What will happen to Japan?

[duiday]

I asked "What will happen to Japan over the next 30 days?" and got 18.1.5. DECAY.

This is the first time I've ever gotten anything that seemed to be ridiculous.

Decay and nuclear reactions may fit, but there is nothing else that seems to fit. Well, there is (Paraphrasing) "What happened originally will happen again within three days."

I can easily believe that another quake/tsunami is about to hit Japan, but it's already the 15th in Japan as I write. I believe that the quake was on the 11th.

On another note, Kyodo news is reporting a most serious situation at the number 2 Fukushima reactor. It has exploded again and the containment vessel is damaged. The engineers were evacuated. If I'm not wrong, that means the worst is unfolding.

So I'm not sure how the success of DECAY has much to do with this very serious situation for the world.

What did I miss?

 

[Tohpol]

What did I miss?

Seems quite an accurate reading of the situation.

H.18 is decay yes, but it's also poison (radiation) and renovation - out with the old in with the new.

In this scenario line 1 might suggest acting with courage and purpose; tackling the source of corruption / danger directly but carefully.
But Line 5 cautions about getting rid of the problem too hastily. In order for there to be a successful resolution they are going to have to go very, very gently indeed. The changing Hexagram is 9 which means keeping things under control and maintaining balance for the long term.

Pretty obvious but an accurate rendering which doesn't seem to imply a worsening of the situation. We'll see.

 

[duiday]

Seems quite an accurate reading of the situation.

H.18 is decay yes, but it's also poison (radiation) and renovation - out with the old in with the new.

That part does seem to fit, topal. The "out with the old, in with the new" theme fits as well as the poison. I'm having trouble seeing mass death as being the spring board to a new beginning, as the new beginning doesn't seem to be so glorious. I do see the point. I do see that a new beginning will ensue. I just don't feel like it's something worth celebrating. It seems as though the yi was celebratory on this issue, and that may be my own interpretation getting in the way.

Pretty obvious but an accurate rendering which doesn't seem to imply a worsening of the situation. We'll see.

I guess it's only right to let it play out. My intuition is strongly telling me that the situation will worsen though. In fact, since I did the reading it did worsen (explosions in a couple of reactors, etc.) Still, it must be allowed to come to a conclusion before putting a label on it. I just can't see this ending well, even for people down wind of the jet stream (US and Canada.) This is a tough one for me because I have strong feelings going on that just don't want to celebrate this "new beginning".

Well, anyway, thanks. We're going to see it unfold now, for better or for worse.

 

[Tohpol]

That part does seem to fit, topal. The "out with the old, in with the new" theme fits as well as the poison. I'm having trouble seeing mass death as being the spring board to a new beginning, as the new beginning doesn't seem to be so glorious. I do see the point. I do see that a new beginning will ensue. I just don't feel like it's something worth celebrating. It seems as though the yi was celebratory on this issue, and that may be my own interpretation getting in the way.


I guess it's only right to let it play out. My intuition is strongly telling me that the situation will worsen though. In fact, since I did the reading it did worsen (explosions in a couple of reactors, etc.) Still, it must be allowed to come to a conclusion before putting a label on it. I just can't see this ending well, even for people down wind of the jet stream (US and Canada.) This is a tough one for me because I have strong feelings going on that just don't want to celebrate this "new beginning".

Well, anyway, thanks. We're going to see it unfold now, for better or for worse.

Sure, I understand and you may well be right. I think the thing about 18 is that the process of change is often a very painful one. As to whether the situation will continue to worsen....Well, as you say it certainly looks that way.

Line 5 says not to tackle something too forcefully if the roots are so bound up with the system in question. I guess that's no guarantee that the situation will be handled correctly.

My prayers go out to the Japanese people.

 

[rosada]

18.1.5 Decay changes to 9 with it's image of wind blowing about the sky. This indeed suggests the potential for poisons being carried through the air.
However, Hexagram 18. is not just known as Decay but also as Work on What Has Been Spoiled. Wilhelm notes this is important:

"The meaning of the hexagram is not simply "what has been spoiled" but "work on what has been spoiled."
-Wilhelm
I see this and the lines 18.1 and 18.5 as being very encouraging that what will happen to Japan is that they will recover, especially from any threat from the nuclear fallout.

WORK ON WHAT HAS BEEN SPOILED
Has supreme success.It furthers one to cross the great water.
Before starting point three days.
After starting point, three days.
-Wilhelm

"Work towards improving conditions promises well...
Success depends on proper deliberation. This is expressed by the lines 'Before the starting point, three days. After the starting point, three days.'"
-Wilhelm

IMAGE "The superior man stirs up the people and strengthens their spirit."
-Wilhelm

Lines one and five emphasize the son being able to right the mistakes of the father.
This also sounds like good news for Japan's eventual recovery. Perhaps it also means that in the next 30 days there will be some very good progress, at least in understanding what went wrong with the various "fail safe" measures.

rosada

 

[rosada]

I just read that the emperor of Japan gave a speech yesterday to encourage the people. It seems it is most unusual for the emperor to give a speech so i thought this was note worthy and fits in with 18's Image of the superior man who "stirs up the people and strengthens their spirit."

Dulday, I have never heard this interpretation that what Wilhelm translates as "Before the starting point, three days. After the starting point, three days" could mean "What happened originally will happen again within three days." Can you tell us any more about that idea? Thank you!

rosada

 

[rosada]

I wonder if 18 changing to 9 could indicate changing from nuclear power to wind power.
That wouldn't happen in just 30 days of course but it might be the direction things are headed.

rosada

 

[duiday]

I think the thing about 18 is that the process of change is often a very painful one.

I overlooked this angle, topal. It certainly fits though.

As far as the success angle goes, I think it must depend on the virtuous intent of the Japanese. All of this is relative to how virtuous the actors are, and I have some great doubts about the intent of the Japanese. For instance, they were warned not to build reactors in this zone, but they went ahead against this advice. Now we have the unfolding of the thing they were warned about.

Also, they seem to be not forthcoming with warnings in a timely manner to give people a chance to evacuate. I really question their motives for a lot of what's going on.

In other words, I see the "same old boss" trying to rectify this situation for all the wrong reasons.

So the question I have is how predict success with the Yi when you suspect that the virtue of the actors is deficient? I mean that just means FAIL, right? Or am I missing an angle?

 

[duiday]

18.1.5 Decay changes to 9 with it's image of wind blowing about the sky. This indeed suggests the potential for poisons being carried through the air.
However, Hexagram 18. is not just known as Decay but also as Work on What Has Been Spoiled. Wilhelm notes this is important:

"The meaning of the hexagram is not simply "what has been spoiled" but "work on what has been spoiled."

That makes sense, rosada. I think these projects were actually started by their fathers. The current workers inherited this mess.

I see this and the lines 18.1 and 18.5 as being very encouraging that what will happen to Japan is that they will recover, especially from any threat from the nuclear fallout.

I interpreted it that way too, but it has turned decidedly sour and it looks like they are in full melt down with catastrophic consequences. But as I mentioned to topal, if their hearts or intentions are not in the right place, and it appears that this is possible, then I guess that throws everything off.

Is the reading a "what if" in the sense that it depends on righteous intent?

 

[duiday]

I just read that the emperor of Japan gave a speech yesterday to encourage the people. It seems it is most unusual for the emperor to give a speech so i thought this was note worthy and fits in with 18's Image of the superior man who "stirs up the people and strengthens their spirit."

I wish I could believe that he is a righteous man or superior man! He may be a major criminal, and only showing a public face of a superior man. I don't really know that to be true, but I suspect it.

Duiday, I have never heard this interpretation that what Wilhelm translates as "Before the starting point, three days. After the starting point, three days" could mean "What happened originally will happen again within three days." Can you tell us any more about that idea? Thank you! rosada

Wish I could tell you more but it's beyond my ability. I got that from Blofeld and here's the quote:
"What has happened once will surely happen again (literally 'three days before the commencement; three days after the commencement')"

He explains that the Confucian commentary justified him taking "liberty" with that interpretation.

Kinda confusing to me.

 

[Tohpol]

So the question I have is how predict success with the Yi when you suspect that the virtue of the actors is deficient? I mean that just means FAIL, right? Or am I missing an angle?

No not really. Deficiency and corruption is part and parcel of 18 which certainly doesn't guarantee success but Line 5 might indicate there's a chance. The ambiguity here is regarding the time factor. Even Chernobyl after 25 years is still a serious problem leaking radiation and causing generational cancers. So, by any and all accounts this is not a situation that is going away as here we have potentially four reactors failing with a backdrop of serious concerns about the Japanese construction of these reactors dating all the way back to '72. So, it's all pretty grim. We'll just have to wait and see.

I asked a tangential question here.