48 / 26 The Well
Founding
(03->48->50->21)

"CHING : water well at the center of the fields; rise and flow of water in a well, rise and surge from an inner source; life-water, nucleus of life; found a capital city. The ideogram: two vertical lines crossing two horizontal ones, eight fields with a well at the center." ERANOS p521

Image :

"[From cultivation comes overcoming] : The Well.
One uses the working people to encourage unity."

In a context of cultivation we utilise control.

Commentary

In hexagram 48, the establishment of a source of nourishment enables the passage from chaos to social order. This 'Well' is passive; its presence encourages people to congregate around it and develop, and thus its influence generates a sense of security and thus overcoming chaos. Contextually we mix making small gainings and correcting corruption into making foundations for the future.

Hexagram 48 is the general form of hexagram 38

The Traditional Single Changing Line Comments:

Line 1 -

"The Well: a bog, no drinkable water; old and untamed." [Unable to use it immediately - compromise by cleaning it]

Line 2 -

"[When young,(symbolized by a ravine/gully) one has fun(symbolized by shooting fish)]. The jug is cracked. It leaks. [One does not recognize the value of the 'water', what is absorbed leaks out]"

Line 3 -

"The Well: muddy water, not drinkable, causes me heartache. Permitting me to draw water will make the king bright(happy). Together we can share in [his] blessing." [The water is not drinkable because the well makes it so. One tries to convince it to cooperate]

Line 4 -

"The Well: Is being repaired (lined). No harm in this." [Hardened outside(inner /outer walls), yielding inside].

Line 5 -

"The Well: Clear cold springwater to drink." [A meditative moment. One draws inspiration from a passive source]

Line 6 -

"The Well: it collect everything since it has no cover. Balanced, greatly favourable." [Being a collector of everything it dispenses what it collects and penetrates everything, like the wind.]

Extended Commentary

The raw context from which this situation derives is described by hexagram 09 Small gainings(foundations). It passes through hexagram 18 Correcting 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 57. To make a state associated with another hexagram transform into this state, introduce hexagram 57 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