Psychic Readings from The
Psychic Internet often feature images drawn from the
I Ching Oracle. To offer supplementary
information about these images for our clients,
and for the public, we have provided this archive
of brief articles.
For general information on
the I Ching Oracle, click here.
The
abstract images of the I Ching Oracle (usually
called "hexagrams") symbolize all of
the related and interacting aspects of reality.
In the following excerpts from actual Psychic Readings, the images of the I Ching
are discussed.
Click here for links to all
of the images.
The Corners
of the Mouth
The image
of The Corners of the Mouth is associated with
the idea of nourishment, because the mouth is
used to consume the food that keeps us alive. But
from this association, the Chinese drew more
general conclusions about how a man nourishes
himself and others, both physically and
spiritually. For example, in the central verse
associated with this image, the oracle says,
“Thus the superior man is careful of his
words and temperate in eating and drinking.”
There is also a verse in the Gospel in which it
said that, paraphrasing, what goes out of a
man’s mouth is just as important as what
goes in. This means that one’s words and
other means of expression must be perfectly
honest in order to live a good life. I take this
to be an elementary precept in what I like to
call “the art of life.”
The
Corners of the Mouth is an image of nourishment,
but it does not necessarily focus on the idea of
physical nourishment even though the idea of the
mouth is invoked. It is much more a matter of
spiritual nourishment - or, if not nourishment of
a directly spiritual nature, it is nourishment
that enables the fulfillment of large,
overarching purposes. In other words, we are
talking about work that fulfills a greater
purpose than just pushing numbers around in
columns on graph sheets. A lot of work goes into
producing a great quantity of essentially useless
things in the world. The image of The Corners of
the Mouth asks you to consider this proposition
from a personal point of view. Is the work that
you are doing fulfilling some larger purpose to
which you have been called by your talents and
fortune?
The image
asks you to focus on those activities that
themselves favor Nature and Her purposes. In a
social sense, ideally speaking, it is best when
people are supported whose work contributes to
the good of all people. Thus, Confucius said
about the image of The Corners of the Mouth:
"Heaven and earth provide nourishment for
all beings. The holy man provides nourishment for
men of worth and thus reaches the whole people.
Truly great is the time of The Corners of the
Mouth."
You are
the man of worth, to whom this is addressed. But
the evaluation of your work and career in these
terms brings with it various admonitions that
might clarify your own thoughts. In one of the
verses that is highlighted specifically for you
from The Corners of the Mouth by this Reading
says the following: "Turning away from the
path. To remain persevering brings good fortune.
One should not cross the great water." The
"path" is the direct route to your
goals. Sometimes the direct route must be
abandoned. You may be conscious of a deficiency
in yourself that must be dealt with before you
can truly live up to your destiny. As one
commentator has said of this verse, "He
should be undertaking the nourishment of the
people, but he has not the strength to do it.
Thus he must turn from his accustomed path and
beg counsel and help from a man who is
spiritually his superior but undistinguished
outwardly. If he maintains this attitude of mind
perseveringly, success and good fortune are his.
But he must remain aware of his dependence."
In this
way, you will come to what is described in the
other verse that is highlighted specifically for
you by this Reading. It says, "The source of
nourishment. Awareness of danger brings good
fortune. It furthers one to cross the great
water." In short, if you must turn away from
the direct route at this moment, you will return
to it, with greater strength, and then you will
be able easily to cross over into the next stage
of your journey. Awareness of danger means
knowing what is lacking, and finding the
necessary nourishment.
More on The Corners of the Mouth
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