Archetype 8: Holding Together
For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.
—Matthew 18:20
The Reading
This reading recounts some of Jesus’s final words. Jesus is close to the end of his ministry. He knows that within a short time he will be facing his death on the cross. He knows the impact this will have on his followers. So Jesus says the words that will provide solace not only to his living followers but also to millions of followers who are yet to be born.
The Hexagram
This hexagram is made up of the same two trigrams as The Army (archetype 7), but now the trigrams are reversed. Water is now above the earth, symbolically representing the ocean, that place where all rivers meet and become one.
The Archetype
There is a time...
- To unite with others, and through that union to complement and help one another.
- To form that union around a central respected person.
- To recognize the responsibility held by the central figure and the need for tremendous spirit, consistency, and strength.
- To have the humility not to take on the responsibility of guiding unless one is truly equal to the undertaking.
- To recognize the risk of chaos if a poor leader is chosen.
- To understand the importance of timing, for while a strong union attracts the uncommitted, newcomers lack the shared experiences that bond others.
- To understand that the strength of the union depends on the purpose and meaning each of the members find in the union.
Now is that time.
Moving Lines
Other interpretations of Archetype 8:
- 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.