I ching

I Ching Hexagram 46
Sheng (Pushing Upward)

Action: Ascend

Hu Gua (hidden influence) 54 Propriety: Subordinate

Zong Gua (underlying cause) 25 Innocence: Open

When you pay respect to the great,
you pave the way for your own greatness.

It is always better to fail in doing something
than to excel in doing nothing. – Chinese Proverb

Reading at a Glance: Sheng describes a situation requiring an extended amount of sustained effort and results that may not be readily visible. It is like a small tree taking years before it ever provides shade. At the same time it is focused on growth so unless the situation is one of growth, it cannot move upward. It can also be a message about patience and authentic interaction. Generally events happen so fast that we lose touch with the flow of what we are doing. We can become a part of routines that have nothing to do with fulfillment. Situations unfold that are the result of past actions that are forgotten. Like the patience that would be required to observe the growth of a tree, you need to get back to the moment in conscious awareness of what you are doing and why. Therefore, Pushing Upward can be a message to slow down and become mindful. The hidden influence of Propriety or subordination aligns the will to the way. If we nourish an authentic approach to each day, keeping in mind our intention while opening to the nurturing events that unfold to hone us, we can create a sense of fulfilling opportunities that lead to success. If we are neglectful or caught up in routines, nothing can flourish. The underlying cause of Innocence sought a perspective without intention but now you are asked to give form to intention and provide it with the conscious care over time that will allow you to realize your ambition. Sheng focuses on purposeful action and asks that you examine the situation to see if real growth is occurring. Pushing Upward can also be a message about the need to leave a deteriorating situation if it is no longer serving growing. The emphasis should be on healthy growth and not ignoring deterioration. A promotion or other opportunity to expand outwardly is also indicated.

The rain comes

and what bends

will rise.

It is a purposeful

journey.

“Massing toward the top is called pushing upward. That which pushes upward does not come back.” We sometimes believe that successful people get ‘a lucky break,’ but more often than not, it was the heaping up of small efforts that led to their success.

You can be successful, but if it came at the expense of your authenticity, success will leave you feeling empty. When you model nature, you will see the progression of how big things have their beginnings in the small. In the atom, molecule, cells, tissues, organs, people or nations, big things emerge from the heaping up of small things. To create a type of success that generates fulfillment, you must build your foundation from the inside - out.

The Gentle Wind becomes the Wood that pushes upward through the Earth, and Sheng is the image of something growing with an emphasis on expansion. “One generation plants trees; another gets the shade. What grows upward does not come back” because the flowering usually occurs much later than the actual effort.

The master said: “In time, you carry on your back, the Yin; In time, you embrace in your arms, the Yang.” This captures the idea of how you carry on with your efforts, even while the results may not be apparent. Ascending vertically suggests the rise from obscurity to a position of power because of your sincerity. “One who pays respect to the great paves the way for one’s own greatness.” You tend to the small with the knowledge that everything is a part of the great whole.

When work displays immediate results, you are gratified, but because you cannot see the result, you may question what you are doing. To “shine and not dazzle” is the sense of holding to your sense of inner purpose, without the need for recognition. Only you know the importance of what you are doing. If it is real, it will endure. All effort is consequential because even small contributions are important. Like the principle of waiting, there is no immediate response. Sincerity is strengthened when you do the small things that make you qualified to do even greater things.

Through convergence, you stand in the collective to find your core. Pushing upward alone, you achieve success through perseverance. Thus, you can transform the devotion of following your inner drummer into greatness.

There are many cases where executive leadership in major corporations rises from the mailroom. To achieve great things, do not measure your efforts in terms of big and small; all effort is meaningful. Like the Gentle and penetrating Wind, if you consistently do even the smallest of things, you will ascend. Without obvious results, you can understand a deeper meaning of gratification: it is your devotion to the work that makes you great.