An old friend weighed in on another way to use the I Ching, and with his permission I reprint his email.
Hi Frank,
You caught my attention with your thoughts on the I Ching, which has been an ongoing study of mine for probably 50 years now. I started with the Wilhelm/Baynes version but over the years I have collected a number of different volumes. My favourite is “The Book of Changes and the Unchanging Truth” by Ni, Hua Ching.
The I Ching has deepened my qigong practice over the years and I used to have wonderful conversations about the book with my qigong teacher, Michael Tse.
One of the ways he used the book was to interpret the “gua” (situation) of the day, not by throwing coins or dividing yarrow stalks, but by observing the combination of any two of the eight trigrams (gua) in this manner:
Let’s say it is morning, you go outside and the sky is clear and the sun is shining. This is the first thing you notice, so this becomes the first gua (Heaven). You decide to sit on the deck and have your morning coffee but as soon as you sit down your neighbour fires up his lawn mower to cut the grass. This becomes the second gua (Thunder).
Now you have two trigrams, with Heaven below and Thunder on top, which makes hexagram 34, Great Strength. (You put the first trigram at the bottom, because it is the first thing you observe and it becomes the root of the hexagram).
The interpretation of hexagram 34 in Hua Ching’s book is summarized as “When great strength is correctly applied, it is a good thing.”
The general commentary is all about using force in a beneficial manner. In regard to the noise interrupting one’s coffee moment, you have several options. One is to stand up and yell at your neighbour, the other might be to retreat and go back inside, but the other is to use the moment to learn how to control and develop your internal energy.
“Non-action is the term generally used to interpret the Taoist principle of naturalness. However, non-action does not mean that one does nothing, rather that one does not scatter one’s energy. Allowing nature to take its course without interference is the real meaning of non-action.”
I have found over the years that this gives a real ‘felt-sense’ of the meaning of the various hexagrams. It combines natural feelings with daily events to give you a personalized connection to the — at times — rather abstract commentaries.
Hua Ching continues:
“Each line (starting from the bottom) guides us in the use of force. The first line represents energy that is gathered and cultivated. This accumulation can be used to observe and respond appropriately to the various situations that confront us. The second line recommends the use of self-restraint. In the third line, the choice is given between expressing virtue through non-action or ignorance through strenuous response. The fourth line indicates that this is the right time to apply strength. The fifth line represents a position of weakness and teaches how to deal with such situation. The top line advises using difficulty as a means of becoming strong.”
You can also use this method internally by observing the nature of the inner landscape. For example, in your conversation with the guys you mentioned that you were feeling a bit unfocused …
Feeling unfocused would be the effect of Wind (scatters and disperses), so this would be your foundational qua.
Then, with some help from your friends you settle into the conversation, which I would interpret as being the influence of Mountain (settles and centres).
Which gives you hexagram 18, Correcting the Corruption (Mountain over Wind).
“Work against corruption. This is a beneficial time to engage in an adventurous task. Prepare carefully in advance and make a thorough inspection afterwards.”
You seemed to end your writing with a slight feeling of frustration, as if you felt you were unable to reach the core of what was being transmitted …
[I wasn’t feeling frustrated, but perceptions differ.]
The commentary continues with this (which I think is entirely appropriate) …
“In this hexagram, Wind is below Mountain. However, the gentle wind cannot penetrate the dense air at its base.”
Have a look at your copy of the I Ching and see what you can glean from Hexagram 18, as it relates to your situation.
All the best,
Paul Blakey