Archetype 47: Oppression
Therefore they set taskmasters over them to oppress them with forced labor. They built supply cities, Pithom and Rameses, for Pharaoh. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread, so that the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites. The Egyptians became ruthless in imposing tasks on the Israelites, and made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar and brick and in every kind of field labor. They were ruthless in all the tasks that they imposed on them.
—Exodus 1:11–14
The Reading
The Israelites had once been honored guests of Egypt, rightly so because Joseph had saved Egypt from starvation. The Israelites prospered. But now there is a new pharaoh and gratitude has been replaced by fear, envy, and prejudice. The Israelites are now held in slavery and brutally oppressed.
The Hexagram
The hexagram consists of two trigrams, Wonder and Chaos, in which weakness is oppressing strength. In the upper trigram, the two strong lines are being held down by a single weak line. In the lower trigram, the single strong line is surrounded and suffocated by weak lines. Thus we see two aspects of oppression, holding down and suffocating.
The Archetype
There is a time...
- To recognize when the lesser oppress the greater.
- To know that the strength and wisdom gained in the struggle with the oppressor can prepare the liberator for ultimate success.
- To meet adversity with the good nature that eventually leads to success.
- To protect our spirits, because if the oppressor breaks our spirits, we have lost.
- To follow the example of a tree in the wind, bending so as not to break, and then springing back when the time is right.
- To remember that Ego is a poor guide in responding to oppression.
- To understand that in times of oppression, even the wise have little influence.
- To use this time to cultivate the deepest inner strength.
Now is that time.
Moving Lines
Other interpretations of Archetype 47:
- 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.