without entanglement

[River1980]

I have a friend who behaves very strangely with me. She is oversensitive and blows hot and cold and I don't think she even likes me at all. I asked I ching what the likelihood of her causing me problems was. And I got hex 25 unchanging without entanglement. What does this mean?

 

[mulberry]

My understanding of 25 has changed over the years. I prefer the translation Innocence or the Unexpected. "Without entanglement" doesn't quite give the full feeling... But it does make sense. I used to understand the hex as generally auspicious and fortunate but the subtleties are actually very different. It's about something that happens to you through no fault of your own (so, you are innocent/it's unexpected/you are "without entanglement" in the source of what happens). But it can be quite negative (as in the 3rd line). In general getting 25 unchanging in your situation makes me think that whatever makes her act that way, it's not through any fault of yours. Maybe this is just the way she is, and it's your innocent misfortune to have to deal with the fallout.

It's hard for the I Ching to say whether she will "cause you problems". That's pretty vague, and anyway it seems she is already causing you problems. Yi is answering that really the "problems" are not coming from anything you are doing. You're an innocent party to her behavior. But also there is a real chance of continued unpleasantness. It sounds best to disengage from this friendship, if that's possible. I say that both from the reading and from your description of her behavior.

 

[Trojina]

That she is likely not very focused on you so is not likely to cause you problems. Perhaps the reason she appears to blow hot and cold is that she just does what she feels like in the moment and doesn't consider how it impacts on you. IOW she is simply being herself.

I would not think she has any intentions of any kind to you for good or ill.

 

[River1980]

Thank you to you both. Her recent behaviour had me quite paranoid that she wished me harm. But will distance myself all the same. Thank you for your insights and feedback

 

[Olga Super Star]

Since 25 is the hexagram I get the most, I want to try and say my opinion - you will pardon me if it's nonsense..

Could it be that this 25 means that what she does to you depends on how 25 you are?
If you read the lines of 25 you are naive, then you are made a fool, and then you learn how to go on.
Since you asked how likely is she to cause you problems, it might say "depends on how you'll behave": are you going to leave your cow abandoned in the street?