46 - Shêng (Pushing Upward)

I Ching explorations - Part 46 of 64

K’un - Earth (Receptive) over Sun – The Gentle (Wind/Wood)

Shêng / Pushing Upward is the image of wood pushing its way through earth.

Situation

The upper trigram, Earth, is devoted and moves downward.  The lower trigram, Wood, is gentle and pushes upward.  That upward motion requires hard and consistent effort – it will not happen without energy.  Still – the omens are good and the invisible world produces favorable conditions.  In this case, one must take advantage of auspicious timing and push ahead.

Response

Like a ceaselessly growing sprout, a superior person is devoted in character and never pauses in progressive effort.  Consistent effort of the will is required to push one’s position from lower to middle to highest.  But in this situation, pushing is to be accomplished gently and with modesty.  One should “cultivate virtue, build up character, accumulate knowledge and experience, and work hard to establish credibility” (AH).  Through such personal development, one can rise to achieve one’s goals.

Outcome

Through gradual, steady, and sincere effort one can establish strong roots, develop a firm and upright character, and rise to the heights.  Rapidly growing weeds are neither firm nor strong and are easily uprooted.    

The Lines

1.  Beginning at the bottom with the support of those above lends confidence.

2.  One who lacks class but is sound in character furthers through small offerings

3.  Don’t hesitate to profit from easy progress while it lasts

4.  One achieves a goal that endures beyond time

5.  Be not intoxicated by success – slow steady progress leads to good fortune

6.  When pushing blindly beyond the goal remain steadfast and upright to avoid loss.

Like a seedling reaching for the surface, pushing upwards requires consistent and focused effort combined with gentleness and modesty.  Sometimes there are obstructions that we need to work around and other times the soil is loose and receptive to our advances making us think the gods are shining on us.  At those times, it’s important to seize the day and make progress while the conditions last.  Why the planets align for us sometimes is a mystery.  Is it just randomness (luck) or is there a pattern (a plan)?  Does it matter?  Some would say that we should give thanks when things go well and pray when things don’t.  I see no harm in either, but we must choose which path to take and accept responsibility for the consequences of our actions.