On the other hand, some (eg Chris) say we we don’t need that. Everyone wants him to “prove it”. Everyone asks what is a need. No one asks that this “accepted” point of view to be proven.

People are funny.

I don’t know if crisis use has been a consicious choice for me so much as something that just happens. Life-go-boom for good or ill, and I go running for the stalks to get perspective on how to pick up the pieces (or whether I should let them stay scattered on the ground). I even have a lovely deck to make short-form answers quick to generate. It’s like it’s been patiently waiting for me to start a more intimate conversation all along.

Some people do choose to limit Yi only to crisis questions and huge decisions. I believe that’s a more traditional approach - but I find it helps me a great deal with ‘keeping in touch’ more constantly.

Me - and how sad is it that I’ve remained so unaware of that for so long?

I tend to be hungry for higher purpose - especially when things go crashingly wrong. The sudden arrival of kids in my life has changed that somewhat; I am still looking, but for the first time I’m considering that I might not even live to see the fruits of whatever purpose I have - and that’s all right.

I turn to the I Ching in crisis times, and while it’s a great help then, I should know better than to limit it to that. You may have just given me a long-overdue poke with a stick (or a yarrow stalk!).