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One shoots fishes

gene

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Hexagram 48 line 2 tells us that "at the well hole one shoots fish." One of the traditional meanings of this line is that one is using a tool in the wrong way or for the wrong purpose. This can apply to the I Ching itself, and the I Ching is saying, you use me for the wrong purposes. The water is to be drunk, not played with. We can often use the I Ching in the wrong way when we want simple answers for simple questions without regard for the tool itself. It can also refer to drawing the wrong conclusion from our use of the I Ching.

There is, however, another possibilty here, and it shows how the I Ching has multiple uses, and one must intuitively divine the answer, not just derive the meaning from the words in a book. In 44 line 2 Steve talked about the willow trap used to catch fish, and if there were a fish in the trap it was a good omen. While catching fish may not be the proper use of the I Ching, it can refer to an unexpected finding of value while looking for something else. A caught fish can be a sign of something monetary or useful in some way. It can mean at least basic financial backing. It is something to eat. "Give a man a fish..."

Gene
 

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