Main text of the Pre-Heaven hexagram - 4 Mêng - Immaturity
Youthfulness, despite its lack of wisdom, can still achieve success. The teacher does not seek the tyro, but when sought and questioned, answers fully. If the student importunes, no further information is given. Correctness promotes success.
This hexagram depicts a spring at the foot of the mountain, and symbolizes uncultured youth. The spring shows the potential of ever increasing nourishment, and the mountain signifies the heights that can be attained. The superior man develops his worth with every step he takes in life. To understand I Ching and its guidance, one must remember that it is based on the theory of reincarnation or a divine plan whereby all people do not come into this world equal in mental and physical endowments. Each is different, each is at a particular level, each has his own experiences to encounter and each has certain lessons to learn. Those born with Mêng as their ruling hexagram are not stupid, but merely lacking in certain areas of experience and wisdom, which they must seek out. Their immaturity will be overcome through proper learning and learning methods. Continuing effort will secure success. Such persons' lives will be far from dull, and more than likely very interesting.
Controlling line of Pre-Heaven - 4
Opinionatedness, stubbornness, and immaturity bring humiliation.
This line shows the student enmeshed in erroneous thinking, and the teacher having no recourse but to leave him alone to suffer humiliation, in order to bring him to his senses.
Many people are born, or become, impractical in thought and action, and, through obstinacy, immaturity, opinionatedness or deluded imagination, demand to follow their own course despite the propitious guidance of others. Often, friends, teachers and superiors have no recourse but to leave such an individual alone to suffer from his self-generated folly, until remorse sets in and he once again desires to follow the right path. There are apparently several important lessons that these persons are destined to have to learn in their lives, lessons which others have already learned. What befalls these individuals is right for them at this particular stage of their evolution, for each is serving a divine purpose, despite the difficulties in which they find themselves.
Most auspicious:
He will be a man of talent and ability, but these qualities will not be recognized, so he will either tend to withdraw within himself, or go and live in seclusion. His attainments will only be small.
Least auspicious:
He will have but few friends, being of a difficult nature, and having a tendency to show off. He will be a wastrel, and will probably not marry or have children.
Keynote:
Obstinacy or immaturity makes for impracticality.
Main text of the inner hexagram of Pre-Heaven - 24 Fu - Return
Return. Success. All going forth and coming in is free from error. Friends come and no error is involved. They return and repeat. Seven days are required. Advantageous to have a firm goal.
This hexagram illustrates concisely the law of change and its operation in this world. All physical changes take place in six stages or actions. Going further then leads to a return of former conditions, and the completion of the cycle. (Another view is that what is sent out will return in kind.) Hexagram 1, Ch'ien, is entirely Yang. Changes enter from the bottom. In six stages the hexagram becomes entirely Yin, or K'un, the Receptive. With the seventh stage the Yang starts to return, and the hexagram then formed is this one, Fu. The cycle can repeat itself endlessly. The 'seven days' mentioned in the text are the seven stages of change, and with this last change being the entering of a Yang at the bottom, with all the lines above being Yin, it is a time to advance and make much progress. Hence it is advantageous to have a firm goal. By profession, the kind of people symbolized here are inventors, innovators, founders of businesses, organizers, promoters and entrepreneurs; they are men of clarity, vision, sound judgment, and fortitude. In their private lives, these individuals will use the foregoing qualities to change themselves within.
