A little practical clarification

[wood horse]

In one week I win a writing award in Hollywood. Am trying to throw myself into this writing arena and have been met with astounding early success (lifetime professional writer, new arena). In the meantime I'm flat broke, unemployed, switching day jobs so as to have more writing time/energy. Again, switch of day jobs going exceptionally well with early success on all levels except adequate money -- currently NO money, but have been hired and will be employed at low wage when paperwork progresses (very slowly) through channels. Expect to enjoy job, but first job WAY too much time. Am taking it anyway and seeing how things develop. Anxiety on many levels. Near relatives suffering various levels of depression, I am empathetic. Suspect I am feeling too much in areas that are not my business. Question was: How shall I be?
20 changing to 8.

 

[tifa]

Hi wood horse,

it seems to me that you know what is going on in your life and you know that this is not the end of the world. You understand the trade offs between satisfaction (from your job) and the low wage.

Top line moving Hex 20 > Hex8 , suggests enjoy what you are enjoying at the moment. Drop off all anxieties... tomorrow will be a better day. If you are not feeling better tomorrow, so what? It is impossible to be unhappy forever.

 

[wood horse]

Thanks Tifa. Needed reassurance -- consulted the IChing -- needed help translating. Seems to me like I'm in the middle of a great adventure I ought to be enjoying a lot more than I am! Robbing myself through worry (which is always a waste of time, but it's what you do when you're anxious). Listening/feeling for that change of heart that will come -- but hasn't quite yet.

 

[ginnie]

Congratulations on winning the award!

I have the sense you do not believe the good luck that is on its way to you, mired as you are in a situation of deprivation and the close relatives are down in the dumps -- instead of leaping for joy and congratulating you on all your hard work over the years.

The I Ching has reflected back to you your own state of mind. You have distanced yourself from the events immediately around you and are looking at everything as if from the top of a high tower. You are experiencing remoteness. It's as if a wall is around you to protect you from being jarred or harmed by all these changes in your life. You have adopted this remote point of view for your own protection.

And the relating hexagram may be pointing to a future in which you need to seek out new friends, people who are considerably more reliable and upbeat than those you now have to depend upon. I cannot know your situation, so I'm only guessing on that. I think the I Ching is reflecting you back to yourself as if it were a mirror, and not really addressing the future orientation of your question. After all, the oracle is not doing fortunetelling. It always seizes whatever opportunity it is given to tell you something you need to know. In this case, maybe: Don't become so remote that you fail to reach out to those around you to keep the friends you have -- and also to make new friends.

 

[wood horse]

Excellent insights, Ginnie. Thank you. Have written "time for new friends" in my journal for several weeks, now. Also, letting go of concern for relatives. Have done and will do what I can, but worry about them is a "dodge" from getting on with my own life, isn't it.

 

[ginnie]

Solitary worrying is indeed, I think, a big dodge most of the time, as you said. If there is something specific and constructive that you can do for someone, that's different.

In terms of helping and being a help, the first person you need to help is yourself, as you get better at turning your back on misery.