This came up recently for me with regard to a group I work for. I asked the Yi if it was proper for me to ask questions on the group’s behalf, because they needed to know about the purchase of a new and costly piece of equipment in the office. This was the Yi’s response: 38.4.5.6 > 60.

I took this to be a go-ahead of sorts, so I reminded the person in charge that I was a Yi diviner and was willing to help them make any decisions that needed to be made. She shot back an email to me: “I’m sure this is not a matter for the I Ching,” meaning that she was sure the matter could be figured out by common sense or ordinary logic.

Seems to me that the question of whether or not we can charge for our services enters in here. If the person or group never requests the service, then it follows that they are never going to pay for it, either.

Anyway, I just went ahead as best I could, despite certain difficulties. They hired a computer consultant, and when he asked me specific questions regarding the software I needed for my job, I reached for the I Ching immediately. Otherwise I wouldn’t have known what to tell him. Thank you, I Ching!

Only in the case of children or those who are clearly incompetent do I simply ask on their behalf. If the person can sit, formulate a question, and throw three coins, I much prefer that.