I drop into a charity shop and snoop around a bit, hoping I might find something on the cheap for Lucy, you know, just as a gesture of my appreciation. I browse through the bookshelves and what do I see before me but a book called the Illustrated I Ching! I know what Lucy is going to say, the first thing she's going to say is that there's no such thing as a co-incidence. There are only synchronicities. I leaf through the book, which is in good condition and which, indeed, is beautifully illustrated with Chinese paintings and calligraphy. A snip for five euro.
'Is this the one?' asks Lucy an hour later, pointing at the hexagram under the number twelve.
'That's the one!'
'And that's the other one! Right? '
Her finger was now below hexagram twenty-five.
'That's it! That's the one!'
'This is absolutely amazing!' she whispered excitedly. 'I mean, that you could come back from Lemuria with so much detail!'
'So, what are we looking at here?'
'Ready!'
'Stagnation!'
'Ha! That's what they said. Standstill. Same thing!'
'I know! Isn't it great? Ha-ha!'
'Which, the stagnation or the standstill? Just kidding. Keep going, Lucy! What else does it say?'
'It says that there is no advantage, no growth, even to persons of exceptional character and virtue. Any useful ideas or insights are met with apathy or rejection. The atmosphere of your environment is unreceptive, even to altruistic and unselfish energies on your part...The political and social environment becomes corrupt...people are filled with mistrust...do not even attempt to influence others as this is not possible...Do not compromise your principles...'
'That's what they told me! I had to be true to myself. Follow my joy.'
'Do not be tempted by promises of reward or extravagant remunerations in return for your participation in a stagnant situation. The cost to your integrity will be high.'
'OK. Interesting. Does it advise me what I should do to stay out of trouble? I mean, apart from following my joy?'
'Well, self-reliance, it says here, but also removing yourself from stagnation. Resigning. Could that be leaving your job in Atlantis?'
'My job? My job there is anything but stagnant! There's a lot I can do. I need to make lots of changes, Lucy, recommendations, at the very least. Once the media in Atlantis get wind of how I think, they'll print anything I say. Why would I resign?'
'But the media are all behind the establishment. They're run by the establishment, aren't they? Why would the media rock the boat if it threatens their advertising revenue, their very bread and butter?'
'Don't forget the caviar. News, Lucy! They'll do it for news. News means ratings, ratings means ads and ads mean money. Of course they'll put their own spin on it, but at least everything will get an airing. That's it! Stagnation, like stagnant air or a water. The whole of the society is like stagnant, toxic, bacteria-ridden water. Would you not say that's what the standstill thing is about?'
'Hmm. Not sure. Let's have a look at your moving line. Line one, wasn't it? The bottom? ...When ribbon grass is pulled up, the sod comes with it... This would indicate a radical move, leading to success...you take others along with you... but only as long as you follow your intuition...If it is not possible to change or influence the current environment while retaining your integrity, withdraw promptly and completely. Your sympathisers may also leave with you...There it is!... Well, that looks pretty straightforward to me. Get out while you can? Get out while you can!'
'What? Leave the job? Why should I? It makes no sense!'
'All right, now we've got to look at number twenty-five. We just need to read over the so-called Judgement. Here, the three straight lines of the gua are above, The Creative, heaven, and the two broken lines with the straight line in the bottom half is The Arousing, thunder - remember that your moving line from hexagram twelve, which is broken, becomes a straight line and forms a new trigram and hence a new hexagram or gua.'
'Jesus, Lucy, you're getting to be as arcane as the lads in Lemuria!'
'Sorry! I'm working it out for myself as I go along...I used to consult it as an oracle, using yarrow stalks...still a bit rusty... haven't done it for yonks. Anyway, ignore what I've just said, don't worry about understanding it. Just go with the flow for the moment. OK? I'll just see what else is there here, yes....Do not aspire to be rewarded...follow your heart...do not seek personal advancement...seek spontaneity, not security...'
'Shall we start?'
'OK! Let's get on with it! Make yourself comfortable. I'll just put on the music! This is exciting! Ha-ha! I can't wait for the next episode!'
# 37 next week! Catch up on: gregoryrosenstock.blogspot.com
www.gregoryrosenstock.com
