Hexagram 41

Sǔn

The empty cauldron

Diminishing has truth
Eminent auspiciousness
Without fault
Permitting determination
Harvest: proceeding probing
What can be used? Two platters are permitted to present the offering

The great image says:
at the foot of the mountain is a marsh: diminishing
The noble one controls anger and restrains passion


Mountain
Lake

day 9 of a yin moon

   THIS IS ALL
   Get rid of all conditioning and forms. You think you need them for being present in the world, for being visible, being you. But what they do is hiding you. They hide your soul, your essence, your creativity, and they can even destroy all this.
   If you dare to be your naked self, you will be amazed how great and rich it is. Diminishing is augmenting. Only an empty cauldron can receive others and blessings.
    Let go in order to find.

 

SUN. At left a hand seen from above: the palm (1), and at right a cauldron, a ding (3) with a circle (2), meaning round or empty. In all ages, long before any arithmetic, the circle indicated already 'empty', hollow, nothing, zero. The hand is a special form, meaning to join the hands and bow reverential.
But of course empty has two sides: the space where one can receive - or the lack of substance.
 SUN: decrease; damage; harm; lose, be mean/shabby, be sarcastic/caustic.
More about 41 and 42

 

6 at 3: Three people moving, then the rule is one person is diminished. One person moving, then the rule is one finds a friend.
Everybody creates his own future by what he acquires and what he discards. Amassing, whether of things or of people, means diminishing spirituality and individuality. Two is company, three is a crowd. Relying on spiritual exchange instead of crowds of things or people opens the door for real emotions and contact.
(Changes to hex.26)

 

 Above 9: Not diminishing, increasing it. Without fault. Determination auspicious. Harvest: proceeding probing. Acquiring servants, without family. 
 A soul in which diminishing and augmenting do not exist, has no ego. He can find his road simply by walking it. He will find servants without offering them a place to live because being close to a soul like this has more value than anything else. He needs no home, he is a home.
(Changes to hex.19)
9 at 2: Harvest: determination. To set things right: pitfall. Not diminishing, increasing it.
Get rid of preconceptions, of all 'knowing how things are'. If one expects a miracle, the miracle might actually happen. Even better than expecting it is innocently making it happen oneself, free of any doubt. Believing it is summoning it.
(Changes to hex.27)

6 at 5: Someone's increase. Ten pairs of tortoise and nothing is able to contradict it. Eminent auspiciousness.
The art of increasing another is one of the greatest causes of happiness and good fortune there are. Let go of any fear of decreasing yourself or of being decreased, and you will share together all good things there can be among two people.
(Changes to hex.61)

 
Initial 9 : Personal affairs, swiftly proceeding is without fault. Consider to diminish them.
Do not become a slave of your duties and not of your wishes. Do what you think you should do, but give people a more important place than your affairs. It is all about increase, and it is only real increase when it includes those around you.  
 (Changes to hex.4)

6 at 4: Diminishing one's afflictions, and sending the message swiftly brings joy. No fault. 
If you want contact, then make others want contact with you. Be nice, modest and clean – nobody is waiting for an arrogant, rude or smelly friend. Don’t expect anyone to guess your nice intentions if you do not show them. Being a rough diamond may work nicely in stories, but in real life there is no storyteller who explains how beautiful your inside is.
(Changes to hex.38)

 
The Sabian Symbols for the hexagram-lines
6 at 3 corresponds to c 9: A man making a futurist drawing Above 9 corresponds to i 9: A jockey
9 at 2 corresponds to a 9: A tiny nude miss reaching in the water for a fish 6 at 5 corresponds to g 9: An angel carrying a harp

Initial 9 corresponds to _ 9: A Christmas tree decorated

 

 6 at 4 corresponds to e 9: Dental work
For the meaning of  Eminent - expansion. Harvest - determination click HERE
 The empty cauldron or: this is all there is. 
Line 2. Another explanation might be: to be without diminishing or augmenting is to be without wishes, without ego. 
Line 5 (and 42.2). Ten pairs: it was common practice to divine the same charge in five pairs. "Will it yes.. will it not.." So there are 10 cracks made on one tortoise shell.
Line 5. 'Someone's increase' or: someone increases it. 
Line 6. 'Acquiring servants, no home' can also be: 'acquire unmarried servants'