Hexagram 20：Overview
The Meaning of Hexagram 20
Contemplation in the I Ching advocates seeing situations from a detached perspective, focusing on larger truths. It emphasizes viewing the broader picture and trusting in eventual positive outcomes. This hexagram underscores inner truth seeking through introspection, aligning thoughts with universal flow, and harnessing the power of mind . It highlights the importance of patience, understanding, self-awareness, humility, and respectful leadership.
Changing Lines in Hexagram 20
Changes in Line 1
Here, a person has achieved a state of contemplation that transcends egocentric considerations and personal feelings. This person is like the hiker who has finally reached the top of the mountain. If you have attained such a high perspective, sit for a while and enjoy the view. If not, it might be time to hit the trail again.
Changes in Line 2
Self-examination is called for now. Don’t brood over your shortcomings—that is just a trap for the weak! Study the effect you have on people and how events tend to unfold around you. If such effects are positive, then you will be able to enjoy fulfillment. Do not deny the obvious. Seek truth from experience, and keep your eyes focused on the steady flame of reality rather than the shifting shadows of illusion.
Changes in Line 3
A person who has divined the solution to a problem or envisioned a path to success should be placed in an honored position, like that of a revered guest. The independence of the guest allows him or her to offer fresh insight while being close enough to be heard clearly and understood. Avoid regarding perceptive people as tools to further your own aims; their value is much greater than that.
Changes in Line 4
Introspection does not mean escaping into a fantasy world of your dreams; contemplate the effects your actions have in the real world. By doing so, you can discern whether or not you are making progress.
Changes in Line 5
In this instance, self-centeredness trumps contemplation, replacing a more expansive vision with one that is limited. This is like trying to view the wide world through a microscope or a small crack in a closet door. If you wish to be successful in the affairs of the world, let go of self-absorption, kick the door open, and let a vision enter your soul. Only in this way can you avoid the harm that small-mindedness inevitably brings.
Changes in Line 6
When a novice practices contemplation, he or she is likely to miss the depth of the forces at work in the current environment—due to a lack of experience, wisdom, or good judgment. While such limitations are natural for beginners, with practice and lived experience, people know better than to be misled by the surface appearance of things; they do not overlook the connectivity of the whole. Do your best to look deeply.
When in the presence of someone possessing a greater capacity for profound understanding, pay close attention. Even when you do not fully understand a wise person’s advice, it can still help you.
