Advice on dealing with the term: 31.2.6 > 44, 12.1 > 25, 12 (uc), and 61.3 > 9

[sajei1015]

I'm a junior uni student and I'm having a pretty rough term so I'm turning to the Iching for guidance. Finals are coming up in about 3 months so I need to know what to do. I have a plan that I think will work but I'm not 100% sure.

My first question was "Will I pass this term?"
31.2.6 > 44
31: "Have a plan. Stick to it but don't be too rigid."
44: "Misfortune. You're ignoring a problem that's right in front of you." Getting 44 was always a bad omen. I've always understood it to mean that I'm ignoring some danger that's right in front of me. I'm not sure if I've ever identified and dealt with said problem, though.

I had a plan and 31 said to have a plan. Thus my second question. "Is my plan any good?"
12.1 > 25
Overall, I understood this reading to be "Be mindful of the present. Do what you need to do now."

I wanted more clarity on 44 so asked another question. "How should I handle thee problem (in the first reading)?
12 (uc)
"Stick to the plan." I guess this isn't so different from 31 in the first question.

I now have an idea of what I should do so I wanted to know I shouldn't be doing. "What am/was I doing wrong?"
61.3 > 9
61: "Temper your emotions. Remain level-headed."
9: "Remain adaptable."

Any insight on the interpretation would be super!

 

[Trojina]

My first question was "Will I pass this term?"
31.2.6 > 44
31: "Have a plan. Stick to it but don't be too rigid."
44: "Misfortune. You're ignoring a problem that's right in front of you." Getting 44 was always a bad omen. I've always understood it to mean that I'm ignoring some danger that's right in front of me. I'm not sure if I've ever identified and dealt with said problem, though.

I'm curious as to why you 31 as 'have a plan'?

This reading shows you being pulled around here there and everywhere. 31 is highly open here to the distracting influences and intrusions (44). I'd also say you are sort of being over stimulated, too hyped up, and I say that from both lines in 31. Just slow down a bit and don't be drawn into either panic reactions or extreme hope/fear/worry...there's too much disturbance around this and it throws you off track a bit.

Maybe that's where you get 'have a plan' from, you saw this reading throwing you around. But I think overall it would be better to calm down all around (line 2) and not pay too much heed to 'voices' telling you this that and the other which may be in your own head. In 31.6 one canbe talking oneself over the top.

There's a wealth of meaning in 44, I wouldn't take it as a prediction here. Remember the relating hexagram is where you are it is not a future prediction. So 44 is where you are and maybe it shows you experiencing this as an overwhelming intrusion on your usual way of life, this demand of studying, but while you are influenced by this intrusion on how you'd normally be you may have sort of over revved your engine( 31.2). Slow down. This kind of academic pressure may not be natural to you (44 is what is not a natural/usual thing for you) at all, to some people it's okay and they can just take it in their stride but to others it's just a weird way of living having to gear up to these big exams and so on. I think you could maybe relax a little, it could be you are anticipating things will be harder than they are. Also do seek advice from your student counsellor, it is important you don't feel under too much pressure and they may be able to help. You won't be the only one experiencing this.

I had a plan and 31 said to have a plan. Thus my second question. "Is my plan any good?"
12.1 > 25
Overall, I understood this reading to be "Be mindful of the present. Do what you need to do now."

Well I do not think 31 said to have a plan it said to slow down and watch you don't get pulled around by all sorts of intrusive influences. So I will hold off for the moment in looking at the rest of the questions since they are all based on a questionable understanding that 31 meant 'have a plan'. I mean having a plan is always a good idea for studying of course but here Yi is also addressing the kinds of thoughts you are having and your emotional state and that's the place to begin. You could make all sorts of plans but if your head feels like it's in a million different places then it's the pressure of those influences that need to be dealt with first.

44 could be showing this way of being and the expectations it places on you are too much, not really in line with who you are or how you naturally want to live. To get by maybe you have to recognise that, that's it's not your natural habitat so to speak and so you will feel harried and at a disadvantage, a bit like a fish out of water thrashing around. First slow down and take a clear look at what is actually required of you. Sometimes students can try to learn or take in more than they need to to get by. This can be a disadvantage if there's an objective of an exam to pass where in actuality, for example, most of the questions will focus on one area for example etc etc

 

[sajei1015]

I'm curious as to why you 31 as 'have a plan'?

I read an interpretation that said "Following the right plan will bring about a happy union that is mutually beneficial to both parties involved."

This reading shows you being pulled around here there and everywhere.

This is probably because I currently have 7, I'm part of three associations, and I'm working part time. I doing work. It keeps me busy outside of my classes.

an overwhelming intrusion on your usual way of life, this demand of studying,

This kind of academic pressure may not be natural to you

This is not new to me at all. I'm used to academic pressure paired with association activities. My original question was more "What should I do to get results?" than "I'm overwhelmed, what do I do?"

I'm slightly confused about the "slow down" part at the moment. I may need to list down the things I need to do and see what I can resolve as soon as possible and try not to take on as much.

 

[Trojina]

I read an interpretation that said "Following the right plan will bring about a happy union that is mutually beneficial to both parties involved."

That's unintentionally a disastrous misinterpretation for you. That is the above is a commentary on what the I Ching says it is not what the I Ching itself says it's the author's(who is it?) ideas on what it says. Fair enough they are talking about union as 31 has to do with mutual influence but you have taken one word, the word 'plan' an applied it to your question. 31 says nothing at all about a plan. So to get nearer what the answer might mean for you you need to read what the I Ching itself says which is

Oracle

'Influence, creating success.
Harvest in constancy.
Taking a woman, good fortune.'

Image

'Above the mountain is a lake. Influence.
Noble one accepts people with emptiness.'

Line 2

'Influence in your calves, pitfall.
Staying in place, good fortune.'

Line 6

'Influence in your jawbones, cheeks and tongue.'

There's a wide variety of ways to apply it according to your question. In 31 one is influenced, but in line 2 as you can see it's saying influence in your calves, the urge to move, can trip you up, better to stay still. Line 6 can be over hype.

So I made an interpretation from what Yi says and what you said of your situation. It may not be the right interpretation but the best person to see the right interpretation is the subject themselves. At least your perspective is needed.

No use thinking of 44 just as something unfortunate or 31 as 'have a plan' if these bear no relation to what the I Ching itself says.

So if you have an actual translation use that, not a commentary. Commentaries are okay but they are only a person's take on what the I Ching says they are not what the I Ching itself says

 

[sajei1015]

Influence in your calves

cheeks and tongue

Thank you so much for the clarification. I do read the original text but I'm always apprehensive. I might not understand it the way the translator understood or words might have had a different context (like "army" or "noble") when the Iching was written.