partner of a colleague has cancer, will he heal himself? HEX 46 UC

[AnnaP1]

To me it means that the success is possible but it will require long work and a gradual process, no quantum leap here. He had a throat cancer, very young man (30 years old). They treated it with chemo, then it came back in the stomach - they cut part of the stomach. Then it came back in the liver. he comes from a war-ridden country , had very bad childhood and a lot of traumas. I provided her some support and gave advice, but to me it is clear he has to start the healing on the side of his soul, too. Not only from the physical sense (as stupid doctors said its basically over, so then what a patient should just commit suicide? So stupid!!! Situations like this one are making me angry and from my own experience I know that stressing yourself is the LAST thing you want to do with such diagnosis) How do you guys interpret this casting in this situation? I don't want to give he a sense of false hope based only on I Ching even though I have no problems with that but it would be irresponsible.

 

[rosada]

When we took my husband to the doctor get some relief from a persistent cough, she studied his blood under a microscope and - without even bothering to look up at him - announced as casually as you might say, " Your blood shows you are type O," she decreed, "Your blood shows you have stage 4 cancer and only a couple of months to live."

At the time I thought, "Stupid bitch."

But she was right of course. He died three months later.

That was eight years ago and fortunately I study the I Ching and have evolved to a place of deep peace and understanding since then.

I now think of her as a stupid f**king idiot bitch.

 

[rosada]

You miss my point. I was trying to illustrate that the doctor was not stupid in her ability to diagnose, but her "bedside manner" was so oblivious to the human aspect of the situation that it created a harsh reaction not only in my own feelings that has persisted to this day, but her words caused my husband to think of himself as "already dead" - an attitude that colored our lives for the remaining short time we had. Certainly I wouldn't have wanted her to make up a story. I just wished she could have looked up from her paper work, turned around from her desk, faced my husband and said something like, "Mr. Nolan, I am so sorry to have to tell you this...." Anyway, I posted my experience in an effort to show support for Anna because having gone through a similar experience I can relate to how one can feel a doctor is "stupid" even when they are just doing their job.


Incidentally, in case anyone is confused, just before Trojina's comment I deleted a sentence I'd posted about wanting to bash the woman who so unfeeling gave us this report - but I only deleted it because I didn't think it added to the story - not because my feelings have changed!

 

[rosada]

Meanwhile back to 46. as an answer to the question "Will he heal himself?" The I Ching doesn't give "Yes" or "No" answers. Every hexagram seems to be able to be interpreted both ways but the Judgement and the Image for Pushing Upward seem to be quite positive, "Pushing Upward has supreme success.". To me they suggest the fellow should keep doing all he can to stay healthy and perhaps he should consult with other healers and healing modalities: "It furthers one to see the great man". However, the fact that it is an unchanging hexagram could be a warning that no change happens unless he makes the effort and that may require him to try a variety of things, to "heap up small things in order to achieve something great" and this can be quite daunting. Also, if later we have to look at this and see that in hindsight this hexagram was saying "No" it may be that the "heap" of cancers here and then cancers there had finally piled up to where he had to leave this earthly realm/group (45) and move on.

Prayers and good thoughts and blessings to you and your friend during this difficult time.

 

[hilary]

The difficult thing with this kind of reading is that Yi does not necessarily talk about life and death in the way we think about them. I look at 46 - ascending the mountain, aiming for something higher, setting out towards the south, the direction of light and warmth, without heart-sickness... - and I wonder if Yi is actually talking about a good end-of-life, one where he has the chance to move consciously towards the next stage. That could be the most complete 'healing'.

Or it could be as Rosada said, a return to physical health through determinedly 'heaping up' healing modalities. All we can say is that 46 shows a step-by-step ascent towards something better - without knowing what that 'something' is.

A friend of mine died of cancer last year, very quickly. FWIW, the questions I found most helpful to ask Yi were about how I could help.

 

[becalm]

I'm with rosada here - bedside manner makes all the difference. It's rare I seek western medicine but a couple of weeks ago I had an infection which needed antibiotics as quick as I could get them into me as the infection was close to my brain. The doctor was sooooo lovely that I sent him a Thank you card! I was very very sick and his bedside manner, I believe, helped me heal.