Hexagram 23 Stripping Away

[CHARBO]

On 6-separate readings over the last 6-weeks I have gotten the Hex 23, stripping away. I usually ask questions about what path I should take for my future, or should I return to Asia (from USA) and start teaching again. Yes, I am going through a bit of a nasty divorce (male mid-life mental illness). After I got this card again today, I began once more to declutter the second floor of my house. My used items are gathered and ready for charity. I mean I literally stripped away even a number of sentimental items. I am thinking that this hex is telling me that I will loose my home in the divorce because of fighting and that I should prepare for that next great move! My baby brother died a month ago after a long illness and so my time spent away has delayed this process as you can imagine. But does anyone have some suggestion about what I am being shown to do? I think the message is very very clear, to strip away so that there is no choice but to move forward!!! At the same time I get Hex 23 I often get Hex 56, Wanderer. Am I being asked to leave for the journey? What is to become of my dogs if that is the case? I have been unable to find homes for them or any of my cats, so I worry about losing house and taking off. But maybe this is the best thing in the end?

 

[Trojina]

Do you mean you got 23unchanging or did you get change lines ?

But does anyone have some suggestion about what I am being shown to do?

Mostly I feel 23 is a process that happens to us rather than something we do. The reason I say that is that this kind of painful stripping away is not generally something people choose to go through. You didn't strip away your brother, he was stripped away from you. I'm sorry for your loss.

So given the loss of your brother and the painful divorce I think you are already experiencing 23, that painful stripping away of what is known and supporting, you are already experiencing it and Yi is advising you how to handle it. I don't think this is 'telling' you to strip more away since as I say I think 23 is mostly out of our control, like death is.

It's good you are clearing stuff out but you don't have to get rid of everything you are attached to, least of all your pets,, if you don't want to. Also 56 can simply show a situation is temporary.

So I think first you have to realise what massive and important losses you are going through and see what Yi says about coping with them. The Oracle, from Hilary's book, says there is no use in having a direction at this time.

'Stripping away.
Fruitless to have a direction to go.'

The Image says

'Mountain rests on the earth: Stripping away.
The heights are generous, and there are tranquil homes below'

In the end everything can fall away from us and mostly it hurts...sometimes it doesn't, it feels more natural but I doubt the loss of your brother or your marriage felt like a natural easy loss. I think this is a time of finding acceptance of what has happened which can take time. Yes new starts must follow such erosions but it's not anything you can force or anything really you should feel compelled to do. You see you have already been compelled to face losses so Yi isn't ordering you to go off and do anything to further strip yourself of security.

However of course if you want to move, leave the house, go back to Asia then do so. All I'm trying to convey is I don't think you are being told to 'lose more' or necessarily that 56 means 'take a journey'.

As you likely know Yi mostly applies to where we are now. If you keep getting 23 I think it is reflecting your already huge losses so it's not a time to reduce your security or base further. Pets are very emotionally important, it would seem hard to me that you lose so much and then also feel you must lose your pets, but of course if moving away feels right to you then go ahead, only do not feel that you must if you don't want to. You are still grieving so do go easy on yourself.

 

[Trojina]

....oh hang on you say

After I got this card again today,

Card ? If you are using cards you probably cannot cast any change lines. Also what is written on these cards may be far too summarised. I mean if the card just say 'strip things away' it's not helpful, there's more to 23 than that. I don't have any Yi cards so don't know which you have. I think your 23 is still valid as an answer but recommend you cast with coins/beads or even online on the site here, since then you can at least receive change lines for a more detailed answer.

I like your avatar of the man with the plant.

 

[Liselle]

Yes, everything Trojina said, and also we don't know what your questions were that you got all the 23s for or the 56. If they were general questions, it might be good to follow up with more specific questions before doing specific things. Maybe something like, "What would I be doing if I interpreted that 23 as 'throw away my sentimental items'?" (give away my pets, leave the country, etc.)

 

[CHARBO]

Thank you for the wonderful response. I have to now carefully let your words ferment. I agree about my pets, I am so emotionally bonded to them and they have kept me going all through the hardships. I am going to do some further readings and see what comes from that. Thank you for the support!

 

[CHARBO]

Sorry for the error in writing. In fact, I do the IChing, online, here at onlineclarity. Most likely I used the word "card" because my friend has been doing tarot----yes she keeps pulling 4 of Wands and the Sun in my readings----readings for me. So card came up. I will try and obtain the coins or beads as an alternative to doing these online. Thank you.

 

[Trojina]

Ah I see. There's nothing wrong with using the online casting tool, lots of people only use that. For important questions I prefer the ritual of casting by hand but you must do what suits you. The results which ever way you cast will be valid.

 

[CHARBO]

Thank you for this reply, I get your meaning about narrowing down the questions. Also, I think I have learned more about IChing since I have been on this community board and now feel that I should pay more attention to the details instead of the hexagram as a whole! Thank you!! Thanks to all of you for your input!

 

[CHARBO]

Here is the reading of the question you posed: What would I be doing if I interpreted that 23 as 'throw away my sentimental items'?

Your reading resulted in the following hexagrams:

changing to
10 64
Hexagram 10, Treading



Key Questions

Where is the tiger?
Do you know how to work with such power?

Oracle

'Treading a tiger's tail.
It does not bite people.
Creating success.'

There are tigers in the outer world, and also inner tigers; as you get close, it's good to recognize the tiger for what it is.

Treading the tiger's tail is perilous – yet if you can move in harmony with it, you can invite its power into your own life as protection, fertility and blessing. To do this without getting bitten requires both skill and care.

Look to the power and intensity you are drawn to in the situation: its specific danger is there, and also its potential gift.

Image

'Heaven above, lake below: Treading.
A noble one differentiates above and below,
And makes a place for the people's aspiration.'

Sequence

Treading follows from Hexagram 9, Small Taming:
'Things are tamed, and then there are the rituals. And so Treading follows.'

Changing Lines

Line 1
'Plain treading going on.
No mistake.'

Line 5
'Decisive treading.
Constancy, danger.'


Hexagram 64, Not Yet Across



Key Questions

How to prepare for the crossing?
How will you know when it's time?

Oracle

'Not yet across, creating success.
The small fox, almost across,
Soaks its tail:
No direction bears fruit.'

Here at the very end of the Yijing, nothing is settled or complete; everything is in flux.

A wise fox will only attempt to cross when there is solid ice on the river, and then pick his way over carefully, every sense alert. If he sets out when the conditions are not right, he won't be able to complete the crossing: he'll be shamed and stranded at best, and he may be altogether sunk. For a small fox on drifting ice in midstream, there is no useful direction.

When you are not yet across, you may be hesitating on the verge of a transition, trying to tell whether it's safe to commit yourself. It's time to use the skills of a wise fox.

Image

'Fire dwells above stream: Not Yet Across.
A noble one carefully differentiates between beings, so each finds its place.'

Sequence

Not Yet Across follows from Hexagram 63, Already Across:
'Things cannot be finished, and so Not Yet Across follows - and so the completion.'

 

[Liselle]

Hm...unfortunately now I'm not sure whether Yi's answering that question directly, or commenting on you jumping to ask my suggested question so fast. "Decisive treading, constancy, danger" in 10.5 is sort of sounding like, "you've decided to ask this question only because someone said you should..."

I mean, I don't know that, and it still might be a good question to ask...

Would you mind telling us what your question was when you got 23? You had more than one 23 - so was there one in particular that led you to think you should get rid of your sentimental items? Could you tell us what the question was for the reading that put that idea in your mind?

Maybe if we know that question, we can think about what 23 may have meant as an answer to it, and then maybe think about the 10.1.5 > 64 reading.

 

[Liselle]

If 10.1.5 > 64 is a direct answer, one thing it might mean is "take one step at a time (10.1, 'plain treading'), and don't rush around making too many big decisions too fast (10.5, 'decisive treading, constancy, danger')" against a background of "it's not time to make this 'crossing' yet" (relating hexagram 64, Not Yet Across).

 

[Liselle]

Notice Hilary's key questions for 64, about preparation and knowing when it's time. As a background for these lines, the reading might be saying you're not prepared and it's not time.

Question: "What would I be doing if I interpreted 23 as 'get rid of my things'"?
Yi's answer: "You'd be 'treading behind a big, dangerous tiger' before you're prepared and before it's time to do so."

(I'm starting to convince myself this was a direct answer...)

 

[Trojina]

Notice Hilary's key questions for 64, about preparation and knowing when it's time. As a background for these lines, the reading might be saying you're not prepared and it's not time.

Question: "What would I be doing if I interpreted 23 as 'get rid of my things'"?
Yi's answer: "You'd be 'treading behind a big, dangerous tiger' before you're prepared and before it's time to do so."

(I'm starting to convince myself this was a direct answer...)

Eeer I find this a totally confusing question you suggested I'm afraid, at least it wouldn't work for me, if it works for you good but ...it makes my head spin and gives a headache.

Anyway Charbo decided to try your suggestion so it's up to him. I think 10.1.5>64 shows someone going ahead in quite a single minded way, in a simple clear way in line 1, but in line 5 the actions a re more risky and nothing is quite really ready yet. As an answer to the suggested question I simply cannot mentally process it, can't get head a round it. As a general description of the action of getting rid of sentimental things.....well it sort of describes the feelings of doing it doesn't it. It actually feels risky sometimes getting rid of things, one feels one may miss it and so on. Getting rid of things feels risky...but it's not wrong, not regrettable here but the question remains are you really ready ?

To me it echoes what I said in the first post I wrote here. There is a choice about how much to get rid of, how much change to make, how much to let go of. One mustn't feel compelled here.

 

[Trojina]

Oh I know you weren't instructing Charbo to go and ask that question Liselle, it was just an idea.....not meaning to undermine your idea it's just my small brain cannot process it...I'm going to have a lie down

 

[Liselle]

A lie down

I actually do know what you mean about wrapping your head around it. When I first encountered that form of question (from Hilary in the Foundations ramble, I think), I felt exactly the same way about it - "huh?" But I've had some nice results. One way I've found it helpful is when I've gotten a reading, but have no idea what it's telling me. It could be saying this, it could be saying that...

I'd love to ask Yi, "What do you mean???" but I know that's not a great question. If I ask it this way, though, I'm more asking Yi to address me, comment on my thought process and interpretation idea, rather than asking it to just "explain itself."

Going a bit further - Yi already answered the actual question once. It already gave the answer it thought best. It's not Yi's fault I can't figure out whether it means this, that, or the other thing, and asking it to answer the question all over again is surely silly, counter-productive, and argumentative. But - assuming I've sincerely tried - it's not necessarily my fault either that I don't understand it (I'm sure Yi's aware it can be opaque). So if in that spirit I ask it to comment on my idea, we might make progress...

Not that I do any of this all that well, as you know. But I like the question now and have found it helpful. (Like anything else, though, if I start asking it by rote Yi might not cooperate...)

 

[CHARBO]

I am not being too fast. I have had the Hex 23 about a half dozen times in the last 6-weeks. My question: "Should I depart for Asia or stay in USA? What is the best path forward and can I leave my house empty for 1 or 2 years and not worry so much about doing so?" I think the question you asked was spot-on. It is ok if this is too difficult for analysis. I am still quite new at this. Thank you

 

[CHARBO]

I am perfectly comfortable in removing nearly all from my house, sentimental items are not separate my idea of clearing the house. I am going to donate several things to a museum. I will leave my house sit nearly empty for one to two years and then decide on selling and by that point maybe I will not even remember what I had let go of. But when I return I have a vast empty space to live in and around. A concerted effort now means that I won't have to do it in the future if I eventually sell or let the house out.

 

[Liselle]

My question: "Should I depart for Asia or stay in USA? What is the best path forward and can I leave my house empty for 1 or 2 years and not worry so much about doing so?"

If that was one question, then it's possible what Yi meant with 23 was to split it up into a few questions. (Names for 23 include Wilhelm-Baynes "Splitting Apart.")

It's not good to ask several questions at once. How will you know which part Yi's answering? Just the first sentence - "Should I depart for Asia or stay in USA?" - would be better as two separate questions, so that Yi can give you an opinion on each option.

"What if I depart for Asia?"
"What if I stay in the U.S.?
"What is my best path forward?"
"What if I let my house empty for a year or two?"
- or questions to that effect.

 

[diamanda]

Hi Charbo,

23 says:

It does not further one to go anywhere
Not a good time to move to a different location.

Thus those above can ensure their position
Only by giving generously to those below
Your life is/feels demolished. Stay where you are and rebuild your base.

 

[Liselle]

Or yes, of course, 23 could have been a substantive answer exactly as Diamanda's saying.

I think what we're trying to say - well, me at least - is I don't think I'd do something drastic in my life based on an I Ching reading without being sure Yi actually meant to do that specific drastic thing.

In other words, if I'd ask Yi for advice for the upcoming week, and Yi gave me 23 unchanging, I would not assume just based on that that I should strip my house of my belongings and/or move. There are plenty of things 23 could mean that have nothing to do with any of that.

Even if I'd been thinking of doing those things anyway, as you were, I don't think I'd assume that's what Yi meant by that general, advice-for-the-week answer, without verifying it with Yi.

But, I mean, if this is what you really want to do, and as you say you're perfectly comfortable with it, then there's no need to ask Yi about it at all.

It's just that in your first post you did seem a little unsure, and that's why you were asking. At least that was my impression.