Bean: I have been really struggling with trying to decide if I should try to make it out to SobCon- Business School for Bloggers this May. I can’t afford it. I would need sponsoring and scholarships. But my biggest fear is that if I can raise the money, that I will have a MS flare and end up sick in a strange city. I worry that I would be a poor investment for those that sponsor me and would not be able to participate fully. On the flip side, I think it would be an awesome experience and I would come back with lots of great information for my students.

Bean: Should I try to get sponsorships and scholarships so I can attend SOBCon 09?

Adele: In sharing your thoughts on your question you mentioned a fear of getting sick in a strange city if you should get the money. I understand – you don’t want to be awarded the money and then not be able to follow through. There could be two questions here, “Results if I apply?” And “Should I go?” I’m going to assume that if you apply you will get the money and that your question really is to have affirmation that you should go and that everything will work out. I’m only nitpicking here to point out how a question is phrased is important in order to avoided situations where there are really several questions.

Increase, Wind & Wood over Thunder

I Ching responded with Hexagram 42. I / Increase, the Image of Wind and Wood over Thunder with the 4th line changing into Hexagram 25. Wu Wang / Innocence (The Unexpected.)

Stephen Karcher calls Hexagram 42, Augmenting / The Blessing.

“Do i!” I would say off the top of my head. But lets look at more of what this is about here.

Wilhelm: I / Increase. It furthers one To undertake something. It furthers one to cross the great water.

Crossing the great water refers to taking a journey. In the ancient days of when the I Ching developed, crossing the great water is the equivalent of what today could mean taking any kind of trip. It  can also mean a symbolic trip of taking a new mental journey. In your question you are asking about taking a trip to another city. so I Ching has nailed that part of the question. And it applies to both the journey to a different city and the mental journey of gathering new information.

Wilhelm says, “When people are devoted to their leaders, undertakings are possible, and even difficult and dangerous enterprises will succeed.” He further says that this is a situation that calls for making the best use of the time, that this time does not last and so should be used now.

I’ll pull some quotes from Stephen Karcher that are relevant to this question.

“Augmenting describes your situation in terms of increase, advance and development … pour in more energy.

“Stimulate people at their work without limiting them.”

“Having a place to go or imposing a direction on things brings profit and insight.”

“Step into the stream of life.”

The 4th line that changes is relevant to your concerns. You want to take this trip. And you don’t want to have something unexpected happen that you can’t control and thereby not be able to give full value to the money other people have invested in you.

Wilhelm explains the line by saying, “It is important that there should be people who mediate between leaders and followers . . . Nothing of his benefit should be held back in a selfish way; it should really reach those for whom it is intended. You are acting as an intermediary.”

And from Karcher: “. . . The center of life is shifting. Stay loyal to your friends. Act on your ideas, Depend on the fact that everything is changing and you are an important part of it . . .”

This fourth line addresses your desire to bring back good information for your students. You ARE an intermediary here.

Then you move into the situation of Innocence which is basically about following the laws of nature and staying true to one’s spirit without thinking of personal rewards.  Karcher names this Hexagram 25, Disentangling which for me has different connotations than the the meaning of the word Innocence. He describes it as, “. . . your situation in terms of acquiring the capacity to act spontaneously and confidently.”

Because you are concerned about the possibility of having an unwanted and unexpected MS flare and because the Hexagram of Innocence also points to the unexpected. I’ll pull those words of interpretation that might refer to your concern.

“Below Heaven, thunder is moving. Proceed step by step. The spirit has really returned. If you return to it, you will not be the source of disaster. Associate with others without getting caught up in disorder.”

I could take that to mean, that when one is at a conference, especially when there are many interesting people and ideas intermingling every where, it is almost impossible not to get tired from all this energy and excitement. So the caution here would be to guard against that to protect your health.

Sometimes I look at the line in the second Hexagram that corresponds to the line that changed in the first one to see if I get a bit more insight into the situation. In this case, line 4 in Hexagram of Innocence or Disentangling Wilhelm says: “We cannot lose what really belongs to us, even if we throw it away. Therefore we need have no anxiety. All that need concern us is that we should remain true to our own natures and not listen to others.”

Again, in this situation, I feel that this is not only an inspiration to go for this adventure, but listen to yourself and what ever you need to do to protect your health even if it means giving up some time with others.

Does this make sense?

Related posts:

1. I Ching Question Response for Sliloh
2. A question about I Ching Hexagrams 63 and 64
3. Question about Hexagram 12 – Standstill