#40 解 Freed – Get and Stay Free with Decisive Actions

 

40解 Freed – Get and Stay Free with Decisive Actions

解 雷水解 震上坎下

This hexagram has a Thunder trigram on top of the Water trigram. Thunder represents movement. The trapped water within is able to move out signifying freed up to grow. The meaning of the Chinese word 解 is to untie or break up. It means solved or freed or deliverance. The previous hexagram 39 Lame is the inability to move. This hexagram is freed to move and grow.

Description:

1. 利西南: It is beneficial to move southwest.
2. 无所往: There is nowhere to go
3. 其来复吉: Returning brings good fortune
4. 有攸往: When there is something worth doing,
5. 夙吉: Doing early brings good fortune

Textual Commentary:

彖曰：解，险以动，动而免乎险，解。  解利西南，往得众也。 其来复吉， 乃得中也。 有攸往夙吉，往有功也。  天地解，而雷雨作，雷雨作，   而百果草木皆甲坼， 解之时义大矣哉！

There is danger and hence need to take action and move. Moving to escape and break free from danger is Freedom or Deliverance. It is beneficial to go southwest because going there will get support from the masses. Returning is a blessing because the position is central. Where there is something worth doing, doing that as early as possible will bring rewards. Heaven and Earth break from the frozen winter. Thunder and rain come. The thunder and rain caused the tree and grass, flowers, and fruit plants to break forth and grow. The timing and influence of Freedom are great.

Pictorial Commentary: 象曰：雷雨作，解；君子以赦过宥罪

Thunder and Rains working is Freedom. Wise men forgive mistakes and pardon sins.

Moral Teachings:

1. Freedom is taking decisive actions to prevent being harmed in danger and breaking free from it.
2. Freedom is also about taking action to stay away from danger.
3. Freedom is desired by the masses.
4. The right position for Freedom is to stay in the central position of righteousness. The mid-way and not the extremes.
5. For things that are worthy, do them quickly and don’t delay. Don’t be indecisive in taking action. Quick decisive actions are not impulsive actions.
6. The purpose of Freedom is to cause productivity and abundance to come. Timing is important too.
7. To have true freedom, we must forgive mistakes and wrongdoings done to us. We won’t be bound in bitterness and hatred. We forgive others to be freed!

Stage 1 Begin Six: No-Fault and No Issue. 初六：无咎。
Pictorial Commentary explains that the strong and soft meet. That is the right way and hence no fault. 象曰：刚柔之际，义无咎也。

This is the beginning of breaking free. The strong driver and the soft follower work together. The strengths of different personalities complement one another. This is a good state to do great things. What are we going to do?

Stage 2 Second Nine: Three foxes were captured in the fields. Obtained a bronze arrow. Perseverance in righteousness brings good fortune. 九二：田获三狐，得黄矢，贞吉。

The pictorial commentary explains that the Second-Nine line brings good fortune because he mastered the righteous way of the middle. 象曰：九二贞吉，得中道也。

Foxes represent cunning thieves to steal and destroy. The arrow represents the straight and open way in contrast with the cunning of the foxes. The straight and righteous way wins against the evil way and brings blessings.

Stage 3 Third Six: Showing off one’s possessions on a carriage causes the robbers to come. Truly to blame. 六三：负且乘，致寇至，贞吝。

The pictorial commentary explains that showing off one’s wealth is ugly. It is self-inflicted trouble and no one else can be blamed.   象曰：负且乘，亦可丑也，自我致戎，又谁咎也。

Freedom with hard work brings forth abundance. But we have to be careful not to show off our wealth. We should continue to live our lives in modesty, otherwise, it only invites trouble.

Stage 4 Fourth Nine: Breaking free from the foolish people (literally thumb). True friends that you can trust come. 九四：解而拇，朋至斯孚。
The pictorial commentary explains the need to break away from foolish people because we have not arrived at the right position.  象曰：解而拇，未当位也。

Showing off one wealth only brings those who seek benefits from our wealth. They are after our wealth and will help us spend our wealth away. They will be gone when our wealth is gone. This is like the story of the Prodigal Son in the Bible. We must stay away from such people. We should make true friends with integrity and trustworthiness.

Stage 5 Fifth Six: Wise men have freedom and stay free. It is good fortune.  They maintain their integrity towards the contemptible people (literally little men) 六五：君子维有解，吉；有孚于小人。
The pictorial commentary explains that when wise men have understanding and are free from prejudices, the contemptible people will leave. 象曰：君子有解，小人退也。

Thinking that is freed from bias, prejudices and unsound assumptions will have clarity and objectivity. Without clarity, we are easily led astray by contemptible people with their lies and gossip. The character of integrity will require that we treat our betrayers with the same integrity as treat others. With wise thinking and judgment, people with political agendas will go elsewhere since there is no game for them to play.

Stage 6 Top Six: The King standing on the high ground shoots at the falcon. He got it. There is no way that is not smooth and beneficial. 上六：公用射隼，于高墉之上，获之，无不利。
The pictorial commentary explains that the King shoots the falcon to squash the rebellion and keep the country free.   象曰：公用射隼，以解悖也。

When one is free and wealthy, there are many people who will come to steal and destroy it. In stage 3 it is the robbers but that is due to our own fault of show-off. In stage 4, we have the pleasure seekers who come to help us spend. In stage 5, we have the self-seeking politicians who come to create strife. In stage 6, we have the more aggressive ones who want to remove us from leadership. We must not spare any affords in getting rid of the bad influencers and the rebellious ones.

Summary:

Freedom is about being freed to do good and righteous things and bringing blessings to all.

Freedom is obtained by quick decisive actions of

• breaking free from dangers,
• staying away from danger,
• seeking the interests of the masses, and
• forgiving others.

Wisdom from the Stage Lines:

1. Differences are harmonized. No Issue.
2. Straight wins against the crooked. Righteousness brings good fortune.
3. Show-off brings regrets.
4. Stay away from bad companies and have trustworthy true friends.
5. Wise and objective(prejudices-free) thinking keeps the office-politics away.
6. Get rid of the bad and rebellious influences to stay free. Fire the bad ringleader.

Lim Liat (c) 25/5/2010