ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author explores the processes of change and balance as reflected in the hexagrams for the contemporary reader. The name of the hexagram reflects its construction: yielding lines predominate, lying in the outer positions of the hexagram and, therefore, carrying the weight of responsibility for relating to the world. The times reflected by this hexagram are considered to be exceptional, when the lighter, outer element must bear the weight of a situation. Another image associated with this hexagram is the pestle and mortar, with the top trigram representing the pestle and the lower the mortar. This image suggests a time of trial, of being 'ground down' to one's elements for some purpose that may well be unknowable at the moment. The pestle and mortar are generally associated with the chemistry laboratory, the artist's studio, or the kitchen, where materials are tested and transformed.
