Voici à travers un exemple une illustration du choix de la méthode employée pour réaliser et analyser un tirage de yi king.
Yesterday, end of the afternoon, harassed by the heat, I was deeply engrossed in flies watching when the phone rang. A friend of a friend of a friend calls introducing themselves asking if by chance I’d have a little time to spare for a quick reading regarding some issue at hand that they have.
I pressed the routine button and asked a couple of questions on the situation to make sure I understood the issue at stake. The one question that really kicked me out of my semi-comatic state was this very often asked question: « And what method do you use for a reading? » I feel that by this type of question people worry if the method used may actually be effective in providing the answer they’re looking for. This is also a question that a lot of my students ask. Do I refer to the book? And then which book? Do I do something else?
Because of how I got to the yi jing, my ways vary. Some questions I feel will be best answered by me if I use a book of commentaries, sometimes best by using Plum blossom (mei hua) or Wen wang ba gua (aka taoist yi jing, liu yao yi shu). If I’m looking for insight, some would call it « revelation », I’ll often use the commentary book. If practical details or information are needed I’ll turn to energetic patterns revealing methods.
When I explain this, I’m used to people returning a blank eye, contemplating intricacies they had no idea of in the first place. It only gets worse when I throw in the reasons behind the reasoning. By the time I start giving practical details and examples, they wish they had never asked. It can be tough finding someone with whom to have a good piece of conversation…
Anyway. The question I dealt with that day was: « We’re kind of stuck in a relation with someone. What’s wrong? It’s getting uncomfortable, what can we do? »
- Share freely what information you have.
- You feel uncomfortable with the other party, not understanding why they act the way they do.
Do yourself a favor and appreciate that their intentions may not be what you think they are.
In other words, you’re interpreting their reactions based on your own biases and your opinion is not correct.
- Advice: Take a fresh look, start from day 1 again and question any judgement you may have regarding their intentions, they’re most certainly unfounded.
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résultant
As for the book, my reference is almost always Wilhelm’s. People who know the field will sometimes comment on the flaws of the book. The question is not in my eyes the flaws it may have, the point is that, as a reader, it is one work I relate well to and, in terms of divination, that’s what I really need to provide a useful insight.
Overall, my thought is that one should leave it to the consultant to pick up the method he thinks is appropriate given the situation. After all, who cares about the detail work of the plumbing, as long as the water flows in (and out)?
I believe that, as a consultant, you are part of the Yi’s answer, and so are the book and the methods that you use. It is therefore pointless to discuss interpretations of hexagrams in real cases, as many people do, implying that their interpretation is better. Everybody has their own way of using the book.
Thanks Harmen for commenting.
Regarding sharing readings: my own experience is that reading other people’s interpretations has helped immensely in broadening my understanding. It’s like reading other people’s recipes for a recipe you know well, it provides one with different ways to proceed. It’s neither better nor ultimate, it’s just different.