I've been searching for a job for quite some time although I took a break over the Summer holidays and to take some time out in recovery of my PTSD. However, in the last month I have applied for so many jobs I've lost count and who I sent applications to. I have used a similar question to diamanda's same query.....What should I do to get a job as soon as possible.....17.1.4>8. I am following all leads I get on suitable jobs Hexagram 17 and putting in application far and wide throughout the country (Line 1) Not sure about Line 4 except maybe following through if asked for an interview. thanks

Hi becalm, I think it's fine to put applications far and wide throughout the Country. Whatsoever, 17.4. might be asking you to stay on a clear path - think about which Company or Society you apply to, not just everybody, and ask yourself, where you belong to (Hex. 8). This is the point. Listen whom to follow, who it will be to invite you. All the best and good luck and lots of success!

Thanks mandarin_23 sounds like this reading is confirming what I'm already doing!!

Following makes a catch. Constancy, pitfall

Why is it pitfall to catch what you're following too often?

Because when we're following something improper, and we manage to catch it, then that's bad news.

So 17.1.4 means following something not good for us??

You know I keep receiving this for houses I see. Many many of them. Usually for mostly neutral homes, meaning they’re not stunning but they’re ok and affordable.

I was wondering what it meant.

olga said:

So 17.1.4 means following something not good for us??

Click to expand...

Olga I'm afraid we misunderstood each other. This is not what I meant. I was replying to your question about line 17.4 - this one to be precise:

olga said:

Following makes a catch. Constancy, pitfall
Why is it pitfall to catch what you're following too often?

Click to expand...

I was writing about why I believe that line 17.4 says that following and catching something brings misfortune. Hence I wrote that if we follow and catch something which is not good, then obviously that's not good for us. This is referring only to what line 17.4 says.

Yes I understood what you said.

What I don’t understand is whether the line says that what we’re following is good or not.

Or maybe it doesn’t say?

olga said:

What I don’t understand is whether the line says that what we’re following is good or not.
Or maybe it doesn’t say?

Click to expand...

The line says that following in order to obtain, or following and obtaining, brings misfortune. Line 4 is after gains from above and below (lines 3 and 5), or possibly only from below (line 3). It behaves with greed and servility, and it is following the wrong course, hence this is an omen of misfortune. I hope that helps.

Oh my goodness

So all those houses I keep getting 17.1.4>8 are best staying where they are.

(right attitude towards agents insisting on me buying them: )

Olga, 17.4 is not the same as 17.1.4 > 8. If you'd like advice on buying a house please start your own thread.

Oh no, I have enough threads on house buying..

17.4 is part of 17.1.4..
if 17.4 as you say is ill omen then 17.1.4 makes me skeptic as to anything involved in the cast.

House buying was just an example, I was interested in what the line says. Thank you for helping out with the line, now it’s much clearer!

In both cases, mine and Becalm’s, a lot of search is involved.

We are searching and wonder.
Becalm is just searching, probably no job comes up, while I am searching and houses come up and have to decide which to take.

In both cases if I understand it correctly Yi says careful what you are running after.

If there was no pitfall it would just be saying keep looking, keep following, and you will catch what you are looking for.

But it says pitfall.

So if I understand it correctly it is saying , careful about what you stumble into.

I wonder if the pitfall might have something to do with the idea of thinking if you're following, you have to catch something, or that "catching" is the whole point of following...?

Becalm, your question was "What should I do to get a job as soon as possible?" Of course people need jobs and incomes, but is there any way in which maybe you don't need one this instant, where you have to catch anything that comes along?

Hexagram 8 is partly about being committed and not being late, but in this reading it's your relating hexagram, not the primary one. Relating hexagrams can be the background, something you believe to be true.

Here is something Hilary wrote about 17.4 as one of the moving lines in a Foundations course sample reading. Her question, about Yi itself, was: "How do you work? (I'm picking up the beads and asking, and I know you're about to answer. What's happening?)"

(Keep in mind there was more to the reading than just this one line, plus this is an excerpt.)

Line 4? Trickier. Not just beginning in the inner world, but beginning in the outer world (and zhi Hexagram 3, so yes… not an easy beginning, really trying to find our feet). What to do with the reading?

'Following makes a catch. Constancy, pitfall.
With truth and confidence, holding to the path with clarity,
How can this be wrong?'

Well… different people read this in different ways, but it works for me to read it in two parts:

'Following makes a catch – constancy, pitfall.'

Making a catch might look like the whole point of following (especially in the sense of 'pursuit'), like getting the message might look like the whole point of a reading. But constancy, pitfall… maybe saying, 'Aha, I’ve got the answer, now I know what it means, that’s settled…'? So nothing wrong with 'getting it', but quite a lot wrong with hanging on at all costs. (The character for 'catch' shows two dogs in the grass. Ever tried to separate a terrier from her prize?)

'With truth and confidence, holding to the path with clarity – how can this be wrong?'

Fu* – here and in line 5. One of my favourite characters – seeing it twice in this reading simply brings me joy.

And… it's the ongoing state of being connected, isn't it? Which is not at all the same as knowing the answer. So here is how it works and how it doesn't work, and the answer to line 4's 'what can I do with this?' question.

'True and confident in excellence.
Good fortune.'

'Excellence' (or 'praise' or simply 'good, bountiful') is a lovely character: voice-strong, meaning 'increase', and a drum. A celebratory crescendo of drumming! (Which is a beautiful fit with the line's zhi gua…)

That could be the full resonant enlivening 'aha!', couldn't it?

Also maybe 'true to the rhythm of things'?

Click to expand...

* 'Fu' is "truth and confidence"

17. Following gives advice on the importance of following the path as it opens up for us one step at a time. (note how the lines start with waking in the morning, following the light through out the day and end with the image of night fall and the superior man going to sleep at.)
For what to do to get a job asap 17.1 says there actually isn't any bigger step you need to take now. Maybe the applications you have sent already will result in something? But 17.1 can also mean you need to look in new directions, perhaps a different sort of work than what you have been pursuing? 17.4 warns of pitfalls if we try to see too far down the road when we need to focus on what is right in front of us. Perhaps you have connections right now - friends? - that will lead to employment.
Anyway, 17.1.4 - 8 reads to me as if Following your path, doing what seems reasonable one day at a time, leads to Union, i.e. work, so you must be doing something right.
Maybe ask the I Ching, "Describe my next paying job."

Mercury, the planet that rules work and service, will be moving forward at the end of this month. That might coincide with work opportunities opening up for you.

Thanks to all for discussion and the ones who responded to my question. This is what happened....I sent a multitude of applications, some I thought further about and withdrew the application and some I never heard back from at all. Some processed the application and followed up with thanks but you're unsuccessful. I was successful in getting the job I phone interviewed for although the application process is still ongoing. I also went for another face to face interview and was successful but the organization couldn't follow through with the job offer but did offer me another job. In the interim I also got offered more job interviews than I could keep up with over 2 days and amid that I became very very sick very quickly with two infections which I'm now about 80% recovered. So lots of following up of lots of job potentials.

Could pitfall be related to infections, you think? As in Don't chase jobs so much or you'll get ill.

Holding to your path could maybe mean don't get distracted by non-relevant ideas? (such as looking for a job in an area you are not interested or doesn't pay well). When someone is searching and doesn't find what they are looking for, maybe they tend to get whatever comes round.

So basically you have lots of job options claps, and it's up to you now to decide which one to take? Am I correct?

I think rosada was spot on here as in the end all the leads led to nothing, even the job offer turned sour because of delays in paperwork, and I'm wondering if I should be looking in a different career direction although I am trying to sit out the Mercury Retrograde in the hope things turn themselves around and head in the right direction.

Hex 17.1.4 to 8 Job search

I cannot post the hexagram with parameters because this site only accept text in English and no graphics. You can find the hexagram yourself online with other resources. I try anyways.
六神　 伏神 　　　震宫：泽雷随（归魂）　　　　　坤宫：水地比（归魂）
　　　　　　　　　【本　卦】　　　　　　　　　　　【变　卦】
滕蛇　　　　　　　▅▅　▅▅　妻财丁未土　应　　　▅▅　▅▅　父母戊子水　应
勾陈　　　　　　　▅▅▅▅▅　官鬼丁酉金　　　　　▅▅▅▅▅　妻财戊戌土　　
朱雀　子孙庚午火　▅▅▅▅▅　父母丁亥水　　○→　▅▅　▅▅　官鬼戊申金　　
青龙　　　　　　　▅▅　▅▅　妻财庚辰土　世　　　▅▅　▅▅　兄弟乙卯木　世
玄武　　　　　　　▅▅　▅▅　兄弟庚寅木　　　　　▅▅　▅▅　子孙乙巳火　　
白虎　　　　　　　▅▅▅▅▅　父母庚子水　　○→　▅▅　▅▅　妻财乙未土　　

I have given you 40 minute of my time to provide some feedback. Be patient. The proposed picture is as follows:

Hex 17 composed of lower trigram zhen wood and upper trigram tui metal. Metal and wood conflicts.
1. The officer line tui metal is embedded into line 17.5.
2. It is spring now and wood is strong, but metal is weak.
3. The brother line competitor is line 17.2 yin wood. In the month of yin wood, they are stronger than you in the job application process because yin wood is the day commander. The good news is that the yin wood month is over by March 6 5:00 a.m.
4. It is now the month of mao wood. Wood is still strong, but mao wood motivates the officer (job line) you metal to set it in motion.
5. The document line (offer of employment line) is line 17.1 and line 17.4. Both are the change line.
6. The 17.1 line is parents (document) zi water which is tied up by the day of the reading chou earth. Zi water and chou earth couples. It is handicapped by yourself that you do not at present is ready to take a position to get going to work for money because 17.1 changes into wealth chou earth. Chou earth is your day of reading. Since chou earth is day commander, you do not need the money from employment in a hurry.
7. Line 17.4 is document hai water which is supported by the year (year commander), but it is month void under the month of the reading yin wood (Feb 4 to Mar 6). Before March 6, definitely there is no job offer that you can take.
8. Hai water 17.4 is set into motion to transform into officer shen metal. Shen metal is month conflict with the yin wood month (Feb 4 to Mar 6), therefore there is no career catch up to March 6.
9. The host line is 17.3 chen earth and the guest line is 17.6 wei earth. Money is everything in this situation. Guest line is the potential employer. Wei earth is day conflict on the day of the reading. There is no money from the other side to hire you. It is their problem.

Hex 8 is kan water upper trigram and kun earth lower triagram. 水地比卦，外卦为水，内卦为地
Water above earth means the land is fixed and water flood above the land. Water is the employment documents. The land does not change, but the water will move away with time.
a. There is now employment opportunity (as per Hex 8). You have learned to respect the future supervisors and get along with others to make a living. Help will then be available.
b. The brother line is the host line 8.3 brother mao wood, competitor and peers.
c. The guest line is the document 8.6 zi water. It is far away opportunity (not close to your place).
d. Your career line is officer 8.4 shen metal (outer door position).
e. Overall, things have gone worst to better in the job search. Nevertheless, there is nothing of a firm offer on the horizon.

Reason: We use Iching reading when we locked in a possible employer (after interview or before). Jobs are out there like flowing water. To catch it, it is up to your own effort and attitude.

At present, you do not have sponsor help and a clear direction of what you can realistically want or keep. As jobs are found by sponsor’s help and connections, you may want to rethink who can help you in your social or career circle than to go along. Else, you will fail with time.

Analysis of potential (Xiao Shing Iching)
We compute using the original hexagrams into 9 houses.
House of five is Ken earth (Hex 52). You need awakening, rethinking and be practical to succeed in the medium term.
House of six is Tai (Hex 11). This is the house of career Chien earth. To achieve peace, you have to take control and stabilize your view and action plan to move forward. The Chi is approaching each other. The other party will be interested in speaking or meeting with you.
House of nine is revolution (Hex 49). You have to change in the long term, learn new things, change with time and have a strategy. Your other peers or company will then work with you.

There is no perfect job. Lower you expectation and work with others as a team. Time change, people change.
This is my two cents worth.

Thank you for your time Long Yi. I went to bed last night thinking I really need some clarity despite knowing this is a Mercury Retrograde I still felt there was more to this situation for me......(9. The host line is 17.3 chen earth and the guest line is 17.6 wei earth. Money is everything in this situation. Guest line is the potential employer. Wei earth is day conflict on the day of the reading. There is no money from the other side to hire you. It is their problem.) This is true, the reason the offer I actually got was withdrawn. Their funding was cut back......(c. The guest line is the document 8.6 zi water. It is far away opportunity (not close to your place). Correct, the job/s are far away from my present home.....(d. Your career line is officer 8.4 shen metal (outer door position). Certainly a possibility in my line of work.....(House of five is Ken earth (Hex 52). You need awakening, rethinking and be practical to succeed in the medium term.House of six is Tai (Hex 11). This is the house of career Chien earth. To achieve peace, you have to take control and stabilize your view and action plan to move forward. The Chi is approaching each other. The other party will be interested in speaking or meeting with you.House of nine is revolution (Hex 49). You have to change in the long term, learn new things, change with time and have a strategy. Your other peers or company will then work with you.) This also makes perfect sense to me. Appreciate your Two Cents worth!!

Hex 17.1.4 to 8 Job search, fix one typo

I made a typo above.
House of six is Tai (Hex 11). This is the house of career Chien metal (not earth). Hex is kun earth above chien metal in BaGui.
Quote
It means everyone has certain close and secret places; but you keep too much of your life hidden from your potential employer. Perhaps you have a tendency to keep the unpleasant, problematic things to yourself and share only the pleasant things. If your potential employer is not like you the different situations and problems and events in their situation which probably overlap yours require a response. Thus, although the meaning of this hexagram is peace it could bring about conflict.
Unquote
Therefore in your dealings, you have to work towards an approach and come together with the potential employer to align strength and weakness to solve their problem. Most employers hire employees to solve their problem, and are willing to provide support without removing responsibilities. Avoid surprises to them for what you cannot do or will not do, and what you are capable of solving their problems, in particular in implementing changes (Hex 49) at their work process.

Two things 'stick' out here for me - most of the time I end up working for employers who's staff are incompetent in their jobs but I don't say anything because people get angry about the (their) truth. Secondly the employer who's funding was cut and unable to offer me a job was because (I think)of their lack of marketing ability to gain the business needed to employ another person.....I'm still in two minds whether to approach them about this. Thanks for your further information Long Yi.