Taking Action

A disturbing and inspiring shock. Rousing things to new activity. Stir things up and eliminate old patterns. Transform fear and anxiety by carefully inspecting and adjusting your attitudes. Don’t be timid. Find the source of all misfortune by examining your own motives and attitudes. Change yourself and you change the situation. Do not oppose the order of creative change.

震, 亨. 震來虩虩, 笑言啞啞, 震驚百里, 不喪匕鬯.

##### Symbolic The hexagram Chên represents the eldest son, who seizes rule with energy and power. A yang line develops below two yin lines and presses upward forcibly. This movement is so violent that it arouses terror. It is symbolized by thunder, which bursts forth from the earth and by its shock causes fear and trembling. ##### Judgment SHOCK brings success. Shock comes-oh, oh! Laughing words -ha, ha! The shock terrifies for a hundred miles, And he does not let fall the sacrificial spoon and chalice. ##### Judgment Comments The shock that comes from the manifestation of God within the depths of the earth makes man afraid, but this fear of God is good, for joy and merriment can follow upon it. When a man has learned within his heart what fear and trembling mean, he is safeguarded against any terror produced by outside influences. Let the thunder roll and spread terror a hundred miles around: he remains so composed and reverent in spirit that the sacrificial rite is not interrupted. This is the spirit that must animate leaders and rulers of men-a profound inner seriousness from which all terrors glance off harmlessly. ##### Image Thunder repeated: the image of SHOCK. Thus in fear and trembling The superior man sets his life in order And examines himself. ##### Image Comments The shock of continuing thunder brings fear and trembling. The superior man is always filled with reverence at the manifestation of God; he sets his life in order and searches his heart, lest it harbor any secret opposition to the will of God. Thus reverence is the foundation of true culture.