Hello and Your input on this one. 49.2 > 43

[makntak]

Hi Everyone, I've just joined this community and would like to share.

I've been using the I Ching as a spiritual, alchemical, transformative tool for many years but have had a very, very long dark night of the soul over several of them when I have not consulted or even thought of consulting the IC. In fact, after all of my investigations into matters spiritual, mystic, occult (including magickal ritual), and divinatory throughout my adult life, I abandoned everything and arrived at this conclusion, there are no gods and all of this is just superstitious claptrap for feeble-minded people amongst whom I did not count myself a member.
(Please bear with me)

I still maintain that there is no superintendent deity or afterlife and still eschew magickal thinking. In part, this is because a common feature of deities is their fearsomeness which prevents me from acceptance. I treasure human virtues like compassion, tolerance, patience, open-mindedness and love, which I consider an action not a feeling. The Taoist way of thinking has always held a strong and lasting appeal throughout all of this. (I'm making non-sequential leaps to tell my story as succinctly as possible, again please bear with me)

I have also, since the age of 15, used narcotic substances and alcohol as a means of getting out of myself and often as a magickal tool. However, I am now 45 and 30 years of substance abuse has led me to the recognition that I am an addict and an alcoholic. Subsequently, I have been into treatment to detox and I now attend Narcotics Anonymous to assist my recovery, so I am a recovering addict no longer in active addiction and in fact have decided, very firmly, to follow a life of complete abstinence from all mind-altering substances. I won't go into the dangers of addiction, I'm sure you all know to some degree what these are.

You may or may not be aware of the way in which programs like NA and AA work. The path to recovery is through what is known internationally as the 12 step program. Again, without going into all of the details, this program is a spiritual not a religious one. As an addict, I am spiritually bankrupt and key to the 12 step program is the awakening of a spiritual life. I have immense problems with this, problems which I am thankfully beginning to surmount, but the need to have faith in a power greater than myself is paramount to my continuing recovery. My resistance lies in my intransigent view that to accept this higher power contravenes my firmly held belief that rational thinking is 'best' and my atheistic standpoint is shattered by the implications of a power outside of myself, guiding or directing my actions in any way or that there is such a thing as fate. Having said that, my best rational thinking got me here (the bottom and nearly dead) and clearly does not stand up to analysis. Additionally, I understand the I Ching as a map or a metaphor, it is not esoteric (to my thinking). It is a wise and spiritual advisor who is able to hold up a mirror to my circumstances and allow me to reflect on a path through things in a way that is consistent with the patterns of nature and life itself. (I'm getting there - keep with me)

So, in inviting a higher power to reveal itself to me I find I have returned to the fabulous IC - the route is of no consequence but I can elaborate if people wish to know - talk about synchronicity! The first consultation I have made in over a decade comes from this background and my 'question' was this:

"Please reveal yourself to me, help me to understand your will". this was directed towards my 'higher power' whatever that may be and entered into with an open mind.

The divination presented was

49 Ko - Revolution Line 2 changing

With Guidance comes Intensity

The stripping away of old thinking - unmasking.

On your own day you are believed
Supreme Success
The superior man sets the calendar in order and makes the seasons clear.

6 in the second place
Making changes after some time has passed. Action taken will be fortunate. There will be no error. Though weak it is in the correct place. It is in the centre of the trigram Li representing brightness and intelligence.
Let the subject take action in the way of change
When one's day comes one may create revolution. Starting brings good fortune. No blame.

So far so good and appropriate to the question and everything I have written here.
I stumble somewhat in trying to incorporate the extended hexagrams into the consultation and it is here that I am interested to hear what it is that other people make of this arrangement.

The Nuclear hexagram is 44: Kou Coming to meet (Don't marry the maiden! Very odd!)

The complementary hexagram is 4: M'eng - Youthful Folly (glad its not that then)

The Hexagram of Contrast is 50 T'ing - The Cauldron I always love it if this comes up in a reading but I don't understand it's relationship here.

The sequence hexagram is Ching - The Well, and I have surely drunk it dry and broken my jug! I may be missing something in this one! I am only seeing it as the root of my situation.

The hexagram of change is 43: Kuai - Breakthrough

The Yin Pattern is 13: T'ung Jen - Fellowship with Men
The Yang pattern is 7 Shih - The Army

These last three are hazy although I totally understand the fellowship of men within this context and can relate it to the fellowship of NA and other addicts helping one another to stay clean.

So that's the reading - can I entreat your thoughts on all of this, I'd be very keen to learn what more experienced interpreters make of it.

Also - I've been looking at Chris Lofting's site and I really don't get the process he is going through to describe hexagram spectrums, phasing and sequencing. If anyone could direct me to some illuminating articles to study or how to employ these that would also be great. Don't ask for much do I?

Thank you for taking the time to read all of this and I look forward to your responses.

 

[rosada]

Greetings Makntak!

If I understand you correctly it seems you are saying that as part of your recovery treatment you have joined a group which has at it's core the belief in a "higher power" and you are not so sure you really have such a belief although you are willing to be open to the idea. Thus you have turned to the I Ching and asked that God or Higher Power reveal themselves to you and in response you received 49.2 > 43.

I think 49.2 is a wonderfully appropriate response, especially the Wilhelm translation:

When one's own day has come, one may create revolution.
Starting brings good fortune.
No blame.

Wilhelm says of these lines, "When we have tried every way to bring about reforms, but without success, revolution becomes necessary." You have tried every way to bring about reform in your life based on your own power, but without success, revolution, considering a belief in a higher power, has become necessary.

"But such a thoroughgoing upheaval must be carefully prepared for." To go from believing your life is under your own power to recognizing it is under a higher power requires preparation.

"There must be available a man who has the requisite abilities and who possesses public confidence." The I Ching?

"To such a man we may well turn. This brings good fortune and is not a mistake." Sounds like the I Ching - or some one else you have in mind right now? - will be a successful guide.

"THE FIRST THING TO BE CONSIDERED IS OUR INNER ATTITUDE TOWARD THE NEW CONDITION THAT WILL INEVITABLY COME. We have to go out and meet it as it were. Only in this way can it be prepared for." In asking God to reveal Himself to you I believe the I Ching is encouraging you that this is possible and will happen, and therefore you should prepared for it by first considering your attitude. Perhaps you should ask the I Ching, "What is the proper attitude to have when one is inviting God into their life?"

It all leads to 43. Breakthrough so watch for it!

I haven't touched on the other hexagrams you've mentioned but perhaps others will have some ideas.

Rosada

 

[makntak]

Thank you so much Rosada. Your appraisal of my rather long explanation is indeed correct. Your interpretation is very insightful and I appreciate very much your suggestion for a further question. The I Ching itself could be the 'successful guide' but there is also an individual who is selflessly offering me his time to help me through recovery, it could be him too and a directive to strengthen my relationship with him. The potent enjoinder to 'consider my inner attitude' is at the centre of this and your capitalization is wholly appropriate.