42.5 > 27 on moving apartment

[JoeCampbell]

Dear Everyone

To those of you who have followed my posts about the journey from my country of residence to Hong Kong for nearly 4 months and now back again, and my doubts about the whole venture, coming back was THE RIGHT THING to do
Briefly, when I got back I got offered a peach of a job and start with the company in July, thereby regaining all the money lost on the China adventure. Happy Days indeed.

Now to this post - I currently live quite close to my new place of employment but quite far from the airport, which I will be using a lot. And this place is isolated and frankly lonely. So for some time now I have wondered about moving into the city. The new job means that I would have more (complicated) travel to and from work if I move, but the advantages socially, spiritually etc seem pretty good.

So I asked "with the new job taken into consideration, please tell me about moving to a new apartment" and got 42.5 > 27.

Now 42.5 is a lovely line but the talk of compassionate hearts and kindness seem to me to be more about behaviours than about moving location! Or is this about having compassion with myself and seeking nourishment (27) by going ahead with the move?

On a superficial level (which is sadly where too many of my interpretations end up!), the message seems to be that I am seeking Nourishment and by making the move will experience an Increase, kindness and compassion in my life. In other words - move.

Would anyone care to comment on this?
Thank you as always

Michael

 

[Liselle]

Hi Michael,

If I'm understanding you correctly, you're farther from work if you move into the city (right?), implying that your job is outside the city. Is it possible that your commute to work wouldn't be as complicated as you think? I'm guessing that the heaviest traffic is into the city in the morning, and out of the city in the evening, and it sounds as if your commute would be opposite of that? So maybe you wouldn't have all that much bad traffic to deal with (if traffic is the complication you meant, and not something else).

Tying that into the reading: 42 can mean Increase, 27 can mean the act of taking things in - words and ideas as much as food or spiritual nourishment. 27's Image says, "A noble one thus reflects on his words in conversation, And is discriminating about what he eats and drinks." (Hilary Barrett's translation; the underlining is mine).

So...there will be "Increase" if you reflect on your assumptions, ideas, and words about how this move would affect you, and then you will see how the situation will be kinder and more benevolent to you than you think? Does that make sense to you at all?

(Of course, I'm making assumptions of my own here...that traffic is the thing you're worried about, and that you hadn't already thought about driving opposite of most of it.)

 

[ginnie]

The text of line 42.5 contains the words "refrain from asking questions and you will enjoy sublime good fortune." I take it that Yi is saying it's not good to speculate too much using the I Ching about whether this or that location would be better for you. Just settle in and enjoy wherever you find yourself right now. Although a case could be made for the opposite interpretation. You see, often the I Ching does not want to tell us what to do.

 

[JoeCampbell]

Thanks Ginnie and Lisa

Lisa, you are right about the "reverse" journey being actually easier. And Ginnie, I wish Yi would answer questions sometimes! (he said, petulantly) - but OK - it does all make sense. One step at a time....

thank you both - I will ease back and see how it all develops.
Michael

 

[Liselle]

Lisa, you are right about the "reverse" journey being actually easier.

Hi Michael,

Would you mind a question, so we can be more clear about the reading?

Are you saying the above (what I quoted) just because it's a fact, independent of the reading, or because you think that's actually what the reading meant? If you already knew the reverse commute would be easier before you asked the question, or if you're mostly worried about something other than traffic, then the reading would almost certainly have to mean something different.

I was thinking about Ginnie's comment...I don't agree with all of it (I think moving is a big decision and a perfectly reasonable thing to divine about), but I can see how she came up with it. Wilhelm literally says "ask not."

A slightly different way to express Ginnie's idea might be "You'll be increased and nourished (in different ways) no matter what you do." Something like that, to indicate that your decision really is six of one, half a dozen of the other, and there's actually nothing critical for Yi to tell you. Maybe?

(Not that I would object to being correct, of course . But I know I was making assumptions.)

 

[JoeCampbell]

Hi Michael,

Would you mind a question, so we can be more clear about the reading?

Are you saying the above (what I quoted) just because it's a fact, independent of the reading, or because you think that's actually what the reading meant? If you already knew the reverse commute would be easier before you asked the question, or if you're mostly worried about something other than traffic, then the reading would almost certainly have to mean something different.

I was thinking about Ginnie's comment...I don't agree with all of it (I think moving is a big decision and a perfectly reasonable thing to divine about), but I can see how she came up with it. Wilhelm literally says "ask not."

A slightly different way to express Ginnie's idea might be "You'll be increased and nourished (in different ways) no matter what you do." Something like that, to indicate that your decision really is six of one, half a dozen of the other, and there's actually nothing critical for Yi to tell you. Maybe?

(Not that I would object to being correct, of course . But I know I was making assumptions.)

Hi Lisa

The background is that very simply I currently live very close to my new place of work. But, it's in the countryside and a bit isolated/lonely and for some time now I have thought about moving in to town. This new job makes a move economically viable - but it's a bit ironic that I should get a job close to where I currently live rather than in the city!

I had not thought about the ease of the reverse commute before the casting - more about the economic and emotional side. I no longer thrive here as I once did and I feel it is time to move on (at some point) and my friends all live in the city and furthermore, the city is closer to the airport and I will be using that a lot too, so there's yet another advantage.

However, I am a cautious soul and finding rented accommodation in this part of the world is notoriously difficult, plus I do get a lot of good stuff from living here (Ginnie could well be right on the six of one half a dozen of the other).
What I had hoped for was a more clear cut answer: Move or Don't Move... however the way I have interpreted your answers is "move if you want - but take it easy" which is probably what I really wanted to hear. And which may be wrong

And now, after re-reading your interpretation, I get another perspective - that enhances what I see as the point of the move, which is to increase my connection to other people, the energy of the city and so on....

Michael

 

[Liselle]

Thank you for explaining, Michael. I hope it works out well for you, whatever you do .

Ginnie could well be right on the six of one half a dozen of the other

For sake of accuracy, "six of one, half a dozen of another" was my re-stating of what Ginnie said. Ginnie may not agree with it! And it may or may not be what Yi meant, exactly.

But it's hard to look at the reading and get anything discouraging out of it - so it seems safe enough to conclude that moving will be fine and won't backfire on you.

 

[canislulu]

I haven't seen the translation that Ginnie is referring to her in her quote above and so I have never thought of this line as saying, "don't ask Yi" For example, here is the commentary on that line from eclecticenergies.com:

Being compassionate and kind. This is a beneficial state, that helps a lot in matters with people. Trust it, there really is no need to question it.

So I never saw this line as saying not to ask the I Ching more questions but rather that there is no need to question the benefit of being compassionate and kind. To want to be able to spend time with your friends in the city comes from kindness does it not? I am wondering if your friends would enjoy having someone in the country to visit. But I like the idea of being kind to yourself and allowing yourself to be closer to your friends. I have a feeling that a suitable place to move may open up as easily for you as the job did.

 

[JoeCampbell]

Thank you jumpingmouse - I like your interpretation!
I use eclecticenergies a lot when I am comparing readings and have found it helpful.
And just so you know, I think it is about me being kind to me and my friends - in 3 years they have come all the way out here only once
So, I will keep my eyes open, and when the time comes....