Guan :: Observance

Ritual purity, but no offering :: Sincere, dignified, and kind

觀

䷓

Ritual purity, but no offering :: Sincere, dignified, and kind

6 ::

first

1^st

Childishness is acceptable in an ordinary person but inauspicious for a prince.

Your conduct or practice is immature. Sloppy or negligent observance of procedures is acceptable from an uneducated child, but the same negligence from a person in a position of responsibility is unacceptable.

9 ::

second

2^nd

Peeking through a crack in the door is acceptable for an unmarried girl.

Your bad manners or incomplete observance is excusable-no serious conse-quences. For those who have no responsibilities an innocent oversight or error may be forgiven. Girlishness is not punished.

6 ::

third

3^rd

Self-reflection. Advance and then retreat.

In a time of indecision, it is important to self-reflect. Lurching one way, then another is not effective; steady yourself with self-reflection or a solitary retreat. Observe your surroundings closely and then act accordingly.

9 ::

fourth

4^th

When observing¹ a State, it is best to be the guest of the lord.

If you want to join a group, observe their precepts and conduct and then meet with their leader. Observing the leader (teacher) is to observe the group (com-munity). In learning about a person observe what they favor in food and clothing.

9 ::

fifth

5^th

Mutual observance. Observe the wise, as they observe themselves. No mistakes.

Join with the wise leader (teacher) and/or become one yourself (lineage). To learn from and join forces with a self-reflective person (teacher) is beneficial. Realistic self-assessment is a vital part of maintaining leadership.

6 ::

top

Observe everyone. No mistakes.

A wise person can learn from observing anyone² or anything. Observing the constant flow of cause and effect around you, you can attain wisdom and avoid error. Practice meditation in action.

Image

Early Chinese astronomical/astrological observatory towers were called Guan.³ It also refers to an ancient method of divining auspices from the flight patterns of birds. The term later came to mean to watch, view or examine in an ordinary sense. In this hexagram Guan means to observe in the sense of following the exacting protocols of ritual, meditation and/or the auspicious indicators of time and place (astrogeomancy).

The "grand tours" of the Chinese emperors were based on this idea of Guan. The emperor traveled around the country carefully observing the people and places that he ruled. The journey recalibrated his qi (influence/rulership) like the resetting and rewinding of a watch.

Auspices

The situation is delicate and one in which the observance of details and tradition is of great importance. Progress is based on concentration.

Good for cultural and religious performance and study, self-cultivation, and education.

Bad for marriage, contract signing, and pressing forward.

Comment

The Zhouyi says that a ruler must have Guan, a bird's eye view-contemplative composure, even if the situation is not supportive. Guan describes the proper and improper ways of maintaining tradition through authentic observance, personal deportment, and meditation.

Careful observance of one's relationship to the environment (astrogeo-mancy) provides the education needed to sustain order, indeed, life itself. Dynamic observation of this sort is a full-time job, as subtle adjustments to protocol must be made constantly.

Other Correspondences

Business: Reviewing administrative procedure, reevaluating job descriptions.

Disharmonies: Nervous disorders, stress, lung qi deficiency, and liver gi stagnation.

Prognosis: Good. The patient responds to standard treatment but must follow through with their treatment to complete recovery.