Emotional I Ching : Hexagram 53

53 Maturing
In a context of self-restraint we utilise influence.

Trigrams : self-restraint (bottom), influence (top) : with/from self-restraint comes influence. [wind over mountain]

The mud from which 53 has emerged is best described by analogy to the under-stated qualities of hexagram 63, completion, closure.

Commentary :

In hexagram 53 is the the transition of a loose 'yielding' relationship to one of firmness and strength. The penetrating wind restrained. (directed). In the image, by emphasizing one's mental powers it is hoped that this influences the common people and encourages them to better themselves. This does not occur overnight, maturing takes time. Contextually, we combine correct order and completion with modesty and evenness giving gradual development; maturing.

(In the traditional text, the spirit mentioned below is symbolized by a wild swan.)

Goal of 53 - hexagram 61 (or 'how do I 61? - 53')

Five-Phase Relationships : The trigram of Mountain reflects Filtration (through discernment). The trigram of Wind reflects Production (through re-production, cultivation). The relationship is expressed in the process of maturing.

53 is the goal of 37 (or 'how do I 53? - 37 How do I mature? Through maintaining a rigid structure that acts to reduce tension, that stands up to the mindless flow - IOW have good, strong, foundations')

The I Ching tells us about hexagram 53:

Genotype	Description	Phenotype
(01)	How does this hexagram express singlemindedness, competitiveness?	54
(02)	What is this hexagram's potential form?	53
(03)	How does this hexagram 'sprout'?	22
(04)	How does this hexagram learn social skills?	48
(05)	How does this hexagram wait for opportunity to come?	41
(06)	How does this hexagram compromise, meet half way?	32
(07)	How does this hexagram express uniformity, establishment of?	57
(08)	How does this hexagram passively attract?	52
(09)	How does this hexagram express making small gains to be noticed?	19
(10)	How does this hexagram traverse a path carefully?	34
(11)	How does this hexagram balance/harmonise, mediate?	61
(12)	How does this hexagram neutralise attacks on its core beliefs?	62
(13)	How does this hexagram express association with the likeminded?	51
(14)	How does this hexagram manage from the centre? Direct operations? Push ideology?	58
(15)	How does this hexagram level things out, keep words close to facts?	20
(16)	How does this hexagram express foresight/planning?	33
(17)	How does this hexagram find a faith? What is its faith?	30
(18)	How does this hexagram correct corruption, express that correction?	29
(19)	How does this hexagram express approaching the 'high'; defer to the 'low'?	9
(20)	How does this hexagram elicit admiration and so invigorate others passively?	15
(21)	How does this hexagram resolve problems?	49
(22)	What does this hexagram look like, how does it present itself to the outside?	3
(23)	How does this hexagram 'housekeep', clear chaff to bring out the wheat?	39
(24)	How does this hexagram 'start', express 'beginning'?	37
(25)	How does this hexagram stand up to say its piece, ignoring consequences, disentangle?	55
(26)	How does this hexagram express 'holding firm' to traditions?	60
(27)	What is the basic, skeletal form of this hexagram, The mud from which it has emerged?	63
(28)	How does this hexagram express excess, go beyond what is required?	64
(29)	How does this hexagram assert containment/control?	18
(30)	How does this hexagram express guidance/direction setting?	17
(31)	How does this hexagram 'woo', express restrained enticement?	35
(32)	How does this hexagram express commitment?	6
(33)	How does this hexagram draw-in its enemies, competitively entice?	16
(34)	How does this hexagram actively invigorate others?	10
(35)	How does this hexagram bring something into the 'light'?	31
(36)	How does this hexagram protect its 'light' when not its time?	42
(37)	How does this hexagram reflect rigid structure as a form of tension release?	24
(38)	How does this hexagram 'mirror', deal with opposition?	43
(39)	How does this hexagram obstruct, go against, stand up to, the flow?	23
(40)	How does this hexagram express tension release through relaxing structure?	44
(41)	How does this hexagram achieve clarity, concentration, distillation?	5
(42)	How does this hexagram reflect augmentation?	36
(43)	How does this hexagram 'seed', spread the word?	38
(44)	How does this hexagram persuade/seduce?	40
(45)	How does this hexagram celebrate its 'faith'?	56
(46)	How does this hexagram become more entangled with something/someone?	59
(47)	How does this hexagram integrate with the context, be it by choice or otherwise?	50
(48)	Where does this hexagram get its nutrition, what sustains it, keeps it going?	4
(49)	How does this hexagram reveal, unmask?	21
(50)	How does this hexagram express conversion of the raw to the cooked, transformation?	47
(51)	How does this hexagram express surprise, enlightenment, shock?	13
(52)	How does this hexagram express blocking, discernment?	8
(53)	How does this hexagram express gradual development, maturity?	2
(54)	How does this hexagram expend early energy, immaturity?	1
(55)	How does this hexagram deal with abundance/overflowing?	25
(56)	How does this hexagram demonstrate conditional loyalty; loyalty at a distance?	45
(57)	How does this hexagram cultivate and become influential?	7
(58)	How does this hexagram express itself intensely, self-reflect?	14
(59)	How does this hexagram make things clear, dispel illusions? lift the fog?	46
(60)	How does this hexagram standardise?	26
(61)	How does this hexagram express empathy? yielding, soft core, hard exterior?	11
(62)	How does this hexagram express overacting to establish unconditional loyalty?	12
(63)	How does this hexagram complete, 'get it right'?	27
(64)	How does this hexagram remain 'open', mis-sequence?	28

Some PAIRINGS of hexagram 53 with other hexagrams:

In the binary sequence hexagram 53 pairs with hexagram 39.

This pair reflects an overall focus on maturing, be it standing one's ground against the 'mindless' flow of reality (hexagram 39) or in the form of a developing relationship that has taken many years (hexagram 53). Both acts require self-restraint as a core behaviour and so the focus on the 'aged' and the associated difficulties faced. Hexagram 39 has an edge of integrating, both in dealing with a forest of barriers that need to be bypassed, whereas hexagram 53 favours more a focus on differentiating, like the maturing of a fine wine.

In the binary sequence hexagram 53 opposes hexagram 54.

This pairing reflects issues of maturity, it being done 'correctly' (53) or being forced and so done too soon (54).

At the LOCAL level we are dealing with an octet of hexagrams with the MOUNTAIN trigram as base. In this sequence hexagram 53, the focus upon slowly maturing, opposes hexagram 62, where the focus is on exaggerations, portraying. More so, the exaggerated sense of overplaying traditions to maintain the coherence of the collective is reflected in a more balanced format through the focus on, as well as recognising the consequences of, maturing.

In the traditional sequence hexagram 53 pairs with hexagram 54.

This pairing, besides reflecting the oppositions of the binary sequence here reflects the commonality in the pair, where the roots of both are in issues of maturity and as such variations on the process. Just as 54 can reflect being immature so it can also reflect the focus on, the demand for, immediate 'growing up' as compared to the delayed gratification reflected in 53.

DEVELOPMENT:

53 : development - through gradual, maturing, conserve energy; 53 gradual development, maturing, comes from a context described by hexagram 63 - closure, correct sequence

54 : development -through sudden, immaturing, expend energy; 54 sudden development, immaturing, comes from a context described by hexagram 64 - non-closure, incorrect sequence, remain open

In the traditional sequence hexagram 53 opposes hexagram 12.

In this pair we have the recognition of change as expressing maturing (53) compared to the refusal to change (12).

The generic properties of hexagram 53 reflect the mixing of the generic properties of hexagram 39 with the generic properties of hexagram 63.

A combination of obstruction to the 'mindless flow' of reality, with a focus on completion, on 'correct order', is reflected in the concept of maturing.

In the variations on a theme sequence, hexagram 53 complements hexagram 37.