I’ve become more and more aware of how I create my own problems by my tendency to overreact emotionally. I can get really elated at, say, a piece of news – or an i-ching response – or quite down… and then I keep badgering the i-ching with more and more questions about events in my life (which are invariably answered very patiently and clearly –and usually end up cautioning me about the need to control myself)

Over the last few months I’ve been working hard on trying to calm down, take a deep breath before I react, keep some equilibrium. I find there are times when I sometimes get to a nice point where I feel balanced. Not cold or withdrawn, but just clear in my head – and quite happy in a calm way. I can deal with difficulties without sobbing into my tea mug, or feel pleased by something without going off the deep end. It’s quite an elusive feeling, though, and I wish I could hang on to it all the time.

Today has been tricky for a number of different reasons and I was about to fire off a string off questions to the i-ching, but instead I asked (for the first time) a more general ‘how do I reach a point where I keep my balance?’ I received 49.5 changing to 55.

I’m puzzled. Does 49.5 mean I need to do something radically different? Or that I’m on the right track? That some kind of shake-up in my life is on the way… (I’m trying to resist the urge to rush back to the i-ching and say ‘OMG OMG now what’s going to happen?’!)

Any insight would be very welcome. Thanks.

Hi,

I think you are going through changes and that's what 49 is saying to you, line 5- I think can be saying something like just accept the process, have faith in the process and experience you have now. As if the acceptance alone will bring about the change and bring you closer to balance. Or maybe even that what you are experiencing is a natural form of balance. Then 55, "be like the sun at midday". Bright, warm, in the middle. Don't know if that helps much but that's what I seen.

Take care,

Blue_Angel

Hi musico,

musico said:

I’m puzzled. Does 49.5 mean I need to do something radically different?

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no, not at all. You are on the perfect and correct track. For 49 Revolution the images says:
"..man is able to adjust himself in advance to the demands of the different times" To me that is what you did today.

Lake: joy, talking, sometimes just talking away without knowing
Fire: (clear) thinking, has to stick to something real and not 'seeing flying mice' where there aren´t any.
Lower inner Trigram: wind
Your thinking might get carried away by wind, manipulating (yourself) thru talking.

Think first and then talk. You have the strength of a tiger. You will manage to overthrow old and misleading behaviours without asking the Yi - time is on your side.

Perfect casting!

Forget about 55, tiger - carry on as you did today...

Hex 49 is also named 'Molting' (animal's pelt, which is changed in the course of the year by molting).
Periods of sadness and joy are represented by "Fire below and the lake above", which "combat and destroy each other".

You need to understand that these mood swings come and go, they are external, like winter and summer are.

Line 5:
The great man changes like a tiger. Even before he questions the oracle he is believed.

Like a tiger's fur has black on white/yellow stripes but it is only fur, not the tiger inside it.
Be inside the fur, be in the middle, don't let the events influence your emotions too much.

Also it says here you don't need an oracle, you already know what to do, you already have started the change.

I find there are times when I sometimes get to a nice point where I feel balanced. Not cold or withdrawn, but just clear in my head – and quite happy in a calm way.

Click to expand...

Perfect!

As a result you will get to the state of Hex 55 - Clarity within, while there is thunder outside.

Osho calls it - being centered in yourself.
As an exercise, next time you get too excited ask yourself - "Who is sad/excited right now? Where is he?Can you show me him?" Try to really get an answer, an image and your mind will go absolutely blank. Or you can just watch your lungs breathe, whatever you fancy most)

Thanks very much for taking the time to reply, and for the reassurance. In that case I'll keep up the (massive!) effort to change my stripes