Omens and/or Heaven’s secrets

Continuing from the earlier entry, ‘I Ching, What is happening’, one would like to share with Yi aficionados that deeper answers – omens and/or heaven secrets - from the Book of Changes can be disparate.

The Yi can give omens and heaven secrets directly or indirectly to a sincere diviner entitled to receive such answers. It depends on the circumstances and the aptitude of a diviner. If the sincere diviner has not reached the stage of awareness to receive direct omens, the secrets can be given in addition to answers to any question. Omens can also arise in the form of specific hexagrams, for example Hexagram 62 Xiao Guo / Preponderance of the Small where the flying bird brings the message. That is why earnest diviners need to ponder and discern answers from the Yi.

In my case, the initial omens – the first gulf war in 1990/91 - were given to questions on investments. Other omens came through similar ways until one was ready to receive them directly. Since these unlucky omens – the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, the Kobe Earthquake, and the collapse of Barings for example – on unfolding adversely affected world financial markets and any shares or foreign currency trader, one likens the Yi to a father who forewarns and protects his children from calamities that lie ahead – a similar view was shared in the I Ching Community, a few years ago. Depending on circumstances, there were also happy omens given.

If a stranger asked how did I foreknow the unfolded event? One will say, ‘Just lucky, I guess’.

However for Yi aficionados, one would suggest that you read the ancient Chinese books and classics, and put the wisdoms contained therein into practice, have faith in the Yi guidance, cultivate virtues and proper conduct.

It sounds rather easy or trite but it is not. Just like those depicted in the Zhuangzi and the Hsin Hsin Ming, people down the ages like to have choices – they chose this or chose that – and in the end there will be no completion or perfection, if you like.

Only an earnest and sincere student may understand what the ancients taught. The ancients lifted up a corner of the mat and the rest will be up to students of the Yi and Tao. (Think Yen Hui) They had already indicated how to reach the state of mind to receive omens and/or heaven secrets from the Yi. Yes, the ancients really knew and had told us how to! Here is one of their ‘pointing to the moon’:

“It is characteristic of the most entire sincerity to be able to foreknow. When a nation or family is about to flourish, there are sure to be happy omens; and when it is about to perish, there are sure to be unlucky omens. Such events are seen in the milfoil and tortoise , and affect the movements of the four limbs. When calamity or happiness is about to come, the good shall certainly to be foreknown by him, and the evil also. Therefore the individual possessed of the most complete sincerity is like a spirit.”
[Chung Yung – Doctrine of the Mean – 24 Legge]

For more than two thousand years, this ancient thought has laid there in full view for all to see. Yet many students choose obscure ways to study the Yi and at times like to think that they knew more than the wise and the ancients. If only they return to the Light and learn how to become a Junzi.

With such foreknowledge, the ancients need not step out of the door to know what was happening to the world and in heaven. (TTC 47) Just like when an ancient Daoist through neidan practice can emit his spirit (Shen), what are time and space and what is fate? Perhaps then, Heaven and Earth will be pleased enough to form a ter - union with man. Neither would Heaven withhold any secrets.

Therefore such Yi prognostications can be and have been compared with predictions from Daoist deities, immortals and other divinities, since the answers came from the same source – heaven.

The Yi has spoken to sincere diviners using coins for divinations – a good example is Professor Sam Crane. (Another is an American woman, but she no longer posts her answers from the Yi.) If you have not noticed, the Yi has recently given Sam private tuition on two line changes! (Two consecutive prognostications with dual line changes so far.)

Whether an utmost sincere diviner can use coins and/or other divination tools, instead of the milfoil and tortoise to obtain omens, is another thing altogether. How would we students know, unless a real Yi master comes out from hiding to share his or her experience?