How You See Others Shapes What You See — Hexagram of Contemplation: True Observation Starts with Emptying Your Own Mind

The Hexagram Judgment of the Contemplation hexagram is short, and rather odd.

"Guan (Contemplation): After the ablution, before the presentation of offerings, there is sincerity and a reverent demeanor."

Guan 盥 means washing one's hands. Jian 荐 means presenting sacrificial offerings. The whole line describes a state: hands have been washed, but the offering ritual has not yet begun.

Why does the *I Ching (Book of Changes)* use this exact moment to explain "contemplation"?

Because in ancient sacrificial rites, the hand-washing ritual was the most meticulous part. The water had to be clear, the hands spotless, the movements slow, and the mind calm. Once the offering ceremony started, the whole procedure kicked into gear, and people tended to get distracted — busy going through the motions, they lost touch with what was in their hearts.

The most sincere and reverent moment is not during the ritual, but the brief stretch right before it begins.

The Contemplation hexagram freezes "contemplation" at this exact instant to make one point: before you look, wash your hands first.

The "hands" here are not literal hands — they refer to the mind.

How do we usually look at people and things?

We look through the lens of our own stance. We look with pre-set expectations. We look with the attitude of "I already know what kind of person they are."

What we see this way isn't actually the other person — it's a projection of ourselves.

What the Contemplation hexagram asks you to do is wash your hands clean first — set aside your stances, expectations, and prejudices. Wait until your mind is empty, then look.

The two directions of contemplation.

The structure of the Contemplation hexagram is fascinating. The upper trigram is Xun / The Gentle (wind), and the lower trigram is Kun / The Receptive (earth). Wind travels over the earth, blowing across everything without missing a single thing.

This represents the comprehensiveness of "looking". It's not just fixating on the part you want to see — it's seeing everything.

The *Xiang Commentary (Images)* states: "The ancient kings, in accordance with this hexagram, inspected the regions, observed the people, and set up education." Ancient rulers used this hexagram image to tour all quarters, understand the people's circumstances, and formulate civilizing policies.

Notice the order: first observe, then set up education. You don't come up with an idea first then go looking for evidence — you see things clearly first, then decide what to do.

Most people do it the other way around: they reach a conclusion first, then hunt for justifications.

All six lines of the hexagram talk about "how to look".

The Six at the Beginning: "Childlike contemplation. For the common person, no blame. For the superior person, humiliation." — Looking like a child is fine for ordinary people, but if you want to accomplish great things, this shallow way of seeing won't cut it.

The Six in the Second Place: "Peeking contemplation. It furthers the perseverance of a woman." — Looking through a crack in the door, you only see a tiny sliver. This line isn't a put-down; it's a reminder: when your field of vision is narrow, don't rush to judgment.

The Six in the Third Place: "Contemplating one's own life, advancing and retreating." — Looking at your own actions and decisions to determine whether to move forward or hold back. This is the only line in the hexagram that turns the lens on yourself.

The Six in the Fourth Place: "Contemplating the glory of the state. It furthers one to serve as a guest of the king." — Seeing the vitality and promise of a place, and recognizing that it's worth coming forward to take part in its affairs.

The Nine in the Fifth Place: "Contemplating one's own life. For the superior person, no blame." — This is another "contemplating one's own life". It uses the same phrase as the third line, but from a different position. The third line is in the lower part of the hexagram, where self-reflection serves to decide one's own advance or retreat. The fifth line is in the upper position, where self-reflection serves to gauge how well the people under one's care are faring.

The Nine at the Top: "Contemplating its life. For the superior person, no blame." — Here, the gaze turns to longer-term things that extend beyond one's own immediate position.

Two out of the six lines mention "contemplating one's own life" — this repetition is no accident.

What the Contemplation hexagram really wants to say is: before you look at others, look at yourself first.

The kind of person you are determines the kind of world you see.

If your mind is full of calculations, you'll think everyone is out to scheme against you. If your mind is full of goodwill, you'll find something worthy in everyone you meet.

This isn't empty motivational fluff — it's a law of cognition: people can only see what falls within the scope of their own awareness.

That's why the practice of the Contemplation hexagram isn't about the eyes — it's about the heart.

How do you apply this hexagram?

When you meet someone you can't quite figure out, don't rush to judgment. Ask yourself: am I really seeing this person, or am I just seeing my long-held impression of them?

When you face a situation you can't see through, lay out all the information you have on hand, and check if there's any part of it you've been avoiding looking at.

When a relationship hits a rough patch, first look at what you've done in that relationship, instead of only counting up the other person's faults.

When the *I Ching* speaks of "after the ablution, before the presentation of offerings", it's talking about this very pause.

In that pause, you haven't done anything yet — but you're already changing.

The way you look at others determines what you are able to see.