58.2.4>3 Lost dog

[slowcheetah]

Due to a chain of irresponsible actions (I'd say they are just plain stupid), a dog a friend of mine was taking care of ran away. Long story short: Waffles is a stray dog my friend rescued. She couldn't keep Waffles for too long because she's allergic. She also has a cat already, so she started searching for somebody to adopt him. This girl from literally the other side of the country offered. My friend declined, but this girl insisted because "she fell in love with Waffles", so a month later when nobody nearby called, my friend accepted to give her the dog. This girl didn't even have money to go take the dog so they ask for donations and they agree to send the dog by plane with that money.

Basically these people thought it was a great idea to put a stray dog on a cage and send him in a 3 hour flight to a town far away, and that the dog would be fine with it. He clearly wasn't.

Anyways, my friend took good care of Waffles while she had him at her house, and she really got to love him so she's totally brokenhearted. She missed work, she's restless from so much searching by herself and lost money printing posters, paying taxi cabs...needless to say the person who wanted Waffles to be delivered to her door has done NOTHING but cry on facebook.

I asked about it all and got 9.3 to 61. I think this one's speaking about me: I was pretty angry about this because I couldn't believe how everybody involved was so inept. I even had trouble for calling them out because "my attitude was not helpful". I also can't help much because I live far from there and have no money to go or donate.

I then asked "How is Waffles doing?" And got 17.5 to 51. I'm not sure about this one: I told my friend that she should have faith that Waffles would return by himself since dogs are smart animals. I had the feeling 17.5 is saying that he is indeed trying to go back to my friend's place. (Hope so.)

Then I asked what can she do so it is more likely that she finds him and got 58.2.4>3. I don't get this one: It mostly seems to point out the fact that she severely needs a rest. Perhaps she should just wait at home? Also, does line 58.2 suggest that she should keep searching alone?

I also asked what can I do to help her and got 21 uc. As always, any insights are appreciated.

 

[Liselle]

[Edited: I forgot about the 21uc reading until after I wrote all this. So see the 2nd post - I changed my mind a bit about a couple things. Also - I mean, I could be off on the wrong track about all of this...keep that in mind. Anything the readings make you think of is better than what a third party says about them.]

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I agree with you about 9.3 > 61 - continuing to talk to them might only make things worse.

"How is Waffles doing?" 17.5 > 51

The hexagrams, 17 > 51. He's had a shock, maybe doesn't know where he is - that's in the background - but he's "Following." Putting one paw in front of the other, based on his instincts? Maybe as you said he'll be able to find his way back.

Specifically line 5 -
'Sincere and confident in excellence.
Good fortune.'

As a description of Waffles right now, "sincere and confident" actually sounds pretty good. Sincere and confident in what? "Excellence."

WikiWing says this:

What you can be confident in: your achievements, what you are good at, what you're about, your purpose. The character includes 'drum': the things worth making a song and dance about.

So...maybe "how Waffles is doing" is that he's good at being a stray dog? He's okay in the important ways ("the things worth making a song and dance about")?

This feels like a guess, though. It'd be great to take Yi's word for it, but when I'm not absolutely sure I'm understanding it...

What can your friend do so it's more likely she finds him? 58.2.4 > 3

58 can mean opening, communication, exchange
3 can mean sprouting, difficulty at the beginning, feeling your way, testing things out.

Partly this sounds like the flyers and posters, putting word out, but mostly I'm not sure. Random thought - maybe let something "open" for Waffles if he does come back? A doggie door or something? Not sure.

58.2
'True and confident opening, good fortune. Regrets vanish.'

58.4
'Negotiating opening, not yet at rest. Containing the affliction brings rejoicing.'

Negotiating/bargaining - what does that bring to mind? Yi seems to say to contain that - "containing the affliction brings rejoicing."

58.2 reminds me of 17.5 from the other reading, which might be encouraging -

'Sincere and confident in excellence. Good fortune.'
'True and confident opening, good fortune. Regrets vanish.'

A lot of confidence there.

Maybe 58.2 and 58.4 together mean to communicate a reasonable amount, but it's not necessary to do too much? Put out flyers and talk to people as she can, but don't miss a lot of work, don't go broke over it, and possibly most of all, don't work herself into a frenzy of despair?

That's easier to accept if the first reading really does mean Waffles is an accomplished stray dog :bows: and is basically fine.

(Remembering 9.3, though, it might not help to tell your friend this. But at least you might be able to be less worried.)

 

[Liselle]

Oh, I forgot about 21uc, what can you do to help her.

Well...21 means things like getting to the truth, investigating, gnawing, cracking things open.

It can also mean things like "learning the laws of life," which sounds terrible in the context of a lost dog. However, when you asked how Waffles is actually doing, Yi's answer seemed pretty encouraging.

Somehow these readings have to all go together. Surely Yi wouldn't say "Waffles is fine" and then advise you to give your friend a cold dose of reality, like, "Well, you know, when dogs get loose, bad things happen."

Also, since you live far away, you can't help in concrete ways to investigate and "crack the case." Not to mention, Yi also said your friend should "contain the affliction," which surely wouldn't mean other people should be afflicted.

So either I'm very wrong about the other readings, or 21 means something else.

Revisiting 9.3 - maybe it didn't mean you should stay away completely, maybe it just meant don't add to your friends upset-ness by being upset yourself.

The Oracle and Image say:
'Biting through, creating success. Fruitful to use legal proceedings.'

'Thunder and lightning. Biting Through. The ancient kings brought light to punishments and enforced the laws.'

"Light" - casting light on, illuminating, combined with a lot of lawyerly references...I wonder if maybe you should be the voice of objective, logical reason? Combined with the other readings, maybe stay calm and cool yourself, and remind her there's only so much she can realistically do? Remind her - if this is true - that Waffles was a stray dog before, he's accustomed to being a stray dog, and he's probably better able to take care of himself than a dog who lived inside a house his whole life?

That's kind of getting at 17.5, but in a realistic, understandable way. It's not just you saying, "I have a feeling he's okay," or, even worse, "An oracle told me so."

How does that sound to you? Might it fit the "shining light on an essential truth" aspect of 21?

 

[slowcheetah]

Liselle, before I answer to your post, here is an update, since some things happened and they seem to match pretty well your perspective on hex 58:

She couldn't print that much posters but some friends and I posted the image on a lot of places on the internet, facebook, twitter, the local radio and tv station's pages. A lot of people saw it and it started to occur that people called saying they saw Waffles. It started to happen more frequently (through the whole weekend two people called: this morning three different people from the same area called). It also happened that thanks to both a request of my friend and the discussion I had with the other guys (oops), people are actually trying to follow Waffles when they believe they saw him instead of just staring and reporting "hey I think I saw your dog" via inbox without doing anything else. About an hour ago he was spotted near the center of the city where my friend lives in and she's already there looking, along with other people (strangers, yes, but I'm glad she's not alone anymore)

I haven't spoken to her but apparently 58 is already working its way. I'm afraid it's a little late to prevent her from the "frenzy of despair" but I hope it doesn't escalate.

 

[slowcheetah]

Now, about 9.3 and 21:

Although she did get upset about what I said, I didn't argue with my friend. I argued with some other people involved, most importantly the girl who wants the dog and another friend who lives in the same city as my friend but is doing nothing to help.

At first I was angry with the idea because as I said I found it quite irresponsible, but it was the attitude of everybody after Waffles escaped what made me explode. First of all, my friend is a lovely person and she's really careful with me and my friends. She' s the kind of person that comes right away when you're in need. She lends money, shelters friends, goes to the hospital to cheer you up...It baffled me that I know she has plenty of friends where she lives yet they all happened to be busy the very sunday afternoon she needed help.

Second of all, this girl who wants to adopt Waffles knows that my friend is tired and is spending her money, time and energies finding him and all she's done for her is post petty messages on my friend's facebook saying things like "oh I thank you so much for everything you've done for Waffles :'(". She's not sending money or making phone calls or anything. The 9.3 argument happened because I pointed out she was being selfish from the beginning and they started saying it was nobody's fault that Waffles ran away. I personally think that's not true, although (9.3) I agree with them that pointing out people is pointless. I left the conversation then because it reached the point where everybody including me were just being mean.

Getting back to 21, the world "JUSTICE" calls my attention. I was thinking that if Waffles happens to come back they will still try to send him away. I don't think it's FAIR that this happens. I think if you say you will be in charge of the needs of a living creature it means every need and not just food and shelter (from paying the posters with her money to having in mind that sending a dog far away from home to a strange family will do the dog no good). I also think it is not FAIR that my friend is in this situation. She's having a terrible time and there's nobody there hugging her or helping with the searching (until now).

So, given the situation and that I'm usually the devil's advocate of the group, could 21 mean I have to say something? I got from the 9.3 situation that I better shut up and leave them be, then again there's a difference being diplomatic and there's being plain mean. I could find a way to talk to them politelly.

I'm glad that it seems I was right about 17.5. I hope Waffles isn't scared anymore and yes I'll ask my friend if she can tell her landlord to pay attention if Waffles comes to her place.

Again, thanks a lot n.n

 

[Liselle]

First of all, I'm really glad people are helping your friend and that Waffles has been spotted. It sounds very encouraging for being able to find him

Getting back to 21, the world "JUSTICE" calls my attention. I was thinking that if Waffles happens to come back they will still try to send him away. I don't think it's FAIR that this happens. I think if you say you will be in charge of the needs of a living creature it means every need and not just food and shelter (from paying the posters with her money to having in mind that sending a dog far away from home to a strange family will do the dog no good). I also think it is not FAIR that my friend is in this situation. She's having a terrible time and there's nobody there hugging her or helping with the searching (until now).

So, given the situation and that I'm usually the devil's advocate of the group, could 21 mean I have to say something? I got from the 9.3 situation that I better shut up and leave them be, then again there's a difference being diplomatic and there's being plain mean. I could find a way to talk to them politelly.

Yes, I think 21 could mean that. 21 can mean saying what needs to be said, "biting through" to the truth and the core of something. When I said what I did about it, I was thinking about you saying things like, "Well if Waffles dies it's because you all did such a stupid thing," which even if that's "the laws of life" it wouldn't be helpful and seemed contrary to 9.3. (And happily it sounds like that won't happen.) But I think you're right, what you have in mind is different.

By the way, hexagram 3's text says this:

'Sprouting. From the source, creating success, constancy bears fruit. Don’t use this to have a direction to go, Fruitful to establish feudal lords.’

All the people who saw things in the media and are helping sound like the "feudal lords." And using all those means of communication seems to fit very well with "Sprouting," trying a lot of different things. When a plant sprouts, it sends roots out everywhere. 58 > 3 - communicationg in a "sprouting" way, which gives rise to 'True and confident opening, good fortune. Regrets vanish.'

 

[slowcheetah]

Last two readings and finale

There was so much publicity for finding Waffles already that logically ugly people appeared. My friend got bullied on the internet and some old lady chased her and tried to hit her with a water bottle for putting a poster on a church (?)

The day after I last logged in this forum I asked what was the best way to proceed? At this point I was furious with everybody but I understood it was better to call for help. I talked with the other friends involved and told them I would try to find somebody to adopt Waffles while my friend was searching, so when Waffles appeared, she had options apart from sending him away. This without telling her, for she was having a terrible time and we wouldn't do any good (as in most of the world it is raining a lot in there so yeah, she looked like in the movies by then: pale, slim, sad and in the middle of thd rain).

Eventually the bullying thing got really ugly for my friend and I hit my limit trying to remain quiet, but about the moment these other friends and I were deciding what to do about it...

Waffles appeared! My friend was on her way to the local tv station and she saw him. Everybody got happy, I was happy too but then I remembered she would still try to send him far away. The other guys were happy so they really didn't care. I panicked a little, tossed the coins and the result was 16.1.4. I got that she was too happy to be bothered, so I just congratulated her and briefly told her that I hoped she did what was right for both Waffles and her. She's partying now but I decided I keep distance still. I'm not sure about what she'll decide but I was told that one of the other girls talked to her and seriously told her to reconsider what's best for everybody.

So now we have to wait for her choice but at least she's happy again and most importantly Waffles is back.

 

[Liselle]

I'm so glad to hear he is found! Happy news as I'm leaving for work