(369) What to ask for divination?
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By Janet Shin
Many Chinese classics articulate divination as a way to connect humans and nature, and they teach people what to ask and what not to ask. They also clearly mention the principles and procedures of it. This proves the fact that the origins of divination doesn’t come from mere superstition but from science and morality.
First of all, it is said we shouldn’t ask for divination with immoral matters. For instance, we shouldn’t pursue financial profits causing damage to others or with criminal intent. It is because the lucidity of divination can be blurred by people’s greed. It is rather contradictory to current states as the major theme of people’s questions is associated with their business gains and wealth.
Second, we shouldn’t ask the same questions repeatedly. Let’s say if a woman asked about her compatibility with a man. Even if a negative result comes up, she shouldn’t ask for divination again. I experience this kind of situation quite often during the consultation. When people fall in love, whether it is a crush or not, they do wish their love will come true. It is apparent they are eager to hear they are a “match made in heaven.” But realistically, it can’t always be. Many people are likely to ask the same question, even consulting with other fortunetellers until they hear what they are expecting. The sage teaches us to accept the results of the first divination.
The third is to ask with an earnest request. An earnest request is not just for emotional issues but also desperate issues of life or death. The fourth is not to ask private questions but public ones. The third and fourth are related in a certain way. Nowadays most fortunetellings are linked to people’s privacy whether they are desperate or not. It is partly affiliated with the fact the divination is not considered a public practice at all in contemporary times.
Last but not least, divination is required for questions with simple answers, “yes or no.” If people are asking about very complicated matters, they may not get clear statements by divination. The fortunetellers may also delude people by ambiguous readings in this case. So both the readers and questioners need to make their descriptions as explicit as possible.
Other than the above requirements, they also say when people practice divination, first they do it by tortoise shell then by stalk. The former is associated with “image” to render “intuition” and the latter with “numbers” to render “reasoning.” Then in order to draw a conclusion, they try to consider what public opinion says.
These are how the ancient classics articulated the “dos and don’ts” for questioners and readers. Many divinatory statements were related with fear and anxiety. And they knew “succeed and fail” were situational, which confirms people’s fates are dependent upon “time.” What they tried to teach was to know when the right time comes and people had to study and discipline themselves while waiting for this time. This is why and how they enjoyed “knowing the future.” And yet they could sustain ethics keeping away from acts of superstition.