17 隨 Following
Judgement
Following and being followed: your relationship with others moves in both directions. There is great progress here, as long as you act with firmness and integrity. That is what protects you from error. Do not follow just to follow, or drag others along for no reason. Ask yourself whom you follow and why, and what you offer those who follow you. Following well requires being clear about where you are going.
Image
Thunder hidden in the middle of the lake: the force lies still under the surface. When evening begins to fall, the wise person goes indoors and rests. This is an image of moving with the rhythm of things: there is a time to act and a time to withdraw. Not everything is settled by forcing. Ask yourself whether you respect the time of day in your own life, and whether you let yourself stop when it is no longer time to go on.
Lines
Line 1
You change the object of your attention. If you stay firm and upright, it tends to go well. And when you step out your door to look for companions, you may well find something valuable. Changing course is not betrayal, it is opening up. Leaving your familiar circle brings you close to people you would not have met inside it.
Line 2
You cling to the small child and let go of the man of age and experience. It is a choice for the easy and the immediate over the solid. Ask yourself whom you follow out of comfort and whom you have stopped listening to because they are uncomfortable. You may have let go of exactly what suited you best.
Line 3
Now you cling to the man of age and let go of the small child. This following may get you what you seek, but it helps to stay firm and upright. It is the opposite of the last move, and better: you choose the solid. Ask yourself whether you do it from conviction or for the sake of change.
Line 4
People follow you and you gain followers. Even if you are firm and upright, there is risk: success sometimes draws what does not suit you. But if you are sincere in your path and let it show, what mistake could you make? Ask yourself what you want from those who follow you and what you give them.
Line 5
You are sincere in encouraging what is good. That is a good sign. Here whoever leads does so with sincerity: they look for the excellent, not applause. When you are consistent with what you value, you draw those who value it. Ask yourself which qualities in others you cultivate, and whether you lead by example.
Line 6
Your sincerity is firm, held fast and well tied. The king presents his offerings on the western mountain. This is the image of a loyalty that becomes almost sacred. Some loyalties hold you up precisely because they are not easy. Ask yourself which commitment of yours deserves to be honored with more than words, and whether you are honoring it.
Reflection
- Whom do you follow out of habit, and whom did you stop listening to because they are uncomfortable?
- What do you want from those who follow you, and what do you give them?
- Do you respect your time to stop when evening begins to fall?