Lu / Treading [Conduct]
above: Ch'ien The Creative, Heaven
below: Tui The Joyous, Lake
Nine at the beginning means:
Simple conduct. Progress without blame.
The situation is one in which we are still not bound by any obligations
of social intercourse. If our conduct is simple, we remain free of them
We can quietly follow our predilections as long as we are content and
make no demands on people.
The meaning of the hexagram is not standstill but progress. A man finds
himself in an altogether inferior position at the start. However, he
has the inner strength that guarantees progress. If he can be content
with simplicity, he can make progress without blame. When a man is
dissatisfied with modest circumstances, he is restless and ambitious
and tries to advance, not for the sake of accomplishing anything worth
while, but merely in order to escape from lowliness and poverty by dint
of his conduct. Once his purpose is achieved, he is certain to become
arrogant and luxury-loving. Therefore blame attaches to his progress.
On the other hand, a man who is good at his work is content to behave
simply. He wishes to make progress in order to accomplish something.
When he attains his goal, he does something worth while, and all is
well.