Hexagram 47, No Moving Lines, Plus "Love"

[oscarwilde]

Hello everyone,

It's been two weeks since I first threw the I Ching, and I now feel like reaching out to the community (which I discovered yesterday) for a little guidance. I've spent this last week manipulating my new yarrow stalks, asking various questions and getting very reasonable answers -- answers that aren't quite as mystical (or obscure, really) as I had orginally thought its answers might be.

Last night I received the first answer I've really had to puzzle over and struggle to make even a *bit* of sense. Does any of you have a nugget of guidance on this one? As a newbie to this whole process, and especially towards the interpretation process, I'd like to make sure I'm walking down a solid path on this one -- now seems like a good time to reach out to others.

Here's the question I asked the I Ching, who's form I took from this website: "What effect does my physical presence have on KSJ?" (KSJ being a young woman I've gotten to know in the past two weeks.)

I got hexagram 47, without any moving lines, in response to this question. Now, reading through the Wilhelm translation and the commentaries...well, I really don't make much sense of what the Book is saying here in relation to my question. What has shed the most light on 47 has been the posts on this board, where I have learned about the integration of the "tree" in the character K'un -- how, to quote Chirslofting from a Sept. 3, 2003 post, "the focus on [the] enclosure [mentioned in the hexagram] is to force the roots [of the tree] to go deep."

This much makes some sense to me...I take the "enclosure" to mean the work environment in which she and I know each other, an environment that does not make it easy to "socialize" with her in the usual manner. The "seed" or tree that is growing its roots gives me the obvious image of germination or sprouting, or some kind of development.

I have asked several questions about KSJ and have received Hexagrams 61 and 62 in answer to two of these questions, as well as hexagram 60 in answer to: "What is the right pace to take in developing a (romantic) relationship with KSJ?"

The most puzzling part of this for me is, How do I apply the image of an "exhausted lake" to this question? Does this mean that my EFFECT on this woman is non-existant (or empty like an empty lake?). I get bits and pieces of what 47 means here, but is there an experienced I Ching-er that might be able to assist me in weaving this together?

Thank you so much.

-Dane
www.danestrom.com

 

[rhett]

Dear Dane,

Questions of love are difficult, and I do not know the extent of your feelings. Love is not simply one, but two as one. Years ago, 47 appeared in the beginning of my romance with my love and wife of over 25 years now. I remember the commentary of Wilhelm at the time, "He who considers the mouth important falls into perplexity." Words are not as important as thought, feelings, actions, and deeds. Perhaps this helps or not. I wish you success.

Rhett

 

[candid]

Hi Dane, glad you decided to join.

47: If you can be happy without her then you may be happy with her. In fact, if you can be happy then you can be happy, period. If you can be happy even in a dried up lake bed, you've got life by the ____.

61: If you rid yourself of bias or prejudice, if you act from inner truth, even the small things (62) will be added to you.

60: Measure your priorities and assign them accordingly.

Yi often works from the inside-out. Very frustrating sometimes when we?re looking for a particular result.

C

 

[oscarwilde]

Thank you Candid and Rhett for the guidance. I'm still just grasping how all the hexagrams and trigrams fit in with one another within the larger picture of things, and this helps, as always.

Cheers,
Dane

 

[rhett]

Hi Dane,

When you read the Yi, don't try to be too logical or grasping. The result you receive from the Yi is uniquely for you. We can try to add our understanding to your situation, but your own inner light should be your guide. The Yi will warn you when you stray from the Tao, but the full light of its teachings arise from your own imagination for what it means to you.

All the best,

Rhett