Clarity,
Office 17622,
PO Box 6945,
London.
W1A 6US
United Kingdom
Phone/ Voicemail:
+44 (0)20 3287 3053 (UK)
+1 (561) 459-4758 (US).
In my relatively short time here, I've read several opinions on using the IC to foretell the future. I'm on the fence about this, as I struggle (have always struggled) between the concepts of fate and free will creating one's fate. This is an ongoing debate in my head
This morning, I posted about a very critical court date I have today, of which I'm nervous and fearful as to the outcome. Given my own indecisiveness regarding fate vs. fortune telling, I haven't before attempted to use the IC to get answers regarding the future. Today though, I asked the outcome of this court. I received a pretty positive response.
I'm very curious to hear what the thoughts are regarding using the IC in this manner?
In my relatively short time here, I've read several opinions on using the IC to foretell the future. I'm on the fence about this, as I struggle (have always struggled) between the concepts of fate and free will creating one's fate. This is an ongoing debate in my head
This morning, I posted about a very critical court date I have today, of which I'm nervous and fearful as to the outcome. Given my own indecisiveness regarding fate vs. fortune telling, I haven't before attempted to use the IC to get answers regarding the future. Today though, I asked the outcome of this court. I received a pretty positive response.
I'm very curious to hear what the thoughts are regarding using the IC in this manner?
I struggle (have always struggled) between the concepts of fate and free will creating one's fate. This is an ongoing debate in my head
Were you aware that this is Descartes fault, not yours?
Much of what that philosopher wrote was good (we have him to thank for the scientific method amongst other things), but he did make a mistake here and there. Philosophers ever since have wrestled with problems like fate and free will or whether mind and matter are the same or different. They are problems because the conclusion the philosophy points to is patently absurd, but he's such an influential figure it's not easy for people to accept his ideas weren't all perfect.
Martin Heidegger offered a correction to Descartes in 1927, in a book "Being and Time". Following his line of thinking, these issues simply don't arise. This shows they are artifacts of how we see things (our worldview) rather than issues that are there in reality. [So your head is debating an illusion , which might explain why it hasn't found the answer?] Maybe you have heard of Eckhart Tolle (wrote "The Power of Now")? Tolle and Heidegger share the same view. Things like mind/matter dualism aren't a problem for Tolle either.
But in case you can't be bothered to look them up, try this. Why can't it be both fate and free will? Each moment we face a number of possible actions: seeds for several alternative futures. Heidegger suggests "understanding" our situation involves matching each possible action with our current situation to see how good a "fit" it is. There is usually one that fits best. So we face any moment with a propensity to do one thing rather than another; and if we don't rock the boat, that's what will happen. However, we don't have to. We are quite capable of making more effort and choosing a lesser "fit" if we want. Here is "free will", comfortably sitting alongside "determinism".
But back to important stuff . Good luck with your court judgement. I know what it's like. Not pleasant having to face something immovable, out of our hands, yet that powerfully (and intimately) affecting us. At least you'll know. I hope it goes well for you and it will be easy to move forward.
As the reading went on, it showed the death card (that one I do remember!) around one decision, meaning there was no future in it. With the other decision, the cards showed a long and slow process, but one that would reap rewards. I guess one decision was like hex23, and the other decision was like hex53.
Apologies for not knowing the card names, I'm not familiar with Tarot, but it showed a woman in between two men as I recall. Apparently the two men symbolised the two decisions. As the reading went on, it showed the death card (that one I do remember!) around one decision, meaning there was no future in it. With the other decision, the cards showed a long and slow process, but one that would reap rewards.
...
I applied the labels 'dead' and 'not dead' in a particular way that seemed to factually make sense at the time to myself and the Tarot reader. Intuitively though, the labels didn't sit with me, they were the opposite way around.
Yes. Isn't that a terrible feeling! Especially when things get you down and you can't sleep...I still wonder did I make the right decision . I still wonder how different my life could be now if I'd gone with the other decision, and that's hard, I'll be honest!
Yes, couldn't agree more! I believe in our own free will, but we can project our fears onto situations and that can cause a narrowing of our vision of what is possible. As I've gone through life I've become more inclined to believe that we have our own free will. I believe this because I guess I have to, having been in the process of building a very different life for myself in the past year and a half. If I felt like I was a passenger, I'd feel helpless right now, and at the moment I really need to feel like I'm driving .Like you, I hesitate to ask "future" related questions because I fear that my "answer" will then somehow affect that very response. Fate or free will....I do believe our own perceptions and energies strongly influence most situations and thus, we definitely need to be careful with projecting into the future, either with thoughts, beliefs, whatever... And, ironically enough, the times when we're most anxious about the future ("stressful times") are the very times we tend to seek answers and our fear itself can open us to creating the very thing we fear, which can be added to or exasperated by a "negative" future prediction.
This is the way I also use the iChing. I find it profoundly truthful, yet gentle with me! I feel that I've grown through using it. It has opened me up to subtleties in situations where I would not have seen those subtleties before. It's also unbelievably accurate when describing situations. It's as you say, it opens up possibilities, broadens ones perspective and that allows the person to make a more informed decision.This is the very reason I try to use the IC to help me see and understand more about myself, as opposed to the future, in hopes that I can be well informed with a broad perspective and hopefully then make the best choices for the situation. Although, I can attest to the fact that I used it in this situation (from anxiety and fear) trying to get an idea of the possibilities of what was going to happen, to prepare myself in a way. It answered positively and it was a fairly positive experience....so it was an accurate assessment of the "future" in this case, but was that just my high hopes from the positive IC response, leading to a positive experience? Or was that just good "fate" doing what it was going to do anyway.....? Wonder what would have happened if IC had responded negatively? Whole different outcome? Or just an expression of my own anxieties and fears?
Thank you too for the discussion :bows:. I think you're so right about having to look at what's actually happening. I think this is part of the human condition, looking at the past and future at the expense of the present .Our vulnerability in stressful times can leave us open to expecting the worst anyway and add to that a frightening tarot reading (!!), which can then easily create a self fulfilled prophecy. However, the one thing I have learned for certain is that the past is the past. On any choice you can beat yourseld up forever with that "what if's"...and miss out entirely on the what's actually happening that's good and the choices that we still have ahead of us to shape our future yet to come....
Anyway, as I said, this is a fascinating/reflective topic for me, so I had to add my 2c as well Just try not to beat yourself up too much over the "what if's"... those are serious energy zappers!! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences!!
Clarity,
Office 17622,
PO Box 6945,
London.
W1A 6US
United Kingdom
Phone/ Voicemail:
+44 (0)20 3287 3053 (UK)
+1 (561) 459-4758 (US).