24.4.5 > 17 as advice

[precision grace]

I am trying to figure out what exactly am I being advised with these two lines.

The question is what attitude should I adopt towards someone (an on-again/off-again friendship) as we've drifted apart lately and I don't know if I should remain distant or allow myself to get close again.

The 24 > 17 feels like being advised to return to following (i.e. become friendly again) but the lines don't necessarily say that and whenever I get one or two lines only, I tend to think they are more important than the overall guas.

If I read the lines correctly, they advise to return back to my own thing and learn the lesson of this friendship not being right for me. 24.5 in particular seems to say to come away from this without any regrets, but I don't know if I can. But then, I don't know whether I can cope with the painful experience that will doubtless follow if I re-engage. So, I just don't know what I am reading in this cast, it seems somehow contradictory.

Please help!

 

[goddessliss]

Can you tell me what happened here, precision grace, please

 

[ginnie]

It looks to me like the two moving lines are giving the two alternatives you might follow. You might turn away from this person right now, since you are feeling so doubtful about the relationship. Or you might re-engage with the person if you can see some higher purpose in getting together again.

The yang change pattern is 45, Gathering. That is how you go in: Should you get together. The way out is shown by the yin change pattern, which is 26, Major Restraint. I think 26 conveys how uncomfortable you feel thinking about this person right now. Maybe you can see something else in that hexagram. I am thinking that if you cannot think of some higher purpose in this relationship, it would be better to hold back.

 

[precision grace]

Thanks ginnie, that makes perfect sense. The lack of higher purpose is precisely the point - or rather, probably, the lack of aligned higher purpose. There is no doubt we like eachother in some way, and are sort of friendly, but not really friends as such.

This was cast in November. Now it's February and things have continued within the scope of major restraint. Occasionally we run into eachother and have a chat and really friendly, close exchange and then nothing for a while until such time that circumstances are right for a warm exchange again.

Hope this answers your question Liss!

 

[goddessliss]

Yes precision grace thank you. It was relevant to the other thread I started re Mr Nastyman