Google’s new blog search is definitely up to date, comprehensive, fast and provides easy access to available blogs, forums, websites and comments in the World Wide Web. Using key words, users can read what has been written in the www, years ago. One was surprised that a Google search showed my posts in the I Ching Forum made under the pseudonym of Chuko Kungming in 2002/03. Since what has been written in the forum previously is now open to public scrutiny, one might as well write them here for readers, getting credits, if any, under my own name. Here goes a story about Spirits (Shen), Zhouyi and my late father.
After a major heart bypass in the 1990s, my father suffered another stroke in mid 2001. His heart specialist did not recommend another heart operation because of his age. He was 79. By late 2001, his health was rapidly weakening and the doctor advised the family to prepare for all eventualities. Under this scenario, my mother went to her favorite Guan Yin (Goddess of Mercy) temple to ask about my father’s health. According to my brother who accompanied her to the temple, the Monkey God transmitted through the medium to say that my father could not cross January 13th 2002. When my brother told me about the definitive date, I decided to consult the Zhouyi for a confirmation.
The question asked was simple: “What is happening to my father? Yi answered with Hexagram 9 Xiao Chu / The Taming Power of the Small with lines 3 and 5 changing and a resultant Hexagram 41 Sun / Decrease.
The Judgment:
The Taming Power of the Small has success. Dense clouds, no rain from our western regions.
The Image:
The wind drives across heaven.
Thus the superior man refines the outward aspect of his nature.
3rd line:
The spokes burst out of the wagon wheels. Man and wife roll their eyes.
5th line:
If you are sincere and loyally attached, you are rich in your neighbor. [W/B]
Readers may find Yi’s answer inappropriate or confusing to say the least. There was really nothing much to read about my father’s condition at this fundamental level in the judgment, image, lines and commentary. Switching to another level and by interpreting the trigrams, one found all the answers to his weakening condition which confirmed both the heart consultant’s diagnoses and the Daoist deity’s indication of my father’s impending demise on or before January 13th. Not accepting fate one decided to help my father cross that date.
If readers are confused, let us take a look at the Image of Hexagram 9. It says ‘the wind drives across heaven’ which means the Xun trigram on top with Qian trigram below. The attributes of the Xun trigram can mean wood, wind or eldest daughter, while the Qian trigram represents metal, heaven and father. It so happened that my eldest sister lives overseas and one decided to inform her on what the Yi said and asked her to see our father. However the flights were fully booked and she was put on a waiting list to fly back on January 19th. I informed my father that his eldest daughter will return to see him if she can catch a flight. As he was eager to see her, he waited and crossed the indicative date. By the fifteenth, my sister called to say that there were no seats available until end February (because students and people were returning home for Chinese New Year) and someone close told my father about it. My father passed away two days later on January 17th 2002.
Yi’s answers can be simple or complex depending on what we want to learn study or know. Answers from Daoist deities and immortals can be very accurate if mediums are not corrupt. It is just too bad that one does not accept fate lying down. Probably the Monkey God is annoyed now but sincerity is a way of heaven. One used to reflect why decades ago the Monkey God had asked a disciple to chase me away from his temple’s main door saying that I was blocking his sight. At the time, I was just standing at one corner of the wide open entrance, looking in just like any curious kid aged seven or eight would do. Probably knowing about the few days’ extension of time for my father and my writing it out in public today may have caused the spirit’s embarrassment and annoyance. One can ask the Yi about the Monkey God’s thoughts too but what is the point.
Therefore isn’t the Zhouyi great and profound?
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