The I Ching System

by Robin Armstrong

My Saturn is at 7°10 Leo in House 12.

in Hexagram 18, with a Special Focus on Line 2:

HEXAGRAM 18: Ku / Work on What Has Been Spoiled [Decay ]

above KEEPING STILL, MOUNTAIN  below SUN, THE GENTLE, WIND

The Chinese character ku represents a bowl in whose contents  worms are breeding. This means decay. It has come about  because the gentle indifference of the lower trigram has come  together with the rigid inertia of the upper, and the result is  stagnation. Since this implies guilt, the conditions embody a  demand for removal of the cause. Hence the meaning of the  hexagram is not simply “what has been spoiled” but “work  on what has been spoiled.”

Having my planet of karma and work in this hexagram in Leo in the 12th House seems to me very appropriate. I first worked for many years to fix the relationship with my father which had been spoiled. I then had to fix the relationship to my own son over time. So I can see this played out in my family, but it is also very vivid in my career. My work with astrology is consistently tied up in working on what has been spoiled, by history and what has been spoiled in my clients life. Even with my own joints, bones, and teeth the story of working on what is been spoiled holds true. In fact I was once criminally ripped off in a business and it took me fifteen years of work to pay off the debts, but I did it!

THE JUDGMENT:

Work on what has been spoiled

Has supreme success.

It furthers one to cross the great water.

Before the starting point, three days.

After the starting point, three days.

What has been spoiled through man’s fault can be made good  again through man’s work….    …..We must not recoil from work and  danger—symbolized by crossing of the great water—but must  take hold energetically. Success depends, however, on proper  deliberation. ….    …..We must first know the causes of corruption before we can do  away with them; hence it is necessary to be cautious during  the time before the start. Then we must see to it that the new  way is safely entered upon, so that a relapse may be avoided;  therefore we must pay attention to the time after the start.  Decisiveness and energy must take the place of the inertia and  indifference that have led to decay, in order that the ending  may be followed by a new beginning.

Overcoming inertia is the work of life. To tackle one’s chores and duty in an energetic and positive attitude is essential to me. I work hard to fix misconceptions and problems.

THE IMAGE

The wind blows low on the mountain:

The image of DECAY.

Thus the superior man stirs up the people

And strengthens their spirit.

When the wind blows low on the mountain, it is thrown back  and spoils the vegetation. This contains a challenge to improvement. It is the same with debasing attitudes and fashions;  they corrupt human society. To do away with this corruption,  the superior man must regenerate society. His methods like-wise must be derived from the two trigrams, but in such a way  that their effects unfold in orderly sequence. The superior man  must first remove stagnation by stirring up public opinion, as  the wind stirs everything, and must then strengthen and  tranquillize the character of the people, as the mountain gives  tranquillity and nourishment to all that grows in its vicinity.

In my work as an astrologer I do often stir up public opinion and then have to work hard to keep up with the subsequent demands. I hate injustice. I do try to bring peace to the mountain of my worries by chanting and meditating. Getting rid of the thoughts that spoil my inner peace.

THE LINES

Nine in the second place means:

Setting right what has been spoiled by the mother.

One must not be too persevering.

This refers to mistakes that as a result of weakness have  brought about decay—hence the symbol, “what has been  spoiled by the mother.” In setting things right in such a case,  a certain gentle consideration is called for. In order not to  wound, one should not attempt to proceed too drastically.

This is a most potent special concern for me. First  my mother threw my father out of the house when I was a teenager. My father got sick and weak and did not deal with his vulnerabilities graciously. The home and marriage was spoiled ….. ruined would be a better word. Later my first wife took off with our son and I did not see him for close to five years. We (my son and I)  are very close now.  Lastly my son had to take custody of my grandson at a young age. Let’s just say I have had my work cut out for me! With my Moon also in Cancer I have generally idealized the role of mother, however, even here I have had to work on what has been spoiled.

Degree            Focus on:         Hexagrams:              Person/Event

07LE10 47  d  PFT in H05 18L2:10L2:23L6             Lennon, John..

                                                                                         singer/songwriter-Beatles

07LE16 35  d  DSC in H07      18L2:10L2:23L3       Arnold, Roseanne..    

                                                                                        Comedian/actress

07LE16 35  d  DSC in H07      18L2:10L2:23L3       King, Coretta Scott..

                                                                                         Wife/Martin Luther

07LE20 42  d  NNd in H07      18L2:10L3: 2L6        Little, “Malcolm X”..

                                                                                         PoliticalActivist

07LE21 53  d  SUN in H06      18L2:10L3: 2L5        Tong,  Shen..

                                                                                         Leader ProDemoc Tiennamin

07le30 40    d  SAT in H08      17L2:11L3:24L1       Close,  Roberta..

                                                                                         Sex change man to woman

07LE51 17  d  MER in H11     18L2:11L1: 3L1        Koresh, David..

                                                                                         Cult leader/Waco Tx

07LE55 08  r   PLU in H06      18L2:11L1: 3L4        Adler, Margot..

                                                                                         Wicca Priestess