rejoining the gym 50.2>56

[oceangirl]

I have asked how would it benefit me to rejoin (a particular gym)

Hexagram 50.2>56

Transformation looks good and are readily available BUT what is it that would stop me being able to make use of them....weird!

The fact that Hexagram 56 The Traveller is here also and the Line 2 in 50 speaks of eny - that wouldn't surprise if people were envious of my life, particularly the owner. It would be almost 12 months since I last went there and I'd imagine they're still doing the same old, same old. I used to belong to this gym but left because where I travelled didn't have franchises, well they don't have much in the outback really.

 

[Liselle]

50.2
"The vessel contains something real.
My companions are afflicted,
Cannot come near me. Good fortune."

56.2 (fan yao, corresponding line in the relating hexagram)
"Traveller comes to a resting place,
Cherishes his own,
Gains a young helper.
Constancy."

Hm. I had this once recently where I wondered how important the word "contains" is. I wondered (in my reading, and I'm not even completely sure about it) whether it was telling me that what's in the vessel is good, but the vessel itself isn't? But, does there happen to be anything about the gym, or joining the gym, or the larger context around your question, that could be separated into "what's inside" vs. "what contains it"? Anything ring a bell with the word "contains"?

And who do you think the "afflicted companions" might be? Are there any other people associated with this so far? You say you'd be re-joining, so have you met the gym's staff? Do you know other gym members? Was there anything about the previous time that might fit the imagery? Have you discussed this with anyone else? (As seems to be usual with readings, there might be more than one "level" to look at this from - so "companions" might be other people, or different "inner voices" e.g. if you're having a debate in your own head about it, or completely inanimate aspects of the gym, or...)

Anyway. I copied down the fan yao, in order to pay attention to the relating hexagram, because it's hard to miss that the relating hexagram is 56, Travelling, and you are nothing if not a Traveller.

Important to remember, though, that the relating hexagram is not your answer. Paraphrasing things Hilary says, the primary hexagram is your answer, what you have to work with (etc.), and the relating hexagram can be "your" hexagram, how it feels to you, the background, the context, etc. It can be very easy to recognize (as I just did), but still, not your answer.

The fan yao sounds lovely, doesn't it - if we can take it at face value, you might feel the gym is a "resting place" and a "helper." But you still do have to straighten out what's the vessel, who or what are the afflicted companions, why or how you might experience it or them as a threat in some way...I mean, even if they ultimately can't come near you, they and their affliction exist, and still might affect you or require you to deal with them. (And occasionally, if dealing with something is too onerous, we might not want to bother, even if the eventual outcome would be good.)

Also, Hilary (I keep quoting Hilary because, you know, I didn't get all this out of my head, lol) encourages people to read their answer as an answer, so...

"How would it benefit me to join..."

"The benefit would be <text of 50.2 or ideas from it>."​

I find what's important about going over it (and over it) as an answer like that is it keeps you in touch with your question, and helps you make connections between the text and your question. Otherwise, it's frighteningly easy to go off on tangents with imagery like "vessel" without connecting "vessel" to what you're asking about.

Having babbled on...I do think the answer is probably encouraging about joining (not least because the omen is "good fortune"), but since I'm not you, I can't identify the "vessel" or the "companions" etc. in the situation.

 

[oceangirl]

Thanks Liselle....I went to join and couldn't because she was 'afflicted'? with teaching a class...! Could be that simple &#55357;&#56842;

 

[Liselle]

Er, well, having stressed reading the answer as an answer...there are varying degrees of literalness. If you ask about the benefit of doing something - and suppose in reality there is no benefit, or there would be actual harm - then the conversation would be more like:

You: "What's the benefit of doing this?"
Yi: "There is none. This will do nothing for you." (Or "this will hurt you," or whatever.)

Trojina is really good at this, imagining conversations, and it usually helps make things more clear. You might try imagining this as having a conversation with a friend. You ask her about the benefit of joining the gym. She might say, "Well, exercise would be good for you, but,,," (for example, I'm making this up) "...you're going to get tired of driving 10 miles there and back" or whatever.

Point being, just because you ask about a benefit doesn't guarantee there will be one, and Yi's answer will reflect what's important.

 

[Liselle]

Crossed posts - I'm glad it was simple - trust me to over-complicate things, argh.

 

[Liselle]

...although...
(here I go again)
Would that be something like asking Yi, "How would it benefit me to phone X?" and Yi answers with 50.2, and all it meant was that you'd get a busy signal? The question surely wasn't about momentary technical problems, it was about talking with X (and I don't think Yi is so rude that it would hang a person for using the word "phone" rather than "talk with." I hope!)

So is the fact that she was unavailable at that moment really important, or do you think 50.2 is addressing something broader?

 

[oceangirl]

Well we'll see but Yi is a present moment thing isn't it

 

[Liselle]

Well we'll see but Yi is a present moment thing isn't it

Yessss, in a way... I mean, people do say it describes "the time" aka where you are now. But I guess I think it doesn't have to be that confined or precise or literal. I mean, as in my example about phoning X. If someone asks Yi about a benefit of calling X, I'd think what Yi wouldn't mean is "well, if you can't talk to X this instant because of a busy signal, then give up on it forever."

But it would depend on circumstances, too. There could be situations where you really do have to talk to X right this second, and talking to X later would be no help at all. Making something up, suppose your car won't start, and you need a ride to work. You'd need someone pretty much right then, and if X's line is busy, you'd have to move along to phoning Y, Z, whoever answers their phone immediately.

I don't know what kind of circumstance this is, with the gym and the availability of this person. My guess (guess) is that the reading describes what joining the gym would be like, more broadly. But if you think that's how the reading fits, it probably does. You're in a better position to know than anyone else. Maybe there's a general, overall problem with people being chronically unavailable? Maybe that's the "affliction"? Do you think so?

 

[oceangirl]

I joined today - there's nothing more from the reading I can take except for yesterday when I couldn't get near them to re-join.
The other thing that's happened while I was away and a non-member - the gym has been sold. The last owner was 'afflicted' with boredom and having trouble selling the business.
The new owner is bright and happy, repainting the place and bringing in new resistance machines - almost a total makeover I'd say.
Her and I hit it off instantly.