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Feel free to ignore anything the I Ching says

I hope I win some kind of prize for provocative titles? Good… but there is a point to this.

I always have my ears open to pick up insights and ideas from outside ‘Yijingland’ that will make for better Yijing divination. (I have  something coming up called Into the Flow of Change that’s a resource kit of those insights, ideas and methods – I’ll keep you posted…) Hence I listened quite carefully to a recording of Tim Kelley talking about relationship to ‘trusted source’. What he’s talking about here is not quite divination, but close enough to be interesting.

(By the way – the original recording about ‘trusted source’ can be accessed from here – it’s one of the early calls from the year 1 archives.)

Here’s the idea:

“The key thing that causes people trouble in connecting with a trusted source is the belief that they have to do what it says.”

He explains – if I approach you and say, ‘I have some advice you could maybe use – would you like to hear it?’ you’re quite likely to respond, ‘Yes, why not?’

But if I say, ‘I have an order you must follow as soon as you hear it – would you like to hear it?’ you would probably politely decline.

And hence the fastest way to ‘upgrade’ your connection is “to be willing to ignore anything it says.”

Well… for ‘trusted source’ read ‘oracle’ – and then, whether or not this is the key thing, don’t you think he has a point?

It’s not unusual to avoid consulting the Yi out of fear of hearing an unwelcome answer. Sometimes we know we’re doing this, other times not so much: we may ‘forget’ the oracle for a while, or consult very industriously about something entirely unrelated, and wonder why the answers seem oddly disconnected. But even when we do ask what needs asking, this fear of being compelled into something we don’t want can sabotage the ability to listen.

It’s a good start, I think, to try to become aware of what you don’t want to hear – even to note down before you cast what the oracle is just not allowed to say. But for a more global freedom to ask your true question and pay real, untrammelled attention to the answer, you could give yourself permission to ignore anything Yi says.

Thoughts?

5 responses to Feel free to ignore anything the I Ching says

  1. Sure. Very good Hilary.
    A friend to whom sometimes I read said something interesting that has actually changed my way of listening to Yi’s advices. She takes it as the suggestion of an old and wise grandparent.
    🙂

  2. I like provocation : )
    I was thinking recently about something I do that hasn’t shown any material result ie money for the 4 years I’ve been doing it. Yet I have learned a lot about a specialist subject along the way. “I should just give it up and get real, I’ll never make money from this” I was thinking despondently. So I asked the Yi along the lines of “shall I continue this activity?”, fully expecting to get a 47 or a 29 or you’re wasting your life daydreaming. Instead I got 50.6. : ) Now, was Yi responding to the original thought or the actual question? It seems that my line thinking was being approved of at least. Still not made any money but I live in continued hope that one day….. Maybe that’s more important?
    As an aside, I do think 50 is about giving something up, the sacrifice, to get something better. Give up the day dreaming? Or give up the despondent thinking and fully know that I CAN DO THIS one day?
    You have 3 guesses as to which one I am choosing!

  3. I like this subject! I’ve just remembered another example. I was going to bed and asked for something nice to take with me. Not one of your nasty slaps in the face please! I want to sleep peacefully. Yi obliging responded with 61 Inner Truth. I reached for my favourite Sam Reilfler interpretation and it was just the sort of personal affirmation that I needed at the time. Thanks Yi, you always know just what to say to make be feel better when I remember to let you know that is what I want and need. Reading it now, I feel a bit pompous sharing it. But it hit the spot at the time.

  4. Absolutely! And how nice of Yi not to give you 47.1 or some such 😉 .

    I suppose the other side of this coin is ‘feel free to trust completely in what Yi says against all reason or common sense.’ And it is the same coin – that of responding freely. I like the sound of your 50.6 very much; I should think four years and more well worth it to polish a good jade handle.

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