Presence in Forum

[martinus]

I've published some books on astrology (years ago), besides I've been active in a forum.
However, the number of people reading and writing/commenting has markedly drecreased over the past months.
So I feel somewhat discouraged. I asked the I Ching about its view of my activities.
I got 50, 3 and 5.
No too bad, the I Ching's evaluation I thought.
But it results in 6 - and I do not really know how to interprete that. Actually, I'm not really interested in
keen disputes... - Any idea what it might boil down to?

 

[dfreed]

(Re hex 6) I'm not really interested in keen disputes ....

This made me curious; which (or whose) translation are you using?

 

[martinus]

This made me curious; which (or whose) translation are you using?

Translation ? Don't quite understand - I've translated English texts - but no German texts (my native language).

 

[dfreed]

I mean, which translation of the I Ching are you looking at, working with?

 

[martinus]

Oops, certainly, I should have known...
It's Wilhelm, the original German text.
In addition I never miss having a look at the word-by-word translation of the Eranos-text -
one can learn a lot with respect to the ideograms and their metaphors.

 

[surnevs]

Oops, certainly, I should have known...
It's Wilhelm, the original German text.
In addition I never miss having a look at the word-by-word translation of the Eranos-text -
one can learn a lot with respect to the ideograms and their metaphors.

Wilhelms translation is probably the best translation for westeners (just a remark while waiting for dfreeds interpretation on 50.3.5 - 6)

 

[legume]

Any idea what it might boil down to?

i'd view it (6) as your inner conflict about your own activities. would you ask for Yi's opinion if you weren't somewhat conflicted about them in the first place?

So I feel somewhat discouraged. I asked the I Ching about its view of my activities.

i think with 50.3.5 Yi is quite encouraging, saying there's some transformation already taking place. line 3 could be about seeing some possible mistakes, line 5 about moving forward with refreshed view of things.

it could be difficult i guess to keep the right balance between self promotion and participating in the forum but it seems to me Yi's given you a good ol' pat on the back.

btw, i like your use of "boiling down to" in the context of hex 50

 

[dfreed]

I asked the I Ching about its view of my activities (in an astrology forum). I got 50.3.5 > 6.

Hex. 50 is called The Cauldron, Tripod Bowl, and other titles. And since you're talking about astrology, which is a form of divination or seeing, I'll assume the tripod bowl here represents a cauldron where alchemy and transformation does (or potentially can) take place.

Hex. 50 depicts this Cauldron in different ways: e.g. the lines show an image of a cauldron with its lid (top line), handles or lugs (5th line), its bowl (lines 4, 3, 2) and its tripod legs (bottom line).

It also shows us the ingredients that are needed to make use of this (astrology) bowl: Hex. 50's upper trigram (three line figure) is Water (to flow and look deeply), and the lower trigram is Wind/Wood - to be gentle and explore in different ways; and these are also necessary to actually 'cook' - or transform - something within the cauldron.

You are also being shown your relationship to all this (which is what you are asking about, right?): Lower trigram Wind is you exploring (perhaps inwardly), looking in different ways, but because your approach or attitude is a bit off (and needs a bit of fine-tuning), you may not be seeing things as clearly as you think you are - or want to, or need them to be. This is depicted by the upper trigram Light, which also is a bit unbalanced (5th moving line).

And so the Yi is telling you that the situation (as it is right now) indicates: Line 50.3: "proper use is blocked ... and a pheasant left there to dry" (instead of cooking it properly).

Also, you have Line 50.5 'Tripod bowl with golden lugs and rod of bronze' . Gold and bronze are both associated with Earth ('golden' soil is earth-colored) and with the useful metal, bronze found within Earth. This line is suggesting that how you use astrology should be practical and serve as a useful tool.

And ... part of the antidote or 'fix' of this unbalanced, or slightly damange cauldron is also found with . . . .

Hex. 6 depicts Water (lower trigram) with Heaven above. Some call this 'Dispute' or 'Contention'. I like to think of it as Contrary (or Contradictory) Motion: the sun, moon, and stars travel West across the sky; while the rivers (the moving waters) of China flow Eastward - and this 'going off in different / opposite directions' can possibly create a vacuum or a void which needs to be filled.

This could mean that you need to include this contrary motion, this void, (along with Water's uncertainty) in your astrology readings, and that this kind of 'contrary thinking' can be good, but only up to a point! E.g. Hex. 6: '... mid-course (this can be) auspicious' ...

... but at some point you need to make a decision or decisions about which path you - or someone else, or the situation - is going to take - which path the astrology reading is indicating. And to contine to waffle, to be unsure, to offer 'options' is (again from Hex. 6), In the end ... ultimately Disastrous'.

And again, as indicated by 50.5, you should consider Astrology to be a practical and a useful tool, and not an uncertain one, which leaves us with too many options!

After all, whether you follow the westward path of the sun, stars and moon across the sky; OR if you instead decide to follow the eastward path of the rivers, you eventually end up in the same place: which is where the rivers end and the sun starts a new journey each day!

But you can't follow both at the same time, at least not without feeling split or creating a void!

And so, with all these ingredients added to your recipe, hopefully you can make better use of your 'Tripod Bowl of Astrology' (either on- or off-line).

A bit much perhaps, but I hope that is is of some use to you. D

 

[martinus]

Thx the three of you!
I'm glad I inserted my question here.
Yes, the I Ching's answer is encouraging - but at the same time also strictly honest, demonstrating difficulties if not even dangers.
Dfreed: It's absolutely amazing how accurate your observation is. Every word is true.
The "conflict" indeed is an inner one, doesn't refer to people (in the forum I mentioned).
Especially the view at the relation between the trigrams: It hits the nail on the head.
This is really helpful, thanks again.

 

[surnevs]

Martinus: those books on Astrology, where it in connection with "traditional astrology" , Ptolemaian system, or with the Indian, Siderial, system ? I know this question is out of context here. My knowledge on astrology are mainly from my younger years where I calculated horoscop's with high accuracy ending up with the thought that the indian system were closer to the system speaking to my sense of logic ie the planets in relation to the stars as they are placed today (contra in relation the fixed Vernal Equinox point). And finally: the title of those works on Astrology ?
PS: if You find these questions odd ignore this posting.

 

[martinus]

surnevs: dfreed referred to Trigram Wood - which describes quite a lot of my personal being.
(I often have a look at the Nine Star Ki - system: and the year of my birth is a Sun/Wind -
which means one may run the risk of being attracted by (too) many - partly opposing - ideas (and systems). So e.g. at times I've been at the mercy of the contrast of sidereal vers. tropical astrology. And in addition I've tried to become familiar with the Chinese Bazisuanming over the past years... etc.
As to the books (party printed, partly only online) - I'm hesitant (don't want to give my name..) - ok it's about special forms of progressions (tertiary), antiscia planets, astrology with reference to graphology - and some more... (no English translation)

 

[surnevs]

surnevs: dfreed referred to Trigram Wood - which describes quite a lot of my personal being.
(I often have a look at the Nine Star Ki - system: and the year of my birth is a Sun/Wind -
which means one may run the risk of being attracted by (too) many - partly opposing - ideas (and systems). So e.g. at times I've been at the mercy of the contrast of sidereal vers. tropical astrology. And in addition I've tried to become familiar with the Chinese Bazisuanming over the past years... etc.
As to the books (party printed, partly only online) - I'm hesitant (don't want to give my name..) - ok it's about special forms of progressions (tertiary), antiscia planets, astrology with reference to graphology - and some more... (no English translation)

Yes, my last question could, I see now, cause some conflict. Tropical were the word I'd forgotten - the name I called the Ptolemain System. And when You finally wrote that it's not in English it's out of my reach. Thank You for answering despite the fact that my question were out of context.
Astrology and I Ching are somehow connected and I've wondered when Fu Hsi read the Patterns in the sky - I mean, litterary did that mean the Signs in the Stars ? Just wondered, finding no definite answers.

 

[martinus]

I might translate my book about Nine Stars -Ki - however, my English used to be better...
That's where astrology and I Ching may reflect each other, get into close contact.
But this is "out of focus" here...
Thx again to dfreed and his/her (?) excellent observations.

 

[dfreed]

the year of my birth is a Sun/Wind - which means one may run the risk of being attracted by (too) many - partly opposing - ideas (and systems). So e.g. at times I've been at the mercy of the contrast of ....

I assume that by 'sun' you mean the name of the trigram Wind - and not the glowly yellow orb that's up in the sky right now.

As to Wind (Xun, or Sun) being out of balance, in your reading there's only one moving line in this trigram, which can indicate that there is a small bit of imbalance (which is what I was getting at); and not that you're always and greatly caught up in opposing ideas, etc ...

... I get the sense that your explorations may sometimes take you in too many directions at once, ...

e.g. Nine Star Ki system, Bazisuanmin, sidereal vers. tropical astrology, forms of progressions (tertiary), antiscia planets, and ... reference to graphology ....

... and that prehaps you need to channel or rechannel, or focus your efforts a bit. But there's no major imbalance, at least as far as I can tell.

Best, D

 

[martinus]

You're so right - there's definitely the need to (re)channel my needs and activities. I've already decided to focus only on what's essential. Thanks again!
M.