Birthday Mullings

Dear George, 

Such a shock.  I woke up today, only to discover that I’m suddenly 82 years.  Who would have thought?   Now that I’m here, my main impression is that 82 isn’t nearly as old as it used to be.   Aside from some irritating hearing loss, I don’t really have many impairments to complain about, and I don’t feel much different from when I was 50 or 60 (with the exception of enjoying all the blessings of retirement).  I ran across an online article recently in which an expert predicted that people in the near future will be living to 150.  If that’s the case, I’m wondering if I might still be middle-aged. 

Actually I have no idea what to think about age 82.  It could turn out to be great, it could be a total disaster.  To get a better grip on things, I decided to check with the I Ching.  The I Ching is an ancient Chinese book of wisdom, dating back about 3,000 years.*   To consult the I Ching, the individual asks a question, then tosses a set of coins six times in a row.  Each coin toss results in a broken or an unbroken line.  (Three heads or three tails result in special lines and are given their own interpretation.)  The six lines, stacked vertically, make up a hexagram (see the example below).  There are 64 hexagrams possible, each divided into an upper trigram and a lower trigram.  Each of the 64 hexagrams represents a different life situation.  The I Ching gives an interpretation for each, describing a life situation, providing imagery for thinking about it, and suggesting effective courses of action.

My question for the I Ching was, “How do I approach age 82?”  I tossed the coins six times and wound up with Hexagram 14 (shown above).  It’s named Ta Yu in Chinese and “Possession in Great Measure” (or “Abundance”) in English.  The upper trigram is LI (The Clinging, Flame), and the lower trigram is CH’IEN (The Creative, Heaven).  Thus the hexagram represents fire over heaven.  The Image for Ta Yu reads: 

Fire in heaven above:

the image of POSSESSION IN GREAT MEASURE

Thus the superior man curbs evil and furthers good,

And thereby obeys the benevolent will of heaven.      

According to the I Ching’s commentary, the fire above heaven (the sun) “shines far, and all things stand out in the light,” resulting in abundance on a grand scale.   Strength (the lower trigram) and clarity (the upper trigram) unite in Hexagram 14.  “The time is favorable — a time of strength within, clarity and culture without.”  Ta Yu is perhaps the most positive of the I Ching’s hexagrams.  It symbolizes a period of great abundance where everything is going well for the person.  The abundance can involve many different things, e.g., work success, finances, material objects, talents, time, food.  All obstacles have disappeared for the individual, and life is to be enjoyed. 

One of my coin tosses (three tails) resulted in a special line called “Nine in the second place”.  “Nine in the second place means: A big wagon for loading.  One may undertake something.  No blame.”  According to the I Ching, loading the big wagon means that one’s undertakings can be pursued without trouble or error.  The person possesses the resources to accomplish their tasks and reach their goals. 

I nearly always find I Ching readings to be on target and to offer food for thought.   In this case, “Possession in Great Measure” was most encouraging about my new age and life status.  While I’m usually gloomy and apprehensive about the aging process, the I Ching reading steered me toward a much more optimistic outlook.  Thinking about the theme of Ta Yu, I recognized more clearly that my current life is characterized by great abundance.  Thanks to a corporate retirement plan, Katja and I enjoy financial security.  I have much more leisure time than I ever had during my worklife.  I pursue more interests and activities — e.g., poetry, creative writing, exercise classes, OLLI classes, camping/hiking, photography, music and art.  I’m happily married; we appreciate our beautiful home; we live in a stimulating neighborhood.  Our son and daughter-in-law are successful and fun; our grandchildren are growing up wondrously.  There are few external pressures or “obstacles” in my life.  Basically I’m free to enjoy my world in my mellow elder years — “Possession in Great Measure”.  

I particularly liked the line about “Loading the big wagon.”  A few weeks ago our 2003 Chevy SUV broke down, and we replaced it with a sparkling new Honda CR-V.  It’s a big wagon, designed to carry a big load.  I expect to travel more than we have recently, and we are excited about the prospect of many new adventures.  So far age eighty-two looks to be a year of abundance. 

Love,

Dave   

*The I Ching or Book of Changes.  Wilhelm/Baynes edition.  Bollingen Series XIX.  New York: Pantheon Books, 1950.  

Weinberger, Eliot.  What Is the I Ching?  The New York Review of Books, Feb. 25, 2016.  (www.nybooks.com)