Wind above – Lake below
The Chinese name of this hexagram is Zhong Fu. Zhong means center, hit the mark, middle and Fu means honesty, truth, sincerity. “The truth within is accordingly worth the persistence”. This does not pertain to some kind of truth which exists “out in the world” as logic or certainty. Quite the opposite; it refers to seeking out the truth within you. This is the truth of realizing your authentic self by virtue of the fact that you are unique from every other creature or creation. No one else has that truth. Wind, as it blows across the surface of the Lake, is unseen and yet it is present as it fills what seems to be empty space. The ancients said that one’s heartfelt sincerity is similar because it is more easily felt than seen, but yet is a vital component of life. Other names for this hexagram are: Innermost Sincerity, The Truth Within, Faithfulness.
Breaking down the symbolism of the 3-line trigrams helps with understanding the ancient teachings:
When trigram Lake is below (the bottom 3 lines in image below right), it references the inner realm of the person or situation. Lake (also known as Marsh) confers the ability to open up to others, joyful exchange, influencing and being influenced. Lake also has boundaries. As a defined space on earth, it suggests there is an internal, defined individuality which remains solid, even during exchanges with others.
Trigram Wind is on top of trigram Lake as seen in the top 3 lines of the hexagram lines below (right). Wind (also known as Wood) carries the information about the unique design of each creature or creation. The flow of Wind gently, but persistently, motivates and guides the movements of sharing and connection (which are intrinsic to Lake).
The ancient ideograph is on the upper left portion of the image below. The top ideograph shows Zhong which is an image of an arrow hitting the center of a target. The second ideograph, below, shows Fu which is a picture of a hen hatching her chick (the chick is below the hen’s claw) – she is faithful to her responsibility, thus expressing her true nature in sincerity and trustworthiness.
In summary: The ancients understood the concepts contained within Wind moving over Lake (Zhong Fu) as the goal we work toward developing throughout the I Ching (Book of Changes). You are the only one who can truly access your inner truth the same way a chicken, a fish or another person knows their own inner truth. Everyone’s inner world opens up to the outer and one needs to learn to align them, to connect your inner being with outer goals. Learning to connect to your deepest source and grow in trust in yourself and the universe, Inner Truth encourages a movement toward harmony within yourself even as you deal with life’s realities.
Following are a few ideas for interpretations of each line:
Line 1 – Inner stability, sincerity and preparedness form the basis of your approach to the world and can bring good fortune. This kind of inner stability is successful because intuition is best be utilized when you live in the center of your own truth.
Line 2 – A solid connection requires sincere communication from your heart, most often with those who share your values. You now have an opportunity to reach others and weave relationships which grow into harmonious bonds, even if they are not always visible.
Line 3 – If there is a lack of inner truth, you are open to the opinions of others and the scattering of your own thoughts. This opens the door for ego to take over and weaken your will. To create success, there must be firm consistency in holding to the center of your own inner truth.
Line 4 – At this time you may feel your Inner Truth being tested. If you are being pulled between your own truth and the truth of society, it is important to know that it is not always possible to have both. Sometimes you may be called to forgo outer desires for Inner Truth.
Line 5 – When you are in the center of yourself, an auspicious place of possessing Inner Truth, you (as an individual or as a leader) are more likely to assess people and situations clearly. This is one of the greatest assets in life.
Line 6 – Any tendency to exaggerate or pretend to be more than you are is bound to fail. Speaking with emotion is not the same as speaking with authenticity. Take some time to review what your truth is within your present circumstances and discard the rest.