I'm an alcoholic/addict,

I've recently changed sponsors to help me work the 12 steps of AA. For those of you not familiar with recovery, AA, or sponsors I'll briefely explain. A sponsor is a man/woman who helps you work the 12 steps of recovery so you don't pick up a drink or a drug.

Having a sponsor is crucial for people in recovery to remain spiritually healthy. My life depends on this piece of my recovery as well as other things, but, sponsorship is extremely important.

I asked the following questions...

I've asked Kent to sponsor me and take me through the steps, I don't know if this was the right decision. Please speak to me about this.

I received Hex# 7 9-2, 6-3, 6-4 changing into Hex# 62

Can you all tell me what your take is on this please?

What will happen to me after I work the steps of AA?

Hex#45 6-6 changing into Hex# 12

Can anyone explain this to me?


mirror saw

congratulations on your beginning recovery.

7 can be about finding a worthy leader for an undertaking.

The lines are not all positive. line 2 seems to say Kent is a good choice basically, but 3 and 4 indicate there may be problems. A real important piece of information to have is if he is someone with longterm sobriety, and one who is not carrying a lot of his own baggage(line3). line 4 says you may need to step back and rethink your choice.

62 could just refer to the detail work required in doing the steps.

you said you werent sure about Kent being the right choice, why do you feel that way? are you sensing he may not be the wisest person to ask?

45.6 indicates somekind of dissapointment perhaps, or misunderstanding. Did this question refer to taking the steps with Kent? or just in general? in general, the steps can take you to a place of weeping and wailing, losing your "place at the top" but it is a good thing in most cases, because you need to reconstruct yourself via the steps. BUt if the weeping and wailing in line 6 is about the encounter with kent, then maybe you might consider someone else. no blame in that

The outcome of taking the steps will be a positive thing in general, standstill can be overcome. BUt it is wise to choose someone to you feel very trusting of to guide you. I dont know if you are a woman or a man, but choosing someone of the same sex is usually best.
good luck with this!

hex 7 covers uniformity imposed from the outside.
hex 62 covers issues regarding exaggeration of traditions to favour loyalty to the collective. Overall the vibe is 'group' oriented.

hex 45 covers celebration of faith
hex 12 covers defending of faith

Both have a focus on devotion to another/others and in fact form a pair with 45 being unconditional, 12 comditionl (and so particular - the parrying of the attacks of others on one's belief acts to strengthen that belief (this is the positive side of 12 - the negative side is in the acting against change, to hold to one's faith, and in the eyes of the IC as book of change, that act of neutralising change is a 'no no' - but to developing self-worth, self-respect 12 is a positive)

Chris.

"I've asked Kent to sponsor me and take me through the steps, I don't know if this was the right decision. Please speak to me about this.

I received Hex# 7 9-2, 6-3, 6-4 changing into Hex# 62"

Organized force gets beyond the immediate situation through attention to detail. The primary focus is on organized force, well-led. The force here is your will and faith and Kent's ability, organized through the 12 steps. The detail comes in, I believe, with every little moment (there will be many) you have to apply what you're learning at AA.

I'm not going to go through the individual lines, cuz there are three of them, and the more lines there are, the less important each one is individually.

"What will happen to me after I work the steps of AA?

Hex#45 6-6 changing into Hex# 12"

It looks like the Yi's talking about your involvement in AA, and not the time after you work the 12 steps. My rendition of 12.6 is 'Grief, tears, snuffling. Without fault.' In other words, the expression of regret and pain is without fault. This sounds like an AA meeting to me. Or perhaps the Yi's saying: "Don't go thinking you're leaving the suffering of this behind, even if you leave the intoxicants behind. This is lifetime blues." I worked with an alcoholic once. He talked about it, talked about going through the 12 steps, talked about his continuing vulnerability to alcohol, talked about how he couldn't ever afford to let his guard down, talked about how although he was clean, he was still an alcoholic. He used to talk about it with a quiet certainty, a quiet honesty. As a man and as a person, he impressed me very much. I hope he's still alive and well.

Hi Mirror saw,

In your first reading, 7 changing to 62, I see hexagram 7 as referring to the situation of being in the AA and Kent as a mentor. Hexagram 62 do I see as about the quality of this.
I'm translating 62.0 currently as:

Too little.
Progressing.
It is beneficial to persist.
Small things are possible,
big things are not possible.
The flying bird leaves this message:
One should not be on top,
one should be below,
and there will be much good fortune.

Click to expand...

I think with Kent you are able to achieve some things, but not as much as you need to. If you have no better options, it is however a good idea to do go with Kent.

Your next reading, 45.6:

Offering sighs, snot and tears.
Without fault.

Click to expand...

When you have achieved the aim of not drinking any more, you'll be faced with the reasons you have been drinking. From 45.6 I'd say that this is frustration and sadness from some kind of group setting. To deal with the alcoholism in a healthy way, and not replace it with some other form of self-numbing, it is essential to deal with these feelings.

Hallo Mirror saw,

"I've asked Kent to sponsor me and take me through the steps, I don't know if this was the right decision. Please speak to me about this."

For me 7 is the organising force, and in the person of Kent, he will help you to get a new start(62). And I think a real new start to feel what it is to be on earth in your own body.
I would say you can have real faith in Kent.

"What will happen to me after I work the steps of AA?"

45-6 With the steps in the AA you can learn new things and ways, which you didn't know before and with that knowledge you know wenn to say no(12). With this wisdom(the 6th line) you can leave the old situation behind you.

Sounds very hopefull to me!

Best wishes Frank R

mirror saw said:

I've asked Kent to sponsor me and take me through the steps, I don't know if this was the right decision. Please speak to me about this.

I received Hex# 7 9-2, 6-3, 6-4 changing into Hex# 62

Click to expand...

The hexagram is earth above water below. Water and earth are the two necessary things for nourishment of life. Earth is the sympathy, understanding, trying to be helpful while water is patience, wisdom, skill and knowledge. So together they would act in harmony. If there is danger ( water below) then the people around (earth above) can help to overcome the dangers.

Line 2 is the general, it is central and firm. Although normally line to should be yin in case of an army it is natural to have the general firm and strong as the ruler can not be commanding every battalion of the entire army. Being in between the two yin lines it is best for the general to follow a moderate course of action as all others are yin as well. So I would interpret Kent is a good choice and he would most probably follow a moderate course of action rather than too loose or too strict. He would be helpful to overcome the dangers you might encounter.

Line 3 is yin in a yang position which makes it not correct. Normally line 3 is the border line and it is the lower line of the nuclear trigram of the above (earth) and the middle line of the lower nuclear trigram (thunder). Hence it wants to be central and be in command as well. However being a yin line does not give him the enough power to be acting correctly. Hence there may be outsiders or you yourself who would argue with the decisons of the general (Line 2) in this case Kent about his decisions and strategy. If you are to follow these kind of suggestions or try to impose your suggestions things may not go well.

Line 4 is yin in a yin place so it is correct it is central to the upper nuclear trigram earth. Line 4 is normall transition period and having a yielding line can mean changes in the course of plan or adjustments in the strategy are normal as long as the basic goal is kept.

Hex 62 has the image of a bird flying and the judgment says there is success in small matters. Recovering may take a long time and every small step is a great achievement. One should be expecting to solve all problems within a short period of time. Hence waiting for the correct time to come is necessary. That is why the bird is flying down as it is so tiny the wings can not support her for a long flight.

Hope this helps best wishes and success in your journey

Togan

Hi Mirror

I think it's wonderful you are taking this step to stay sober.

These are my thoughts other than the ones already mentioned which make a lot of sense:

7.2: excellent leader of the army (great sponsor)
7.3: army has corpses, which might mean that you are carrying a load from your past that is interfering with your relationship with Kent. I would suggest sharing your feelings toward him with him, if he's ok with it.
7.4: the army withdraws, reminds me of one tactic on avoiding binges: to avoid dangerous places such as bars and your own specific cues. Instead of trying to willpower control your craving.

62: Even with this good sponsor, expect the process to be very slow and take small steps. 62 to me is about mourning as well. I think that can be useful and most necessary at times, it's not a sign that Kent is not a good sponsor.

Than 45.6: This line according to Wilhelm is about getting a connection with other people, who at first don't see your good intentions. Maybe re-establishing connections, with yourself, other people and a higher power, is the most important potential outcome of being in the AA.

It looks like it's going to be a tough battle. With lots of mourning. But the potential outcome is reconnection.

All the best!

Love, Femke

Best wishes on your transformation, Mirror!

7.2 Your friend, your perfect Mentor, sent to you by your Higher Power.

7.3 The addiction that has taken over your life.

7.4 Your awareness that you are powerless before this addiction and that you must stay away from alcohol.

62. One Day at a Time.

45.6 - 12. Perhaps the I Ching is responding that there is no "After" with the 12 steps anymore than there is an after with the I Ching's 64. You just keep doing them. I think 45.6 - 12 is saying what would happen if you did the 12 steps once and then dropped out. Your A.A. friends would miss you terribly (45.6) and your own life would seem stagnant (12).