Hexagram 07 – I Ching Advice for COVID 19

I have resisted talking about COVID 19 for months now because I wanted this space to be the one spot that doesn’t have more of the same chaos that is swirling all around us, but today, my area has just been put on SIP (shelter in place) and we will be stuck inside until at least April 7th, and possibly even into summer.

Since I’ll be stuck here for awhile, I figured I might as well consult the I Ching and see if I can get some answers that might make sense out of what is, essentially a senseless tragedy that’s going on all over the world.

I turned on a youtube channel that played sounds of a trickling brook (this one really sounds like a trickling brook and not of someone peeing in the middle of the night), got my perfume, my paper and pencil, and my three coins.

You must forgive me.  It is spring and my asthma has been acting up quite a bit due to all the pollen in the air.  I wanted the scent of incense without all the smoke that could trigger an asthma attack, so I drenched myself in perfume, handily driving all the dogs out of the room, and then I was ready to do this.

My choice for scents today is Versace Oud for women.  It’s a very pretty scent that reminds me of a very expensive incense (I’ll tell you why in a later posting), and it will help me to focus on the question and the advice given.

My question was:  How will we deal  with this COVID 19?  What is the best thing to do in this situation?

I calmed myself for a bit.  Inhaled deeply, the scent of oud, and then began throwing the coins. For each toss, I thanked the universe for giving me the opportunity to ask the question, because we are neck-deep in a pandemic and I’m still alive to be able to ask this question.  I am quite aware that I am much more fortunate than some others who got sick and/or have passed away due to this virus.

Being thankful, even in the face of a blooming crisis, is critical to reach the point where the question can be asked clearly and without fear or hesitation.  After a short time later,

…this is what I got

7.  Shih – The Army

Judgement
The Army.  The army needs perseverance
And a strong man
Good fortune without blame

The Image
In the middle of the Earth is water;
The image of THE AMRY
Thus the superior man increases his masses
By generosity toward the people

I got 6 in the third place:
Perchance the army carries corpses in the wagon.
Misfortune

I also got 6 at the top:
The great prince issues commands,
Founds states, vests families with fiefs.
Inferior people should not be employed

And I’m like…bleeeeeechhh…I got army.  😦

Just what I need to hear in a time like this.  But you know, we get what we are given and we can’t complain.  It’s about as clear as I’ve ever seen an answer, and boy, is this one an over-the-top clear answer or what?

There’s no other way to interpret it than what it is.  This is what I Ching is trying to tell me.

If you look at this hexagram, what you see is Earth above (☷) and water (☵) below.

This means that ground water is stored up in the earth, and although most of this water is not visible in normal times, it is there to be utilized in times of war.  Earth = obedience, and Water = danger on the inside.  Any time there is a war, there will always be danger.  In our case, the war is not against another army, but rather an invisible virus that can (and has) ground the world to almost a halt.  We are all fighting, as a team, against this virus.  The army is obedient, but the danger is within.

Five yin lines to one yang line.  That is a lot of yin lines, and the single yang line is way down there at the bottom.  This one yang line is the commander of all the other yin lines, and it is this guy who is CRITICAL to the success of the mission.  This also means that this VERY IMPORTANT guy is NOT the king or the commander-in-chief, but rather a high ranking General of some type.

I have no idea who this very important person is, but whoever it is—YOU GO DUDE!  You got this.

Here is the advice from the universe to YOU, special chosen General, whoever you are.

The Judgement:

1. You need serious organization of your units, and you need to exert strict discipline, but it cannot be done by force.  You have to capture the hearts of the people, and awaken their enthusiasm, because the power that you hold come directly from them.
2. You need to garner the full cooperation of your ruler (or Commander in Chief), and this ruler MUST grant you full responsibility to carry out your duties as long as the war lasts.
3. You have to be ABSOLUTELY CLEAR to the people what the cause of the war is, and also WHAT TO DO in certain situations.  There can be ABSOLUTELY NO CONFUSION or CONFLICTING messages.
4. There must be NO unjust actions, or there will be grave consequences.

Next, we have The Image

The image is water under the earth.  These two trigrams represent the invisible water under the earth that can always be tapped into for the power that they hold.  When danger appears, every single person, be they accountant or cook or electrician, lays down their tools of the trade and become a member of your retinue.  The strength of your army lies in these very people.

Since their strength is your strength, only an economically strong army can carry out important duties and be effective and efficient fighters.  By improving the economic conditions of the people, you thereby improve your own conditions and power.  You must govern humanely.  There is no other way.  If you shelter your people, they will rise up and wage a victorious war.

And now the lines

Six in the third place:

This is BAD.  It means, there is a distinct possibility your army is carrying corpses in the wagon.  This means someone other than YOU, the chosen person to lead the army, has interfered with the command and mucked things up.  You have to quickly identify WHO THE FUCK THAT PERSON IS, and remove him (or her) out of the chain of command.  If you don’t, you will ABSOLUTELY lose this war.

Six at the top

Once you regain your command, you will win the war.  There will be success and you will be able to partake in the spoils of that victory, but the one thing that the Universe is cautioning you is this:  Do not allow inferior people to take over important power positions.  If they have helped you, pay them with money and let them go do their thing.  Do not reward them by placing them in positions of power or they will certainly abuse it, and you will have to deal with the fall-out in the very near future.

And that’s that

The I Ching did not answer anything I asked.  I can’t even really use any of this information for myself.  Bummer.

I feel like a carrier pigeon—a lowly messenger girl, called upon to post this message up blindly, just in case some random dude to whom this message is intended, happens to read this.  I can’t even tag this person by name because I have no clue who the heck he (or she) is.

Having done this, my tiny little responsibility to the Universe is over and I am ready to continue to shelter in place, surrounded by my cans of Spaghetti-Os and good books to read.

Stay safe everyone, and stay away from crowded places.

…