Hex 26

[cal val]

What do you suppose the I Ching is trying to tell me? I don't get it.

No matter what I ask...no matter the subject...for the past week I keep getting Hex 26. Sometimes I get a changing line...usually six in the fourth place, but usually I don't.

Anyone else have this kind of experience?

Thanks for you help.

Cheerio the noo,

Val

 

[cheiron]

Hi Val

When I get repeated readings like this I tend to think that the Yi is having to 'shout' because I am not listening (or not getting the point).

Sometimes it is because whereas I might be doing different things I am not changing my inner posture... and I am asking different questions from the same fixed head / heartspace.

Without knowing your questions it is difficult to make much comment.

I wonder...I sometimes get this Hex. when I am having a hard time and the Yi is saying 'stay with it... things will be OK'

However the Hex also has a meaning that you should 'accumulate' - Gather / Control / nourish... etc and act / not be passive.

Does looking at the nuclear Hx. (Hidden potential) Hx. 54 help at all?

All the best

Kevin

 

[gene]

Val

Are you feeling some kind of anxiety about something?

Gene

 

[bfireman]

Hello Val-

Yi seems definitely to be telling you something and unwilling to move on until you do "get it". I kind of enjoy when this happens, receive multiple hex's. Then, at least the point is clear enough to break through my thick skull, although it sure is frustrating when you just don't know what the hell the lesson seems to be, or what area of life it is speaking to. I got this hex about a year ago while I was separating from my wife. About that time I bought Carol Anthony's book on the I Ching, which was only the second commentary I had ever seen, and it did help out a lot in understanding what the I Ching was all about. At that time I was a very very very beginner. Anyway, her commentary on this hex hit the mark on the head at the time for me, so I will relate a bit here for you in case it helps. Her quick summary for this hex is "dealing with crescendo-of-awfulness situations".

She begins, "In the creative process there is often a buildup of tension so that the situation we are enduring seems to get out of control. In the course of self-development we develop an inner power and independence which creates envy in others, particularly in those whose egos(fears) are firmly in control. This envy causes them to test us to see if we can be driven off-balance, or if we can be driven away from serenity to become doubtful and fearful. This effort succeeds if they can arouse our fears, spur us to anger, or otherwise cause us to become disturbed by their inferior behavior.

"During the awfulness everything looks helplessly stuck, as if the Wheel of Fate cannot be budged. Only our steadfastness frees it to bring about progress."

"For crescendo-of-awfulness situations this hex counsels us to hold still, hold firm, and hold together. Holding still refers to keeping our inner thoughts quiet and neutral; we neither seek a comprehensive solution, nor to know the outcome. Holding firm means we do not doubt our inner sense of truth, or abandon what we have learned in our I Ching experiences. We hold firm to what is correct. Holding together means that in spite of all challenging forces we do not give up on others' superior potential, or on their ability to perceive and correct their errors."

"Heaven within the mountain" means that although we have the correct ideas in mind, "the heavy burden of knowledge must be shut away in silence", until the doors or receptivity open in other people and a real influence can take place.

About the lines she says that the first 5 lines indicate the time is not yet ripe for breakthrough, but the last line indicates that an outlet is given for relase of stored up energies.

I hope this all helps. That would be cool if you finally got this hex with the sixth line changing... Peace - Brian

 

[candid]

Hi Val - Power is contained within stillness. When one is calm, their power expresses itself more powerfully than when one is excitable. This containment of creative energy allows power to build, as a covered cooking pot over fire. I view this as being related to 50. In 50, we put our chosen ingredients into the pot. In 26, we slow-cook it. This patient nurturing of your ingredients assures a satisfying meal, for you, for others and for the gods.

 

[louise]

Perplexed by Carol Anthony's 'crescendo of awfulness' reading - why awful - where does she get the awfulness from ? Not arguing with Brians reading, just wonder why she has the 'awful' - Wilhelm doesn't, Karcher doesn't, Dening doesn't ?

Sometimes I think repeated readings one doesn't understand point to an event that will shortly change things that you don't know about yet. Like its saying 'yes you're asking about this, this and this, but there's an another factor looming that will affect it all.'

As for 26 I've never been too clear about it, the part I tend to fixate on is "not eating at home" -
good excuse to not cook and go out to dinner

 

[cal val]

Louise...

So where do you want to meet for dinner tonight? *grin*

Cheiron, Brian and Candid...

Thanks so much for your input. You've helped a lot. I think I understand now. It was preparing me for something. It's asking way too much of me, and I think it knows it. I think that's why it was so persistent.

I've been dealing with the fear of my perceived power for a very, very long time. I have Hex 26'd for a very, very long time. There's nothing more I can do or say to change the misconception. I've said and done everything I can. I don't own the fear. It's not mine to change.

I did own fear once...a HUGE fear. And I knew it was controlling every quarter of my life. So I got help. It took years, but I finally got to the root of it. It wasn't easy at all. I call the experience 'going through the fire.' But it was worth it. I never realized how much that fear controlled my life and denied me happiness until it was gone.

And Brian, I see now: "This envy causes them to test us to see if we can be driven off-balance, or if we can be driven away from serenity to become doubtful and fearful. This effort succeeds if they can arouse our fears, spur us to anger, or otherwise cause us to become disturbed by their inferior behavior."

I was not aware of the envy. This comes as a big surprise and explains a lot. I'm saddened that envy is a factor. It means one cannot appreciate the complementary differences. I can do nothing about that as well. I'm not going to apologize to anyone because I don't possess an abundance of fear. Like you said, "Holding firm means we do not doubt our inner sense of truth..." I do not doubt.

And as to the advice, "Holding together means that in spite of all challenging forces we do not give up on others' superior potential, or on their ability to perceive and correct their errors." Although I wish them well and much love and happiness, I do not know that this is possible for me any more. I've dealt with the fear and been tested for a very, very long time now. Far too long. I do give up. Even mountains wear down when they've been rained on enough.

Ciao for now,

Val

 

[bfireman]

Hello all-

Val- good to hear all these responses have helped clarify some issues for you. It always makes me happy to come to this forum and see some of the "clarity" shining through for folks corageous enough to put their personal questions into cyberspace. I agree with you 100% about fear. It seems to be the single most limiting factor in peoples lives. Only when one can see this oneself is it possible to even comprehend reacting differently to life. It is always there though on some level conditioning our responses. My personal theory at the moment is just trying to see where it is and how it is manifesting, thus I can live at its "edge" and push myself a bit. Kind of like in yoga when you stretch just to the point where it hurts and don't go farther until ready. Fear of death is the ultimate fear that keeps us from being truly alive and innocent. I almost died this past year in a kayaking accident and was given the opportunity to look my fear of death in the face for a few minutes. It was terrifying. I was surely scared. Luckily, fate had different plans for me. It was definitely not in my "control".
Louise- when I got this hex for the first time it was when I was separating from my wife, and Carol Anthony's commentary really helped me gain some insight. I think the awfulness she speaks of has to do with this fear response to whatever situation this hex points to, although it is just one possible interpretation. I have since received this hex with other questions and felt it had nothing at all to do with "fear". Such as Candid's imagery above, this hex can definitely point to a very positive cultivation of energy. Candid - that was beautiful! Have you ever thought of publishing an I-Ching commentary?
Peace - Brian

 

[cal val]

Hi there Brian...

I hope I didn't leave the wrong impression. I still have the usual fears in my life, but I think to a lesser degree than many others have. I'm not so sure where I stand as to the fear of death. I think it naturally decreases as we age. Or, at least, our focus shifts from the fear of death to the art of living. I contemplated it a lot in my teens, and as I get older, I seem to focus more on living a life that "will read well in my obituary." I just said a lot in that last sentence, and I hope you can get past the 'seeming' *wink wink* superficiality of it. My priorities really are to lead a life of integrity and love and to do something in at least some small way to make this world a better place for the generations that follow me.

I guess the fear of death was probably a part of the HUGE fear I was referring to in my post above. I know it was largely a fear of helplessness. It evolved from a sustained life-threatening and painful experience when I was 11 years old. I stuffed the fear and pain and the other emotions connected with the experience at the time for the sake of survival. I even went into a brief fugue during part of the experience and a fugue when I ran for my life that lasted for several months.

I never got help for it at the time. No one knew how to help me. I didn't talk about it. When I finally did go into counselling, as a fully grown adult, my therapist explained to me that I stuffed it because it was enough to kill a child. A behaviorist, she taught me language and self-parenting skills that helped me chip away at the mortar in the brick enclosure containing that fear, and my life improved gradually and substantially as I got a handle on many of the 'usual' fears. But it finally took a trigger experience in the workplace years later to demolish the enclosure of the HUGE fear. Brick is a very durable material. For five months I went through Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that became so debilitating I couldn't even concentrate enough to safely drive myself to the doctor. I got into two accidents within two weeks, both of them my fault. I was fortunate to have a caring and supportive friend who gladly helped me take care of the business of living including driving me to the doctor. When the emotions finally exploded through the enclosure vaporizing the brick into nonexistence, it felt like a volcano erupting. And when they were coming up...in a fully prepared mature adult...I thought they would surely kill me. Do you remember as a child falling and having the wind knocked out of you and thinking you'd not be able to get a breath in before you suffocated to death? It was like that but for longer periods and in waves one right after the other that eventually decreased in frequency and duration over time. As the emotions pushed out, I couldn't breath in.

The change in my life was imperceptible at first but dramatic. I suddenly realized at some point after the catharsis that I'd been reacting to situations differently...calmer, more self-assured...without fear, and I'd been feeling a previously rare emotion, contentedness, much more often.

The fear of helplessness lingered, however, in one important area of my life...romantic love. That's why I was unconsciously motivated to avoid/reject the marriage proposal my shy muse made. That's part of the reason I waffled for nearly four years after. And that's why I consult the I Ching on matters of love...because I am very inexperienced at nurturing romantic love, having sabotaged it for most my adult life, and the I Ching (along with John Grey's book, "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus"...*grin*) has helped tremendously. I am finally triumphing over the fear in that area as well.

I know I've probably posted way too much information for the average reader on this forum, but I did it with the hope that sharing my story might help someone who's living with old fear and reading this now. I suspect some here are. By sharing my story (in more detail actually), I was able to help at least one other person that I know of...a woman in Australia.

I met her about six years ago in the 3D program where I've created my 3D art, and, unbeknownst to me, at the time she was suffering from agoraphobia and severe panic attacks that required medication. She had come very close to committing suicide just a couple of months before. She related to my story, she had a similar story to tell me, and I encouraged her to seek professional help. I guess it took her about a month, but she went for counselling. As her life began to improve, as she was able to function daily without medication, as she was able leave her home without fear, she told me how sharing my story had had a positive impact on her. She's even been able to take a transoceanic flight to visit friends in the UK and see parts of the world she'd always wanted to see. She went back to school and studied computer science and is enjoying a fulfilling career. She's worked to improve her marriage and is enjoying her husband and family much more now.

Cheerio the noo,

Val

 

[gene]

If anyone has ever seen the movie, "Apocalypse Now", the story of an American General in Vietnam who goes mad, you will know what I am talking about. In the movie, an officer is commissioned to elminate the General. He takes a boat up the river to Cambodia with a few enlisted men who are in charge of the boat. There was one fellow, a surfer from California name Lance, that seemed to be totally unaware of the danger in any situation, in one situation where they were in a zone under attack. He's getting up on top of the bunkers to see the fireworks display. Totally oblivious to the metal flying all around. The others of course were always trying to protect their life. As it turns out, Lance was the only one other than the captain who survived. I do believe in this story, there are things that are not so obvious, that perhaps the author was trying to give us a clue to, or maybe not, maybe it was unconscious on his part too. It is the fear of death, or any tramatic experience, that draws that experience to us. However, for the most people, whether they realize it or not, as much as the fear of death is always subconsciously motivating us, the real fear is the fear of rejection. We all get rejected daily, we reject each other, but on a deeper level, there is an intense fear, and as Job, in the book of Job in the old testament said, "The thing that I have greatly feared has come upon me." Or, as Jesus said, as ye have believed, so has it been done unto you." In the Tao Te Ching, we have a section that goes something like, (I am quoting from memory) "The spear shall not enter him, nor shall the horns of the rhinocerous engorge him, for the is no place for death to enter. In Psalms, the saying, "A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand, but it shall not come nigh thee." ...Anyway. As far as rejection in the I Ching from the standpoint of the superior man? Hexagram 28, "The the superior man, when he stands alone, is unconcerned, And if he has to renounce the world, he is undaunted." Nevertheless, it takes a person with a lot of inner peace to be able to match with those words. I think the willing openness in this thread is highly commendable.

Gene

 

[bfireman]

Ahhhhhhh fear fear fear.... Gene, that is really interesting what you say about fear being the impetus that draws an experience to us. I have definitely seen this happen in my own life and those close to me. Actually, yi has helped reveal many patterns I have been blind to, as well as counselling ways to transcend them. What a splendid gift the I-Ching! I guess there are so many levels to read and interpret the I-Ching, yet for me a more psychological approach seems to just be where I am at the moment. I still feel like such a baby here, and I must admit that mostly I am trying to weed out and become aware of to what extent fear rules my life. I figure this is gonna take a while. As Val said, brick is a very durable material! So, one at a time the wall will come tumblin' down... I will end with some wise words from the renowned jedi knight Yoda who was definitely feeling the force about fear;

"Fear leads to anger, anger leads to stress, stress leads to doobies, doobies lead to twinkies..."

Draw your own conclusions- Peace - Brian

 

[gene]

Hi Brian

Yes, it does rule us in so many ways. So often we don't understand that the fear emanates from the subconscious and we don't see it. So we say affirmations a thousand times a day and nothing changes, at least, not until we can change the inner core, the inner script. For some strange reason I don't understand, the subconscious tries to hide. Just occured to me, that on one level, that may be described in one of the images which says, "he hides his light, yet still shines." I firmly believe all these things are written on many levels, and it is sad to take things only in their literal sense, although that often applies too.

Gene

 

[lindsay]

Yes, as you all imply so clearly, I think by far the biggest problem in life is fear. Fear of commitment. Fear of misunderstanding. Fear of loss. Fear of failure. Fear of rejection. Fear of not being in control. Fear of the unknown. Fear of death. Fear of fear. Surely, there are a hundred kinds of fear.

What is the antidote to fear? What is the basis of courage?

Hope? Knowledge? Understanding? Self-esteem (pride)? Faith?

Does the Yi help us with fear? I think so. But it is more subtle than religion. Can we say, as the Psalmist does:

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for the Yi is with me?

Can the Yi make us bullet-proof? Can it make us lie down in green pastures, or lead us beside still waters? Can it prepare a table before us in the presence of our enemies?

And if it cannot do this, then what good is it in the end?

Lindsay

 

[cal val]

Hi Gene...

Fear is essential for our survival. Gavin De Becker is a foremost authority on the subject of personal protection and wrote a great book entitled the "Gift of Fear." A great how-to-recognize-the-intuitive-warnings-and-act-on-them-to-save-lives-including-your-own manual.

But oodles and oodles of fear about all those things Lindsay mentioned above creates obstacles in our lives. And you're so right. Thousands of affirmations do very little to remove it. I gave a clue as to how to minimize fear in my last post above when I paired fear and pain. Pain, that pain you stuffed, didn't allow yourself to feel at the time, probably for the sake of survival on some level, is the fuel for your fear. As long as you're pretty much safe from harm, it's okay to feel it now. Until you feel it and let it out, it's going to stay there and fuel your fear.

Until that happens, I've found the I Ching is wonderful about pointing out to me....IF I listen intently (to quote a wonderful line from an Oscar Wilde play)... when fear is controlling my actions.

After I posted my originial post, I started thinking back to a time when I used to get Hex 26 change to Hex 14 in preponderance. I used to get it all the time, much more than any other combination, and then it stopped without my really noticing. I realized seeing it again suddenly...in preponderance...that it HAD indeed stopped and tried to think back to when that happened. To my amazement, I realized it was right around the time of my recovery...my big pain-letting.

Hmmmmmmm.

Cheerio the noo,

Val

 

[gene]

Val

That is kind of why I asked you if you were feeling any kind of anxiety. Anxiety can be a coverup so to speak for fears, for something that is foreboding, yet the source is unknown. When we open it up, and take a look at it, then it loses its power. A master once said, "to be a true master, one must explore the darkness also." Same concept in the movie "The Empire strikes back." When Luke went into the cave he did not know he was going to confront his own dark side. That is why Yoda told him he did not need his weapon, but he did not listen.

Gene

 

[cal val]

Hi Gene

No I wasn't feeling any anxiety whatsover until I started getting Hex 26. I'm still getting it. Something needs fixing. I thought I knew what and tried to fix it, but it doesn't seem fixed.

*shrugs shoulders*

Ciao for now,

Val

 

[anita]

Val,

One thing I have since 5n years of my spiritual practise -- is the fear of god. This I think is very important so you always do the right things. I have experienced the truth of this. Whenever I have regressed on my path I have suffered for it almost instantly. And the more and longer I have practised, the greater the backlash. I have really begun to understand the meaning of karma. I am fortunate indeed that i am shown the right way when I do something wrong.

I also think though that we must not doubt our own spiritual abilities. Once we do, we tend to make mistakes.

Best for your Quest
Anita

 

[cal val]

Dear Anita...

I'm trying to understand why you posted a message about your belief in God to me. I can't tell if you're offering this as advice to me or simply sharing your particular belief with me.

If you're sharing, thank you. I'm happy for you. I believe it's important to have faith in something beyond our visible conscious selves, in our connection with our fellow man...however you want to perceive it...whatever you want to call it.

As I've said before...quite clearly, I do not believe in a god, gods or anything 'spiritual' or magical per se. Because of my own experiences being able to tune into to others' electrical energy waves and because of the scientific studies during my lifetime using ever advancing sophisticated technology, I believe in the collective energy of life. I believe in the collected energy of the synapses of the human nervous system (and other life forms). There's nothing to fear in the collective energy of life.

To be honest, FOR ME, I see God or a spiritual realm as an outdated, outmoded 'explanation' that ancients provided for things they didn't understand lacking the scientific knowledge and tools we have today. I believe...FOR ME...science has provided sufficient proof of the cause of floods, earthquakes, eclipses, other natural phenomenon and man's ability to communicate with each other on a nonverbal, nonvisible plane.

Further, no one has yet shown me proof that a God, gods or spiritual realm exists. I am open to the possibility. Until such time as I see proof, however, I am not putting any energy or time into such a belief. And just because someone else believes, without such proof to show me, they would be wasting their own precious energy trying to convince me otherwise. In the meantime, I am not all that disposed to 'searching' for it as I was in my youth and as so many others posting on this forum appear to be. I'm at the point where I perceive life as too short...too many places to go, people to see and things to do to spend much time on that pursuit. But I am just tickled to death there are people who ARE so disposed. All the different belief and value systems and pursuits make life infinitely interesting.

In short, Anita, I have no fear of God, gods or a spiritual realm.

Ciao for now,

Val

 

[pedro]

Ok, this is so big Im sure no one will read it (I know I wouldnt), but anyway:

Brian, your account of Carol Anthony's is making me frown. I usually like her comments a lot, but I have difficulty trying to relate to the "crescendo-of-awfulness", I never thought of it that way... For me #26 has always been a bit puzzling, but allways a favorable hex.
I tend to think of it as gathering creative powers and putting what you learn (the words of the sages) into action ("The way to study the past is not to confine oneself to mere knowledge of history but, through application of this knowledge, to give actuality to the past"). She seems to say the opposite: "the heavy burden of knowledge must be shut away in silence", and then goes about all that envy stuff?
I also see it as giving a stronger taming power than #9, where the wind is above heaven.
Anyway, the next time I get it I'll re-read this comments you offer to see if they make sense in a specific case.

Candid, I like your idea of "containment of creative energy" that allows power to build, but I never thought of a link to #50. The Ting for me is a case appart, and I would only pair it with #48 (where you bring benefit to people, while in #50 there is both being in tune with men and god)

Gene, the point you bring with Apocalypse Now is an interesting one. I always though there is no reason to fear death, cause if death wants to find you, she always will, no matter how much you try to protect. Statistics say most accidents happen at home, where we ilude ourselfs thinking we're safe, and losing all the action that is happening outside. So the fear of death is only preventing us from enjoying life, basically... Actually Ive done some careless things, some of which I dont find myself proud of, but when I did them, I always knew that it would turn out ok (Im probably just stupid). What I cant help feeling is fear of harm coming to those I love. I try to overcome this, for the same reasons, but Im actually more concerned with their safety than mine. In any case, I think it puts things in perspective when we think about reencarnation and our purpose in this life. I believe our death is more or less programmed, not something our free will applies to, and living a life of fear will only prevent us from enjoying when we are still living. We'll die anyway, when the time comes. The point is if we did what we were supposed to do by then. The same reasoning can be appliedd to fear for others. We cant live others lifes for them, and if it is their fate that they should die someday, then perhaps they NEED to fulfill that fate, in order to learn what they are here to learn.
Incidentally, contemplating death (impermanence) is a sure way to discard the ego. And as LiSe says in #59, having to run for one's life puts our priorities straight. Its like the case of someone who finds she has only some time left to live. We should all live our lifes like this was the last day. Are we prepared to die now? (not trying to sound gorish, its just one of the most thought provoking ideas there is). And I think we should be.

Brain, thanks for that quote from master yoda (dont have a clue what doobies and twinkies are, but I like the ring of it). May the force be with you, young master Brian

Gene, Ive also thought of using affirmations recently, to penetrate my thick skull, but I really dont believe stating something "thousand times a day" will do much good, if deep down we still believe the opposite. I think meditation and searching for your true self (or using affirmations during the meditative state) is a much better approach. Incidentally, if youre looking for it, your quote "he hides his light, yet still shines" is from #36

Ah Lindsay, the antidote for fear... tricky. I think that the best one is to realise that deep inside this mortal coil, we are eternal, invulnerable, pure untouchables. What is there to fear then? But this is more easily said than done. What to do with everyday fear? I think the best advice is that given by Gene, that we open it up, take a look at it, and watch it lose its power. Actually facing it is what makes it go away. Appart from the obvious survival purpose it has, fear is one emotion that only makes our lifes worse. Its like desires, deep down they all turn into fear.
So I guess there is no other way to overcome fear than just put one feet in front of the other, walk over to the light switch and turn it on. Then all monsters disapear into thin air (except those hiding under the bed, usually the meanest)

But Gene, where do you get this connection from #26 to anxiety? Im curious, is it from Carol Anthony's account?

Last but not least (sorry guys for replying to a whole thread in this message), Anita, your "fear of god" as you put it is making me shiver. C'mon, why on earth would one fear that someone that indeed only wants the best for us? Please, God will never do, or want us to have any harm, even if we turn our backs on him. I may fear the evilness of men, but God is the real refuge (note: I dont see God as an entity, but its still a useful concept). When you speak of karma you make more sense to me. Im that kind of guy that cannot do the slightest infraction without getting caught up (you know, just leaving the car double parked for half a minute where there are already ten guys doing it? Im the one who gets the ticket). I think its just that I must show more responsability, for knowing some of this things, than others that can go care free overlooking the rules. Besides I have a lot to be thankful for, to be nitpicking about not being allowed to pervaricate.
But have you been reading the old testament? Ive always wondered how could catholics conciliate that jealous, vendictive, spoiled, misogenist and overall mean god, with the God portraied in the new testament and Jesus' words.

Anyway, thanks everyone for this great discussion over #26. I always had some doubts regarding it, but now, thanks to you, I have a lot

 

[gene]

Hi Pedro

I think I will leave out the discussion about anxiety, because Val says she wasn't feeling it. #26 is sometimes like a pressure cooker. You have to keep a lid on it for a while, til the energy really builds up. The energy has to be strong enough though to do the task at hand. That is where the oriental mind is so much stronger than the western, because they are patient and wait for the right time. Line 3 says practice chariot driving daily. In other words, self defense. You cannot engage the enemy until you have a way to overcome. Sometimes the enemy is ourselves. When I was a kid the Sunday paper had a comic strip called Pogo. And Pogo often said, "we have met the enemy, and he is us." All too often we are our own worst enemies. Getting that hexagram over and over again indicates to me there is something building up, waiting to explode. Sometimes that can be anxiety. Fear and anxiety go hand in hand so I don't think my comments were as far off as some would like to think. But I will leave that to rest.

Gene

 

[louise]

i sometimes wonder if Carol Anthony has any fun at all.

 

[gene]

She probably doesn't. She is focused on meditating and finding out about her deeper self, etc. Of course, that could be considered fun too, in its own way. All depends on how you look at it. Luke Skywalker in Star Wars mentioned to Yoda how it must be really wonderful and exciting to have the distinction of being a Jedi, and Yoda said, "The true Jedi cares nothing about such things." There are those who want only to develop, and there are those who want to develop so they can be better persons in society. Sometimes the sixth line in the I Ching indicates a lonely sage, or maybe not so lonely who has gone outside the arena of human affairs. Whether this is right or not is a matter of individual choice. Having said that, I wish I were a really witty guy so that I could think of something really funny to say right now so we could all have some fun. And sometimes I am witty. But not today.

Gene

 

[cal val]

Hi everyone,

I just got a big, wonderful lesson about Hexagram 26, and, in the process, another part of one of my two prophetic back-to-back dreams that I'm always raving about became reality...a very important part of the dream. Gene, you will see you are right about the pressure cooker, but not as you envisioned. Louise, it was actually the Carol Anthony interpretation that opened my eyes and helped Gene's pressure cooker to pop. Thank you for that Brian. It helped me get past a big obstacle and I feel so good, so relieved, so 'unburdened'...so content right now. Pedro it was especially the envy part that opened my eyes. It was so appropos to my situation. It explained everything. Candid there's something in here for you too with your perfect interpretation of 13.6.

I've recounted my first dream very briefly, http://home.earthlink.net/~303/dreams1.html and left out so much of it that was imagery that happened in real life almost 20 years later to let me know that the dream was starting to fulfill itself. You'll see how Hex 26 relates to the dream. The little boy and the skier in the dream are about my shy muse. I don't know yet who the last man is. The I Ching has been guiding me toward my shy muse, but he's not necessarily the end of the story. The I Ching could simply be guiding me through all the steps, one of which has been Hexagram 26.

Now here's where Candid hit the nail on the head. I love, respect and admire my shy muse. I'd love to spend time with him. I think he'd be a great lifelong companion. I have a great deal of compassion and sympathy for his problem with fear, but his fear is just way too much work. It just doesn't seem worth the effort because it really doesn't seem like he'll ever conquer it. We've both let our fear do the talking and the walking, but I've been getting a handle on mine over time.

He's been working on his fear and seemed to be making progress. We started to reconcile recently, and it seemed so promising, but he's retreated in fear yet again. He's blocking communication again, and I'm not really motivated to be patient and wait. So I get sidetracked, and the I Ching scolds me to get back on my path.

Then recently, I started getting the flurry of Hex 26, and I couldn't understand what I was supposed to do. It was frequently 26.4 changing to 14. The sixth line says there's something you can do now to eliminate the forces that threaten you. I asked what the threat is, and it answered Hex 38.

Meanwhile, all the discussion in this thread about fear was sinking in, and I realized something I'd said recently to my shy muse was fear-driven. I told him my realization about my fear and that I'd been locked in mortal combat with it, and I'd WON...and it was a rather swift victory...so I must be getting better. Told him I love him, and I'll see him when I see him. But Hex 26 STILL came up. So I kept asking questions, trying to figure out what I was supposed to do.

In the middle of asking, all of a sudden, I popped like Gene's pressure cooker. I realized what was happening. I stopped and said "NO! I work to keep my own fear from controlling me. I'll be damned if I'm going to let his control me!" I grabbed a cigarette and I went outside to smoke and think about how I was going to achieve my goals and dreams without him. I was feeling liberated and excited about all the possibilities.

Now ever since I moved here, I've noticed how my sloping lawn and walkway are just like the ones in the dream, but it just never seemed like this would be the place where I would start cracking my little whip. So I sat there...smoking my cigarette...feeling more and more powerful. I was taking my life back. And I got up and walked down the walk toward the street to throw my cigarette. When I got close enough to the street, I raised my arm...and I froze right there...in that position. The realization hit me. I recognized this as that moment in the dream. I would love to see a photographic image of the energy that must have been radiating from me. It wasn't until after I finally followed through with my throw that I realized the arm movement was the same as the movement for cracking a whip.

That was two nights ago. The last two days have been incredible. And it's not because I'm looking forward to a bright future at all, although I know it's going to be great. It's that everything I do and say now is easier...more spontaneous...the here and now is much more enjoyable. I'm enjoying my interaction with men and women in the suburbs, meadow, etc., (Hex 13.6), and I'm living in the true spirit of Hex 5...even in this depressed little town.

Thank you all very much for your help. It was all your comments. It was the exchange of ideas here that helped me do what I had to do...reach the point I did...and start cracking my little whip.

Cheerio the noo,

Val

 

[binz]

Gene,

you mention Yoda. Are Yoda and Mr Miagi (from Karate Kid films) one and the same ? and does he appear elsewhere?

wax on, wax off etc etc etc

 

[gene]

Binz

He appears in the most unexpected places, but only when you are ready ha ha.

Gene

 

[pedro]

Val: "I would love to see a photographic image of the energy that must have been radiating from me".
Whenever I sense such energies, I consult the Yi, not asking anything, just focusing on the feeling... The answers one gets during such high mental states are always terribly enlightening
I had one of those moments yesterday, and once again it worked in an amazing way (those times when you even open the book on the precise page!!!)
Its moments like this that really make me respect the Yi

 

[pedro]

Binz, Yoda is way over Mr Miagi's head... You wouldnt believe his powers, the man can kick serious ass! dont get fooled by his foot and a half height and three hairs left baldness
But yes, one needs to be ready to see him. I once got a glimpse of his pointy green ear, but it vanished almost imediately. I guess I wasnt ready

Oh and it is reassuring to see Im in the company of such peers, following on the spiritual tradition of karate kid and starwars... what next, teenage mutant ninja turtles? I remember that rat character providing some valuable insights

 

[binz]

our wisdom expands when shared.

 

[cal val]

Good morning Pedro...

If you go to "about me" and "gallery" on the website linked to my profile, you'll see why I wanted a visual. I'm very visual. Besides, it was the 'realization' of Hex 26 and my 20 year old dream, the coming to pass of the 'answer' in Hex 26 and the dream that was enveloping me at the moment. I WAS enlightened at that very moment...and liberated. There was nothing to ask the I Ching.

The envy part of Carol Anthony's interpretation was spot on as was the fear part. One thing I love about my shy muse is his emotional honesty. He's been absolutely honest about his strong feelings for me and about his fear. And I can understand his fear. From what I've been told by a friend of his who's known him for about 18 or 19 years, I am the first woman he's ever fallen in love with. In a moment of emotional honesty a couple of years ago, he told me he thought I was too powerful for him. I didn't realize then it's because I'm overcoming my fear and he's having such a difficult time of it. I do now after reading Carol Anthony's interpretation. It's a difficult truth for any of us to accept, it took me about three days to really accept it, but it IS a truth. And accepting it really is quite liberating.

Peace, love and understanding,

Val

 

[cal val]

Pedro...

Here's the truth I faced and accepted just to eliminate any confusion:

The man I love WAS indeed envious of my lack of fear that I've worked very hard to overcome. He was indeed testing me, trying to control me...he's been testing me for a very long time now...too long.

The most important truth I faced and accepted was that I was letting myself be controlled by his fear and envy. And the wonderful thing about accepting that truth is that I did it with a great deal of love and compassion...for both him and myself. The peace, love and understanding I felt at that moment is something I'd love to have a photographic image of.

Binz...

"our wisdom expands when shared"

Don't I know it...now...after finding you and everyone else on this forum who are so kind to share their wisdom with me.

Thanks!

Cheerio the noo,

Val