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"How" questions

jazzcat

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Hi all - it's been a while since I've posted, but I am enjoying reading all the great goings on here. I was wondering how "appropriate" it is to ask a "how" question when consulting the I Ching. I've learned that "yes/no" questions don't really work (at least, they haven't for me). I know that one method is to ask something more along the lines of "What if I use this approach?" ... but I'm at a point where I'm out of ideas and approaches to ask about - so I've started asking "How can I deal with X?" instead of "What if I deal with X in *this* way?"

Has anyone else here had success (or failure) with such a method of questioning? Just curious.

Many thanks in advance.

~Jazzy
 

bradford

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I think of the Yi as a tool kit, and the tools are attitudes.
 

meng

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I think how to questions are among the most useful.
 

meng

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I think how to questions are among the most useful.

...rather than whether to. If I see well enough, my judgments will be good. If not, it's still the best I've got. :)

Starting clear minded and strong is a great advantage.
 

jazzcat

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Thanks all... I'll take these things into consideration. As to what Meng wrote above - starting off clear minded is proving to be a challenge, which is why I've been seeking advice in the first place.
 

meng

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Yes, I meant that the purpose of asking and clarifying various things helps one to begin 'crossing the great water' toward whatever they've set their mind to do. The reason I like 'how questions' is that they're solution oriented, not 'if' nor 'should I" questions. I realize that in early times it was used often as a 'should I' question solver; I really don't care. I believe we are designed to make our own minds up about those things we want and those we don't want. Perhaps we're too timid about it, but I think it's healthy to know what you want and don't want. "How" becomes the question. Of course if your question crosses hard lines of the mores, morality, ethics, the entire matter becomes greatly more complex to use the Yijing to discover how. There's a bit more than how to attain your own ends. Ideally, the goal is to desire what gratification life can offer back for what you do and who you are. That may look entirely different than you thought it was supposed to. An even greater goal is to be happy, regardless.
 

precision grace

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I'm not very experienced with Yi but I am very experienced with myself. And with that in mind I can tell you that how you frame the questions doesn't actually matter, but what matters is that you know yourself and what the various question formats and corresponding answers would mean to you.
 

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