15 Leveling, Even-Out In a context of self-restraint we utilise trust-in-others.

Trigrams : self-restraint (bottom), dual-mindedness (top) : with/from perseverance comes dual-mindedness. [earth over mountain]

The mud from which 15 has emerged is best described by analogy to the under-stated qualities of hexagram 22 - facade.

A situation reflecting a need for decorum and so to 'cover up', to reduce the basics, avoid exaggerations of lows or highs

Commentary :

Cooperative Format : In hexagram 15 we are at a moment where the use of 'acceptable' appearance is required despite our inner desires. This is a time for avoiding excess by keeping things 'grounded'; words to facts. This functions within the context of worth and beauty. (words + facts = value. words or facts alone are 'valueless'; they only serve as 'meaningless' ideals). By maintaining this relationship (a 'level' head) it acts as a gateway into the future.

Oppositional Format : Hexagram 15 reflects the total eradication of difference; the insistence of sameness and so 'perfect order' where the 'perfection' is what is highlighted.

Structural Relationship (Being) : Hexagram 15 is the opposite of hexagram 10, in that 15 reflects modesty as compared to conduct; leveling all as compared to leveling some/one; humbling as compared to reservedly 'pushing it'.

Temporal Relationship (Doing) : The goal of 15 - hexagram 19 (or 'how do I 19? - 15' - How do I get the high to defer, the low to approach? - focus on leveling all, on applying 'total' modesty - no highs, no lows, use one to 'fill in' the other)

Five-Phase Relationships : The trigram of Mountain reflects Filtration (through personal discernment). The trigram of Earth reflects Filtration (but through given rules, faith). The relationship is expressed in the concept of leveling-out.

15 is the goal of 36 (or 'how do I 15? - 36' - How do I level all? Uncompromisingly hide/put-out any 'light')

The I Ching tells us about hexagram 15:

Some PAIRINGS of hexagram 15 and other hexagrams:

• In the traditional sequence hexagram 15 pairs with hexagram 16.

  In this pairing we see a sense of imposing order, be it through reducing highs and lows or in actively planning events and so avoiding the 'unexpected' highs and lows.

  REDUCE EXAGGERATIONS:
  
  15 : reduce exaggerations - through re-distribution, even-out; 15 modesty comes out of a context described by hexagram 22 - facading, gloss over, cover up
  
  16 : reduce exaggerations - through planning, think beforehand; 16 foresight, planning comes out of a context described by hexagram 21 - problem solving, to chew over

• In the binary sequence hexagram 15 pairs with hexagram 52.

The overall focus in this pair is on the characteristics of quality control where for 15 the focus is on removing, or more so concealing, covering-up, all highs and lows, all exaggerations, no exceptions. This is an integrating act where we pull down or pull up to give an overall expression of 'modesty'. In 52 the focus is more differentiating through the use of blockage, to develop a sense of discernment and so recognition of qualities that 'stick out' naturally rather than as exaggerations.

• In the binary sequence hexagram 15 opposes hexagram 10.

In this pairing we see the focus on leveling-out in hexagram 15, where we reduce all highs and fill-in all lows, and so avoid any form of exaggeration, compared to the formal maintaining of highs and lows, and so a focus on hierarchy, in hexagram 10. A consequence of hierarchy is the need for everyone to 'know their place' in that the slightest movement 'away' from that place can be a threat to the overall structure. Thus with hexagram 10 we have a focus on treading, on conduct, following path 'carefully' where the path reflects the bounds of one's realm. In hexagram 15 the focus is more on modesty, on keeping "words close to the underlying facts".

At the LOCAL level in the binary sequence we here deal with a sequence of eight hexagrams with the trigram of MOUNTAIN as the base trigram. In this sequence hexagram 15 'opposes' hexagram 33 where in 33 the focus on avoiding exaggeration is replaced by the use of exaggeration to trick the enemy, to draw them into a trap. More so, the exaggerated sense of trickery/retreat in 33 is reflected in a more balanced format through the leveling-out (and so make things more 'fair') reflected in 15.

• In the traditional sequence hexagram 15 opposes hexagram 50.

With this pair the focus is on transformation but for 15 this is done through leveling-out whereas in 50 the focus is on 'cooking', on refining the raw to become the 'refined' and so transformed.

• The generic properties of hexagram 15 reflect the mixing of the generic properties of hexagram 52 with the generic properties of hexagram 22.

Combining a sense of facading, gloss-over, cover-up (22) with a sense of discernment (52) reflects the generic properties of 15. Hexagram 22 reflects the need to draw attention from what is behind the mask to the mask itself.

• In the variations on a theme sequence, hexagram 15 complements hexagram 36.

The overall focus in this pair is on 'hiding', be it through removal of highs and lows in the environment (15) or the covering-up of one's own 'light' in a context that is uncompromising (36). Both hexagrams thus emphasise not exaggerating oneself etc.

Copyright © 2003-2009 C. J. Lofting