41.5.6. Why did I put my finger in the blender?

[Ichingtarot]

3 weeks ago I was using a hand held blender mixing cream cheese and the thick cheese caused the blender to stop. In a mindless moment, I put my left index finger in the blender to release the cheese, it came on, and ... I almost lost the top of my finger. A trip to the hospital and 10 stitches later I still cannot believe I did that. I play classical guitar and my finger now is tender and numb. I'm trying to break down the scar tissue hoping I can play music again.

Anyone reading this can understand why I think subconsciously I must have done this on purpose. Who would do such a thing accidentally? Music is so much a part of my life. So I asked the IChing "why did I put my finger in the blender?" I was hoping for Youthful Folly, but The IChing's answer was Decrease (41) with lines 5 and 6 changing to limitation (60).

IMO it indicates that I need to stop playing music, and focus on other creative pursuits.

 

[Trojina]

The hexagram 60 there makes me think perhaps you wanted some limitation of some kind...maybe you needed to pace yourself more and couldn't give yourself permission to so had the accident to give yourself permission ? Just an idea.

I don't feel you need take this as you should stop playing....but you might consider how much time you really want to be giving to playing now. I wonder if it runs away with you a bit.....the bug to play I mean.

There's other ways to see the answer I'm sure....and it is a nice answer. The 41.6 suggests to me you have a point in that slackeningoff your music a bit to explore other interests of projects etc might well be beneficial.

Sometimes accidents is just accidents i guess...but here does look like a bit of self limitation was wanted and you couldn't grant it yourself so got the blender to do it ....maybe ?

 

[mryou1]

I can definitely see the whole 60 limitation thing there, but I'm reluctant to say that you subconsciously made a decision to hurt yourself. Mistakes happen. 41 seems to refer to the physical aspect of what happened, giving something up, but maybe 60 refers in a subconscious way not to what drove that chance encounter, but simply what was working in your mind that mitigated the tragedy. Remember, you barely lost it, not you barely didn't lose it. That could be the reference to limitation. Limiting the chance act of decrease.

line 5 is especially interesting:

Perhaps receiving ten tortoise friends. Nowhere in charge of contradictions: the source of good fortune.

Wilhelm/Baynes translation is a bit different. But the tortoise is the symbol of sheer chance and fate, due to its use in divination. To receive pure chance in such a number as 10 seems to say that a big spontaneous event happens. To give up your sense of control over what by pure fate happens to oppose you, is the beginning of a type of good fortune in that you're giving up the control over every event and moreso going with the flow. Bending but not breaking. Very Taoist I think.

 

[Ichingtarot]

41.5.6 to 60

Ty for your insight. Trojan, I have been struggling with the focus of my music for a while. Performing usually means playing what is popular, and not what I'm necessarily best at. So, Trojan, maybe I can use this time of limitation and healing to evaluate how to go forward. Honestly, practicing and performing music has been such a big part of my life I'm having a hard time figuring out how to keep from being bored.

Mryou1, line 5 'IS' interesting. I do believe in fate when it comes to hurricanes and events outside of my control, but in this case ... I couldn't see the relevance. Until you mentioned giving up control and going with the flow. That's my work in this lifetime.

 

[mryou1]

If that's your goal in this lifetime then it doesn't help to think that subconsciously you have control over every situation fate throws your way. Leads to a lot of undue stress. The question was directly about the blender incident, not music (edit: of course the can draw that aspect in though naturally). < Sorry if that comes off as rude.

 

[Ichingtarot]

Control

Mryou1, TY for your input. I can handle anything you throw my way, so don't worry about being blunt.