17.45 to 24. Climbing holiday dilemma

[butterfly spider]

I visited a friend who I have not seen for sometime. She has had real issues with her teeth recently. We were talking about songs - and for fun showed her the Beegees and Donna Summers link on a thread on this site. We ended up dancing to Rod Stewart ...we also looked at old school photos from the 70s. The haircuts?

We got talking about this site and about how the I Ching can help. My friend is fairly fit (goes to the gym) and enjoys walking. She lives and works on her own and finds social situations tricky. She says she neess to get about a bit more but it is difficult as she works from home. She has been offered via a business associate (they need a full group to be able to do the trip) a 10 day walking/climbing trip in a mountain area involving 7 hour climbs/walks camping at high altitude. She does not know any of the other people going. It would be free - and would mean that she would get out and meet people. However she is getting very worried that she will not fit in with the others going or manage the whole trip. She is agonising over all sorts of things to do with the trip. I told her to just go but then I am not much help really

They have said she is fine to go with them - she is 'gym' fit and I know that she could cope but she is finding it hard to decide. She would be totally outside her comfort zone - she is not an outdoorsy person. It is difficult to know what to say as I would just go for it but then I am used to the outdoors. She isn't. She says its more to do with social anxiety actually - fitting in

She cast on this site and got 17.45 to 24 about decision to go on the trip

My take is that she needs to consider what she wants carefully but if you have any thoughts I can pass them on. However my own thoughts on the reading and how I would take it for myself are difficult to distinguish- I would if course just go - and would take the reading as being follow the path up the mountain. However for my friend it feels more cautious. She is genuinely worried about the journey the people and the climbing but thinks that it is a lovely opportunity monetheless

My friend says that she is happy for me to ask
X

 

[Trojina]

She does not know any of the other people going. It would be free - and would mean that she would get out and meet people. However she is getting very worried that she will not fit in with the others going or manage the whole trip.

I think the crux of it is the length of the holiday. That is if it were not for so long it would be easier because she'd know if she wasn't happy she'd be going home soon.

I'm wondering if it might help her mentally to have a back up plan for a quick exit if necessary ? I don't think she will need a quick exit...it looks great to me....(it just might help her feel less anxious to have a backup plan.) It looks as if she will find this an inspiration (17.5) and attract a few followers (17.4) and at the end return safely home (24). What's not to like ?

In 17.4 one needs to be slightly wary of flattery leading one to 'perform' for response but this need not happen if she keeps her head screwed on.

Also this may be a very literal answer, she will be presumably following a leader on the hike...erm I wonder if she will get attached to someone and that is what the 17.4 refers to.


Anyway it's a great reading. 17.5 calls to something higher in her soul...it's more than a holiday, it's a quest.


Not I Ching related...going back to my first point about the length of the trip.....I think 10 days can seem daunting with folk you don't know. That's why I wondered if she'd feel better if she had a backup plan to aid leaving if necessary. Sometimes knowing you can leave helps you to stay.



But overall....yes I think if it were my reading I would go.

Also I think when sharing an activity such as this it is far easier to get along with people. The joy of such a group is if she doesn't like some she will like others....and of course the shared experience will bind together even those who might not get on if stuck in a room together. I think she will get on fine,

 

[butterfly spider]

My friend is going for a few trial walks with the group that are going - not too challenging and it will be good for her to meet them. She feels as if the holiday may be a bridge too far but at least she is going out and meeting people and hopefully will see for herself if she can manage a full 10 day trek.

The reading made her feel very positive
She says thank you to Trojina
X

 

[butterfly spider]

My friend did her own casting on this site. She got 10uc for going climbing tonight - I told her that in the jungle you cannot run from a tiger not can you show it fear. You just have to stay calm and go gently

Hope that was OK
X

 

[Trojina]

Well 10 is called 'treading' by some...and it describes treading so this is probably a very literal answer and might not be saying much more than to note how she treads. I've had 10 about shoes more than once.

 

[diamanda]

For sure to all of us it sounds like a great idea for your friend to force herself to follow others, but I think the Yi does not agree.

17.4 is about following others, and this is "omen inauspicious/misfortune".
And then, "To go one's way with sincerity brings clarity".
One's way, as opposed to following others.

And the resulting 24 mentions:
"Turning around and returning is the way, The seventh day brings return".
"Merchants and travellers did not move about".

So overall I think your frien's hunch (17.5, following your heart) is right to be apprehensive.
It doesn't sound like a good idea to go.

 

[butterfly spider]

Thank you so much for this
You see on the surface it seems like a good idea and a wonderful opportunity. I would certainly go for it
However my first instinct when looking at her reading hex 17.45 to 24 was caution - that my friends apprehension and fears should be acknowledged. She likened the trip to a journey into outer space!! I think the I Ching was saying that there was an expectation to grab the opportunity but that she should make her own decision follow her own path

Trojinas positive interpretation made her feel positively and she is trying to arrange a day with the group soon. Her own casting of 10uc - again felt like being in a jungle and feeling scared somehow


Thank you for your thoughts my friend is still anxious and said she would prefer to be going for 10 days on a club med type holiday - with different activities each day to try out.

I think you may well be right - if an old sailing boat set out - even if the rewards were high - they needed to turn back if weather conditions were not right. What this has done however is open my friend to all the opportunities out there. Not a holiday more a quest to new ventures

 

[butterfly spider]

An update - Godlessliss has done this and it is good to see how things go..
My friend is going in a one day walking trip with the group to see how she finds both being with them and the activity level. She said she will decide what to so after this. She said that if she doesn't feel comfy then perhaps we could go on a short walking holiday together instead ...

Will update...

 

[butterfly spider]

My friend is going on the trekking holiday - with some trepidation but she feels that it would help her...
Will let you know how things go...

 

[butterfly spider]

Update
My friend went - and said that it was perhaps the
Most terrifying exhilarating wonderful thing she has ever done. Apart from being the slowest in the group and getting terrified of the height (3000mplus) she
Managed it. She was bolstered by the mountain guides and
The group and said she felt like a new woman

She has made friends with some of the group too and they plan to meet -
She is very pleased to be home but this was very very worthwhile

So - it took an awful lot of mental and physical effort - in fact it caused her to be very unwell a fee weeks prior to the trip -the thought of going was causing her anxiety and contributed to her ill-health However - in the end it was totally the best thing to go. The I Ching reading really was spot on so were the interpretations. Yes she should have gone but not without personal obstacles to over come on the way .


Xx

 

[steve]

Awesome thread Butterfly Spider, I have just had these lines on the progress of one of my projects , thanks for updating.
LOL I am trying to climb a mountain too only from behind a desk. I feel similar to your friend, the thread was great because climbing mountains is a metaphor for allot of things, i think many people will find this thread useful.

Steve