Like many people at different times, I presently find very little peace in my life. This is due to a mixture of situations (ongoing stalking documented in previous thread), troublesome relationship etc. I generally maintain a happy-go-lucky outward appearance. My philosophy is to hide my deepest worries, because why should I burden anyone else?

Today I asked the Yi: What is the best way for me to find some peace in my life?

I could do with a little help in deciphering my reading, please.

35,lines 2.4 relating 4. I can't really work it out. Especially the reference to ancestress given in 2. Or the hamster in 4. Although I find I often work into the wee small hours and wonder if I'm like a hamster going around in circles!

Any ideas would be welcome.
Zelda

Q: What is the best way for me to find some peace in my life?

A: 35.2.4>4


Hi Zelda

The Yi's protraying your search for peace as Hex 35, which is about making progress, advancing, thriving. Notice that you didn't draw Hex 52 or Hex 11 or Hex 59, which are about keeping still or pervading or dispersing, all of which are pictures of peace, I think. That means that for you, peace is a matter of making progress, of advancing, of giving that generates abundance and which is honored in return. This is a learning situation for you, hence the Hex 4 relating hexagram.

The micro picture: 35.2 is about feeling apprehensive about progressing, yet if you carry out what you think is right, good things happen, especially if you can just open yourself to receiving the considerable blessing that life is trying to give you now. 35.4 is about progressing timidly and how carrying out what you think is right when you're in that frame of mind turns out badly. It's interesting to me that two different contexts for carrying out what you think are right are presented to you in this toss - the first is apprehensive, the second is timid. This highlights your main challenge, I think. You need to progress, but different kinds of fear are holding you back. The key in dealing with it seems to be on the one hand to accept the blessing that life is presenting you with, and on the other hand to let go of that small, fearful, hamster-like timidity that's holding you back.

Okay, that's what I see in what the Yi's saying to you about your situation. Now, here's something I saw/heard in an Eckhart Tolle video. He was talking about how to attain peace, and for him, the key is acceptance. You have to accept what's happening in your life *right now*, every moment. It's really hard to accept the parts and times of your life that are unpleasant or scary or that make you angry or feel sorry for yourself. So for him (and quite possibly for you), it's necessary to balance a very receptive, accommodating attitude to your life on the one hand with an attitude of *fierce* determination to accept what's happening on the other hand.

Good luck with the journey.

What a helpful response Dobro and I appreciate your input.

Without going into too much detail about my situation; the apprehension / timid context sums up the way I feel.

Part of me believes I can progress positively by removing myself from one particular situation. But I am consistently unable to remove myself from that situation. When I look candidly at the reason I 'stay put' with the situation I know the answer. I fear for the welfare of the other person involved. This is illogical because he needs to take personal responsibility for his own life choices. This is really what leaves me no peace. The other issues I'm dealing with did not result directly through my personal choices or actions. Add them to the personal hassle situation... it equals very little peace! I think I need to 'get a grip' and trust this reading to help me.

I will think over your comments.

Best wishes
Z

Hi Zelda,

I went on a search for 35.4 awhile back, and opened this thread:
35.4 discussion

I tripped through several explanations on line 4, in this search. In fact I think I screwed up a company meeting I was conducting, as a result of not yet interpreting line 4 adequately.

In retrospect, line 4 appears to me to be an image of having ones fingers in too many pies, yet not fully committing to eating any one of them. Dabbling here and there, peaking in but not walking in and making a place to stay. Progressing this way leads to entanglements and indecision. It?s like the perfectionist who begins many tasks but has a difficult time bringing any one of them to completion.

Line 2 warns also of rushing headlong into things, and changes to 64, which isn?t yet in a state of knowing or completion. Sadness in this case is marked with success because you are then open to receive through a sort of divine intervention.

Gua 4 presents a marked contrast to this way of making progress. 4 is unassuming, unknowing, and even in some ways, uncaring. There are no expectations of how things should be. Everything is new and interesting.

See if the link provides you with further help with this reading.

Best to you.

Zeldiac -

Hi again.

"Part of me believes I can progress positively by removing myself from one particular situation."

If that were the case, if that was what you needed, you would have drawn Hex 33, Withdrawing. But you didn't. (Again, I think you can learn a lot about what's involved in your situation by what hexagrams you *don't* draw.)

By drawing 35, the Yi's saying that progress and advancement are the key to getting the peace you want. Now, I have to ask you: How do you translate 'progress, advancement, thriving' in terms of your situation? Answer that question, and you see a way ahead.

Zeldiac-

I think the I Ching is telling you you are making 35.Progress in your quest to have more Peace in your life .What is going on right now is not a mistake, but very much a part of that quest. The image of hexagram 35 is the Sun rising in the sky illuminating the four corners of the world. This is suggests that as you seek Peace you will also see more truth. But just as the mother who is calm and serene will find her children will tell her the truth and the most amazing stories (ie. "Don't get mad Mom, i just swollowed a goldfish"), you will find that as you strieve for a Peace filled life, more and more the disturbing facts of life will be brought to your attention and thus you will no longer live in a fool's paradise but will know what the world is truly like and yet be able to maintain your sence of Peace even in a world of chaos. So I feel the I Ching is encouraging you that your very awareness of some of the problems in your world is confirmation that you are at least peaceful enough inside to be able to handle at least some of The Truth.
35.2 Seems to be saying again you are making progress, but if it is in sorrow - if you feel you're being shown more truth about the world than you can handle right now - then there is help available and that you should ask for it. Perhaps you will find a book with soothing insights or maybe literally praying to a deceased ancestress will open the door to your receiving comfort. But the line is encouraging for feeling your current crisis is a sign of expanding awarenss of the way the world really is and just as having Peace within brings the Truth out, knowing more of the Truth will strengthen your sence that being Peaceful works, that being at Peace is enough and the facts take careof themselves.
35.4 Suggests to me that these stressful times maybe serving you in that you are becoming aware of habits that are not natural to you and because you are feeling stressed out you no longer have the extra energy available to maintain them. Thus if your past persona as "The Happy-Go-Lucky One" is no longer a true reflection of who you are, you may find it takes too much energy to maintain it and that it's appropriate for you to drop that role and be "The Quiet One." I am not saying you should, I am just saying this line suggests to me that some habits that are not serving you may come to light now so you can release them. As you so, you will be more at Peace. This may mean the friends who only were "there" for you for the giggles will now reveal if they are also interested in the deeper truer version of Zeldiac, but if they are not it sounds like you are better off without such illusions.

Finally, as Progress changes to The Fool, this suggests to me that no matter how much "Progress" we make in our ability to maintain an attitude of calm and openess and understanding that leads to seeing Truth, no matter how deep or wide our understanding becomes, the real benefit of this process is it leads us to recognizing that even when we don't know what will happen next, we will be able to stay calm and serene.

So I think the IChing is encouraging you (35.2 ) to get some help in the Peace process, (vitamin b, a friend, a book, prayer to an ancestress) , (35.4) to drop any habits or routines as you come to see them as counter productive and ultimately (4) to know that being at Peace doesn't necessarily mean you will know how everything is going to turn out, but that you can be at Peace knowing that you do not know.

What can I say? You are such helpful people and I value your wisdom. I will study all you have written and post on this thread again. Meanwhile, my thanks to you all. You have hit on several very meaningful points for me.

Zelda

Rosada I have read over again your input on this thread. It is helpful and I think your opinion is well founded. I can relate to the scenario of friends who were around me just for the giggles. Recently I had quite an awakening where two particular friends are concerned. I decided to leave their friendship behind because mostly being their friend drained me. I feel this has been a progressive step for me. Again, I thank you for your posting regarding my search for peace. I will keep meditating on how to find a more peaceful way.

Best wishes
Zelda