A further note on Hexagram 44 Gou

Hexagram 44 Gou / Coming to meet

The Judgment:
Coming to meet. The maiden is powerful. One should not marry such a maiden.

Comments:
The rise of the inferior element is pictured here in the image of a bold girl who lightly surrenders herself and thus seizes power.
The inferior man rises only because the superior man does not regard him as dangerous and so lends him power. If he were resisted from the first, he could never gain influence. [W/B]

Notes:
1) The rise of the inferior element; a bold girl who lightly surrenders herself; and the inferior man; all represent the yin line that replaces the first yang line of the Qian hexagram (which comprises of six yang lines).

2) If this yin line is not checked in time, then more yin lines could follow and eventually all the six yang lines will be replaced by yin lines consequently changing Qian into Kun. This would be in line with the Piqua (twelve monthly hexagrams) sequence. As the next hexagram after Gou will be 33 Tun / Retreat where the first two lines are yin lines and the remaining four yang lines are forced to beat a retreat.

3) In my earlier note, one has used the bold girl example to tie up the relationships between Hexagram 44 with line three of Hexagram 4 and which differs from the girl depicted in Hexagram 31. Under different circumstances, the image of the inferior element or an inferior man can be used too.

4) The hexagram also depicts the meeting between a strong and central assistant (second line) and a strong, central, and correct ruler (fifth line). A great flowering results, and the inferior element (first line) below can do no harm. Thus this is an important time, the time of the meeting of the light and the dark. (Book III)

5) The importance in the timing of the meeting between the light and the dark could allude to inner alchemy practice.

6) Those who are unfamiliar with the entire Piqua sequence can look it up at Steve Marshall’s Yijing Dao website located at the Resources link.

7) Hilary is organizing a webinar, “an online seminar” this Saturday. The speaker is Dr. Margaret Pearson. One of the several questions to be asked will be on this hexagram. Those interested in the seminar can obtain further details at the Answers link.