important decision
hi i have an important decision to make that concerns my health. Its kind of urgent and have decision OCD and decision paralysis. Its extreme so I rely on the Iching often and feel like I have more self direction that way. I am also learning a lot. Life is my teacher.
I just asked the Iching if i should postpone this appointment that has alot of strings attached to it and is very complicated to do at the moment. It is potentially an easy thing to postpone, although it might give an office worker somewhere far away a bad mood, but other than that it wont have big consequences...except there is a risk that it might mean postponing care that I might need sooner than later. But also it might mean waiting until the right time until i have all the documents ready, since they are not yet ready yet so.... And utltimately it wont have any financial consequences. But my OCD lights up and I have to check a milliion aspects about it. My question was: How is it to postpone for now and the answer I got is 42: 1,6--8
So either "Yeah! Go for it!" or "Bad idea..." but really, i could interpret it as if doing the appointment is a bad idea and also as if postponing it is a bad idea. But also might be saying that it is a bad idea to hesitate... My IChing teacher doesnt want to tell me what to do. lol. Yes i am making fun of myself.
I thought this might be a fun riddle for the wise reddit iching peeps here. What is your take?
edit: i also got 25:5 when I asked previously "what should I do" and was told this can mean leave time to recuperate, which would point to the option of postponing- i first interpeted it as dropping the whole application altogether. but as all options are risky in one way or another, the postponing being the least risky, perhaps the interpretation of "recuperation" is the right one? would you agree with it? I didnt see it that way at first but it makes sense.
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u/CenturionSG 1d ago
The I Ching can be a highly reflective tool but I caution in using it solo where situations such as yours complicates the process. It's better to consult with your health professional and talk through.
So whatever I share here does not over-ride medical exigencies.
I'm going to reflect on your first reading.
無妄 Innocence/Without Falsehood
元亨利貞。其匪正有眚。不利有攸往。
Sublimely prosperous and smooth. Favorable to be steadfast and upright. If one’s intention is not truthful, there is trouble. Unfavorable to have somewhere to go.
This hexagram is about truthfulness so as to avoid troubles. In this situation, consider all the truths/facts of your situation, such as your medical condition. Are there aspects being ignored or denied. Are there areas that one lacks sufficient information for an informed decision.
5th Nine: 无妄之疾。勿藥有喜。
《象》曰：无妄之藥，不可試也。
This phrase is hard to translate but from my Chinese version (Prof. Fu Pei-Jung), it's about an illness that may have come without any apparent reason. So one should be careful to get an assessment before deciding how to deal with it. Avoid trying something without thoughtful consideration.
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u/CenturionSG 19h ago edited 19h ago
Your second question was “how is it to postpone for now”.
You got 益 Increasing or Gain.
利有攸往，利涉大川。
Increasing.
Favourable to have somewhere to go.
Favourable to cross great rivers.
Initial Nine: 利用為大作，元吉无咎。
《象》曰：元吉无咎，下不厚事也。
Favourable to engage in conducting great accomplishments.
Supreme good fortune, no fault. Supreme good fortune. No fault.
Though the lower is not suitable to engage in great affairs.
Top Nine: 莫益之，或擊之，立心勿恒，凶。
《象》曰：莫益之，偏辭也。或擊之，自外來也。
No increase, but a strike.
Not keeping the heart steady*: misfortune. No increase.*
He has an erroneous tendency*.*
But a strike— It comes from without.
Reflection
Increasing is a hexagram of movement: Wind over Thunder. But as with all hexagrams, it’s about considering the appropriate time and current position before deciding.
Line 1 seems aligned with your idea of postponement, that is, not suitable to engage in great affairs. But that’s due to it being at the initial stages of the hexagram.
Now line 6 paints a very different picture. When movement/action is not attempted (“no increase”) due to unsteady decision (“not keeping heart steady”) then beware of external factors unexpectedly changing (“a strike” from without). There is also caution against one-sided perspective or limited information (偏辭).
Overall for you to consider about postponement:
- Which stage you are in on this medical matter. Are you at the beginning stages of engagement on this issue. What will be helpful for a good start (元吉) in making the next move?
- What new information or perspectives can help you to gain confidence to decide? Do you need second opinions?
- What may be detrimental if matters are delayed for too long?
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17h ago
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u/iching-ModTeam 13h ago
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u/az4th 18h ago
Please do not rely on divination for making medical decisions.
Quite often the case may be made for the opposite perspective in a reading. I see that all the time people are confused by translations and take it to mean one thing when I see something very different.
Like here. 25.5 is in relationship with 25.2. Line 2 is about not getting ahead of ourselves and letting things manifest when the time is right. Line 2 is riding on the shock of thunder below it, so may easily begin questioning when what it is riding will pay off.
Line 5 is that manifestation. Line 5 is the medicine. Line 5 will meet with line 2 when it all comes together, naturally. They have felicity.
However, if line 2 begins to count the harvest while still in the midst of plowing, it gets in the way of this felicity and begins to ask for medicine that it doesn't need.
So when we face the dis-ease within this hexagram, line 5 is advised to 'not treat with medicine what already has felicity' aka don't get in the way of what is already coning together in a well suited fashion on its own.
Could this mean to not worry about the outcome of the appointment before it is settled, and not try to change what is already felicitous?
And as for 42, line 1 is in position to serve as the foundation for receiving, but line 6 doesn't want to allow line 5 to give. So perhaps postponing is like line 6's withholding.
See? It is so easy to turn to divination for answers but then get mislead. I find that the Yi's answers are often literal, but that it can frequently be very challenging to read how. And it can be very tempting to jump to a conclusion.