Thank you all for your great wisdom.

Here is my question: What may I expect if I now consider myself retired from my business? (I am older now and there is not sufficient work available in my field anyway.) But I don't have enough money coming in on a regular basis. I was thinking I could always ask a family member for money, as I am fortunate to have a family member with money.

Anyway, I got 26.2.6>36. I have to admit that hexagram 26 often mystifies me and that I didn't understand this answer. I have gotten #26 a lot over the years.

As background, I have asked my family for money in the past, and they have a few times caused me trouble in the form of severe thwarting, because they hardly ever agree with my plans and activities. But what about that top line moving: "One attains the way of Heaven." Does that mean that I correct my ideas?

So, I asked the reverse question: "I Ching, what may I expect if I do not subordinate myself to family members but still persist at trying to earn my own bread?"

I received hexagram 50, The Cauldron, with no moving lines.

I get static hex 50 a lot. It's a visual image of a big pot, of course, and I take it that I am supposed to keep its contents stirred and bubbling so as to feed not only myself but all the worthy.

Hex 50 with no moving lines is said by R.L.Wing to mean: "those with whom you are associated, as well as yourself, will attain success. . . . Your entire milieu, whether it is religious, social, political, or familial is developing in accord with the cosmos."

That sounds wonderful, but I have to say, it is also more than a little bit nebulous. To achieve success with hex 50, one needs to be rather selfless, and I'm afraid I'm always thinking about how I'm going to pay my dentist, and so forth, like most of us . . . especially since right now I have a toothache. Here in the USA, you know, dentistry is usually not covered under our medical insurance. What a pain!

Any help you might be able to give would be very much appreciated.

What you might expect if you now consider yourself retired?

26.2.6>36.
As the image for 26 says "the superior man acquaints himself with many sayings of antiquity and many deeds of the past, in order to strengthen his character thereby," I wonder if you are intending to go back to school? Or perhaps this is a comment on life being a learning experience and the caution that if you retire you may find yourself feeling you've dropped out of school?

26.2 "The axletrees are taken from the wagon" sounds like if you retire you don't have anyway of moving forward. Or perhaps it means you are right in feeling there isn't much happening work-wise just now but rather than retire, you are being encouraged to patiently wait for improvement.
26.6 "One attains the way of heaven." This line also points to waiting until obstructions pass and then says one will move forward. Is this waiting for obstructions to pass in your work world so that you can eventually move ahead with work, or obstructions from your family that eventually you overcome so you can retire?

36. Darkening of the light.
"He veils his light, yet still it shines." Also, "One should not needlessly awaken overwhelming enmity by inconsiderate behavior."

All this suggests to me that you might do better to think of yourself as going on sabbatical - taking a break to study something different so as to actually improve your work - rather than flat out retiring. Also, you may find phrasing your intentions in this way -saying you want to take some time off to learn new skills - meets with more agreement with your family - you don't want to "awaken overwhelming enmity" if they would think your talk of retiring "inconsiderate"!

This is one way of looking at the hexagrams if you feel your question allowed for consideration as to whether you even SHOULD retire. However, if we look at it as purely a comment as to what you might expect if you indeed do retire, I think it predicts you will want to study something new, watching and waiting your chance to get back into the game. 36. specifically states his light "still shines." I don't think you would be content to just sit on the side lines and veg.

You then ask what you might expect if you were to persist with trying to earn your own bread. 50 is a wonderful answer for any question, but it is particularly helpful for questions pertaining to making your way in society. The Image says it all, "The superior man consolidates his fate by making his position correct." To me that means ask yourself, "What is my role in this situation?" It promises that as you appraise what your talents are and what the situation needs, you will find a way that you can support yourself without compromising.

What may I expect if I now consider myself retired from my business? got 26.2.6>36

Line 26.2 says go ahead and retire as something favourable will come your way later.

Line 26.6 says that you can expect a very fortunate turn of events after you have packed up shop.

Hex 36 says that you should just keep doing your own thing in life, not let yourself be pushed around but neither creating any problems either, so there is a need for you to stay out of the lime light and to keep your peace.

"I Ching, what may I expect if I do not subordinate myself to family members but still persist at trying to earn my own bread?" hexagram 50

Hex 36 has already advised you not to be pushed around by anyone and that includes family. So, Hex 50 says that to be your own person will meet with great success and so will the pursuit of doin some kind of business.

Rather dreary business

The axle had been removed from the cart anyway. There had been no forward motion. I was all set to lay the old business to rest. My family wants me to retire from all work anyway, but I don't want to veg out, as Rosada noted.

And then, out of the blue, a prospective client happened to send me an email inquiring about my services. Isn't it funny that just now I should get another inquiry, as I am on the verge of closing up shop? Maybe it's a test of how determined I am to move on.

I have always needed the money from this business to subsidize activities I am more interested in. Recently, however, the IC has been giving me #33 with regard to this work and also #36 more than once, which Willowfox indicates means not to let myself get pushed around.

Line six moving seems to indicate the situation will open up and will no longer be stopped -- however that happens. I guess it could mean any one of a number of things, including a change of heart or mind on my part.

In this instance, maybe it's not a case of either/or. A lot of people wear more than one hat. I feel a need to rest, while the whole stew simmers . . . Thanks for your help . . .

22.3.6>24

As we were discussing above, I usually think of hexagram 36 as meaning being harmed or even injured. Once when I had received 36.3, something sharp on my luggage cut my finger and I bled profusely while traveling locally, even though I was able to get where I was going. I accomplished my job but the whole situation fell apart shortly after that anyway. All my efforts (sacrifices) were for naught.

I have come to think of any situation involving 36 as something to be avoided entirely, if there is any choice. "Here a man of dark nature is in a position of authority and brings harm to the wise and able man."

Regarding the prospective client who emailed me after I had asked the questions discussed previously, I asked the I Ching this time: "What may I expect if I work for this person?" I got 22.3.6>24. I think the client may have something to do with the arts. Or the 22 may be the result of "grace": I must have asked the universe for more money, and so a client naturally turned up.

I really have to fine-tune the way I ask things of the universe. "Be careful what you ask for, because you just might get it."

What do you make of 22.3.6>24? I do not feel any gladness at hearing from this person. I am rather at a low ebb. :bag:

Looks like some work coming your way.

Thank you

Thank you, Willowfox. It's really wonderful to get this kind of feedback on the Yi, which, as we all know, can be perplexing, especially when we are reading for ourselves.