Deliver Us?

On the top of Hexagram 40, sometimes called Relief or Release, we have the trigram for Thunder. On the bottom is the Kan trigram, representing Water or Abyss. In terms of symbolism, we might see this as a dark thunderstorm and the kind of tension release it provides. The storm may be scary. It might be relieving some extreme heat. Hexagram 40 is describing what happens when we get relief; a symbol of a new cycle beginning.

Perhaps tomorrow’s solar eclipse will give us more clues about that.

Jie pairs with Hexagram 39 Jian (Difficulty or Hardship). In this pairing the hardship (or evil) is something we might create for ourselves through our excessive pursuit of pleasure. Sounds like where we are now. Jie releases.

An earlier meaning of Jie can be derived from the ideograph 解. On the left side is a horn. On the bottom right side of the ideograph we can see the character for Ox, above it is a knife. The idea is that a piece of the the horn can be used to loosen or cut a knot; to alleviate or release. In a case where we cannot untie the knot, although it may seem extreme, we can cut it or loosen it by taking strong action.

Hexagram 40 is sometimes called Deliverance. Like the movie that has the same name, it embodies the experience of what we might discover about ourselves when we have been going through extreme trials or traumas and what we learn or perceive about ourselves during and after. Extreme challenges or hindrances can unlock our hidden strengths and unexpressed talents. We might discover that we are capable of things we never dreamed of. Our perceptions of ourselves are loosened by hardships or illness. The urge to survive or have a chance to begin again gives us access to greater achievements. It might deliver us from evil.

In the movie Deliverance*, obviously there is a dark side to this. But let’s think instead of how Jie might unlock potentials in us. We might not feel comfortable with fully knowing what we are capable of; on the other hand, there are times when a difficult situation calls for cutting through. Sometimes getting out of a difficult situation calls for measures we wouldn’t normally take. For example, when someone gets gum in their hair, they could spend hours trying different ways to get the gum out. If you’re feeling bold you might cut it out or even have your hair cut in a new style.

Most of the time, the majority of us wouldn’t think of the “extreme” solution as the first one to try. This is something that you read of heroes or gods doing, so how would you dare? There are times when it will make sense. Maybe you’ve heard of the Gordian Knot metaphor?

Cutting Through

The story of the Gordian Knot goes that there was an ancient oracle in Turkey in the city of Gordium who prophesied that whoever could untie a very intricate knot fastening an old oxcart would become the ruler of all of Asia.

The knot was tied so that there were no visible ends to work with; it wasn’t clear where or how to begin. For hundreds of years, people tried to unravel the knot, but no one succeeded until Alexander the Great came along and cut the knot in two with his sword. He perceived that the means of loosening the knot was less important than getting the desired outcome. Alexander the Great did conquer some of Asia, but not all of it, however, this seemingly rash act did allow him to fulfill his destiny. He was considered a hero.

To be a hero, either for yourself or on behalf of others in these modern times might require the same kind of thinking.

Some radical actions (even destruction) are needed to create relief – to get us out of this knot we have tangled. Instead of untangling, we can look for other solutions that would seem unpalatable given less pressing circumstances. For many of us, we may be reluctant to take drastic measures because of what those actions might say about our character. In these times, it seems urgent to take bold and unusual or even extreme actions. Remember, extreme is a relative term, meaning relative to you.

In life there are times when it’s appropriate to choose common sense over what we have held “sacred”. It’s time to stop thinking about how things have always been and to start thinking about how things are right now.

“We cared only for the now which is the same thing as being the eternal.”
Virginia Woolf

What time is it where you are? In 2026, that’s my working definition of now. Changes happen fast. Just imagine what you could do with that energy in terms of what you want. Let’s make some new mistakes – the kind we’ve never made before.

Like I always say, if there’s a Deus Ex Machina it’s us.

*released in 1972 which was a 壬子 (Water Rat) year! The Fire Horse year gives an interesting context of clash.