Hello Clarity friends, I'm asking for your help. I moved into a rental in October w/a large attached garage that I was going to use as my art studio. That's how I earn my living so I need a good space. The landlord didn't tell me that the garage leaks through the foundation and that water seeps in beneath the door whenever it rains. We were at the end of a long drought so the house/garage appeared dry when I saw it and for the first few weeks of occupancy. The rain started in early November and the garage floor is often wet where incoming water pools on the concrete. There are areas of mold on the garage walls. The humidity inside the house has also been high. The carpets feel damp but I can't find any actual water. A week ago I moved all my art materials, paintings, panels, paper, canvas, photos, etc. out of the house to a storage unit b/c they had become so damp. The house may be absorbing moisture from the garage.

I notified the owner probably 6 weeks ago about the water in the garage. She has requested quotes from 2 people for building a concrete berm in front of the garage. No quotes have been forthcoming, and she's not pushed it further. Before the latest big storm, she brought sandbags to put in front of the door which didn't prevent the water from flowing underneath it or seeping through the concrete foundation on adjacent walls. When I told her about the dampness and mold in the garage several weeks ago, she responded that I was very particular.

Ten years ago I got seriously ill from mold in a rental house and it took the better part of a year to recover. I'm frightened that it's about to happen again. I've had the good fortune to live dry places for these last 10 years. I consulted the Yi before renting this house and apparently misunderstood the response.

I'm leaving for a 3 week trip in 6 days. I can't do much about the house until I get back, and also worry that everything I've left here will be soggy, mildewed or moldy.

So today, I asked 2 questions--
1) I'm really scared about living here b/c of the dampness issues--what is essential for me to know about the situation? 42 Unchanging
2) What are the proper next steps for me to take to safeguard my health? 55.1 > 62

My first thought was that 42 unchanging could mean the effects of the dampness are going to increase. Part of Hilary's text refers to rainfall, flowing without limit, etc. As in: more rain is coming, more leaks and more problems.
But it might mean to increase my efforts to get the situation fixed so I can stay here; that the problem isn't as bad as I think it is. Like Hilary says, "What would you do if you knew you were blessed?"

55.1 talks about an alliance that lasts 10 days, and then you move on. Hilary says, "it's important not to presume on its strength or overstep its bounds." And that this doesn't mean it's been a waste. "Afterwards you take whatever you received/learned from the encounter and move on."

Seems pretty obvious. And I definitely am experiencing a sense of profusion and overwhelm. Maybe 62 refers to not being able to achieve very much here. I had very high hopes for this house and workspace. Now it all appears to have been a mirage. OTOH, does it refer to the fact that if I'm very careful and conscientious I can maintain a worthwhile alliance with this house for a longer period of time? As in: don't freak out and run away. No, it's not your permanent home but you can feel safe to say until another opportunity come. You'll have to stay on top of the water and dampness almost like a caretaker. But it's not a crisis where you have to move somewhere, anywhere, ASAP to keep your health.

I would really appreciate others' input because my emotions, especially fear, are so intense around all this. Am I seeing the Yi's advice clearly? It's hard to face that I may have to move again so soon. I'm still trying to hold on to some hope that it could work out here. Affordable rentals are so hard to find in this area.

Thank you!

Hi Yeshe,

Hmm, 42 unchanging. What is augmenting or increasing here? The mold? Legge says, "Increase has the opposite meaning to hexagram number forty-one, Compensating Sacrifice [Decrease]. What king Wen had in mind was a ruler or a government operating to dispense benefits to the people and increase their resources. The two important lines in the figure are the correlates two and five. The general auspice of the hexagram is one of being successful in one's enterprises and of overcoming the greatest difficulties."

My first thought on reading this was that the ruler is your landlord, and that you will be helped out. But then again, are you the ruler, and you need to cross the great stream (how annoyingly literal) and leave? To move towards what you know is good and away from what you know is harmful? I'm not sure.

Last night I asked Yi a question about fear itself and received 55.1>62. Fear has been getting in the way of me living my life. I have longstanding chronic health issues and am hopeful that some of the health cleanup I'm doing at the moment will make my inner environment one less prone to fear (I have high copper and high estrogen, both of which mess with your mind). I asked, "How much of my fear will be resolved when estrogen and copper levels are balanced?" and received 55.1 > 62. I'm feeling a little confused, as always, about what that means. I'm sorry I can't be of much more help, I just thought perhaps my situation may trigger something about yours.

Mould is a horrible thing. Your landlord is bound, is she not, to fix this issue? To say that you are very particular is to say that she is particularly insensitive. Or perhaps she doesn't understand what mould can do to a person's health. Have you told her about your health issues from the past?

Cheers, hope you get it sorted.
Sue

42 unchanging: The situation will demand your generosity almost on a daily basis. You are asked to make a commitment. Sounds like a lot of hard work!

55.1 > 62 can mean to consult an expert. Are there experts on mold, or on damp structures?