To be able to predict the future using the Yijing takes a great deal of skill and a lot of experience. If you can do it, you could become very powerful! However, nature tends to balance everything, don’t think all your dreams will come true.
When we study the Yijing, our knowledge of the Five Flements must be very clear. First of all we must understand which element creates which element and which element controls which element, since these are the basics. If not we cannot understand the whole philosophy of the Yijing.
For example, if you see a lump of stone, you should know it belongs to the element Earth, if you see a wooden table you should know it belongs to the element Wood and there should be no confusion. So the chart of the Five Elements is very important: you should know it off by heart.
As another example, suppose you see a car; this is not on the chart and so it does not seem to belong to any element. However, since it was made by a machine means it belongs to the Metal element – this is correct. Many of the things we see at first do not appear to belong to any element, or might belong to more than one element. If you see a car parked in a garage you can say it belongs to Metal, but if you are walking along and a car drives by you, it might belong to Fire or Wind, you have to understand the situation. The car shoots past you like fire, creating a rush of wind.
We have a saying “Like a blind man touching an elephant.” he only knows the part of the elephant he touches. It might be touching the leg, the trunk or perhaps its tail, but he thinks he knows what an elephant is. So when we see things and want to find out more about the elements, we should consider the situation, as things are never the same.
One day a friend comes to visit you. You look at his face and find he does not look soy well. Since you are not a doctor you cannot tell what is wrong with him, but then you start to look at what he is wearing. You see he is wearing a green jumper, then you can tell your friend he has an emotional problem which is effecting his liver. He has probably had an argument with someone. When you tell your friend he will he very impressed and want to know how you found out. You can then point out that he is wearing a green jumper and green represents temper which relates to the liver. So someone will naturally wear green since they have a bad temper and they always argue with people. That is how you can predict things.
Another example: You are going to move house, but there are two houses you like and you cannot decide which one is best for you. You know you are a very sociable person and like a lot of people around you, you also like acting, dancing, movies and being outside. You find you are very close to the fire element. One of the houses is numbered twelve and the other fifty seven. Both are in good locations but you do not know which one to choose. However, you have studied the Yjing and Five Elements so you know one represents water and two represents fire. So the number twelve means there is water and fire. Fire is good for you, but water will put out fire and so this will affect your fire element and energy. This means if you move into this house your energy will be controlled. Even though there is Fire to help you, Water will still control it and you, and this is not good for your future. In contrast with fifty seven: Five represents Earth and seven represents Fire. Fire can help Earth and make it strong. This will create more opportunities and luck. So you will get more friends who will help you, you might even meet a new girlfriend or boyfriend, because Fire helps Earth. Therefore in this case you should choose fifty seven and not number twelve.
”Can the Yijing reveal the winning numbers on the National Lottery?”
In another example you have an important meeting involving a lot of business with a client. You know his office is blue, and as you understand the principle of the Five Elements, you dress in green, and even buy some flowers for the meeting. During the meeting you will find your energy is high and your mind clear, in fact no difficulty at all. So of course you make a very big deal with the client. All because blue represents Water and green and flowers represent Wood. Water helps wood and so you are in the best position. When we understand the Five Elements it can help us a great deal, but we might come across a situation where even though you have prepared everything you still fail. This is because of the time, place and people. These three things control all situations in the entire world. These are prenatal conditions. We can only do certain things because it is decided by the prenatal conditions. We can only try our best, but if heaven does not give it to you, you will never get it, though this does not mean we should never do anything, as everything happens according to heaven (prenatal) and your work (postnatal). So if you do not prepare for it, even if heaven wants to give it to you, you will still lose it. Therefore you will never win millions of pounds in the lottery with theYijing.
by Michael Tse
