The memes and stereotypes out there about the sign of Capricorn don’t tend to mention joy, so I love that the Hexagram associated with this next week of Capricorn is 58: Joyful.
This is one of the eight hexagrams that is doubling of a trigram, in this case double lakes. The two lakes replenish each other and do not evaporate and dry up. I live near an isthmus flanked by two different lakes, so I like this image.
This represents how knowledge, too, should be revitalizing and not dry us up. Per Wilhelm’s translation, knowledge becomes this way through “stimulating intercourse with congenial friends with whom one holds discussion and practices application of the truths of life.“
Such conversations are among the best things in life; they can also be all too rare.
In addition to the congenial friends, gentleness and inner strength are also components of joy: “True joy, therefore, rests on firmness and strength within, manifesting itself outwardly as yielding and gentle.“ Joyous moods must be based on steadfastness otherwise it will “degenerate into uncontrolled mirth.”
If you’re wondering how a hexagram of two lakes can correlate to the earth element of Capricorn, the bottom half of the Capricorn sea goat symbol is a fish and connects us to the ocean and water. Capricorn is a sensual sign, as are all the earth signs. Maybe in this next week if you want a stimulating, and grounding, conversation you should seek out someone with Capricorn Sun, Moon, Mercury, and/or Rising!
This is one of those hexagrams that makes me think of extraverted feeling function in typology. It exhorts us to not be stubborn about our opinions and instead listen to others’ in order to foster outward harmony. At the same time we shouldn’t be obsequious and fawn over others.
This reminds me of Rachel Naomi Remen’s description of joy: “Joy seems to be a part of an unconditional wish to live, not holding back because life may not meet our preferences and expectations. Joy seems to be a function of the willingness to accept the whole, and to show up to meet with whatever is there.”
Wishing you joy, great conversation, and perhaps at least a little mirth in the week ahead.
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References:
I Ching or Book of Changes translated by Richard Wilhelm
Kitchen Table Wisdom: Stories that Heal by Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D.
