33 / 15 Retreat
Withdrawing, Tricking
(10->33->15->19)

"TUN : withdraw; run away, flee; conceal yourself, become obscure, invisible; secluded, non-social. The ideogram: walk and swine (wealth and luck) satisfaction through walking away."ERANOS p381

Image :

"[With self restraint comes confidence]
Below heaven we have mountain. Withdrawal.
One distances oneself from 'small' people
using neither hate nor intimidation."

In a context of self-restraint we utilise singlemindedness.

Commentary

In hexagram 33 we find that deference to the enemy through a structured retreat is the best path. This is a form of trickary, where we lead the enemy into believing we are retreating, only to return at another more opportune time. Contextually, we combine pulling away (49) with pretending (62), leading to apparent withdrawl.

The Traditional Single Changing Line Comments:

Line 1

Withdrawing one's tail, danger. No advantage in having a direction. [Pretending to withdraw is not advised, even if you can escape. Besides, your position is still influencial.]

ine 2

Holding on to power through one's position serves no purpose. OR holding on leads to power. Firm resolve. [Wilhelm seems to base his comments on the latter rather than the former. He suggests that the inferior person tenaciously holds on to the superior and thus benefits. The associate hexagram (09) suggests that one no longer has any power, and thus supports the original text.]

Line 3

Committing to withdrawal has within it the seeds of danger. Gather one's supporters first. [Fairness to one's supporters is recommended. Help them before you help yourself.]

Line 4

One finds satisfaction in a graceful withdrawal, but it can be stopped (corrupted) by 'small' people.

Line 5

A brilliant withdrawal, testing but successful. [A degree of trickery leads to success.]

Line 6

A withdrawal filled with potential (structured). By intially drawing back (inwards) one can return. [fight again.]

Extended Commentary

The raw context from which the situation derives is described by hexagram 49 unmasking/skinning. It passes through hexagram 62 Portraying/Pretending before reaching here.

Transformative methods

By introducing this hexagram as context, you can change a state described by any other hexagram into a state described by hexagram 31. To make a state associated with another hexagram transform into this state, introduce hexagram 31 as context.

It is important to remember that, when using transformative methods, the more lines requiring change, the more energy required when attempting to introduce a different context. It may therefore be of benefit to work on existing changing lines and achieve your goal in steps rather than attempt, for example, a six-line change all at once.

Further IC+ extensions