Questions and answers

Sleeping on it

During my stay at the Rietveld Academy I learned, that the best way to design a house was to gather all information, like measures, demands of the future ownders, terrain and so on, and then go to bed. Next morning I could draw it 'just like that'.

This means that my subconscious knew how it should be, and I had only to pick up the pencil and draw what it told me.
A good way to ask Yijing what to do might be similar. Gather all information and the next moring cast the coins.

Like the pendulum

A good friend is great with her pendulum, it answers anything. But she has to make sure, that every aspect and detail of the matter is mentioned. Similar to my own gathering of facts for the house.

My own experience is that I have to ask in a very specific way when my question is about facts and actions. Like with the pendulum questions about facts ask for yes or no answers and have to be specific.

'Only' answers?

It seems Picasso said "what is the use of a computer, it can only gives answers".

Maybe Yi makes you think and doubt and explore your own wishes - awakening your imagination, your creativity.

Maybe it is all about the question?

Saying it out loud. Maybe that is the real magic. When I lose something, I ask others if they have seen it. Often I find it right after asking.

Napoleon Hill, a famous self-help author, insisted that you have to write your wish down in order to actually make it come true.

When your own mindset comes into the equation

Some people are insecure and hesitate, others are bold and act right away. The insecure are inclined to ask, the others simply act. What if you could combine the two?

The first category has trouble succeeding, for that you need boldness. The bold ones seldom ask the Yi. What you need when asking Yi, is to accept the answer and simply act - as bold as possible.

Why ask Yi?

If you have such a great tool in your subconscious, then why the need to ask Yijing?

Because you can only hear that subconscious when thinking stops. A riddle does that. Like a Koan, the sublime riddle.

Universe?

And finally, like I found out when I asked about where a friend had put something in her house where I had never been. And Yi gave the right spot...

It is not only your subconscious, the answers are often real answers. Facts. Things you cannot know. But universe knows.

Others about Yi and its answers:

Pa-mar I Ching
"the more obscure and impenetrable the response, the better"
"I Ching is just a way to suggest you a different perspective and break out of your analysis paralysis. But rest assured that whatever course of action you will take comes from you and you alone."

Charles Chu, Divination-as-a-decision-tool
"When people choose among preferences, they enjoy their decisions more when they let intuition decide."
"The I Ching doesn’t predict the future. Instead, it gives you a vague, near-nonsense, cryptic answer that you have to try and figure out. And that’s why it works"

Will Buckingham (Aeon), The uncertainty machine
”Perhaps,” my friend said, “divination is not about predicting the future”.
“What is it for, then?” I asked.
My friend shrugged. “Perhaps it is about imagining new possibilities”.
"Meaning nothing, containing the seeds of countless possible meanings, the I Ching is the space at the hub that allows the wheel to turn"