Reading the other thread on the problems of translation I am grateful that there are people working to bring us clearer understandings of the words and the ideas which may have comprised the early Yijing.

However important that research is it is far from central to the task of divination.

<font color="0000ff">Scene 1:
An old temple of rammed earth on a mound near the palace. The King enters with his entourage. It is dark and smokey with incense and spluttering torches.

The priest pours a libation and chants? There is tremendous tension in the air, the King has come to see whether it is auspicious to go to war against the hill tribe that has been raiding and killing his people. Wars are hard, there are fewer people to tend the land and many never return.

?Go to war?? shouts the King and a hot bronze rod is thrust onto the oracle bone, ?pop? it cracks.

?Not go to war??, He shouts. Again the rod is applied and again the sound of a ?pop? as the bone cracks.

The oracle bone is passed to the king and he studies it before pronouncing his decision.


Scene 2:
Memo from King to High Priest.

Re. The recent raids on our borders. I would be grateful if you would consult the Oracle and give best advice on our response options.

As this matter is fairly pressing I would ask you to use the coin method.

With regard to our previous conversation: I do hope you will not use this as an opportunity to be humorous in your reply, as you were on the last occasion when I inquired about the Queen. She was not happy and would not talk to me for days afterwards.

Please invoice me at the palace.

Yours

King.</font>

Divination is a different process from that of the everyday? it works differently and carries with it sets of meanings which are deeper and richer than that which the world of cause and effect permits.

--Kevin

Hi Kevin,

Beautiful stories, and well said.

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>quote:</font>

However important that research is it is far from central to the task of divination.<!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>
Exactly! I often have the idea that when I present a step in my personal research (= personal process) people think I am rambling at the gates of their own divination sessions. But it has nothing to do with divination.

HM

No?

Research <font face="symbol">¹</font> divination, true. But without the research - not least yours - the divination would be impoverished, and sometimes misleading.

I love the memo!

Yes, research is a great help.

As is the service provided by the 'in-house team' of evaluating the material around which helps me in knowing what credence to give it.

Flying is often best done with two wings.

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>quote:</font>

Exactly! I often have the idea that when I present a step in my personal research (= personal process) people think I am rambling at the gates of their own divination sessions. But it has nothing to do with divination.<!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>

Excellent... Before I really got that sorted out in my head I used to have all sorts of trouble with some of the posts.

It is as someone once said here (in reference to 63:64), "People sometimes forget which side of the river they are on." I would add, "In a given moment."



--Kevin