go of the unimportant. In this case, because of our lack of maturity, we make the wrong reading and choose wrongly.
Stage 3 Third Six: Holding on to the Great man and losing the little man. Following rightly make good profits. Good to persevere in integrity and righteousness. 六三：系丈夫，失小子。随有求得，利居贞。
Pictorial commentary: Holding on to great man because we have given up on the lower value little man. 象曰：系丈夫，志舍下也。
We are now smarter and read the situation better. We wisely choose the great man and reject the little man and hence we get great rewards.
Stage 4 Fourth Nine: Following make gains. Stubbornness brings danger. The way has integrity and is obvious to everyone, hence no disaster. 九四：随有获，贞凶。有孚在道，以明，何咎。
Pictorial commentary: following to make gains has bad intentions. The way that has integrity and the rewards are clearly seen. 象曰：随有获，其义凶也。有孚在道， 明功也
When a situation changes, we must not be stubborn in holding on to past ways of doing things. Following the trends and adopting new ways will bring gains. Nevertheless, we must maintain our integrity and let others see us. The pictorial commentary warns us not to follow with bad intentions and crooked ways just for gains. Integrity and fairness must be clearly seen by all.
Stage 5 Fifth Nine: follow and be trustworthy of those things that are good (praiseworthy). It is good fortune. 九五：孚于嘉，吉。
The pictorial commentary explains that good fortune comes from being in the centered position. 象曰：孚于嘉，吉；位正中也。
What things should we follow or pursue? Things that are good and praise-worthy of course.
Stage 6 Top Six: Imprison and tie one up and later release him. King worships at the west mountain to start a mission to conquer the rebellion. 上六：拘系之，乃从维之。王用亨于西山。
The pictorial commentary says that there is no way to up and hence one is being trapped. 象曰：拘系之，上穷也。
One can use force to cause a person to follow. But it is always better to have a true following from the heart. Hence, the captured person is released when his heart is changed. When can a child not be regulated by rules, such as limited hours on TV, Internet, curfew times, etc? It is when he has grown up to know how to study well and behave well. Life under lots of rules is tough. One feels locked in and miserable. We move only when pushed. However, when we intrinsically lead from the hearts with the right way internally built in, we feel free, at peace, and energetic.
Summary:
Following the hexagram is about seeing the change, learning and adapting to it, and being happy in it by mastering it. We don’t hold on to outdated practices. Our minds are opened and we are prepared to experience new things. Nevertheless, we hold on to the unchanging principles of integrity and righteousness.
The stage lines give us additional teaching as follows:
- Ideas and Friends can change but moral standards should not.
- Don’t major on the minor and lose the major.
- Major on the major and win.
- Follow but maintain integrity and righteousness
- Follow good things
- Follow from the heart – need no external pressures.
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