Tong Ren :: Community

Mustering soldiers in an open field :: Offering : favorable for crossing the great river: auspicious for a prince

同人

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6 :: first

Community gathers at the gate.

Making formative plans with close associates bodes well. Your family, close friends and associates gather at the threshold of action.

9 :: second

Community gathers at the ancestral shrine. Misfortune.

Insecurity, ulterior motives and paranoid conspiracy theory are working against a group (family) in need of positive action. Expectations are too high. The divisive influences of the unresolved dead (family ghosts) are obstructing unity.

6 :: third

Community¹ camped in the forest. The leader climbs a high mound.²
For three years hold back.

The alliance between factions of a community is not yet firm. You need a broader perspective. Postpone action for now and reconnoiter. The high mound is an observation tower that offers a clearer perspective that must be gained before successful union and action can happen. It is important to confirm solidarity and end antagonism before the group acts.

9 :: fourth

Standing on top of fortified walls. Unassailable. Auspicious.

You have reached an advantaged position -- the high ground. Opposing factions have successfully compromised. The group's confirmed unity is so secure there is no need to act to win. Opponents surrender and/or retreat.

9 :: fifth

Community grows. First crying; then laughing. Conquering army.

Once the initial disorder is cleared, anything can be accomplished. At the beginning there was anxiety (crying), but things have been joyfully sorted out (laughing). All resources have been gathered. A team, with a unified will, is like a conquering army.

6 :: top

Community gathers at the altar on the outskirts of the city. No misfortune.

The victors and the defeated join forces. The new expanded community gathers to solidify commitments and solemnize alliances.

Image

In Zhou times, sacrificial rituals solemnized new alliances when enemies became allies. Tong Ren is about the Zhouyi's central wisdom. It describes the grace and power that is found in the cooperation of like-minded people focused on a common goal. Once common goals and resources are recognized and a leader is chosen, a community is truly unified. Once unified anything can be accomplished.

Auspices

It is favorable to go forward in concert with others after reflection and alliance is established.

Good for marriage, romance, moving home, and any or all group efforts.

Bad for solitary retreat, self-analysis, and egotism.

Comment

Tong Ren is about the strength of will that empowers a truly united community - they succeed without waffling. The Tong Ren method of success is to unite a group on the basis of commonly held goals and win by sheer numbers-rather than coercion. In the service of a great common good, opponents surrender and are ultimately included. When a leader can inspire or reveal the natural common spirit of a community, anything can be accomplished. Culture is at its best when it solemnizes and celebrates the heart-felt joy of community.

Other Correspondences

Business: Investing in mutual funds, mergers, expansion, profit sharing, and bonuses.

Disharmonies: Epidemics, contagious diseases, influenza, and mental exhaustion.

Prognosis: Good. The patient responds well to a standard remedy (patent medicine).