Archetype 33: Retreat
After some time had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night so that they might kill him; but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.
—Acts 9:23–25
The Reading
This reading describes the early days of the career of Saul, better known to us as Paul. Saul has had a conversion experience. He has become transformed from a persecutor of the early Christians to one of their great evangelists. But in this reading, his forward momentum has been thwarted. The power of the darkness is upon him. The only way he can remain safe is to retreat.
The Hexagram
The upper trigram is God, the attribute of which is Strength. The lower trigram is Stillness, the attribute of which is Resting. The pictogram represents a period of withdrawal and resting for gathering strength.
The Archetype
There is a time...
- To recognize when the forces of darkness are gathering strength and advancing.
- To withdraw into safety instead of being drawn into an exhausting struggle with darkness.
- To maintain resistance while retreating, thus hindering evil’s ability to advance.
- To understand the retreat not as a surrender, but as a preparation for a later advance.
- To respond to adversaries not with hatred, which serves the purpose of evil, but with dignity and courage, which serves the purposes of God.
Now is that time.
Moving Lines
Other interpretations of Archetype 33:
- Tom Christensen's interpretation [click here]
- Cafe Au Soul's interpretation [click here]
- LiSe's interpretation [click here]
- Richard Wilhelm's interpretation [click here]
Internal Links:
- Return to the Hexagram Index Table [click here].
- Return to Consulting the Christian I Ching [click here].
- Purchase a printed copy of Wisdom's Way; The Christian I Ching [click here].
- Learn about our Online Christian I Ching Workshop [click here].
- Find out about personal consultations [click here].
Reproduced with permission from Wisdom's Way; The Christian I Ching copyright (c) 2015 Roger Sessions.