Daily readings

[weaver]

I wonder if anyone is interested in contributing occasionally to a thread on daily readings - posting both the casting and how this appeared to play out in the day?

I've been casting daily as a way of both familiarising myself with the hexagrams and trying to understand the ways in which different judgements and lines seem to play out. Often, these have been in quite muted ways. One day I cast 3, and that day faced minor delays - during a visit to the dentist - and minor disappointments like a slightly dull evening at a friend's party, for which I'd travelled to another city. Nothing remotely dramatic (I'd envisaged a really delayed train, for example). Still, it was useful to have been warned that the trip might not be absolutely sparkling.

Yesterday I cast about going to meet a friend and some of her friends for a drink, and got 45.4.6. One of the people there did complain a bit, but other than that I don't know what line 6 could have applied to.

Tomorrow I need to have a potentially difficult conversation with a colleague on the telephone. He's older, and in manner can be quite bullying, though he's also in a position to really help me. The things I want to raise with him are reasonable and I've thought them through, but they form part of a work situation that's been frustrating me for over two years now. I asked in general, what will tomorrow bring me? and got 14.6 > 34 which seemed to indicate that if I expect the best, stand my ground, and am polite, he won't be as dismissive as he sometimes can be. Indeed, 14.6 sounds very good indeed, but I'm curious how it may play out in fact.

Would anyone else like to join in with their experiences for a bit? (By the way, my reason for asking about short-term, even trivial occurrences is that it's so much quicker to see the outcome and therefore seems to offer more material for learning, which at this stage is what I need - not so much that I need to consult an oracle for everything.)

 

[gene]

Weaver

While I would not be able to contribute every day, daily readings, and readings for personal growth is my main interest. I like to readings for questions people have about their relationships etc, but I really love questions that relate to personal growth, and learning the deeper meanings of the I Ching. I would be at least a little more than an occasional participant in such a thing. I am not sure if shared readings would be the right place though, then again it may be the very best place, depending on what direction it takes.

I may even be willing to put a reading out there myself on occasion and interpret it myself and/or open it up for others opinions.

Gene

 

[weaver]

Thanks Gene, that's good to know. I didn't envisage anyone having to post daily, or even regularly, but thought it might be interesting. And of course I'm open to moving the thread wherever's most suitable.

 

[TwoGeese]

I tend to do weekly readings on Sunday- takes me a long time to really chew on a reading. I would be interested in participating.

 

[weaver]

Hi Kimbenes. I can see how a weekly reading might work well. Daily readings end up feeling so dilute I'm not sure what I'm learning. Today's 14.6 turned out to mean having a useful conversation with the colleague - who was sympathetic and agreed what I said about my concerns - without any sense that those concerns are going to be resolved. Indeed it looks more like I might end up moving on to another job; he said he'd understand if I wanted to do that. And I had dinner with a friend. So not exactly a day of obviously spectacular good fortune, but interesting to see how the 14.6 translated in life.

 

[gene]

Hey Weaver

Great one to start out on! It is highly unlikely that this refers to anything going on in your daily life, but does indicate a great start in your attempts to learn about yourself and the I Ching. The line literally says that this enterprise, of self discovery through the I Ching, "Is blessed by heaven." Which is where I think I would most want to be blessed. The commentary says, "gives honor to the sage who stands outside the affairs of the world." Indeed, the teachings that are presented here are on a higher level than we can image, the only limitation is our level of comprehension, which will inevitably be very low at first, will expand as we continue. That all depends, however, on our "modesty, and how much we give honor to the sage..." This should teach us a few things, primarily, that the opportunity here is something beyond "the affairs of the world," and something so great that we must approach it "modestly and honor it." It is a wisdom beyond that which we can find in our daily lives. Furthermore, the teachings are personal, that is, it is the individual who is blessed by heaven, because he has approached the sage in an honorable and worthy way. (See hexagram four) The line naturally corresponds to the third line, although here they are both yang, so the correlation is of like kind, but the third line says that only "a prince offers it to the Son of heaven. A petty man cannot do this." Therefore the petty man cannot be blessed by heaven, only those who follow heavens will. The prince however, "puts himself under the beneficial influence descending from heaven."

Will we be able to recognize the reality and the power of the heavenly way" Will we become the prince or the petty man? Will we humble ourselves before the will of heaven? Or resist it, and insist on paying attention to the material world only and not the heavenly? Which do we want to be? The prince, or the petty man?

Gene

 

[weaver]

Hi Gene

Thank you for this. I don't quite see why the reading wouldn't answer the question, which was specifically about one day. To me it did refer to the conversation I had, essentially saying that I'd grown to the place where I was able to talk openly to someone who otherwise could be dismissive of me, and for what I said to be met with his respect.

I see what you mean about meaning that transcends our daily lives, but I'm not sure such transcendence, if it exists, has as much value for me as the sort that comes out of our daily lives. If we can't understand the really transcendent kind of transcendence, what's the point? To me the kind of enlightenment that means we can be more fully in (if not ultimately of) our daily lives makes much more sense. I suppose I'm looking to the I Ching for ways of sensitising me to the ways in which things can be both material and not-material.

I'm not looking to find the smallest possible meanings of each line or hexagram, but I am trying to experience, even in small ways, how they relate to daily things, because I feel such lived experience is worth more to me than an abstract understanding of lines or hexagrams.

 

[flitzer]

Hi Weaver, Hi everybody,

I think that a thread with daily readings where everybody can participate is a very good idea and to the degree that it is possible I would like to contribute. As far as I am concerned I do not cast every single day but I do readings for the day sometimes. I agree that it is very interesting to see how they play out and make up a good way to gain "hands-on" experience.

And while I'm at it, why not share with you a recent one: on Monday I was pretty worried about a situation at my work. I kept asking the Y and kept going nowhere until finally I gave up and stopped paying attention to this situation altogether, which, after all, didn't turn out badly. The next day I asked about my day and got 40.1>54.

I actually did feel relieved from the moment I stopped worrying about it and it's now the end of the week and still nothing untoward has happened.

Flitzer

PS I'm new at this so if I'm obviously wrong in my interpretations please let me know. That's a good way to learn too!

 

[weaver]

Hi Flitzer

That sounds like a really soothing reading - and very zen. So often things just work themselves out..

And Gene, sorry if my response seemed very reductive. I think I just feel I need to learn things through the concrete, rather than aiming straight away for the bigger picture, if that makes sense. Get to the bigger picture through the concrete, ideally. But that is just my hunch about what I think will work for me.

 

[gene]

Hi Weaver

I didn't realize you had asked a specific question. Perhaps I just missed it, or it isn't there. I'll go back and look later. If you asked a specific question, yes, it would relate to that.

Bear in mind, the earthly is a reflection of the heavenly. As the old saying goes, "As above, so below." So anything we bring to light in the heavenly world has its mirror image in the physical. So, it does all fit together.

Gene

 

[gene]

One thing I might say too here. If someone asks about their day, and puts a reading out here, it is very difficult to interpret it unless I know something about the situation in which the question is being asked.

But for Fitzer...

Hexagram forty line one seems to fit well with how your day ended up, as it says, "hindrance is past. Deliverance has come." It is clear what that might mean in a work situation or after having been in a difficult situation, it is not so clear when we are looking at it from a spiritual standpoint except to say that,"as above, so below." And just as the situation didn't turn out so badly, so we need to learn to relax in times of difficulty, and let go of our fears. When we let go of our fears we find out that things do not turn out so badly. This is where everything really happens, is within. The outside world is merely a reflection of what is going on inside ourselves. When we learn that, and when we accept what is going on inside, and learn not to fear it, we find that the outside world is, as well, reshaped.

The commentary in book three of the W/B version tells us that, "The joint action of these balanced opposites brings order into the whole situation." And that is the reality of our experience when we balance ourselves within, we do not get "thrown off balance" by the outside world. And when we do not get off balance, we find that everything goes well.

Gene

 

[gene]

Here is a part of a reading I did about a week ago. Actually, when I do readings just for learning and understanding, I do a series of six readings. But I will put this one out there for all to look at, and to give any kind of interpretation that they want, then later, if anybody wishes to look at this, I will do an interpretation of my own.

The reading is: 48, lines two and five, leading to hexagram fifteen.

Gene

 

[weaver]

One thing I might say too here. If someone asks about their day, and puts a reading out here, it is very difficult to interpret it unless I know something about the situation in which the question is being asked.

When we let go of our fears we find out that things do not turn out so badly. This is where everything really happens, is within. The outside world is merely a reflection of what is going on inside ourselves. When we learn that, and when we accept what is going on inside, and learn not to fear it, we find that the outside world is, as well, reshaped.


Hi Gene - I completely agree with this, and thank you. For a daily reading the only question I've asked has been what the most useful attitude is to take tomorrow, or, occasionally, if there's anything I need to be aware of. So it's pretty simple, but focused on one day. The idea was to ask how best to align myself with the energies of the day, or learn whatever the lesson of the day is.

W

 

[weaver]

The reading is: 48, lines two and five, leading to hexagram fifteen.

Gene[/QUOTE]

Gene, why is it that you tend to do a series of six readings when you're focusing on learning?

With 48.2.5 > 15 (and as you say it's difficult to say anything without knowing of a question) it seems to me what is being talked about is the state of your mind at the moment. Wilhelm comments that line 2 suggests the well is 'not being used' (except by fish). I wonder if the images - fish darting about and being caught; a leaky jug - don't suggest distraction or what the Buddhists call 'monkey mind'? Is it possible to read this as: you are oversensitive to stimuli and possible directions at the moment and it would be beneficial to still your thoughts and reconnect with the essential? After all by focusing on the fish, not the water in a well, a person is missing the essential function of the well in a sense? (Missing the element for the fish.)

Line 5 seems to be saying that you are in contact with the source of things, and shouldn't worry, for as long as you draw on it, you'll be refreshed and renewed.

Hexagram 15 suggests that the present step of your journey involves dealing with other people in a friendly manner, joining with them and exchanging energy with them in order to fulfil the ability to draw on the source. But also that you should do so in a manner that doesn't end up dissipating your energy - 'The noble one reduces the many and augments the few. He evaluates things and bestows equalizing' says LiSe. Maybe mountain under earth also implies that while having to be down to earth and in the world at the moment, you should try to maintain your inner stillness (mountain)?

Does any of this resonate at all?

And this seems an appropriate moment to say: thank you very much for the thoughtfulness, kindness and scholarship of your responses.

 

[gene]

Hi Weaver

Yes, it does relate. I have been waiting to see if anyone else wanted to contribute, but so far nothing, maybe they are not interested, or maybe they are just excited about thanksgiving coming up. I have no idea, but tomorrow afternoon I will post a little about this particular reading.

Gene

 

[pocossin]

maybe they are not interested

The time limit of a daily reading does not permit contemplative readers, who may spend hours on a reading, to respond to it in a timely fashion.

 

[Trojina]

Hi Weaver

Yes, it does relate. I have been waiting to see if anyone else wanted to contribute, but so far nothing, maybe they are not interested, or maybe they are just excited about thanksgiving coming up. I have no idea, but tomorrow afternoon I will post a little about this particular reading.

Gene

well only americans might be excited about Thanksgiving so there is the rest of the world to respond to Weaver

Weaver I think its a very good idea but that maybe the thread is in the wrong place because there are so many new threads every day here they all sink beneath the waves quite quickly. I wonder if you may have more success in Open Space ? Many people don't visit this section at all.

I think lots of people would like to do it but this thread might need to be a sticky, ie stay in the same place...or go in another section of the forum.


It might work here maybe you just have to keep posting your daily experiences and in the end people will join in.

I won't because i rarely do daily casts.....but I think your suggestion is a good one. ETA well I do them now and then so may post sometimes

 

[TwoGeese]

For the week- 44 unchanging.
Well it is only Tuesday but this is the Gua I got for this past Sunday representing the week ahead. So far this week I have been trying not to respond to the negative environment around me. There is a person of authority in my work environment who is trying to pull me in the fray between her and others. I am working on remaining out of her reach and out of the posion that is the behaviour around here... So far I am ok... Hopefully I can remain that way the rest of the week.

 

[pocossin]

(What should I focus on this week?)
44 unchanging

Keeping good records.

Under heaven, wind:
The image of Coming to Meet.
Thus does the prince act when disseminating his commands
And proclaiming them to the four quarters of heaven.

The prince disseminates his commands by writing them down. Be careful to make notes. If there is trouble at work, document what happens there. Get it in writing. Documents and receipts are good evidence when others fail us.

 

[gene]

Using my laptop, I sometime type away, then I accidentally hit some key and the whole writing disappears. It drives me crazy. I will try to type my responses up in word and save often. It will take a little while

First though, let me say that I propose that this thread be moved by the powers that be to "exploring divination," which I think would be a better fit, or if need be, to "open space," but I personally think exploring divination is the best place.

Now, sometime today, I will type up a short response to kimbene and hexagram forty four, which I was doing a minute ago when the entire text disappeared, then next, I will type up something about hexagram 48, lines two and five, and thirdly, (I will do this right now) I will challenge people to find a meaning for the combined texts of hexagrams seven and eleven. In other words, what common thread do you see there? Or, how do the two hexagrams in one reading combine to teach a lesson?

Gene

 

[gene]

In response to Kimbene, and hexagram forty four, I might say that hexagram forty four can indicate situations where we encounter people, and end up having to deal with them, that we would not ordinarily choose in our lives. We do have the opportunity to choose our closest relationships with those we feel we have an affinity to, (hexagram forty five line two, and hexagram sixty one) but we often cannot choose our lesser relationships, or those we have to work with and interact with. In hexagram seven we might have to unite with others with whom we do not get along well with for a common goal or a common purpose. We are not allowed in the physical body to always have relationships or situations in which we are totally comfortable. It is the nature of the human to want to be comfortable, but comfort does not necessarily imply personal or spiritual growth. Sometimes we have to be around others who are brusque, immature, haughty, or just plain do not mesh with us in order to learn to see ourselves from a higher perspective, and to make changes in our natures. We have to be forced to get outside of our comfort zone.

As such we sometimes have to “Tread on the tail of the Tiger.” (hexagram 10) We learn to be cautious and circumspect or get bitten, (Line three). But we learn how to conduct ourselves when we are outside our “chosen” environment. Line four of ten says, “Caution and circumspection lead ultimately to good fortune.” When we are around people with whom we do not resonate, then we have to “check our behavior with a brake of bronze.” (hexagram forty four line one. Sometimes the situation can become so bad, and distasteful that “walking becomes so hard that we are left with no skin on our thighs. (44.3) It can even become so bad that line four says, “there are no fish in the tank.” In that case it might be best to move on and find a place that is more favorable to us. If we cannot mesh with others in any meaningful way, then we probably are in a place we were not meant to be. “If the woman is strong,” we are forced into a supplementary role. If that is the case then we have to make a decision. Can I live with this? Or is there a place for me that I would fit in better? When we allow heaven to rule, then as line five says, “Hidden lines, (things happening behind the scenes that we are not totally aware of, but since coming from heaven are in our favor), then it drops down to one from heaven.” This is another way of saying that, “Fate is favorable,” though it does not appear so at the time.

Gene

 

[pocossin]

Using my laptop, I sometime type away, then I accidentally hit some key and the whole writing disappears. It drives me crazy. I will try to type my responses up in word and save often. It will take a little while

I use Notepad and have not had this problem.

I propose that this thread be moved by the powers that be to "exploring divination," which I think would be a better fit, or if need be, to "open space," but I personally think exploring divination is the best place.

Since this thread is made up of reading, Shared Readings seems the best place for it to me. Exploring Divination and Open Space get much less traffic. Incidentally, you are also posting in duplicate sometimes. I'm sure your don't mean to do this.

 

[gene]

Before I get into the heart of what I want to say about hexagram forty eight lines 2 and 5, let me just say about the basis of Chinese alchemy that their form of alchemy revolved around fire and water, and the perfect proportion of each in the human being creating long live, (to the Chinese, possibly even eternal life,) and balanced living. Hence, hexagram 63 is the perfect hexagram (only in the sense of its balance) because fire is below water, and the fire keeps the water at the correct warmth, (fire is hot, water is cold). If the water is too extreme it will overflow and put out the fire, (our bodies become too cold), Or if the fire is too hot and the water is deficient, the body wears out because it has too much heat.

Now, this has nothing to do with what I will talk about regarding lines two and five, but it does relate to the hexagram as a whole because hexagrams forty eight and fifty both evolve around the concept of transformation. But the basis of the transformation in hexagram forty eight is water, the water of the well. In hexagram fifty, the transformation evolves around the concept of fire, because fire cooks the food.

In hexagram one the ruling line is 5 because hexagram one is considered to mean heaven, and the upper trigram in each hexagram relates to heaven. In hexagram line two is the ruling line because hexagram two refers to earth, and the lower trigram is considered to be the earth trigram. If the lower trigram is earth, and the upper heaven, we see why in hexagrams forty eight and fifty the upper trigram shows much more promise than the lower, because the lower is pre transformation, and the upper is post transformation. Therefore....later.

Gene

 

[gene]

Before I get into the heart of what I want to say about hexagram forty eight lines 2 and 5, let me just say about the basis of Chinese alchemy that their form of alchemy revolved around fire and water, and the perfect proportion of each in the human being creating long live, (to the Chinese, possibly even eternal life,) and balanced living. Hence, hexagram 63 is the perfect hexagram (only in the sense of its balance) because fire is below water, and the fire keeps the water at the correct warmth, (fire is hot, water is cold). If the water is too extreme it will overflow and put out the fire, (our bodies become too cold), Or if the fire is too hot and the water is deficient, the body wears out because it has too much heat.

Now, this has nothing to do with what I will talk about regarding lines two and five, but it does relate to the hexagram as a whole because hexagrams forty eight and fifty both evolve around the concept of transformation. But the basis of the transformation in hexagram forty eight is water, the water of the well. In hexagram fifty, the transformation evolves around the concept of fire, because fire cooks the food.

In hexagram one the ruling line is 5 because hexagram one is considered to mean heaven, and the upper trigram in each hexagram relates to heaven. In hexagram line two is the ruling line because hexagram two refers to earth, and the lower trigram is considered to be the earth trigram. If the lower trigram is earth, and the upper heaven, we see why in hexagrams forty eight and fifty the upper trigram shows much more promise than the lower, because the lower is pre transformation, and the upper is post transformation. Therefore....later.

Gene

 

[pocossin]

I'm leaving this duplicate for the time being so you can see what I mean.

 

[gene]

Just as a precursor to the story of lines two and five in hexagram forty eight, let it first be said that lines two and five are not working well (pun intended) with each other. The lower trigram being the earth trigram cannot understand things from a heavenly (upper trigram) point of view. Therefore, when the lower line consults the I Ching it is impossible for him or her to understand the deeper meanings of the line. As such, the I Ching is always, and I mean ALWAYS, misunderstood at some level. The average person consults the I Ching for the wrong reason and with the wrong motive. They just want to know if they have good fortune or bad fortune, and it does not register with them that any such "good fortune or bad fortune" are a result of their own behavior, or has anything to do with the constitution of their own makeup as a person. The commentary on hexagram fifteen, when lines two and five change, says, "But man has it within his power to shape his fate, according as his behavior exposes him to the influences of benevolent or destructive forces...."

If all we are doing is looking to see if we have a favorable fate, we are assuming that we ourselves are victims, and have no power to control our lives. And in such cases, line two says, "At the wellhole, one shoots fishes." When we get this line in spiritual readings, the I Ching is telling us that we are using it for the wrong purposes. It is telling us that it has a much deeper meaning for us but we are not "getting it." Basically it is telling us to give up our victim consciousness, and start learning how to integrate proper conduct (hexagram 10) into our life, and thereby shape and mold our destiny ourselves, and not be torn apart by superficial considerations and feeling like everything is happening to us and we have to try harder to control it. We need to stop being victims, and start living victoriously, drinking the water of the well.

More later,

Gene

 

[gene]

hi pocossin

I think the reason for the duplicates is that several times lately, I have tried to post, and the computer just sits there and waits and says that the message did not post, try again in fifteen seconds. So I try again, and it posts. There is just some kind of delayed reaction I guess, and it seems to be happening more lately.

Gene

 

[gene]

A case in point, this very thing happened when I tried to post last time, so instead of hitting the post button again, I opened a new window to see if it were there, and sure enough, there it was. so I will be careful about this from now on.

Gene

 

[pocossin]

I think the reason for the duplicates is that several times lately, I have tried to post, and the computer just sits there and waits and says that the message did not post, try again in fifteen seconds. So I try again, and it posts. There is just some kind of delayed reaction I guess, and it seems to be happening more lately.

The Clarity server is running a little slow at times. That may be part of the problem. This post took about 15 seconds to post.

 

[flitzer]

Thanks Gene for your input to my earlier reading. Pretty much makes sense.

Now, in the spirit in which this thread got started, namely sharing daily readings, here is mine of yesterday:

To the question: what attitude should I take today? I got: 42.5>27. An attitude of kindness. Hmm... I wasn't sure what that could mean...until I had to rush home to take care of my wife who'd come down with a heavy fever. I played nurse the entire evening!

Flitzer