Valid result?

[trilby]

Hello everyone

I learn so much from reading these threads, I'm finally going to start one of my own and see what you all think.

Yesterday I was driving to a meeting that I knew was going to be difficult and wished I had been able to cast before leaving home. Immediately a hexagram number popped into my mind, and I said to myself, OK, what's the relating hexagram? Another number arrived.

I should mention that I know the names of only a few hexagrams without looking up the numbers. The two I received were none of those.

When I returned home, I looked up the hexagrams and found they perfectly described the situation and provided sound and relevant advice that even a relatively inexperienced person like myself had no difficulty understanding.

I know there are some here who believe every hexagram applies equally to every situation, but I'm not sure I agree. The two that came to me were exactly what I needed.

My question to you all: is a grab-a-number-out-of-thin-air result valid? Did I make it up, or was it "given" to me? Beats me!

(This probably only works for people who don't know the name of each hexagram and have at least a general idea of its message.)

Thanks for any ideas!

Trilby

[frank]

Hi Trilby,

I once drove in a train, staring out the window, already knowing the trigrams, and thought, what the heck... train on rail... rail... heee, that's earth... flat, right? Then sky... bright sky... heee, that's heaven... Heaven above earth... Mmmm, hexagram 12 popped in my mind... Standstill, and BOOM the train stood still...

Things happen like that, and when the Yi is comming to you in just poppin up numbers, I would start to put a pen and paper in the inside pocket of your jacket :-D...

Have fun learning the Yi this way :-D.

Hug,
Frank

[bodhixeno]

If your State Lottery supports your number range, you're really on to something! Who is to say what's valid or not. When you work with the I Ching, you alone are the experiment. It's your very own inner world laboratory. I wish I could get meaningful numbers popping into my brain. I usually get numbers on the amount of money I might owe to someone.

[trilby]

Frank: Great story! This is the first time I was given numbers out of the blue, and I hope it happens again.

Bodhixeno: Nope, our lottery only goes up to 40-something I think. And as to meaningful numbers, I'm right with you -- worrying about the meaning of my MasterCard bill!

Thanks to you both for your comments.

Trilby