Gentle Persuasion

Oracle of Love

Hexagram 46

Softly does it.

There is an objective to reach but it is subtle and requires a gentle touch. Gentle persuasion provides the minimal assistance needed to help something fall into place of its own accord.

Use perseverance and tact to negotiate a way, one step at a time. Pressure need not be forceful but it can be persistent and determined.

If success is elusive let things go rather than force the issue.

By using only gentle persuasion one can be sure that an objective has been reached with the concurrence of all parties.

The hexagram is a paradigm for successful teaching. Rather than imposing knowledge forcefully a good teacher offers it in a lively and interesting way and persists until the student is receptive and the message is heard. The knowledge is presented in short lessons that can be easily understood and is appreciated as not having been imparted for the teacher’s ends alone.

The process of healing is an example of gentle persuasion. We do not heal a wound so much as assist it to heal itself.

Suggested Responses

Address an objective by gentle persuasion.

Exert pressure in small increments, allowing time for the matter to resolve by itself before taking the next step.

An outcome may be slow in coming so you may need to be persistent. If you lose patience abandon your objective rather than resolve the matter by force.

Accents


When pushing only gently success may take some time.
Let things go rather than force an issue.

Gently does it!
Gentle persuasion achieves its aim.

Receptive to gentle persuasion.

Getting nowhere.
Or, The pressure is not well received.

Confident in one's cause but modest in one's means.

Bringing a gentle pressure to bear is appropriate.
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