Is the I Ching speaking to me?

[Peter Belt]

Hi guys,

For the last 6 years my life has been entangled with the I Ching, and for the last 2 years I have become more and more focused in its study and practice. Now it is part of my life, and my focus now is to incorporate the I Ching into a new professional life (more on that maybe some day later).

In this context, I have asked several times the I Ching about that: am I "worthy" of using the I Ching, and moreover of transmitting the I Ching, how about using it professionally, etc.

Here are the answers (my question regards the last one, the others are pretty obvious):

October 2017: What about starting in 2018 some I Ching readings once a month?
1.3.4-> 61
January 2018: Does the Yi speak to me?
Unchanging 15
March 2018: Does the I Ching speak to me?
48.4.5->32
Is the practice of the I Ching in line with my goal in life?
Unchanging 56

All answers seem to go in the same direction: yes my use of I Ching is noble and I should continue to use it and transmit it.
Do you have any input on the meaning of the 2 unchanging hexagrams? UC 15 and UC 56?

Thank you!
All the best

 

[angelatlantis14]

Hi Peter,

what a wonderful set of answers!
Based on this, I would definitely feel that you are encouraged to start an I Ching practice.

1.3.4 --> 61

The creative energy is strong in you.
But you need to be aware that you are still at the beginning, and that brings its own dangers. Line 3 is interpreted by Wilhelm as:
"Danger lurks here at the place of transition from lowliness to the heights. Many a great man has
been ruined because the masses flocked to him and swept him into their
course. Ambition has destroyed his integrity."
Line 4 is the next step, "A place of transition has been reached, and free choice can enter in."
So it seems to me that it is of the utmost importance that your motives are at all times pure - that you engage in the practice with the genuine best interest of all parties concerned. That to me is underlined by changing Hex 61 which speaks of inner truth - be always truthful to yourself.
Maybe refers to times when one would like to change an interpretation for someone to something a little bit "nicer" or smoother despite that your own instincts tell you something different? You are probalby the best judge of that...

Hex 15 is in a similar vein - It can be trnaslated as "Integrity" or "Modesty" which also points to being true and authentic. And it is a very auspicious Hex, so more encouragement here...

48.4.5 --> 32

Again, a Hex about bringing out your own authentic self and value. Cleaning the well, so that the original content can be drawn for yourself and others. But also again the reminder that this being authentic actually needs care and attention to work - otherwise the bucket may break...

The last one I am not so sure of - Hex 56 is one for a trnasitional phase, saying you are currently on the move, and being not in the best resting place. So, with a question about life goals, it may say that your life goal has still not been found, or that there are further developments to be expected?

But overall, I think based on your answers you should go for it!

best wishes

maui

 

[moss elk]

With all due respect,
you are are just learning to read multiple change lines and say you don't understand unchanging hexagrams.
And at that level, you are proposing to teach professionally?

 

[equinox]

I don't like multiple readings that much, so I pick this here:

October 2017: What about starting in 2018 some I Ching readings once a month?
1.3.4-> 61

Generally it seems to be not a bad idea, using your creativity (hex 1) based on inner truth (hex 61)
But it is not yet the right time to become visible, which is clearly indicated by hex 1.1.
Maybe you could get some practice in trying to interpret readings here in the forum? Or, if you prefer face-to-face communication, read for friends as a start?

Btw, what happenened to this book project a while ago -- did anything happen? If yes, please update the thread I am very curious

 

[equinox]

Is the practice of the I Ching in line with my goal in life?
Unchanging 56

Yes, I think so, obviously you are still searching for your way, wandering around, so many possibilities ... the Yi will be a reliable guide.

 

[Peter Belt]

With all due respect,
you are are just learning to read multiple change lines and say you don't understand unchanging hexagrams.
And at that level, you are proposing to teach professionally?

Hi Moss Elk, thank you taking the time. Usually, sentences that start with "with all due respect" bother me, like just saying those magic words should allow us to say anything else afterwards, be it respectful or not. In this case it's not disrespectful, but it's not very constructive either.

The thing is I am not trying to teach the I Ching at this point (which seemed to shock you beyond the point of being constructive, as I know you can be -constructive, this is - ), when I said "transmit" the I Ching, I meant in a very broad sense, like "spread the word", talk about it, and yes do some readings. Also I didn't mean *right now*, the questions are more like a guidance in a long-term scheme (note the terms "goal in life" in the last question).
So yes, let's say that indeed it might be a bit counter-intuitive to ask for help about a reading that asks about using the I Ching , but again it is part of my training, and I didn't say I was completely lost or that "I didn't understand unchanging hexagrams", just asking for other views on that last question.

Thanks anyway

 

[Peter Belt]

Thank you Maui for your very kind and extensive answer, much appreciated. It is clearly something that needs to find its proper way inside me, and to be balanced in between many other things happening, so keeping in focus the right way and the right reasons to do it is clearly something to have always in mind. Thank you! All the best

 

[Peter Belt]

I don't like multiple readings that much, so I pick this here:

Thank you very much equinox, I really appreciate your time and involvement.
Those readings were made within an almost 6 month scope... I compiled them here together from my journal with the dates, in order to give a sense of the global flow of this. So I'm not sure we can say they are multiple readings, more like an evolution of a question over time?

Anyhow, thank you for your interpretations, they clearly speak to me. I was also very curious about the last UC 56, that I interpreted as "part of my journey", but that could also be interpreted as "something that is passing, useful now, but just temporarily". Thank you for your take on that too.

And finally, about that book... that's an interesting question, since for the moment I have decided to pause it, in benefit of the questions that brought you this thread . After a first very rich (and successful) transition from the engineering to the artistic realms, I am now facing a not so drastic transition from the artistic to the spiritual, just beginning to figure out how to do it, and if the I Ching will be a part of it. Still being in this transition the question of the book is not yet closed (this transition is less important and less urgent that the previous one), so it might come back around some time this year still. I'll make sure to update the thread

Thanks again, all the best to you.

 

[equinox]

Thank you very much equinox, I really appreciate your time and involvement.
Those readings were made within an almost 6 month scope... I compiled them here together from my journal with the dates, in order to give a sense of the global flow of this. So I'm not sure we can say they are multiple readings, more like an evolution of a question over time?

Ah yes, I understand. Also my disliking of multiple readings is in no way criticism of your style in consulting the Yi, I just wanted to express my own reluctance when it comes to try interpreting many readings at one. I get often confused then, therefore I only pick one or two castings.

Anyhow, thank you for your interpretations, they clearly speak to me. I was also very curious about the last UC 56, that I interpreted as "part of my journey", but that could also be interpreted as "something that is passing, useful now, but just temporarily". Thank you for your take on that too.

:bows: You are very welcome.

And finally, about that book... that's an interesting question, since for the moment I have decided to pause it, in benefit of the questions that brought you this thread . After a first very rich (and successful) transition from the engineering to the artistic realms, I am now facing a not so drastic transition from the artistic to the spiritual, just beginning to figure out how to do it, and if the I Ching will be a part of it. Still being in this transition the question of the book is not yet closed (this transition is less important and less urgent that the previous one), so it might come back around some time this year still. I'll make sure to update the thread

Yes, maybe better like this, your reading back then was ambigious.
I remember Moss Elk wrote, that possibly not the undertaking itself, but the time was not right, too much on the plate. Maybe it's like that. We'll see.

Anyways, good luck!

 

[moss elk]

Usually, sentences that start with "with all due respect" bother me, like just saying those magic words should allow us to say anything else afterwards, be it respectful or not.

Ah yes, I misattributed the statement about unchanging hex's to you, it was a different user, different thread.
I Apologize for that.

"with all due respect" is another way of saying, "you probably won't like hearing this",
it is an act of respect for the person, not for the particular idea.
(You didn't like hearing it, right?)

when I said "transmit" the I Ching, I meant in a very broad sense, like "spread the word", talk about it, and yes do some readings. Also I didn't mean *right now*, the questions are more like a guidance in a long-term scheme (note the terms "goal in life" in the last question).

OK, that makes sense.
Can you see how saying:

my focus now is to incorporate the I Ching into a new professional life

could be confusing for a reader?

 

[moss elk]

January 2018: Does the Yi speak to me?
Unchanging 15

Image/Bradford: diminishes the excessive and adds to the deficient
As a shrink when your head is too big, and. cheerleader when it is too small.

March 2018: Does the I Ching speak to me? 48.4.5->32

Yes it continues (32) to help and support (48) you. (including the lines: during this time of rebuilding your life, here is a clear cold spring to drink from) Nice reading!

Is the practice of the I Ching in line with my goal in life?
Unchanging 56

I'm not confident on what this one is saying. Is it you're just passing through Yi study,
or is it some grand statement of how we are all just passing through life and our goals/purposes are only the ones we set and embrace?

 

[Peter Belt]

Image/Bradford: diminishes the excessive and adds to the deficient
As a shrink when your head is too big, and. cheerleader when it is too small.

Thank you very much Moss Elk, I really like the cheerleader / head shrink image

I'm not confident on what this one is saying. Is it you're just passing through Yi study,
or is it some grand statement of how we are all just passing through life and our goals/purposes are only the ones we set and embrace?

Yes, it is not clear to me neither. It might be saying that the I Ching is part of my journey now, helping me during my (re)transition, but that it will not remain a central part of it later on. That's what I see when taping into my feelings about this again, thank you Moss Elk for helping me with this.

About what all this is about: I am now being trained as a life coach, and wanted to incorporate the I Ching readings into my sessions, since I really think they might bring up hints about what the whole session is about, things that are hidden in the unconscious, or ways to proceed. Anyhow, we'll see how all this unfolds .

All the best,