TAKE ME TO THE RIVER

[Lupinescent]

Hi,

I'm keen to make more money at this point, and to do so by means that are happy for me and benefit others. I'm a recovering copywriter and still enjoy using those skills for a limited range of clients. And hope to get more work writing articles, which I have some experience of and makes better use of what I can do. While doing this I am also developing ambitious creative projects with uncertain outcome, which is a precarious path but one I'm drawn to.

The specific wording I used was 'What will help me bring much more money in?'.

The answer: 61.1.4 to 6

I love the combination of it being both fruitful and fruitless to cross the great river. I love paradox: it contains energy, dynamism. This one seems to confirm that my general sense of direction is good, and one I can and should capitalise on...but the context of 6 is not promising, and suggests that ongoing resentments and tensions with someone I've worked with for some years and have come to realise I can't trust remain an issue. Since we're at a point where the prospect of a good outcome is realistic and I have one of 4 shares in the business involved, I don't plan to let those bad sentiments provoke me into walking away. And the incredible response I'm getting with another team working in a way true to my beliefs and intentions suggests the congruence of that future - one I want to help fund with monies from the business I have a share in but want to play a passive role in when that becomes viable.

Regarding I Ching, I am a novice in many ways, and have regularly found it invaluable - as I did a consultation with Hilary.

A.

 

[Liselle]

My experience with 61.1 has often been that I already know the answer, or even that I've already done a reading, and Yi's saying I really should pay more attention to that.

Of course that's not always what it'll mean - Hilary's commentary doesn't sound like that at all - just mentioning how I've gotten it sometimes.

ongoing resentments and tensions with someone I've worked with for some years and have come to realise I can't trust remain an issue. Since we're at a point where the prospect of a good outcome is realistic and I have one of 4 shares in the business involved, I don't plan to let those bad sentiments provoke me into walking away.

Interesting that you explain it like that, and 61.4 seems to say exactly the opposite:
'The moon almost full,
A horse’s yoke-mate runs away.
No mistake.'

"The moon almost full" - you say "we're at a point where the prospect of a good outcome is realistic"
"A horse's yoke-mate runs away" - contrast that with your resolve not to walk away
"No mistake" - Yi says separation is not a mistake.

Plus getting 61 changing to 6 when a major issue is that you don't trust someone. 61 is about truth and trust.

61 also mentions "Piglets and fishes, good fortune," and Hilary explains that they are "symbols of wealth, plenty and luck," which is exactly what you're asking about. She also says this, to define the pigs and fishes a little better:

Success in ongoing ventures (rearing your pigs), and the insight to be in the right place at the right time (placing the fishing nets) are both manifestations of your inner truth.

It doesn't seem to make much sense to walk away on the cusp of a good outcome, and it's hard to say you should even with 61.4 in your reading. But then it's probably necessary to figure out what the reading is advising you.

Can you think of any way separating could be more lucrative than staying? I'd wonder whether there's any way the untrustworthy fellow could keep your share from you, but that sounds ridiculously paranoid. On the other hand, 61 does have a legal aspect to it in the Image:
'Above the lake is the wind: Inner Truth.
A noble one deliberates over legal proceedings and delays executions.'

Hilary says "delays executions" means "slow to take irreversible decisions." Is there any "execution" / "irreversible decision" you're thinking about?

I had half a thought that one way to get money out of something by separating from it would be to sell your share to the rest of them, but of course that might not make any actual sense. (And it would be an irreversible decision.)

Does copywriting pay well? Leaving the speculative endeavors and going back to it full time would be leaving something in order to make more money. It doesn't sound like you want to do that, but maybe "Inner Truth" against "Arguments you can't win" could be about your career options and not about the untrustworthy fellow.

 

[Lupinescent]

Thank you, a lot of merit to chew on there. I shall do so.

 

[Liselle]

I'm worried that something I said might be misleading, the part about the Image.

It's important to see it properly in the reading. The rule is that moving lines take precedence over the hexagram as a whole. Also, the advice in the Image is the best behavior of a noble one, which may or may not be available in a given situation. Please read Hilary's blog post if you haven't already, especially the section at the end called "The Image in readings."

It might be best to see the hexagrams sort of as headings, and then notice how the moving lines fit in with it. Sort of like a heading might say, "Teaching the theory of relativity to 3rd graders," but until you read the text underneath, you won't know if the author's arguing for it, against it, giving ideas for doing it, or something else.

This might be similar. By all means look carefully for "legal proceedings" and "executions" in your situation, and if you see any, pay close attention. But whatever you do should be guided most by the moving lines - as long as you're careful to understand the moving lines as part of the hexagram and not in complete isolation.

 

[Lupinescent]

Thank you, for your thoughts and your signposting.

 

[moss elk]

I love the combination of it being both fruitful and fruitless to cross the great river. I love paradox: it contains energy, dynamism

The judgements of the received and related hex do not apply when there are changing lines. So, forget about that.

 

[Lupinescent]

...and makes me consider what staying within the river may bring to mind, which I shall sit with.

 

[Liselle]

The judgements of the received and related hex do not apply when there are changing lines. So, forget about that.

I both do and don't agree, M.E.

The moving lines take precedence, that's absolutely true. But you do have do see them in light of the hexagrams.

That's not a contradictory statement in my opinion. Take this line text, for instance, and pretend you don't know what hexagram it's from:
'True and confident in excellence. Good fortune.'

That could have a very different spin as a line in hexagram 3, vs. a line in hexagram 17 (what it actually is).

If the former, you'd have to think about how you'd sprout in a true, confident, and excellent way. In the latter, you think about how you follow in that manner.

 

[Liselle]

More specifically to your point, the hexagram texts won't apply word for word if the line text directly contradicts them. But they will still give a general feel for what the hexagram's about overall, or act as a frame for the situation.

In this case, since Lupinescent's asking about making more money, I think it's helpful to note that 61's judgement mentions "pigs and fishes," wealth and plenty. At the very least it should help Lupinescent feel like Yi's heard her. "Yes, this is about resources, providing well for yourself."



Then (not talking to M.E. specifically anymore) the lines say things like "Is there something you already know about this?" (line 1, maybe), and something about separating and that not being a mistake.

Line 1 seems to go along nicely with 61: 61 is also about inner resonance, the drumbeat from the character reverberating around inside.

...the character zhong, which Hilary explains was probably originally a drum on a pole. Line 1 might mean there's already some inner resonance to listen to.

Line 4 might fit in with the relating hexagram 6: if you're in an argument you can't win, maybe better to separate from it.

Now I'm way into the realm of "interesting speculation," since it's definitely not a rule that if there are 2 moving lines, one "goes with" one hexagram and the other "goes with" the other. It just catches my eye that in this particular reading they seem to.

 

[moss elk]

I both do and don't agree, M.E.

Happy Thursday. :]

What I'm saying is an elementary & fundemental thing.

When you get 1.1 (44)
Hex 1's judgmenr does not apply.

Now look at any single line reading,
Then look at how the change line can contradict, then rightfully take precedence over the judement in the received hex.

Then you must apply that same principle to every muliple line reading. The judgments/oracle & auspice contained therein only apply in unchanging readings.

The Image however, should be taken into consideration as they were written to capture the 'core' meaning of a gua.

Marrying the core meanings gets you the answer.

 

[Liselle]

Happy Thursday to you!

I'm not sure you understood my point. I agree that when there are moving lines, every word in the judgement might not apply directly, because what the line says takes precedence. That's not the same as saying ignore the hexagrams altogether.

Maybe you're not actually saying ignore them completely, though, in which case we're not saying anything any different.

 

[moss elk]

Happy Thursday to you!

I'm not sure you understood my point. I agree that when there are moving lines, every word in the judgement might not apply directly, because what the line says takes precedence. That's not the same as saying ignore the hexagrams altogether.

Maybe you're not actually saying ignore them completely, though, in which case we're not saying anything any different.

I'm saying ignore the gua's main auspice/judgment/oracle with evety reading that is not unchanging.
(Because they become irrelevant when there are any change lines)

But don't ignore the Image(s)
(They stay relevant)

That is different than ignoring 'the hexagrams'

1.1 (44) is the evidence to support what I'm saying.

 

[Ana Maria]

H61 provides the frame (a guiding orientation) saying that you have your OWN truth, and can follow your inner drummer and character, and possibly already have all the answers you need. Then the lines provide the contents, more details on the situation, and there's a few different meanings at play here.
H6 sounds like you're in context of being conflicted or in a conflict of interests situation or in a semi-truth/partial trust situation - would you say so? Note that 61 seems inwards looking but there's something about trusting relations and almost telepathic communication and connections (the horses and the cranes).

61.1. advises you to act truthfully and/or remain true to yourself, if not yourself then to what you value as the highest good, best outcome - don't rely on half-cooked, faint connections or plans and ideas, don't have secret plans and manipulative intentions either. This could be an admonition. Also pigs and fishes are riches of some kind, but stubborn in animal-energy.

Now, line 1 could indicate a temporal marker - the place where you are now or a place or point in time from which came into a 61.4-alike place. What do you think? This line says that a horse (a partner, a structure of support, a helper, a wise plan/idea) gets lost and that the moon is almost full (this is either your decision/intuition or something that is about to come into being after a phase). You could part ways with something or someone, without fault, particularly if you feel you need to sacrifice of yourself and your values. but is this what YOU want and need in light of what you wrote above? what is it that you want, feel, need, and aspire to? Only you can tell.

If this is a major crossroad, a life-changing decision scenario, then you may want to be careful about seeking too much advice or relying too much on opinions (this forum and the Yi included). H61 tends to appear at these times to say "sometimes you want to rely on others for the truth but this time you've gotta find it out yourself".

 

[Ana Maria]

P.s. I just had a lovely exchange on H61 that reinforces some things I said above. I will add that this hexagram can nudge one to make "inner truth" outer, higher Truths practical. Being centred in oneself, grounded in one's core values and aspirations and capacities, while sharing these with others as well–– inter-dependence + inner truth as opposed to (co)dependency and outer truths, following cliques and such.

No man/woman is an island but only "I" can know and therefore follow "my" own life path, isn't it? this is the work of a lifetime, I reckon, so my comments may sound a bit too philosophical. I hope I helped somehow.

 

[Lupinescent]

You have helped. You all have. So much of this is about me heading more towards where my heart is, and where I know my work can be both deeply rewarding to myself and beneficial to others, directly and indirectly. But it's no exaggeration to state that my financial situation is perilous (as in, unable to meet next week's outgoings currently). And of course, there is irony and counterpoint: guidance I gave to someone a week ago in a situation that's comparable to mine in many respects has resulted in him lining up what could be a life-changing meeting with some significant allies about creative work they've developed.

 

[Ana Maria]

Yes, I had a sense that this was the case re your situation. You have no idea how many people have been where you are now and received h61, if this serves as consolation (in the best sense of the word).

Impression 1: could you help yourself as you'd help another (your best friend, a sister)? what would you advise yourself?

Impression 2: needing to make ends meet is a truth made practical. Pigs and fishes are animals that feed us - they appear in the judgment/image don't they? a horse is a means of work, a plowing helper.

That's why I emphasized that 61 is not just about "inner" and "truth" (titles are misleading), it can mean Lucidity. your question was, after all, about material/practical concerns.

best of luck

 

[Liselle]

Hilary's commentary doesn't sound like that at all

I shouldn't assume you have Hilary's book. Here it is:

61.1
'Guided, good fortune.
There is another, no peace.'

Inner truth is opening up a flow of change; existing frameworks and agreements of all kinds can no longer be taken for granted. There is guidance available that can lead you towards good fortune – but it’s as well to be vigilant for other factors that may complicate matters and disturb your peace: half-hidden needs or beliefs, other people’s influence, or divergent, mutually incompatible desires.