Hexagram for the week...

[Qiaozhi Yeats]

So I'm going to try and learn to behave according to the Yi Jing by following my idea of assigning monthly hexagrams to the first twelve hexagrams changing to weekly hexagrams by assigning the last fifty two hexagrams to the weeks.

There is some reason for this in that it allows one to master the King Wen sequence by assigning it sequentially to the calendar, even if the assignment and calendar are somewhat arbitrary.

So the this weeks monthly and weekly hexagram is 4, 2, 5 -> 20

2 implies to treat youth generously leads to good fortune,

5 implies the youth submits, good fortune.

As an aside, I should really be doing this on Wednesday each week for this year, as this is start of each week in 2020, I will do this from now on.

 

[moss elk]

Hi,
1st, this reading is all about you.
2nd-don't follow your ideas for this reading.
regarding applying theory to dates...
you already built time specifics into your question.

Your reading said it is a great week for you
to learn new things, and demonstrate your competence.
How so? Like anyone learns anything;
by (20) Lots of Observing and deciding how to act based on your Observations, not by bringing any preconceptions or doctrines with you. Both of the changing lines refer to you. Line 5 is the beginners mind, or a mind Open and receptive to learning new things.
Line 2: do some housework?
Show your competence to your family?

Overall. the reading says:
The Young one Observes.

So I'm going to try and learn to behave according to the Yi Jing by following my idea of..

The reading says he opposite of that.

Wait!!!
did you cast at all or just assign that reading??

 

[Freedda]

Setting aside the meaning of the reading for a moment - At first, I didn't really understand how your 'weekly reading' system worked. But I think I've figured it out:

One 'generates' hexagrams for a weekly reading, based on each hexagram being assigned to a specific month or week. So, if I were to apply this, for this week (which we're at the end of, since the weeks began on Wednesday, Jan. 1):

I would start with Hexagram 4, for April, and Hex. 27, which by my count represents Week 15 (remember, the weeks start at Hex. 13, so this week is 15+12= hex. 27).

So my weekly reading for this week would be 4.2 > 27.

And if I were to do this for next week (which starts on Wed), I'd end up with 4.3.4.5.6 > 28.

Or at least that's how I undersand and would apply this 'method' - though right now I prefer to generate my weekly readings using 'chance operations', e.g. coins or a computer hexagram generator based on the coins, etc.​

And it seems to me that it really doesn't matter which hexagrams we arbitrarily assign to which months or weeks - we're just using this method to generate a reading for the week. For example, we can also have a system that assigns Hex. 1-52 to the weeks, and Hex. 53-64 to the months, and we can generate a weekly reading this way too.

And so, this weekly reading can be generated by any of us, and if I did this, I'd be focusing on what the reading means for me, and not so much what it means for you. (Though it might be interesting to compare the two.)

Best, D

 

[svenrus]

Only one thing missing here: Caesar allowing the game to open.

 

[Freedda]

Only one thing missing here: Caesar allowing the game to open.

What do you mean?

 

[moss elk]

He means he thinks either we are here to fight the querent. or that it will turn in to that.

 

[Qiaozhi Yeats]

He means he thinks either we are here to fight the querent. or that it will turn in to that.

I certainly do hope this doesn't turn into some kind of battle or you see yourselves as being in some way placed here to battle me, I am a man of peace.

Freedda and elm are correct that if I was following my method properly then it should be 4, 2 -> 27, but I like elm's interpretation of my initial reading, such is the Yi.

As to why it is the first 12 hexagrams for the months, and not the last, this is due to the fact that many sources describe the Yi Jing as being divided into two books, the first book being hexagrams 1 to 12 and the second being hexagrams 13 to 52 which is the origin of the idea that I am applying here, at least for me.

I am certainly not trying to impose a reading for the week on anyone else, however I do welcome help with interpreting readings, and this method has the advantage for me of building in cyclical progression through time.

Note this method still has a random starting point, even if it generates fifty two hexagrams a year, since it involves picking an arbitrary point for counting the start of the calendar, in this case the ascribed date of the birth of Jesus, something which is irrelevant to me, except for the consensus of counting time by this method.

The randomness or order of the King Wen sequence is another factor.

Interpreting four, two moving to nourishment, seems to indicate that this is a time for being careful about how one teaches and learns and the relationship between the two.

I have already noticed that my previous posts have tended to generate somewhat hostile responses from some quarters (not excessively hostile, but a perceived sternness implying some degree of desire for humility on my part). Hexagram four is about instruction whereas hexagram twenty seven is about nourishment in general. So perhaps another interpretation is moving from "teaching" and "learning" to "good communication".

Anyway, thank you to everyone who has responded so far. Thank you.

 

[svenrus]

Dave, may I call You that ? I saw this scenario from a distance and it reminded me of sort of a Colosseum where two mighty gladiators toghether were set up against a lion - won't here mention names - and started attaccing (posting #2 and #3) but without authority. Your sarchasm where like from someone who acted blinded.
I'm alone. You are alone. Moss Elk... sorry Elm soup are alone and so are You Qiaozhi Yeats.

Instead of asking (oh no not that difficult name again) Qiaozhi Yeats to explain his (in my eyes odd theory) method You started poking fun at him, didn't You ?

But, like Moss Elk... sorry Elm soup, should know: when making jokes without insight to language-know how can cause misunderstanding.

I'll turn over to Freedda, as it sounds more like making distance to some one whom You do not know who are when it comes to fact (got that ?) : You should know one thing, namely to let (oh no not that difficult name again) Qiaozhi Yeats in peace.

Have I made myself clear ?

 

[svenrus]

And feel free to call me an asshole, to run the line.

 

[Freedda]

As to why it is the first 12 hexagrams for the months, and not the last, ... many sources describe the Yi as being divided into two books, the first being hex. 1 to 12 and the second hex. 13 to 52.

For the above, I think you mean '13 to 64', and not 13 to 52, is that right?

The only 'division' I've ever heard about is dividing the hexgrams into two 'parts' (not really books): Hex. 1-30 and Hex. 31-64. I'm not sure why it's divided that way (by some people), but I've never heard of the 'split' you describe, so I'd be interested in your sources for this.

And I think that if there is no traditional or pre-existing split as you describe it, then what you've done is arbitrary and we could make another arbitrary split as well and this method would still work.

.... it involves picking an arbitrary point for counting the start of the calendar, in this case the ascribed date of the birth of Jesus,

I thought you were starting your months and weeks from Jan 1, 2020, which is the new year, and not Jesus' birth, at least as far as I know. What is your understanding then?

Also, because you are ascribing certain Christian/European traditional dates and calendars to your weekly reading method (as opposed to say using the Chinese new year and calendar) it makes it seem all the more arbitrary to me - I don't mean that in any negative way, only as an observation.

Dave, may I call You that ? I saw this ... and it reminded me of sort of a Colosseum where two gladiators toghether were set up against a lion - and started attacking (posting #2 and #3) but without authority. Your sarchasm where like from someone who acted blinded.

I prefer freedda or 'D' in the forums.

I never intended my post as any kind of fight. I was only sharing my understanding of Qiaozhi Yeats's method and how I would apply it - if I were using it. How he, or you, or elm sauce, or anyone else wants to use it or interpret this reading, that's totally up to all of you.

Also, there was no sarcasm intended. I read back through what I wrote and didn't see any sarcasm (nor any place that I was poking fun at Yeats), so if you can point that out to me, I'll see about changing it. Or is it perhaps that you are reading and assuming more in what I wrote in this thread than is actually there?

Regards, freedda / D

 

[Trojina]

Shared readings is for sharing readings one has received. There is no reading here, the I Ching was not consulted rather some kind of system was put forward. The place for presenting that is Exploring Divination not here so I'm not sure why this was posted here.

Perhaps it should be moved over there because whatever this discussion is about it isn't a reading that has been cast that the querent wants to discuss. I'll report it and see if it will be moved.

 

[Freedda]

The place for presenting that is Exploring Divination not here so I'm not sure why this was posted here.

I see your point, though I am happy wherever it ends up residing. It almost seems to be a sort of shared reading-exploring divination hybrid (like a virus created in a laboratory): maybe starting with a question like, 'tell me about this week', but generating the response via a 'method' and not really 'querying the Yi' using chance operations - coins, yarrow stalks, etc.

But regardess of how he generated the response, he asked what we thought of his interpretation (not really his method) - so it seems like keeping it here might be the way to go. And it seems to me that if Yeats had only shared his question and what the response was - without telling us how he generated that response (as many people don't share this info) - then perhaps we wouldn't question where the reading belongs (here).

And just so you know, there is already a thread in Exp. Div. about Yeat's method, though it does not offer any examples.

Simple method for weekly readings from the Yi Jing

I am aware that there is a huge body of knowledge and work about the relationship between the Yi Jing and astrology. There is a simple observation that has come to me that I wanted to share of this relationship at it's most basic. The Yi Jing is divided into two books, hexagrams 1-12 and...

www.onlineclarity.co.uk

Best, D.

 

[Trojina]

generating the response via a 'method' and not really 'querying the Yi' using chance operations - coins, yarrow stalks, etc.

Yes, I know, I've seen those before over the years. Basically you don't consult Yi you decide what it is going to say via your system.

All you need to do a weekly reading from the I Ching is throw some coins or beads, it doesn't need any more complexity than that IMO.

 

[Qiaozhi Yeats]

Hi, firstly, I'd like to thank svenrus, but it's really not necessary to defend me unless you feel it is of some benefit, I'm always happy to receive criticism, even if I am not always aware of the reasons for it.

Sometimes, criticism can be terrifying though with this disease, but I have experienced far worse in my life, if only as hallucinations.

With regards to why I have placed it here, it is a reading, regardless of how it is generated, and I am sharing it as an opening for responses to my interpretation with the basic question being about my life for the coming week,

To throw the question back at those who object to my method, why use any structure at all, one's brain has random chemical reactions, but one still uses one's brain, at least some times, and there is an explicit structure in the Yi Jing that is the King Wen sequence. Everything is and interaction of Yi and structure or form, you are free to choose the form you like, I have chosen this form. The Yi generates everything through form. Such movement is the Jing.

Of course Freedda I must apologise again for my arithmetic being all over the place, it should of course be 64 and not 52, but perhaps 52 was more apt in the context?

Also you are correct, the new year starts on January the 1st whereas Jesus is ascribed to have been born on the December the 25th according to the governing consensus. I do not know the origin of the start of our new year, perhaps the solstices?

I'm trying to remember where I read the Yi Jing was divided into two books, 1-12 and 13-64, perhaps Hua Ching Ni, I will try to find the reference,

Finally my name is not so hard, it is simply "George" or "Georgie" in pinying, pronounced similar to "Jao Ji" to use a different transliteration, my actual name is Γεώργιος.

Thank you.

 

[Trojina]

With regards to why I have placed it here, it is a reading, regardless of how it is generated, and I am sharing it as an opening for responses to my interpretation with the basic question being about my life for the coming week,

It's a reading if you consult the I Ching and you haven't consulted it, so, for me at least, it's not a reading. You haven't asked Yi to reveal anything to you, you have decided to take an answer according to your method. There's nothing offensive about that it's just you haven't consulted the I Ching that's all.

I thought the thread might do better in Exploring Divination since you haven't asked the I Ching a question and the actual method itself generates more discussion, questions and requires more explanations than the reading you didn't actually get.

It is however of no great consequence where it is I suppose only that I think it's important to be clear you haven't asked the I Ching anything.

 

[hilary]

(Moderator note: deleted some posts, sending a private message.)

 

[Freedda]

To throw the question back at those who object to my method ....

I can only speak for myself - I don't object to your method.

However, I am pointing out that it is an arbitrary system, and that it is not based on 'chance operations'. It's more a way of picking two hexagrams to study or look at each week, but these are not really random, and as stated above in at least one respect, 'you haven't asked the I Ching anything'.

But as a system, it can be a means of working your way through the Yi, and I don't see anything wrong with it.

For me it's not unlike times when I am interpreting or commenting on someone else's reading, and I can find meaning and lessons in it, even though it's not 'my reading'. They Yi is a wisdom text, and as the author Ken Kesey once said, you can get good stuff from it, even if you're only eavesdropping!

Regards, D

 

[hilary]

Other moderator note: I have no objection to this thread sitting in Shared Readings. It could be argued that determining the 'hexagram of the week' is a way of doing a reading, and QY has been completely clear about his method.

 

[Qiaozhi Yeats]

Other moderator note: I have no objection to this thread sitting in Shared Readings. It could be argued that determining the 'hexagram of the week' is a way of doing a reading, and QY has been completely clear about his method.

Thank you Hilary,

The question I am asking is "how should I conduct myself during this week?"

This weeks paired hexagram is 4 - 3, 4, 5, 6 changing to 28.

I interpret this as a week of leaning in which I should avoid relying on others, give myself a reality check, submit to that reality and be cautious about engaging with obstacles. In this way I can bridge the obstacles in my life and shore myself up.

Regardless of how I generated this "reading", I would ask people to share there own advice based on the paired hexagrams I have generated (4 -> 28) for how I should proceed this week, although as I already stated, one of my interpretations is to avoid relying on others

With regards to giving myself a reality check, a good question for me to ask is what I actually have to do this week, so that I can apply the paired hexagrams to how I do it.

Thank you.

 

[moss elk]

Hi QY,

You got
"Not Knowing"
combined with "Too much Intensity"

The 1st problem with your method is:
It will generate exactly 52 readings for 52 weeks, that are identical for every living person. Obviously, the reading would be invalid. It would be like a weekly horoscope with the same one sentence message for every living person.

The 2nd problem is that it is an arbitrary construct of your mind, that doesn't
"allow for influence outside of you" to generate the reading.
It's an internal feedback loop, that starts in your mind and returns there, instead of letting your reading be based on the observation of what happens when you
'let go' of the coins/sticks etc.

QY, I wonder if you've read Phillip K Dicks essay, " Schizophrenia and the I Ching"?
He is one of my favorite science fiction authors who also suffered from severe schizophrenia (which was made worse by his fondness for amphetamines)
I suggested him because maybe it could help to see what another (very intelligent) person (with schizophrenia) has gone through.

 

[Qiaozhi Yeats]

Hi QY,

You got
"Not Knowing"
combined with "Too much Intensity"

The 1st problem with your method is:
It will generate exactly 52 readings for 52 weeks, that are identical for every living person. Obviously, the reading would be invalid. It would be like a weekly horoscope with the same one sentence message for every living person.

The 2nd problem is that it is an arbitrary construct of your mind, that doesn't
"allow for influence outside of you" to generate the reading.
It's an internal feedback loop, that starts in your mind and returns there, instead of letting your reading be based on the observation of what happens when you
'let go' of the coins/sticks etc.

QY, I wonder if you've read Phillip K Dicks essay, " Schizophrenia and the I Ching"?
He is one of my favorite science fiction authors who also suffered from severe schizophrenia (which was made worse by his fondness for amphetamines)
I suggested him because maybe it could help to see what another (very intelligent) person (with schizophrenia) has gone through.

Thanks for sharing Moss Elk, I will definitely try and check the essay out, it sounds interesting.

I am certainly not trying to push my method on anyone, and for the most part still use coins to divine when consulting the Yi Jing, but I think you are being too fundamentalist in saying my method is problematic. When you learn T'ai Ji, you learn a form. Actual fighting does not follow any form, but without learning the form, you cannot improve your responses when in free form. Both the form and the lack of form are necessary, yang and yin.

The book of changes has a form, and learning to apply it in life requires mastering this form, applying it methodologically allows you to do this, it aids you in learning how to apply it to any situation.

The reading is arbitrary, measurement of time is arbitrary, it's just it generates a sequence of weekly hexagrams for the year from the time you start rather than a single reading.

I really don't want to debate this anymore, at least not here, I have posted about my method in the exploring divination section, so if you want to raise objections, please feel free to do so there.

What I would like here is anyone wishing to share their opinions of how to interpret the hexagram with regards to my week ahead. I will try to include relevant information about my plans for each week so that there is greater point of reference for the interpretations. Thank you.

I divined as to whether I should post this and received 20, 4, 6 -> 8 which I guess means I should simply observe and accord.