Thx! Hexagram 28

Hexagram 28 DÀ GUÒ Across the great pass  Crossing the great pass: the ridgepole is sagging Harvest: to proceed probing Expansion The great image says: The marsh submerges the tree: Great excess The noble one stands alone without fear, retreats from the world without melancholy	Lake Wind
	day 26 of a yang moon

Life is a cycle, it is circular. It begins, it grows, and it goes down again. To make life a straight road to a distant future is a desperate attempt of human mind to make it never-ending. It will not help him – inevitably he will go down some day.     But if man accepts going down as a substantial, important and good part of life, not as a decline but as a indispensable phase, then he makes his living days twice as many.     Do not live as an old man or an old woman, live as a grand old man, a grand old lady. Without regret or fear, but with the riches of wisdom and experience. This applies to everything, to enterprises, feelings, popularity. In everything all phases are important.

DàGuò: The character 1 represents a man: a big one. The second character is a pass in a mountain, also meaning the completion of an action. 2 the steps, 3 the foot, together the crossing. 4 Is a skeleton. In guo there is a mouth added; one of its other meanings is a distorted or wry mouth, or with a cleft palate: the opening between the mountains, a pass. More about 27 and 28

9 at 3: The ridgepole is sagging. Pitfall. If you believe you are weak or old or failing, then you will make it true. These are not feelings of real life, they are just negative ideas. Can a dog ‘think’ he is old? His limbs may be stiff, but his mind is Now, today, what he is doing right now. In his mind is no ‘himself’ to think about. (Changes to hex.47)		Above 6: Crossing at the wading place and drowning. Pitfall. Without fault. When undertaking great things it is impossible to avoid every danger. Have the guts to take risks. And when pain, sorrow, fear or loneliness come your way, then accept them as a road to deeper and farther pastures for the soul. (Changes to hex.44)
9 at 2: A withered poplar tree grows shoots. An old man gets a real woman as wife. There will be harvest. Always realize that after summer comes winter, after active life comes old age. Take precautions so life will go on. Join with others who also bring in a part of life: together life will be full for all. (Changes to hex.31)		9 at 5: A withered poplar grows foliage. An old woman gets a real man as hu*****and. Without fault, without honor.  When an end comes to something, then don’t sit down and stop living. Go on with the possibilities you still have. Maybe you will even find a new life, a realm you could never have found before. In happiness-statistics old women are the ones who score highest. No fault no honor - but obviously a lot of happiness. (Changes to hex.32)
Initial 6 : For the offering mat use white cogon grass (Mao-grass). Without fault. Every action deserves the attention and care one would use when sacrificing. Most actions are irreversible, once done there is no way back. So do everything as if your life is at stake – because it is. (Changes to hex.43)		9 at 4: The ridgepole is eminent. Auspicious. If there is a snake, distress. Even strong or secure people sometimes suddenly lose their self-confidence. Don’t panic, it is a natural thing to happen and a sign of a living mind. Make it part of your life, so it is not alien and unruly. Being strong does not mean never to be weak, it means being able to cope with weakness. (Changes to hex.48)
The Sabian Symbols for the hexagram-lines
6 at 3 corresponds to b 26: A rainbow God promised that he would not send a Flood again, so don´t create one yourself		Above 6 corresponds to h  26: A hydrometer
6 at 2 corresponds to ` 26: Winter frost in the woods Things forecast shadows		9 at 5 corresponds to f 26: A flag bearer
Initial 6 corresponds to ^ 26: A man possessed of more gifts than he can hold		9 at 4 corresponds to d 26: An eagle and a large white dove turning one into the other Accepting both sides makes both sides grand

For the meaning of  Eminent - expansion. Harvest - determination click HERE Image: leads a life of recluse, or retires from the world or because of old age Line 2: 'a real woman'. The first character is 'woman', the second one 'wife'. In modern Chinese it is very usual to use two words together, so the meaning will be clear. One single word can cause misunderstanding, because the pronunciation of so many words is the same. But in written language there is no need for this, so in old texts a word is just one character. Because the two sentences 2 and 5 resemble each other so much, I think there was deliberately an emphasis on 'man' and 'woman' by doubling their meaning. Line 4. 'Snake': the character is a picture of a snake, and can also be translated as such. Or as sudden danger, or ulterior motives. In modern Chinese it means 'this'. Line 5: 'a real man', the first of these two characters is usually translated as scholar, a person trained in a certain field, an officer, in general a man of quality. Some modern scholars believe it was originally a phallic symbol. The second character is a grown up man, a hu*****and, a man engaged in manual labor. In Japanese it is the character for 'samurai'.  Dà Guò is a great pass in a mountain, it means to go beyond the proper limit, surplus. Often it is passing irreversibly.     It is used for serious transgressions, especially in respect to rules, like in a school or army. But also in a positive sense: surpassing others with an asset. Better or smarter and such. And also to transfer accounts.     Also very important is the transition from active life to old age. The hexagram gives counsel about how to do this in the best possible way, in order to become a grand old man or woman instead of being played out. The ridgepole is the old person who supported a family or a business, but who is now bending over, and needs a stick, or his family, to support himself.  The lines tell him how to go on. Or in any other comparable situation. How to make the life after the great pass worthwhile too. How to deal with big changes, or with loss of securities. How to pass in a safe way.     In everyday situations it warns you for excess, for things which are heavy to handle, which need extra care.