May I please have some help with 46, changing to 15?

[xhepera20]

Hello everyone. I'd appreciate some help with an interpretation if I may. I should preface this by stating that I may have fashioned my query in an incorrect manner. I asked a yes/no question and I'm not sure how to interpret.

Several months ago I made a friend with whom I became intimate. As time went by we discovered that we had an awful lot in common as far as interests and perceptions. We used to talk, text and email daily. That seemed to stop rather suddenly on his end several weeks ago. When I questioned him about it he simply said that he had been incredibly busy with some family matters, etc., and apologized. However, it doesn't seem that much has changed.

I asked, "Is it best for me to give up on a friendship with X?"

The answer I recieved was hexagram 46, with a changing yang line in the second place, becoming hexagram 15. I sought clarification, but received hexagram 4, no changing lines. Uh-oh! So the I Ching is telling me that I have received an answer and need to deal with that instead of trying further.

Try as I might I can't place the answer in context. Primarily because of the way I formed the question. Basically I can't perceive whether pushing upward means I should take steps to encourage the friendship or to disassociate myself from it.

Would someone be so kind as to give me a bit of guidance from an objective standpoint here?

Thanks!

 

[Grandma]

Personally if I got this reading about your situation I would not give up on my friend. I suppose you have read the Wilhelm translation( if not it is available online) and here is another one from Tony Crisp:

2.Uprightness and being of sound character carry this issue through, despite the outward lack of refinement and smooth presentation.

I would assume that the lack of refinement refers to your friend.

 

[tigerintheboat]

Spring Offering

I asked, "Is it best for me to give up on a friendship with X?"

The answer I recieved was hexagram 46, with a changing yang line in the second place, becoming hexagram 15.

Generally, the reading indicates that the relationship can continue to ascend upwards. You should continue to make small, appropriate offerings toward your friend. Notice the text from the WikiWing below about the new growth not ready to harvest yet.

WikiWing: ‘True, hence harvest in making a spring offering.
No mistake.’

Often a response to someone wondering whether to commit, or how much to commit. If you are true, then a small offering bears fruit. Spring offerings come from limited resources (you’ve depleted the stores over winter, and the new growth isn’t ready to harvest yet), so it’s the quality of mind and not the scale of the gesture that counts.

Tiger

 

[pocossin]

Is it best for me to give up on a friendship with X?
46.2 > 15

☷ ☷
☴ ☶

Hexagram pictures: Altar, Cock

Overall judgment: Yes, you should give up on this friendship for the time being. There is a possibility, though, of its resurrection in the future. You could give X one more chance by sending a "thinking of you" note at Thanksgiving.

I found this a challenging question in terms of hexagram pictures, and had to sleep on it. The archetype for this reading comes from the Phaedo where Socrates says that a cock is owed to Asclepius.

 

[willowfox]

It indicates that you should not give up that you should indeed carry on, Hex 15.

 

[xhepera20]

Thank you all so very much for your insight and comments. They allowed me to take a step back and not be rash. I had in mind to send a note just saying, "I guess I've outlived my usefulness to you as a friend. Take care." I'm still not sure of how to proceed, but some meditation on the issue will be of help. Thanks again!