About this episode

This episode explores the symbolism of willows and flowers in relation to sexual desire, alongside interpretations of hexagram 28 from the I Ching.

Etta James: [Willow Weep For Me](https://youtu.be/J3s6DMZI1RA?si=P94I-rcF1f9oekY6) /// [**Hexagram 28: **](https://ctext.org/book-of-changes/da-guo) *aka the GTFO the house's bout to collapse* **Judgement/Blurb:** The ridgepole bends. Beneficial to have a destination. Success. **Yao/Line Texts:** **Top 6/Yin:** Crossing too far, the water covers the head. Ominous, yet no blame. **5th 9/Yang:** A withered poplar flower. An old woman takes a strong husband. No blame, no praise. **4th 9/Yang:** The ridgepole rises. Auspicious. If there is something else, hardship. **3rd 9/Yang:** The ridgepole bends. Ominous. **2nd 9/Yang:** A withered poplar sprouts. An old man takes a young wife. Nothing is not beneficial. **1st 6/Yin:** Use white grass as a mat. No blame. // From **Wolfram Eberhard's "Dictionary of Chinese Symbols"**: The willow, much valued as firewood, is a symbol of spring. As spring is the season of erotic awakenings, the phrase ‘willow feelings and flower wishes’ means sexual desire; ‘looking for flowers and buying willows’ means visiting a prostitute, ‘flowers and willows by the wayside’ are prostitutes, and ‘sleeping among flowers and reposing beneath willows’ is a term…

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