Who are Yi?

[luz]

I guess we all get to that point where we (out of amazement or frustration or plain out curiosity) finally ask the question that has been asked so many times before. so I went ahead and asked the Oracle: Who are you???

And it complied:
4.1.6 -> 19

I thought you might find it interesting. I was pretty impressed, even though I probably don't catch all of the meaning.
I'm an agnostic, really. But Hex #19 seems to me like there just might be a God,... of sorts... (so far I've only read Lise's interpretation)

 

[luz]

And that's why it's soooo important to have different translations.
In this case, when I read Karcher and am left in the dark.
Lise's answer is so clear to me, on the other hand.

 

[heylise]

4, when you don't know...
19, getting as close as anyhow possible

LiSe

 

[heylise]

I really love 4: it is a kind of genuine, real, worthwhile not-knowing, much better than just the lack of knowing. It is open to everything.

And 19 has a lot to do with love, only way to come real close

LiSe

 

[bradford_h]

Another odd angle:
04 - folks asking questions
1,6 - needing extreme forms of discipline
to
19 - a work in progress.

 

[candid]

What a perfect answer you?ve received. The young approaches the ancient of days. Tolerant and inexhaustible is the Sage. Curious and persistent is the young one. Water gathering upon the earth, not knowing which way to go. Only time reveals her direction, along the lines of least resistance.

 

[gene]

Interesting that both 4 and 19 have something to do with teacher and student. In 19 the student approaches the teacher in 20. In 4 the relationship between teacher and student is expounded upon. As Candid says, "what a perfect answer." The I Ching teaches us the heavenly way. As for a God? I won't get into that because there are so many definitions for God, but the I Ching does seem to be an "unseen guest."

Gene

 

[Frankelmick]

LightAngel,

Your question and the answer you received from the I Ching remind me of something I read years and years ago. Here's how I remember it...

A pupil asked Gurdjieff, "Why are we born and why do we die?"

Gurdjieff replied, "You wish to know this? To know this you must be able to suffer for a million Francs. As you are now, you cannot suffer for even one Franc."

Best wishes,

Mick

 

[luz]

The thing with the I ching is, I'm still so amazed by how adequate the answers are. I'm a bit skeptical about these things, even though I grew up with a mother who was a theosophist and who also visited fortune tellers on a weekly basis and who was not averse to the odd little harmless spell here and there (all the while being catholic) So, I grew up very familiar with 'magical thinking' but have now grown in a very different direction, until now. I figure it didn't hurt doing the i ching because I saw it as a philosophy book from which you might as well pick a page at random and read some good stuff. But, in the short time I've been using it, it has been so accurate! Perhaps I haven't really found out how the 'predictions' come out in the end, but they are all so apppropiate and the advice is so sound! It amazes me.

 

[dobro p]

I'd tweak Brad's take on it slightly:

4 - the ignorant asking questions

19 - greatness approaching

My guess is that a definitive answer to the question is provided strictly on a need-to-know basis roflmao.

 

[jerryd]

It is not an accumulation of ancient knowledge translated into western understanding and then re-interped by we who attempt these readings with the help of what WE consider the source to be for the YI??

But Dobro your evaluation is a great god sent approaching blasthemy, LOLx3

 

[jerryd]

If you would like to access a more detailed investigation of the iterpertation of Yi and the true meaning of Yi, please refer to in W/B translation of Key words: W/B; Traps for Tao: on page 27 through page 32. Some very intresting things there.

 

[jerryd]

MISTAKE MADE at jan 7 05 posting .....by me jerryd {it should read} IS IT NOT, instead of....it is not....a major mental error.

 

[Frankelmick]

I found the Gurdjieff quote in "Teachings of Gurdjieff" by C.S.Nott.

Page 64 , "Someone asked why we are born, and why we die.

He said, 'You wish to know? Really to know you must suffer. You must learn to suffer not as you do now, but consciously. At present you cannot suffer one franc, and to understand a little you must suffer a million francs.'"

Best wishes,

Mick