Help please Corruption doesn’t sound good!! Hexagram 53 lines 2&5 changing to 18

[CarolineK]

Hello I’d appreciate some help -I received Hexagram 53 Gradual Progress lines 2 &5 which seemed fairly positive if slow but this changes to 18 Corruption which does not sound positive! The context is I am trying to buy a flat but the sale is not progressing and I asked if I should change to buying a different flat which has come on the market which is cheaper, slightly bigger and has parking. So it’s a better flat. I’m buying the flat to rent it out with some money I inherited from my father.
It will be my only source of pension. so it feels like quite a big frightening decision.

I also asked if I should stick to buying the first flat and I got hexagram 10 Treading moving line 2 changing to 25 Without Entanglement I cheekily asked again explaining that I was nervous of buying the first flat as it seemed too much money now and should I pull out and got Hexagram 1 Creative Force changing lines 1 and 6moving to Hexagram 28 great exceeding
Asking three times in different ways may have ended up just confusing me!
Thank you

 

[Liselle]

First of all I want to make sure I have flats, questions, and castings matched up right. Is this correct? -

"What if I buy the second flat (the one that's cheaper, bigger, and has parking)?" 53.2.5 to 18
"What if I stick to buying the first flat (the one that's not progressing)?" 10.2 to 25

• What were your actual questions, word for word? I'm not completely happy going by my attempts at paraphrasing.
  
  
• Why is the better flat cheaper? Do you know?

Pending confirmation of all of that, actually neither reading sounds "bad," to me, but we have to try to figure out what they're actually saying.

---
TL;DR summary: Neither reading sounds bad to me. Am wondering if there might be opportunities with the 53-18 flat that wouldn't be available with the 10-25 one. But is that something you'd want? It would mean continuing a journey, like the geese, instead of being a hermit. (And of course it amounts to my guesses about the readings.)
---

The 53 to 18 reading...at first glance it's puzzling you got this about the second flat because it's the first one that's progressing at glacial pace (which is how 53 can seem).

18 could simply mean that this is an inheritance, or maybe your struggles with trying to do the best you can with your inheritance.

Let's assume 53 to 18 is answering your actual question, and not confusingly mixing up the first and second flats. (It's always a good idea to assume Yi's simply answering the question). Then it might be something like this:

"Well, this thing you're trying to do with the money your father left you (18) is like geese migrating (53). Specifically:
'Wild geese gradually progress to the rock.
Drinking and eating, feasting and feasting. Good fortune.'

'Wild geese gradually progress to the ancestral grave-mounds.
The wife is not pregnant for three years.
In the end, nothing can prevent it.
Good fortune.'"

The lines sound encouraging, but notice they're actually a story. The lines of 53 - all of them, in general - are about geese in search of a home. Exactly what you're doing. But it takes them a while and on the way there are stops and starts and things that befall them.

Line 5 is them actually, finally, getting there. But it has taken quite a while (three years).
Line 2 is a stop along the way - a nice place where they can rest and revive themselves, but not the end goal. They don't stay there.

Can you think of any reason Yi would describe the second flat that way? A perfectly good stopping point, but then after some time you go on to your real destination?

What could that possibly mean to you? Could it be something like you'd eventually end up selling the 53-18 flat and buying something else after a while? Does that make any sense? How would you feel about that?

(I'm guessing about that, of course.)

10.2 to 25 about the first flat
When getting hexagram 10, Hilary always advises asking where is the tiger? Where is the big scary thing that could eat you - or that you try to tread behind as closely as possible to absorb its power? 10 can also mean Conduct (important when you're around a tiger), or could be pointing out a power differential: you are much less powerful than a tiger.

Does any of that ring a bell regarding the 10-25 flat?

25 generally means disentangling from something that's not yours. Other names for it are Innocence and The Unexpected.

Trying to make a little sentence with the hexagrams: "Treading behind a tiger in a disentangled way."

'Treading the path, smooth and easy.
A hermit’s constancy brings good fortune.'

I don't remember any personal experience with this line, so I don't have any feel for it. Bu I wonder if it might mean actually not trying to tread behind a tiger.. You'd keep to yourself, go about your business, disentangled from all the tiger-y things. Treading a path without a tiger on it is inherently smoother and easier.

What that actually means about you and the 10-25 flat, I don't know. Maybe if you buy it, your life will be smooth, easy, and more hermit-like. You can retire like this and not have to engage with the world or any of its tigers anymore.

On the other hand - since the 53 to 18 reading also sounds encouraging - I wonder if there might be opportunities with the 53-18 flat that wouldn't be available with the 10-25 one. The question might be do you want that? It would mean continuing a journey instead of being a hermit.


All of that is quite speculative, keep in mind!

 

[Liselle]

Oh - "three years" in the I Ching isn't necessarily literal. I think Hilary has concluded it means something like "in its due time" or "it'll take the time it takes" or something like that.

 

[rosada]

Have you consulted the I Ching about whether this idea of buying a flat in hopes of making money as a landlord is the best investment for your inheritance?

 

[Liselle]

Have you consulted the I Ching about whether this idea of buying a flat in hopes of making money as a landlord is the best investment for your inheritance?

Oh, good point.

 

[CarolineK]

Hello I’d appreciate some help -I received Hexagram 53 Gradual Progress lines 2 &5 which seemed fairly positive if slow but this changes to 18 Corruption which does not sound positive! The context is I am trying to buy a flat but the sale is not progressing and I asked if I should change to buying a different flat which has come on the market which is cheaper, slightly bigger and has parking. So it’s a better flat. I’m buying the flat to rent it out with some money I inherited from my father.
It will be my only source of pension. so it feels like quite a big frightening decision.

I also asked if I should stick to buying the first flat and I got hexagram 10 Treading moving line 2 changing to 25 Without Entanglement I cheekily asked again explaining that I was nervous of buying the first flat as it seemed too much money now and should I pull out and got Hexagram 1 Creative Force changing lines 1 and 6moving to Hexagram 28 great exceeding
Asking three times in different ways may have ended up just confusing me!
Thank you

Oh thank you so much for your detailed reply. You do indeed have the flats the right way round. The reason the second flat is better but cheaper is because the market was overheated when I offered on the first flat & is quieter now & additionally many buyers are now not getting the mortgages they needed as interest rates are crazy high. So less competition. A very different market in just 4 months!crazy times!
Anyway I appreciate your thoughts about the geese the dragon and the hermit. Corruption still worries me a bit though yes I see it could just reflect my worries. It’s interesting you mention it may be linked to the money being an inheritance. Would you be able to say a little more on that? And Thank you again really appreciated

 

[CarolineK]

Oh, good point.

Oh, good point.

I’ve asked specifically if this or that option might be a good idea. I’m not sure I asked a more open question- I’ll try that. Though I’ve come along to this point now…

 

[CarolineK]

First of all I want to make sure I have flats, questions, and castings matched up right. Is this correct? -

"What if I buy the second flat (the one that's cheaper, bigger, and has parking)?" 53.2.5 to 18
"What if I stick to buying the first flat (the one that's not progressing)?" 10.2 to 25

• What were your actual questions, word for word? I'm not completely happy going by my attempts at paraphrasing.
  
  
• Why is the better flat cheaper? Do you know?

Pending confirmation of all of that, actually neither reading sounds "bad," to me, but we have to try to figure out what they're actually saying.

---
TL;DR summary: Neither reading sounds bad to me. Am wondering if there might be opportunities with the 53-18 flat that wouldn't be available with the 10-25 one. But is that something you'd want? It would mean continuing a journey, like the geese, instead of being a hermit. (And of course it amounts to my guesses about the readings.)
---

The 53 to 18 reading...at first glance it's puzzling you got this about the second flat because it's the first one that's progressing at glacial pace (which is how 53 can seem).

18 could simply mean that this is an inheritance, or maybe your struggles with trying to do the best you can with your inheritance.

Let's assume 53 to 18 is answering your actual question, and not confusingly mixing up the first and second flats. (It's always a good idea to assume Yi's simply answering the question). Then it might be something like this:

"Well, this thing you're trying to do with the money your father left you (18) is like geese migrating (53). Specifically:
'Wild geese gradually progress to the rock.
Drinking and eating, feasting and feasting. Good fortune.'

'Wild geese gradually progress to the ancestral grave-mounds.
The wife is not pregnant for three years.
In the end, nothing can prevent it.
Good fortune.'"

The lines sound encouraging, but notice they're actually a story. The lines of 53 - all of them, in general - are about geese in search of a home. Exactly what you're doing. But it takes them a while and on the way there are stops and starts and things that befall them.

Line 5 is them actually, finally, getting there. But it has taken quite a while (three years).
Line 2 is a stop along the way - a nice place where they can rest and revive themselves, but not the end goal. They don't stay there.

Can you think of any reason Yi would describe the second flat that way? A perfectly good stopping point, but then after some time you go on to your real destination?

What could that possibly mean to you? Could it be something like you'd eventually end up selling the 53-18 flat and buying something else after a while? Does that make any sense? How would you feel about that?

(I'm guessing about that, of course.)

10.2 to 25 about the first flat
When getting hexagram 10, Hilary always advises asking where is the tiger? Where is the big scary thing that could eat you - or that you try to tread behind as closely as possible to absorb its power? 10 can also mean Conduct (important when you're around a tiger), or could be pointing out a power differential: you are much less powerful than a tiger.

Does any of that ring a bell regarding the 10-25 flat?

25 generally means disentangling from something that's not yours. Other names for it are Innocence and The Unexpected.

Trying to make a little sentence with the hexagrams: "Treading behind a tiger in a disentangled way."

'Treading the path, smooth and easy.
A hermit’s constancy brings good fortune.'

I don't remember any personal experience with this line, so I don't have any feel for it. Bu I wonder if it might mean actually not trying to tread behind a tiger.. You'd keep to yourself, go about your business, disentangled from all the tiger-y things. Treading a path without a tiger on it is inherently smoother and easier.

What that actually means about you and the 10-25 flat, I don't know. Maybe if you buy it, your life will be smooth, easy, and more hermit-like. You can retire like this and not have to engage with the world or any of its tigers anymore.

On the other hand - since the 53 to 18 reading also sounds encouraging - I wonder if there might be opportunities with the 53-18 flat that wouldn't be available with the 10-25 one. The question might be do you want that? It would mean continuing a journey instead of being a hermit.


All of that is quite speculative, keep in mind!

Oh thank you so much for your detailed reply. You do indeed have the flats the right way round. The reason the second flat is better but cheaper is because the market was overheated when I offered on the first flat & is quieter now & additionally many buyers are now not getting the mortgages they needed as interest rates are crazy high. So less competition. A very different market in just 4 months!crazy times!
Anyway I appreciate your thoughts about the geese the dragon and the hermit. Corruption still worries me a bit though yes I see it could just reflect my worries. It’s interesting you mention it may be linked to the money being an inheritance. Would you be able to say a little more on that? And Thank you again really appreciated

 

[CarolineK]

Have you consulted the I Ching about whether this idea of buying a flat in hopes of making money as a landlord is the best investment for your inheritance?

I asked that and got 48 The Well lines 4&5 moving to 32 The lasting. Any thought? Seems pretty positive

 

[Liselle]

Would you be able to say a little more on that?

I thought of it only as a statement of fact, you have an inheritance from your father. 18 in general is about ancestral ghosts, ancestral patterns, what we inherit in a broad sense - or, I thought, in the narrow sense of what your father literally left you.

This might be wrong. I don't know. But I think it's either that, or, as you said, your worries. Relating hexagrams can easily reflect worries. I doubt there's anything scary going on simply because your actual moving lines are so encouraging.

Another idea from what you just posted - maybe 53 to 18 could mean something like "moving on from corruption" - the rather corrupted market situation with the first flat.

Also - the geese in 53.2 have found a nice rock to park on. You said one reason this flat is better is because it has parking. I'm tempted to smile at that.

Wonder if you can just trust yourself - better is better; a flat that seems better really is better. Looking for ghosts and problems where there aren't any could be another form of corruption.


48.4.5 - I agree 48.5 is very positive. When there's nice cool water in front of you (a flat that seems better than the other flat), drink it.

48.4 - not sure. Yi's been known to refer to itself with 48, so maybe lining the well could mean these readings. Shoring up your ability to connect with Yi's wisdom. Especially since one meaning of 32 is divination.

 

[rosada]

48.4 makes me think one should consider the cost of getting a place ready for occupancy and maybe also the importance of being aware of what sort of maintenance work will be required in the future. If you've got those skills or connections to those who do, then 48.5 and 32 do sound positive indeed!

 

[CarolineK]

I thought of it only as a statement of fact, you have an inheritance from your father. 18 in general is about ancestral ghosts, ancestral patterns, what we inherit in a broad sense - or, I thought, in the narrow sense of what your father literally left you.

This might be wrong. I don't know. But I think it's either that, or, as you said, your worries. Relating hexagrams can easily reflect worries. I doubt there's anything scary going on simply because your actual moving lines are so encouraging.

Another idea from what you just posted - maybe 53 to 18 could mean something like "moving on from corruption" - the rather corrupted market situation with the first flat.

Also - the geese in 53.2 have found a nice rock to park on. You said one reason this flat is better is because it has parking. I'm tempted to smile at that.

Wonder if you can just trust yourself - better is better; a flat that seems better really is better. Looking for ghosts and problems where there aren't any could be another form of corruption.


48.4.5 - I agree 48.5 is very positive. When there's nice cool water in front of you (a flat that seems better than the other flat), drink it.

48.4 - not sure. Yi's been known to refer to itself with 48, so maybe lining the well could mean these readings. Shoring up your ability to connect with Yi's wisdom. Especially since one meaning of 32 is divination.

Once again thank you for your thoughtful & insightful reply! I was indeed puzzled why positive lines appeared to lead to scary second hexagram & in the small hours fretted. I am reassured by your thoughts & enjoyed the parking geese! On a slightly witty note too the flooring and walls need attention -new carpet/vinyl wall paint -so if the flat is The Well it will indeed need new linings….
I’ll bear in mind that second hexagrams can be the worries around the question in future. Very helpful. Also I like the idea of The Well as the oracle itself at some level -& I guess maybe our Unconscious in some higher way (?) and that attending to that or working on that is so necessary when looking to the oracle for advice. Great stuff thank you again!

 

[CarolineK]

48.4 makes me think one should consider the cost of getting a place ready for occupancy and maybe also the importance of being aware of what sort of maintenance work will be required in the future. If you've got those skills or connections to those who do, then 48.5 and 32 do sound positive indeed!

Thank you! Yes it later occurred to me about the lining of the well needing attention & it does indeed look like there in the flat there is some decoration & replacing to be done. I’m now v hopeful too! Thank you!

 

[Liselle]

Love that about the wall and floor "linings."