Archetype 41: Giving From Below
He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
—Mark 12:41–44
The Reading
This reading is in contrast to the reading for archetype 42. This reading describes people making offerings to God. In the next reading, God makes an offering to people.
This reading is best understood metaphorically. Obviously Jesus is not looking over the shoulder of those who are donating to God’s temple. The widow represents every person who lovingly gives everything they have to God. Jesus is telling us to hold nothing back from God because God holds nothing back from us. In surrendering everything, we are given the opportunity to be all that we can be.
The Hexagram
This hexagram consists of the trigrams Stillness on top and Wonder on the bottom. These two trigrams have upper lines that seem out of place. The lower trigram is missing a strong solid line to complete its set, and the upper trigram is missing a weak broken line to complete its set. It seems that the missing strong line in the bottom trigram has been given to the upper trigram, which has exchanged it for a weak line.
The Archetype
There is a time...
- For the lower to sacrifice to the higher.
- To simplify and remove what is unnecessary from the facade.
- To find truth in simplicity.
- To control anger with stillness.
- To temper impulses with self-restraint.
- To accept poverty without shame.
- To sacrifice ornamentation for simplicity.
- To present oneself in truth and simplicity before God.
Now is that time.
Moving Lines
Other interpretations of Archetype 41:
- 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.