My best friend, whom I have known for 20 years. Maybe my only best friend, and the longest I have ever had, is likely to die very soon.

His condition is severe, and what he now has, is basically collateral damage of secondary effects from the medication he has been taking for years. From a simple car accident, to a misdiagnose, to anti depressants, random health problems, has all lead to an extremely rare skin cancer that has no medical treatment. And right now, he suffers for it extremely bad under limiting circumstances such has work, finances, and with basically no hope in sight what so ever. To spare the details, his health is extremely, severely bad, where the multitude of drugs/meds he takes are only there to counter act the other side-effects. Basically there is nothing much that can be done for him, and he is already discussing with his doctor to have euthanasia (which is legal in Holland btw).

Personally, I feel he missed on something, also due to his stubbornness, part of it is his life-style, he has a desk job, and loves computers, so inevitably, he has been glued to it for the whole of his life. Plus, alternative medical solutions haven't been sought after due to financial/insurance reasons and his "no hope in life" attitude. It's with out a doubt, his condition has been deteriorating severely for the past 2 years within the 10+ years of health complications.

So my questions are simple, and if, somebody could help me think of other questions to ask for, I would be more than welcome to answer them, as I don't know how to ask properly, certain, specific questions on somebody else's health condition. So this is also new to me under "iching circumstances".

PS. There is absolutely no way, that I actually trust the doctors that he has been dealing with! Sometimes I have had the impression he has been treated as a guinea-pig, and often I had the impression myself that he blindly puts his trust in them with out seeking other alternatives. Just to give you a little example, his mother had her entire stomach removed because the doctor gave her the wrong meds/misdiagnosed when her "stomach problems" was nothing more than stress related! In hindsight, simple meditation/yoga would have sufficed! This was an episode of shame and regret within the family.

So here are my questions as follows:

How long has he got to live?
8.2.6 > 59

What is his position (in the midst of all these things, medically, life, etc)
30

What could cure him?
12.2.3.6 > 28

What other alternatives have we missed?
47.1 > 58

As much I already understand a bit what the lines say, 8.2.6 has me concerned, and I don't know how to read it in terms of "time", .6 is impressive for me in this "time" question.

30, I can't understand.

12.2.3.6 has me questioning/wondering that the "point of no return" has been reached.

Please help, thank you

Hi rhopister,

Very sorry to hear about the severe health problems your friend is experiencing.

You said that he's stubborn, and he trusts doctors blindly.
In that case, I sadly can't see how your readings could possibly help him.
Will he listen to you and your advice? But I guess you can always try.

How long has he got to live?
8.2.6 > 59
Together with other people 'inside' (hospital?), auspicious.
But there's no head... either the head doctor is rubbish, or the disease gets to his brain.
And dissolution doesn't sound great here.
All in all, I'll risk saying that if he gets admitted to a hospital, he will live shorter.

What is his position (in the midst of all these things, medically, life, etc)
30
He wants to live. So perhaps he will listen to your advice!

What could cure him?
12.2.3.6 > 28
Both lines 12.2 and 12.3 speak of "wrapping". Although a therapy involving wrapping
(surgery/bandages?) will seem auspicious at first, in the end it will have a bad effect.
So the answer, rather than showing what would cure him, speaks of what would make
him worse. You've already said there's no cure - so perhaps that's why the answer
advises against any "cure", as it would worsen his condition.

What other alternatives have we missed?
47.1 > 58
Well this is the line of depression, and not only. It also speaks of "sitting", and not
being seen for years. And yet, this being only the very first line of 47, i.e. 47 has
not yet full hold of the person, the overall outlook is optimistic. The obvious step
is to stop being depressed, get up and walk, go out, talk, mingle.

The question I would ask, I think, would be:
What actions can he do in order to improve his health?

diamanda said:

You said that he's stubborn, and he trusts doctors blindly.
In that case, I sadly can't see how your readings could possibly help him.
Will he listen to you and your advice? But I guess you can always try. ///// What is his position (in the midst of all these things, medically, life, etc)
30 He wants to live. So perhaps he will listen to your advice!

Click to expand...

Been there, done that, he won't listen, there is always an excuse to his problems. Sometimes I have the impression he is self victimizing himself to gain attention. Psychologically this is related to his parents, as he was the young sibling who received the least attention in the family. Plus, he doesn't have any real friends cause he is "special/loner type". Nobody really understands him except me.

Together with other people 'inside' (hospital?), auspicious.

Click to expand...

Couldn't 8 also represent death/gathering of mourning?

But there's no head... either the head doctor is rubbish, or the disease gets to his brain.

Click to expand...

To his brain, as in, psychologically? Believing he has no hope? Self defeat?

All in all, I'll risk saying that if he gets admitted to a hospital, he will live shorter.

Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly....

Both lines 12.2 and 12.3 speak of "wrapping". Although a therapy involving wrapping
(surgery/bandages?) will seem auspicious at first, in the end it will have a bad effect.
So the answer, rather than showing what would cure him, speaks of what would make
him worse. You've already said there's no cure - so perhaps that's why the answer
advises against any "cure", as it would worsen his condition.

Click to expand...

His condition, IS skin related, so "bandages" of the "cure" would help?
When I say "no cure" = based on western medical knowledge, I am more open to alternative solutions/eastern medicine. It's optional, but very expensive. And he doesn't want to invest more in that due to his stubbornness.

Well this is the line of depression, and not only. It also speaks of "sitting", and not
being seen for years. And yet, this being only the very first line of 47, i.e. 47 has
not yet full hold of the person, the overall outlook is optimistic. The obvious step
is to stop being depressed, get up and walk, go out, talk, mingle.

Click to expand...

This perfectly describes him, in the past he was ALWAYS out n about! Always mingling, always partying, enjoying life, one of the reasons why I loved him so much. He was one of these people who enjoyed life! And yes, since the car accident, he became less mobile, followed by depression, psychological drugs, he has remained "sitting", being depressed about everything. But his condition is SO bad, that even going out to get food costs him too much energy, plus... like I said before, he doesn't have any friends, not because he doesn't want to, just because he doesn't "fit" in the society that he lives in. Even as much as he tries, it costs him too much energy in the end.

The question I would ask, I think, would be:
What actions can he do in order to improve his health?

Click to expand...

Thank you for the question:

Answer...... a big fat 30 (again)!!!
I asked again: "elaborate" and got: 35.5 12

"Stabilizing Your Level" + Stagnation. Very cryptic for me, but I don't know how this could translate to medication/homeopathy or exercise :/

Couldn't 8 also represent death/gathering of mourning?

Click to expand...

That would be hexagram 45, not 8.

or the disease gets to his brain.
To his brain, as in, psychologically? Believing he has no hope? Self defeat?

Click to expand...

Maybe psychologically, maybe physically as in cancer metastasis, maybe both.
But let's not speculate that far - it's important to convince him to not be admitted into hospital.

His condition, IS skin related, so "bandages" of the "cure" would help?
When I say "no cure" = based on western medical knowledge, I am more open to alternative solutions/eastern medicine. It's optional, but very expensive.

Click to expand...

No, bandages, or "cures", or any type of medicine, wouldn't help.


I can totally understand why he feels he doesn't fit in.
Being very ill does not, practically, allow one to go out and mingle.
Now, as to what he can do... amazing you got 30 again.

What actions can he do in order to improve his health? 30
The only person who can help him feel better is his own self.
He needs to look after himself, a lot, carefully, fully.
That means the usual things: fresh healthy food, exercise, personal hygiene, etc.
Because 30 means light and fire, I'd particularly recommend sunshine and exercise.
And because you got 30 for "his position", he can help himself, and hopefully he will.

I asked again: "elaborate" and got: 35.5 12
He needs to just look after himself properly, without worrying about the end result.
He needs to stay away from any habits that are bad for him.
I do believe, from these answers, that he can greatly improve his health, by himself.

Hmmm, here are my thoughts that could coincide with the numbers --thinking out loud that is.

He needs to look after himself, a lot, carefully, fully.

Click to expand...

Less computer/gaming time, if possible, work to. Cut out processed food completely. Go all organic. Get back into physical shape. baby steps at a time, possibly do yoga meditation to. And stick to this for atleast 6 months. Possibly go down the eastern/homeopathic route aswel of medicine.

One foot-note I have not included in this post. Is that the doctors also say it's a genetic fault that he has. Which I highly NOT believe in. Even under the laws of gene-therapy, evolution, darwin, etc, it's the environment that we live in that makes us who we are now today, so from all that chemical, pollution crap we take in everyday, eventually it does break down our genes. There is significant research that refined-sugar does this to!

Another question: How can I convince him?

23.1.3 22

Splitting apart, tolerating disaster, letting go of attachment + grace.

That's a tough one for me to understand :/

Anybody else can check out the numbers for me for a different perspective? :/

PS. thank you diamanda :bows: :bows: :bows:

"Maybe psychologically, maybe physically as in cancer metastasis, maybe both.
But let's not speculate that far - it's important to convince him to not be admitted into hospital."

Indeed, let's not speculate. There is no way anyone can tell - regardless of I Ching interpretations - as to whether being in or out of Hospital would result in improvement or death. That's way too much of a heavy call for anyone to make. No one has to convince anyone of anything in that regard.

Information can be made available sure, but it seems like it is up to this individual to do what HE decides to do. That's the nature of free-will and to respect whatever the soul's purpose is - something we cannot possibly know about either.

Just my two cents.

Rhopister, I would considering asking "How can I best support my friend at this time?" I have my own ideas about that --- but I am interested in what Yi might say.

If you care to share I am interested in knowing what you believe happens to a person when they die.

To answer both Topal and Jumpingmouse; here is my reply.

We are all spirits in bodies, the body is nothing more than a biological machine, where the host is our soul/conciseness. A funny metaphor, is us controlling a game character, or a car, the character or car, doesn't become alive unless it has an 'operator'. But when in grief, or pain, our body often overrides the the conciseness with sorrow and mourning. So as for my friend, the way I see it, the body has now taken over his soul/conciseness and is basically operating heavily on the 5 senses because he is so heavily stimulated by body related pain, close to addiction, victimization, ego overriding soul, without considering the other opportunities. So as of right now, I cannot ask him to change, i tried before, he wouldn't listen. Too many excuses for that matter. It's his choice how he wants to experience, although, deep down, he knows he is guilty for his actions, admitting it is the hard part.

To continue, for me it's simple, we come back, choose our game, our time-period, and which scenarios we would like to play while remaining under the "assumption" of ignorance and nativity. So where ever we go afterwards, that's depends on how ripen the soul has become. Either we go back to the source ("gaia"), come back again, or go to a higher level. Biologically we are nothing more than extensions of planet earth, just as plants and animals, but more advanced and particularly mobile! (and often times more stupid to lol).

So to answer another question (a good one btw, although I already think I know the answer to this). Here is what iching said.

How can I best support my friend at this time?

Click to expand...

29 Pitfalls!
Translation/meaning: 22.2.3 41

Hm, I can only help but think; "keep things lightly and listen with a nodding head". Kinda hope I am wrong about that as I wish I could do more for him just out of pity :/ For who he is, I know he deserves better than this, would like to punch some of his doctors to for profiting on his ignorance.

You mean you had hexagram 29 for how to support your friend? That's a very beautiful answer.

'Repeating chasms.
Being true,
The connected heart succeeds.
Acting brings honour.'

Repeating chasms, learning the chasms - being in the depths with him. I think 22.3 says something similar - total immersion. It's a rare friend who can offer this.

Also the relationship of 29 and and 30 is profound.

Thank you Hilary!

I never thought of it that way while reading 29!! It seemed so negative

But yes, what can I say, i've known him for 20 years, he's been like a brother to me to!