Emotional I Ching : Hexagram 31

31 Cooperative enticement; Restrained joining
In a context of self-restraint we utilise intensity in expression.

Trigrams : self-restraint (bottom), intensity (top) : with/from self-restraint comes intensity. [lake over mountain]

The mud from which 31 has emerged is best described by analogy to the under-stated qualities of hexagram 13, associating with others (like-mindedness)

Commentary :

Cooperative format : In hexagram 31, The seeking of satisfaction has become concentrated in that one has found what one wants or fits with. By initially putting oneself in a giving position one can thus stimulate the other. The line text is partially a step by step description of one rising to speak. The emphasis is on the intent and purpose of the act, putting it all together to make a whole. Contextually, we develop from a loose associating (13) through a stronger degree of loyalty but at a distance (56) to a refined, but restrained, degree of joining.

(All four hexagrams (58,31,52,41) deal with attaining satisfaction as implied by their base trigrams associated with submission/self-restraint. There is thus an overall bias to concentration in a literal and metaphoric senses; concentration allowed 'outwards' comes across as intenseness)

Oppositional format : lake against mountain.

Template/Persona format : Expansive bonding in a context of contractive bonding.

Five-Phase Relationships : The trigram of Mountain reflects Filtration (through personal discernment, derive rules, not given). The trigram of Lake reflects cooperative Exchange. Qualitative filtration through cooperative exchange is expressed as 'wooing'.

Goal of 31 - hexagram 58 (or 'how do I 58? - 31')

31 is the goal of 49 (or 'how do I 31? - 49' How do I 'intensely' focus? Through revolution/revelation)

The I Ching tells us about hexagram 31:

Genotype	Description	Phenotype
(01)	How does this hexagram express singlemindedness, competitiveness?	41
(02)	What is this hexagram's potential form?	31
(03)	How does this hexagram 'sprout'?	55
(04)	How does this hexagram learn social skills?	44
(05)	How does this hexagram wait for opportunity to come?	54
(06)	How does this hexagram compromise, meet half way?	18
(07)	How does this hexagram express uniformity, establishment of?	28
(08)	How does this hexagram passively attract?	62
(09)	How does this hexagram express making small gains to be noticed?	38
(10)	How does this hexagram traverse a path carefully?	26
(11)	How does this hexagram balance/harmonise, mediate?	58
(12)	How does this hexagram neutralise attacks on its core beliefs?	52
(13)	How does this hexagram express association with the likeminded?	27
(14)	How does this hexagram manage from the centre? Direct operations? Push ideology?	61
(15)	How does this hexagram level things out, keep words close to facts?	45
(16)	How does this hexagram express foresight/planning?	39
(17)	How does this hexagram find a faith? What is its faith?	36
(18)	How does this hexagram correct corruption, express that correction?	6
(19)	How does this hexagram express approaching the 'high'; defer to the 'low'?	43
(20)	How does this hexagram elicit admiration and so invigorate others passively?	56
(21)	How does this hexagram resolve problems?	37
(22)	What does this hexagram look like, how does it present itself to the outside?	25
(23)	How does this hexagram 'housekeep', clear chaff to bring out the wheat?	33
(24)	How does this hexagram 'start', express 'beginning'?	49
(25)	How does this hexagram stand up to say its piece, ignoring consequences, disentangle?	22
(26)	How does this hexagram express 'holding firm' to traditions?	10
(27)	What is the basic, skelatal form of this hexagram, The mud from which it has emerged?	13
(28)	How does this hexagram express excess, go beyond what is required?	7
(29)	How does this hexagram assert containment/control?	32
(30)	How does this hexagram express guidance/direction setting?	42
(31)	How does this hexagram 'woo', express restrained enticement?	2
(32)	How does this hexagram express commitment?	29
(33)	How does this hexagram draw-in its enemies, competitively entice?	23
(34)	How does this hexagram actively invigorate others?	60
(35)	How does this hexagram bring something into the 'light'?	53
(36)	How does this hexagram protect its 'light' when not its time?	17
(37)	How does this hexagram reflect rigid structure as a form of tension release?	21
(38)	How does this hexagram 'mirror', deal with opposition?	9
(39)	How does this hexagram obstruct, go against, stand up to, the flow?	16
(40)	How does this hexagram express tension release through relaxing structure?	48
(41)	How does this hexagram achieve clarity, concentration, distillation?	1
(42)	How does this hexagram reflect augmentation?	30
(43)	How does this hexagram 'seed', spread the word?	19
(44)	How does this hexagram persuade/seduce?	4
(45)	How does this hexagram celebrate its 'faith'?	15
(46)	How does this hexagram become more entangled with something/someone?	47
(47)	How does this hexagram integrate with the context, be it by choice or otherwise?	46
(48)	Where does this hexagram get its nutrition, what sustains it, keeps it going?	40
(49)	How does this hexagram reveal, unmask?	24
(50)	How does this hexagram express conversion of the raw to the cooked, transformation?	59
(51)	How does this hexagram express surprise, enlightenment, shock?	63
(52)	How does this hexagram express blocking, discernment?	12
(53)	How does this hexagram express gradual development, maturity?	35
(54)	How does this hexagram expend early energy, immaturity?	5
(55)	How does this hexagram deal with abundance/overflowing?	3
(56)	How does this hexagram demonstrate conditional loyalty; loyalty at a distance?	20
(57)	How does this hexagram cultivate and become influential?	64
(58)	How does this hexagram express itself intensely, self-reflect?	11
(59)	How does this hexagram make things clear, dispel illusions? lift the fog?	50
(60)	How does this hexagram standardise?	34
(61)	How does this hexagram express empathy? yielding, soft core, hard exterior?	14
(62)	How does this hexagram express overacting to establish unconditional loyalty?	8
(63)	How does this hexagram complete, 'get it right'?	51
(64)	How does this hexagram remain 'open', mis-sequence?	57

Some PAIRINGS of hexagram 31 and other hexagrams:

In the binary sequence hexagram 31 pairs with hexagram 33.

This pairing overall reflects a focus on 'enticement', be it through the intense 'wooing' of 31 or the trickery of drawing in the enemy etc reflected in 33.

In the binary sequence hexagram 31 opposes hexagram 41.

In the traditional sequence hexagram 31 pairs with hexagram 32.

In this pairing both hexagrams focus on issues of commitment, be it the intensity in the wooing of 31 (and so an overall differentiating focus) or the general sense of commitment reflected in 32 (and so an overall integrating focus).

COMMIT:

31 : commit (gradual) - through to someone; 31 wooing comes from a context described by hexagram 13 - loose associations

32 : commit (sudden) - through to something; 32 committing comes from a context described by hexagram 14 - centered associations, directing

In the traditional sequence hexagram 31 opposes hexagram 34.

The generic properties of hexagram 31 reflect the mixing of the generic properties of hexagram 33 with the generic properties of hexagram 13.

A combination of trickery, of drawing someone 'in' (33) with a focus on associating with the likeminded (13) is reflected in the intense 'wooing' of hexagram 31.

In the variations on a theme sequence, hexagram 31 complements hexagram 49.

Both of these hexagrams reflect issues of trying to get 'behind' or 'through' something, be it through the use of words (31) or more 'robust' actions (49).