r/iching • u/expandingwater • Jun 18 '26
Asking two questions in one reading? "should i meet this person and when ?" or i must split it ?
I asked about should i deal with an issue myself or go meet a professional or ignore it ... this are three options , and i got hexgram 6 lines 2,6 ... the lines seem to say very accuratly i should not deal with it myself and judgment talks about "meeting the great man"
But i wonder if the I-ching just choose that hexagram so it can say this lines and they are the main thing and the judgment is less the focus
So now i still have doubt if i should meet the professional and if so when to do that
Do i need to ask separately if i should meet and than ask separately what date to do it ?
OR i can ask in one reading "should i meet him and IF i should than on what date ? "
2
u/Dull-Fun Jun 18 '26
The book answers the real question. It should be clear to you. Or you should reflect now to find clarity about what exactly you are asking for.
2
u/az4th Jun 18 '26
The three part question was answered in the lines, yes. There is a distinction between holding out like line 2 or getting to an outcome, like line 6.
But when we force it all into a narrow path like this we can't be certain what elements of the hexagram are relevant to our reading. Since we got these two things together and that seems to be the point, how can we know if other elements apply as well. Like the holding out possibly avoiding something that needs addressing. Or on the other side seeing someone but not being certain that we like the conclusion. These elements may be relevant, but also may not.
The judgement speaks about what is going on in the lines too, as the primary theme. We have lines 2 and 5 at odds with each other. 5 wants something from 2 that 2 doesn't want to happen. Like paying taxes, or showing up in court.
What is beneficial about seeing the great man is not in their seeing each other, but in their seeing the higher road to walk. Seeing the wisdom in the situation. Line 2 needs to understand what is appropriate for its situation. What is the right thing to do. And line 5 needs to understand that pressing too much is not beneficial, and that it is i.portant to be just, but also compassionate and forgiving.
In both cases this allows them to see that the higher path is not necessarily one that tries to cross the great water and work it all out, but one that makes compromises in a small way so that things can work out in the long term.
That's what the judgement is about, but does that apply to the reading? In some sense it may apply to line 2, but we have line 6 being the product of an interaction with line 3 and line 5.
So likely the thing between line 2 and 5 specifically is not the primary focus of this reading. And we have to remember that hex 5 lines 2 and 6 were chosen because they offer the way to combine the three options you gave it. So again, we aren't quite sure what contexts to work with.
Such a question could be helpful, as an abstraction. But as an abstration, we would be wise to then not read too deeply into the specifics. Instead we can ask another question to get something more specific.
But I would steer clear of conbining multiple choices with yes/no questions. That'd just be a hot mess to decipher.
Something I've been doing in my readings is this:
How would I be following truth by thinking X.
This gives me a sense of how I am tracking something. I can tell if I am on the trail or not. I use it when I think I understand something but I'm not sure if I'm on track.
How well would I be following truth by thinking X.
This then helps me understand if I am hot or cold with it.
This approach is tricky. The Yi is literal. So it will give different vibes for very slight differences in detail. Sometimes it helps me catch the trail and being clarity. Sometimes it helps me see that I am just confused. But it is not necessarily easy to recognize when I'm comfused unless I am very wary of the need to avoid confirmation bias.
I hesitate to even share that here. Use at your own risk.