A surprising answer

[julie]

I've been planning a career move for a while now, and all the signs around it have been very good. Today, I found myself considering another possibility, but when I asked about it, the Yi was very unenthusiastic: 6.4 to 59. I was then thinking back on my original plan, and feeling slightly insecure about it, so I decided to ask the Yi: "I could really use your view of my plan. What will the future be like work-wise if I pursue this?" I was really hoping for something reassuring and warm. What I got was 12.3 to 33.

To some extent, it wasn't a great question to ask, in that, despite my momentary consideration of other things, I'm pretty gung-ho on what I'm planning to do. So getting this answer from the Yi doesn't make me inclined to think, "I should give this up completely." I hesitated to ask the question, actually, because I wasn't clear on whether the answer would affect my actions, and I don't think it's a good idea to ask questions and then ignore the response. So, on the one hand, I don't want to ignore it, and on the other hand, other positive evidence about the plan is strong enough that I'm not inclined to abandon the plan entirely. And I'd be surprised if that's what the Yi is advising. So I need to get a better understanding of what it might have in mind.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Julie

 

[jte]

Your answer might refer not to your immediate action, but what your current choice leads to later on in life. IF that's the case, you could presumably act to change the potential negative aspects of the situation before they become actual.

The Wilhelm/Baynes IC has commentary on 12.3 about people not feeling equal to their responsibilities or feeling ashamed of how they reached their position (they don't call it a "rat race" for nothing).

I think its possible that this reading is a warning that you may eventually have to make some difficult choices between compromising your ethics or getting ahead.

That may not sound right about your current plans, and probably isn't, but in the question you asked about your future.

- Jeff

 

[candid]

Hi Julie,

Wish I could offer a positive word of your readings, but the answers seem obviously discouraging.

I would offer that asking "what will the future be like if..?" is pretty outside of what Yi typically speaks to. As I think Jeff suggested, it might be a better to pose your question in the present tense.

It isn't the purpose of the Yi to choose our career path. However, it can and does keep us attuned to our motives and good timing.

If this was my reading for a similar question, I'd review my reasons for desiring this career change.

 

[julie]

Thanks, Jeff and Candid. What both of you say makes a lot of sense. I've asked several other questions, trying to get a broader sense of the situation:

Given your answer about what the future will be like workwise if I pursue science writing, what if I were to look into other directions? 42

That sounded awfully good, but then I don't know what directions to look into, so I asked: What kinds of other directions would be fruitful for me to look into? 61.2,5 to 3

What if I work on more personal writing projects, more than science writing? 52.2,6 to 46

What if I continue to pursue science writing? 19.1,3 to 46

My plan has been to do to go a science writing program starting next fall, and that's what has seemed really positive to me. So I asked: Now I want to ask about this program in particular, rather than a career in science writing overall. What if I do the program? What will that experience mean for me? 56.2,52

I also asked the same question as my initial one again, with humble apologies to the Yi. The second time, it responded with 24.1,3 to 15.

I know that's a lot of questions, but if anyone has ideas on how to put it all together, I'd be grateful.

 

[julie]

Just to add a bit more to the mix, I looked back at old readings about it. Back in May, I asked, "What about going to this program in 05-06?" and received 9.2,3 to 42, which I interpreted as not overwhelmingly positive, but reasonable. I subsequently asked the same question again and received 50.1,5,6 to 28, which sounded to me like it would feel stressful but be very productive for me. I took the initial line of 50 to be a reference to the way I was turning my life over, starting in a new direction.

I also asked generally about science writing for me, and received 45, which, given that I've dealt with a lot of isolation in recent years, sounded awfully appealing to me.

 

[candid]

Julie,

All those Q&A?s seem to say: first develop your inner values and priorities. Then what you do will evolve naturally out of that. It could be that your potential is greater than what you?ve yet discovered. Can?t say for sure, but this was the immediate impression I got from your answers.

 

[jte]

"What kinds of other directions would be fruitful for me to look into? 61.2,5 to 3 "

Find what reasonates for you - what you really want to do. (And if that's science writing you've already found it - but I guess from the answers that it's not.)

However, don't cheat yourself out of the opportunity to make a decent income and gain valuable experience on the way to finding your raison d'etre. (That's from me, not your reading, but I'll offer it as advice anyway.)

- Jeff

 

[julie]

Thanks again, Jeff and Candid. I don't know exactly what to make of it, because science writing still seems really good to me, and it does seem like it resonates and has grown out of my inner values and priorities. But there is still time before a final decision needs to be made, and looking inward and letting what I do externally evolve from that certainly seems to make sense.

Interesting, the way the I Ching can shake you up.

Julie

 

[candid]

Dear Julie,

What if you didn't try so hard to make something of it? If a final decision has to be made, then make it. Yes, it is interesting the way the Ching can shake you up. But sometimes we really do it to ourselves, and the answers just get deeper and more far away.

I felt for your dilemma, and so I threw the coins myself. The question: How should Julie proceed from here toward her goals? 53.2,3-59. There is no resistance to progress in this, but there can be a great waste of energy in worrying about it.

Could it be that you are receiving disapproval from friends or relatives, regarding this ambition? If so, that could be causing this conflict in you. It isn?t up to anyone else, and it isn?t up to Yi. It is only up to you to decide. But do allow things to develop naturally.

Wishing you success.

 

[candid]

Julie,

I firmly believe that Yi speaks to our psychology in the moment. This is to say that our mental/emotional condition seems more important to Yi than our materialistic needs, wants or urges, no matter how important we may deem these features for our future. This can be especially frustrating when we are looking for a clear, definitive ?go? or ?no-go? answer. If we pursue the matter further without correcting or adjusting our inner value to meet the present moment, Yi?s answers sound more and more confusing, often mixing ?good? and ?bad? elements of fortune, until we are a complete mess, psychologically.

So, it is most important that we establish ourselves calmly and in full possession of the moment. From here we can see clearly enough to make the right decisions concerning our future.

?considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?? Mat 7.3

 

[julie]

Thanks for your thoughts, Candid, and especially your question to the I Ching. It was a thoughtful and helpful question. I think that your advice to not freak out about it sounds right to me. Ultimately, the Yi can't be a substitute for my own judgment. Right now I think the thing to do is just to calmly let things be and see what gradually develops.

I haven't been receiving disapproval from others -- in a way, I've almost been receiving too much approval. My plans have become public and my boyfriend is working on plans to move with me. I almost went this year, and ended up delaying a year for various reasons. I think in the delay, it's kind of odd for me. I have a feeling like I don't want to count on it too much or something. There's only one time I can think of in my life when I had a plan laid out way in advance that actually worked out -- and in that case, it all fell apart shortly thereafter. So there's a feeling of insecurity about it, I think, like if it all seems so good, maybe I shouldn't count on it too much. That's why I turned to the Yi for reassurance.

I do think, though, that somehow the Yi isn't a great place to turn for reassurance, though I haven't figured out why exactly. Your comments about it, Candid, seem right to me, about our mental/emotional condition being more important to Yi than our materialistic needs, wants, or urges.

I often find that just letting a conversation with the Yi sit for a while makes a big difference, too. We'll see how all this looks to me in a couple of months.

 

[candid]

Julie,

You're very welcome.

So then others have high expectations. Maybe higher than you have for yourself? That could explain a certain inner resistance you feel about proceeding quickly. If this is so, then the Yi actually was supporting your own will for your life all along. Interesting, huh?

Follow your dream, not for the sake of others, no matter how well they mean.