Looking Forward

[gretemarie]

Asked "What do I look toward, now?" Received 16.1,4,6. I've begun to realize that my hoping for a reconciliation, "keeping the faith" so to speak, may just be my way to stay in denial of the fact that I've just thrown away 3 years of my life. Anyway, I just joined Clarity this morning and am very new to the I-ching. I have a Book of Changes translated by Brian Browne Walker but I am still learning and like to peek in Clarity for some clarity. My reading seems to confirm that I need to move on.

 

[mryou1]

First off, you need to know (and maybe you already know this) that the Brian Browne Walker book, while useful for beginners, is not actually a translation of the I Ching. It's a rewriting and imo oversimplification of the thing. Still useful, but the words in that book, other than the hexagram titles, are not translated from the Chinese texts.

It really helps to get a legitimate translation. Try the Wilhelm/Baynes (most used), Richard Lynn, or another. There's a great list of translations here: http://www.onlineclarity.co.uk/learn/books/

But I agree that the notion is to move on. The suggestion in 16 is to dig deep and gather strength from friends and allies. This moves into hexagram 3 which reiterates the suggestion of refuge in friends, as you initiate a difficult beginning. Yes, dig deep for that enthusiasm, gather your friends and family around you, and move on knowing that new beginnings are difficult.

There's a quote somewhere that goes something like: "Regret for the past and fear of the future are the greatest evils." Try not to buy into them, it's something I struggle with too.

 

[gretemarie]

Thank you for your insight on my reading. And many thanks for suggesting that I use a legitimate translation.
I appreciate you sharing that quote....I needed to hear that.

 

[bradford]

I would even suggest that you find yourself three legitimate translations and look at all three. And stay clear of books that appeal to beginners - it's better to set your bar higher than that. And generally take the translated sections a lot more seriously than the translator's personal commentary that follows. Try to learn to work with the metaphors directly, not with somebody else's explanations of what they mean.

 

[meng]

Asked "What do I look toward, now?" Received 16.1,4,6. I've begun to realize that my hoping for a reconciliation, "keeping the faith" so to speak, may just be my way to stay in denial of the fact that I've just thrown away 3 years of my life.

I think that's an excellent interpretation of your reading. Both sides rather extreme, amped up.

In the spirit of 16, it can be wonderful and exciting, while being completely imaginary. So I don't imbue 16 with with a whole lot of trust and credibility. It's suggestive and reactionary. Those can be wonderful in their creative function, or outright delusional.

 

[gretemarie]

Thank you. I just found a website - James Dekorne's Gnostic Book of Changes. It has many translations! Is anyone familiar with the site? I'm wondering if that website would be a good place for me to begin...at least until I get the three different translations as Bradford suggested. Another question on 16.1,4,6. I have read a few different ways to read multiple changing lines. On one website, I had read that more importance is placed on the middle changing line when 3 lines change and then on another site it says to take only the middle line as the answer. If I did that, wouldn't the interpretation of my reading change? Now, my intuition tells me that how I originally interpreted my reading is correct and I've received replies that confirm that. But I just want to know how do I know which way is the real way, or do I just take the sit tight and wait and see approach? I have read so many things online these past couple of weeks about how to interpret multiple changing lines. Confusing. The other thing, and this is where I also get confused, maybe my question "What do I look toward, now?" was too general. As I was tossing the coins, I was mentally focusing on "I'm afraid the opportunity for reconciliation has passed" when I verbally asked my written question. Does the written question have more weight when I toss the coins or does what I'm thinking and feeling (or fearing) when I toss the coins have more weight? So maybe it wasn't my intuition at all, just what I was half way expecting to see. I could just be making this more complicated than it really is because this is so new to me.

 

[gretemarie]

I just remembered....I didn't toss the coins for this reading. (16.1,4,6) I did the online reading right after I joined Clarity. I had forgotten that. I wrote out my question even though I used the online method.

 

[meng]

There are many threads that discuss multiple lines. Here are eight that are titled as such.

http://www.onlineclarity.co.uk/friends/search.php?searchid=17008

hmm, they disappeared. Type "multiple lines" into the search box and you'll find several discussions.

 

[meng]

It's natural for the mind to wander while constructing the hexagrams and lines. Writing the question down gives me something to look at through every line, to help focus on the question. However, that has not guaranteed that Yi will speak specifically to that. It might be speaking to my current mindset or attitude, because before I receive an objective answer, I must first strip away all the junk so that the channels are open and clear, and I'm prepared to receive my answer without obstructions from my psyche or something I may be missing, such as starting off with an incorrect premiss.

I don't believe anyone has readings down to a black and white, absolute science, regardless what claims they may make. I believe divination is as much an art as a science, and the Yijing in particular.

 

[gretemarie]

Thank you, meng for sharing your experience about what you do to be prepared to receive your answer.. "I must first strip away the junk so that the channels are open and clear".... I've never asked a question without being emotionally charged in some shape or form. So really I guess for me, the first step toward learning the Yijing is to learn how to become totally quiet before I approach the Yijing, otherwise it won't matter how many translations of the Book of Changes I have or how many methods I learn to interpret multiple changing lines, and so on and so on. Thank you. Now I have something new to look forward to....learning to become still. cool!

 

[meng]

Imo, it's fine to be emotionally charged so long as you are focused. In fact, being emotionally charged about a matter can actually super-focus your entire being, not just your mind. But be prepared to possibly receive a word or two about that emotional state first or as well or before receiving a more pragmatic answer to your original question.

On the other hand, if ones practice is to attain a state of calm before beginning, that's fine too. For me, I'd rather use that emotional sate to help me find the truth of the matter. Sometimes emotional state is itself worth asking about, to gain better understanding of yourself.

In a sense, it's not so unlike a conversation with an extremely perceptive and intelligent being. Some believe that being to be a part of their own psyche, or ones psyche being a part of the collective whole. Some believe it's an external being. It doesn't seem to matter in terms of receiving a right fitting answer.