Omens
Photo by Nikhil Mitra on Unsplash
When I have created this page about the methods to consult the I Ching, I didn't mention omens, because omens are not the result of a consultation but direct messages sent to us.
In the Antiquity omens were highly respected and a famous example was the eagle of Zeus that would show the approbation of Olympus.
Bodies found in a truck
It is not rare to encounter situations described in the I Ching in real life, and these happenstances can be regarded as omens. Recently, the tragedy of the 39 dead people found in a truck is such a situation, and we can link it direcly to the hexagram 7, lines 3 and 5.
Possible lines
Here is an article about the situation.
Let's have a look at the classical comments (Wilhelm/Baynes translation):
Six in the third place means:
Perchance the army carries corpses in the wagon.
Misfortune.
and then:
Six in the fifth place means:
There is game in the field.
It furthers one to catch it.
Without blame.
Let the eldest lead the army.
The younger transports corpses;
Then perseverance brings misfortune.
7.5 (7 > 29) - Giving a bonus to the experience
Something useful can be obtained, the most experienced will be able to succeed, another will be likely to damage it.
Bing DeepL Google YandexThe younger transports corpses, it is really striking since the driver who was arrested is 25 years old.
How do we interpret such omens? In my opinion we should not extrapolate too much. For instance, we should not tie this to the Brexit. However we can look in two directions.
Firstly we can consider that 7.5 applies to the UK migration policies. The officials do not want illegal migration and they try to catch those who cross the borders illegally. Finding corpses, one can consider that this job is not done correctly.
Second we can look at 7.3, it is the situation of a military officer who abandons his men to their fate without giving them any support. In the BBC article, Celia Hatton gives an interesting analysis about Chinese migrants who have difficulties to leave their countries. While China has not really known democracy, people in the ancient times could still "vote with their feet" by leaving a region when the leaders were incompetent. And this is no longer possible.
Beyond China and UK, the same event happened in Austria in 2015, and it shows that the migrant crisis is not handled correctly.
Analyzing 7.3
Finally we can have a look at 7.3 and see what we can learn from this situation:
The reciprocal, 8.4 shows a situation of trust. Thus, 7.3 is about distrust.
8.4 (8 > 45) - Take the time to nurture relationships
When one has established a relationship of trust, it is in their interest to make it grow.
Bing DeepL Google YandexThe juncture shows what should have been done before,to avoid this tragedy:
45.4 (45 > 8) - Making reference
One welcomes one's friends to introduce them to others.
Bing DeepL Google YandexBeing welcoming was the way to go.
And finally the dervied, or Fan Yao shows what can be done after this situation has occurred:
46.3 (46 > 7) - Discharging obligations
The others want to know if one can continue without help.
Bing DeepL Google YandexThis can be interpreted in a variety of ways, however if a leader abandons his men, these men should stop following him.
Analyzing 7.5
This can also be done with 7.5 but is more complicated because it presents two alternatives, one good and one bad, and we are in the bad one.
The reciprocal shows the opposite situation:
8.2 (8 > 29) - Make one's attachment credible
One commits oneself to help one's friends repairing their damage before others notice.
Bing DeepL Google YandexIt is a situation where these people would have stayed at home and be helped. In many countries, there are public and private programs to help the poors, so these people would be less tempted by going to another country.
The juncture indicates what could have been done to prevent this situation from happening. But it's not about the dramatic outcome, it is about what could have been done to prevent migrants from going there. Because we could have a 7.5 with a correct outcome, the dead bodies were not a necessity.
29.2 (29 > 8) - Passing the buck
When one encounters difficulties that are too great, one leaves them to those who know how to handle them.
Bing DeepL Google YandexIt is about entrusting someone to do for you something you are enable to achieve. There is a large range of possible interpretations here.
The Fan Yao is about what can be done once the situation has occurred. But now it is too late, it was what could have been done once these migrants went into the truck.
29.5 (29 > 7) - Going on vacation
Before returning to help others, one must take a break and prepare oneself to answer to one's relatives.
Bing DeepL Google YandexIf the driver had taken a break and answered the calls of the migrants, they would not have been found dead.
Another way to interpret this situation, is by declaring that the migrants should stay at home. However it looks to me that they consider that their living conditions are so bad that it is a good idea to risk their lives instead of enduring them.
Shall we consider the situation as 7.3.5?
7.3.5 (7 > 48) - The will to power
One gets ready to follow the instructions of those who command.
Bing DeepL Google YandexI don't think so because it shows a situation where 7.5 (the guide) is applied to 7.3. In definitive, we can consider this as a pure 7.5 situation from the UK point of view, while 7.3 can be seen if we consider the situation of the migrants in regard with their own government. If you consider that this is neither about the UK or Chinese governments (too much extrapolation) then you can consider that both lines apply to the truck driver.
Update
Some migrants have been found to be of Vietnamese origin, but that does not change much the interpretation. Naturally, as we get more information, we can refine the interpretation, and that shows how much knowing the background is important when interpreting the Yi-Jing.
