NOTICE: See below for a copy of the original post by Jastreb69 in case it is edited or deleted.
DeepSeek:
When the Image (Tuan) commentary for Hexagram 31, Influence, states that "the noble person receives people with emptiness (以虛受人)," it offers a master key not just for human relationships, but for the very practice of divination. To consult the Yijing effectively, you must first become xū.
What isXū? It is not mere blankness or ignorance. It is the cultivated state of an empty vessel: quiet, still, and free from preconceptions. It is the calm surface of a lake (like the lake on the mountain in Hexagram 31) that can clearly reflect the heavens. In practice, this means approaching your question without attachment to a specific desired answer. It requires setting aside your fears, hopes, and internal arguments to create a space of pure, attentive receptivity. This mental and emotional "emptying" is what allows the subtle, often paradoxical messages of the hexagrams to enter without being distorted by your own noise.
Why is it Crucial? The Yijing does not speak in commands; it presents images, situations, and dynamics. If your mind is full of your own agenda ("I want this job," "I hope they love me"), you will only hear what you wish to hear, forcing the text's nuanced symbolism into your pre-existing narrative. The state of xū allows you to receive the hexagram's response as a new pattern, a fresh perspective. It lets the ancient symbols resonate with your situation in unexpected ways, revealing hidden connections and possibilities your cluttered mind had overlooked. In this way, the ritual of consultation—the casting of coins or yarrow stalks—is secondary. The primary ritual is the inner preparation of becoming an empty, receptive vessel, ready to be filled with the wisdom of the changing moment. The answer is always given, but only the xū can truly receive it.
NOTICE: See below for a copy of the original post by Jastreb69 in case it is edited or deleted.
DeepSeek:
When the Image (Tuan) commentary for Hexagram 31, Influence, states that "the noble person receives people with emptiness (以虛受人)," it offers a master key not just for human relationships, but for the very practice of divination. To consult the Yijing effectively, you must first become xū.
What is Xū? It is not mere blankness or ignorance. It is the cultivated state of an empty vessel: quiet, still, and free from preconceptions. It is the calm surface of a lake (like the lake on the mountain in Hexagram 31) that can clearly reflect the heavens. In practice, this means approaching your question without attachment to a specific desired answer. It requires setting aside your fears, hopes, and internal arguments to create a space of pure, attentive receptivity. This mental and emotional "emptying" is what allows the subtle, often paradoxical messages of the hexagrams to enter without being distorted by your own noise.
Why is it Crucial? The Yijing does not speak in commands; it presents images, situations, and dynamics. If your mind is full of your own agenda ("I want this job," "I hope they love me"), you will only hear what you wish to hear, forcing the text's nuanced symbolism into your pre-existing narrative. The state of xū allows you to receive the hexagram's response as a new pattern, a fresh perspective. It lets the ancient symbols resonate with your situation in unexpected ways, revealing hidden connections and possibilities your cluttered mind had overlooked. In this way, the ritual of consultation—the casting of coins or yarrow stalks—is secondary. The primary ritual is the inner preparation of becoming an empty, receptive vessel, ready to be filled with the wisdom of the changing moment. The answer is always given, but only the xū can truly receive it.
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