What is the Nature of Yi as Encountered in Divination?

[kevin]

Hello Peters
Thank you for your understanding.

Though I do think it might take a little more than that for me to run out of contributions. Chuckling.

I, too, have enjoyed our conversations.

Be well

Kevin

 

[yarrow77]

Just speaking from experience (since 1980s), I think of Yi as a Great Sage, and before each question I address the Yi as such. I treat Yi as a person, a valued elder. I don't ask a question unless I or my questioner is at wits end about an issue. I feel this respect, and a sincere intent about the question, is key to a fruitful answer. The Mystery seems to respond to heartfelt & sincere inquiries (I just report these things ... ). Keep it simple & Great Sage will be simple, make it complex and the Great Sage will take you on a magic carpet ride - if that is your wish...

The author, John Opsopaus, has a recent book published about divination. He states how I feel very well:

"How do you think a human sage would react if we came to them to ask a question, and having received their answer, came back ten minutes later and asked the same question, and then came back again, and again and again, until we had enough “samples” for statistical analysis? I expect that they would reward our arrogance and mistrust by not answering (i.e., “letting the chips fall where they may”), or perhaps teach us a lesson in humility in some other way. There is a long tradition in many cultures that the gods withdraw our prophetic powers if they are misused. Without the guiding hand of the god, you will get exactly what would be expected by chance: random readings. “The master speaks but once.” This was Carl Jung’s comment about repeating a divination, which he wrote in his Forward to the I Ching, 155 which is well worth reading. Does this mean that you should never ask the same question more than once? Not necessarily. There is nothing wrong with repeating a question to obtain clarification, although in this case you should be explicit about what is unclear, which means it’s really a different question. It is also appropriate to repeat a question if circumstances have changed since the first time you asked it. Again, that really makes it a different question, since its context has changed. If you just keep in mind that you are addressing a divinity to whom you owe respect, and that you are not playing a game (or running a scientific experiment), then you will not go wrong.”

— The Oracles of Apollo: Practical Ancient Greek Divination for Today by John Opsopaus
Thanks to all for an interesting discussion!