Hexagram 18

GŬ

Can o' worms

Decay. Eminent - expansion. Harvest wading the great river. Before Jia three days, after Jia three days.

The great image says:
At the foot of the mountain the wind blows: decay. The noble one inspires the people to raise virtue.

Mountain
Wind

day 16 of a yang moon

   Everybody has alien influences embedded in his soul. Many are hidden; one does not even know they exist. It seems as if they are part of the personality. Especially those one collected in childhood.
   In order to live one’s own life and one’s own fate, one has to get rid of them. The more one succeeds, the more happiness, strength and health will come back.
   Every influence makes a distance between one’s mind and God, or however one calls the inner essential being. Really reaching God is very difficult – except when one does reach Him, and then it turns out to be the easiest thing in the world. You wonder why you did not know it was – it is because the distance is made of thinking, but to reach Him is made of being.

 

GU: The character represents a dish (2a, an newer form is 2) with insects or worms (1, 1a).
GU: Poison, venom, harm, putrefaction, decay, to bewitch, to enchant. 
More about hex.17 and 18 

 
9 at 3: Stem-father's decay. There is some regret. Without big fault.
 Fighting decay and weakness will only succeed if one exaggerates a bit. Straightening something bent needs a little bending in the other direction. 
(Changes to hex.4)

Above 9: Not serving king or lord. Honoring one's affairs high.
 Everyone's spirit and tao is unique, as long as it serves anyone else it is not true to itself. To find your road, you need a totally clear unsullied mind and spirit. Your Master dwells inside you, listen to him and him only, not grovelling before facts or people.
(Changes to hex.46)

 

9 at 2: Stem-mother's decay. No determination possible.
 Do not answer to demands which go against your sense of righteousness, beauty or love, even if they are commonly accepted as being good and nice. Many 'nice' gestures are demeaning for the recipient, taking away his strength or self-confidence.
(Changes to hex.52)

 

 6 at 5: Stem-father's decay. Use praise.
With praise and rewards one can gently induce changes where every other method fails. Do not force people or events when it is not necessary, act as gentle as possible, then changes can grow organically. The slightest push can thwart growth.
(Changes to hex.57)
Initial 6 : Stem-father's decay. There is a son. The deceased father is without fault. Danger. Completion is auspicious.
If something goes wrong then the most important thing is your concern. Stay calm, find out what you can do, what caused it, do not put the blame on anyone. Find out what it is, so you can do the right thing.
(Changes to hex.26)

6 at 4: Tolerating father's decay. To proceed sees distress.
 One learns about laws in childhood. Without this knowledge one cannot build up a solid life. For every decision, power, intuition, insight, one has to draw on this inner source. So if they failed to teach you, then learn about them. If you tolerate your own lack of rules, you are no better than the one who didn't teach you.
(Changes to hex.50)

 
The Sabian Symbols for the hexagram-lines
9 at 3 corresponds to b 16:  Sunshine just after a storm
 Never seen a brighter world		 Above 9 corresponds to h 16:  A big-business man at his desk
9 at 2 corresponds to ` 16: A woman suffragist orating 6 at 5 corresponds to f 16:  Seagulls watching a ship
Initial 6 corresponds to ^16:  Brownies dancing in the setting sun

6 at 4 corresponds to d 16: A boat-landing washed away

 

For the meaning of  Eminent - expansion. Harvest - determination click HERE
Raise virtue: or educate their virtue.
Line 1. 'Deceased' or old. Last 3 words may be: danger at the end is auspicious.
Line 2. 'Possible' or permitted.
Line 6. Lynn translates: works to elevate his own higher pursuits. Kunst: he is highly rewarded for his service Wu: of higher esteem one's own business. Another way to translate this is: Not serving king or lord, one's service (or affair) is noble.