learn the I Ching

it could take a while =)

The I Ching is a relaxing way of seeking advice from an unbiased source. Do I know if it really answers the questions? No. I won’t assert that it’s magical like that, but it is certainly an enjoyable thing to do from time to time when one needs advice. It always answers the questions I am faced with from time to time well… sometimes shockingly well.

I love it! :)

I decided to look into this after reading the Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick.

I’m not sure if this is actually working or if its just an odd coincidence, but I was going away for a couple of days for work conference and I asked the I Ching how it would go and I got kua 56 “wanderer, traveler” and it said I was going on a short trip.

Also on Friday I have a meeting with my boss as I am unhappy with my payrise and I asked it how it might go and I got kua 29 “Danger, The Abyss” saying there is a threat of danger.

I guess its not telling me anything I don’t know but at least it’s making sense lol!

A wonderful oracle for those wishing to broaden the intuition and scope of their worlds.

I ordered myself an I Ching book the other day and it comes with yarrow stalks. I’m quite excited about it. I got the idea of looking into this from reading His Dark Materials trilogy as Mary Malone uses the I Ching similarly to Lyra and her Aletheometer.

and I’m pleased with my progress. This is a fascinating system. Incredibly rich.

At a friend’s daughter’s birthday party, he and his soon to be ex-wife had a fight. Me and my wife felt so very out of place, angry, and embarassed for the way my friend behaved.

I’ve not been sure how to approach him in this situation, and since I got some clarity the other day, I figured I’d give it another go.

_Progressing will make the place proper;
Going forward, there is merit;
Advancing in what is correct,
One is able to rectify his country._

_On the mountain, there are trees.
It is an image of Developing Gradually.
In correspondence with this,
The superior person lives a life of virtue
And improves the morals and mores of his people._

The moving line is in the fourth six, bringing us to

33 – Dun – Retreat

_Developing Gradually.
The swan approaches the tree;
Probably finds a flat rafter.
No fault._

In this situation, it is important to be forthright with my friend and explain to him why I think he chose the wrong course of action and behaved like a spoiled child. He needs to understand that I care about him and his well-being, but that I am exceedingly disappointed in the way he acted.

I am in no way his parent, but it is my role as his friend to help him to see a different side of the situation he is in. Hopefully, through that, he can start to build a relationship with his ex-wife that won’t harm his children.

I have had a situation that has been causing me some anxiety, and I figured that I’d see what came of looking at it through the I Ching.

This Gua is Heaven over Fire, and some parts of the Decision and Commentary on that Decision that made sense to me are:

_Heaven with Fire.
An image of Seeking Harmony.
In correspondence with this,
The superior person makes classifications of people
According to their natures
And makes distinctions of things
In terms of their categories._

There were a few moving lines, which yielded:

#30 – Li – Brightness

This Gua is Fire over Fire, and here is what stuck out regarding the moving lines:

_Fifth Nine
Seeking harmony
Begins with crying and weeping,
Ends with laughing.
The great multitude succeeds in meeting._

Also:

_The beginning of seeking harmony,
Straight in hearts.
After struggling they meet;
Celebrate the victory._

This suggests to me that the work that I have been putting into understanding my role in this situation is near bearing fruition, and that it may still take some work, but that I have been proceeding along the right path.