quit my job? 28.1.2.4

[shnoock]

hey there,
i have been consulting the i ching for several years now and then, and i used to have a clue about what to do with the result; but now, i am stuck.
my situation: a year ago, i lived in total depression and apathy, but i managed to crawl out of that, i am now living with three jobs. i'm really busy with that but happier than before.
in my main job i have a new boss now who keeps bullying me and demanding more and more... i'm really working nonstop, but he just wants more. i'm very unhappy, but i'm not sure what to do. i can't just quit, i need the money.
so i asked the i ching what to do with that job!
i ching gave me 28.1.2.4.
means: all is ****ed up now (and it's my own fault anyway), be prepared for the worst, you did it all wrong, but prepare anyway, you could succeed...but ,in the end, all will fail anyway (63).
or: d it?id i expect too much and expect too much? (28)
in the end, 28 means, it's all too much for me now, doesn't it?
should i quit?
i am confused and desperate, please give your opinion

 

[kitty]

Yes, this is my old friend #28, the one about the ridgepole sagging to the breaking point. Whenever I've gotten this hexagram in a reading for myself, it's when I've been in a difficult, even grueling, situation that's gone as far as it can go. Reaching the breaking point is not a "bad" thing, because it logically leads to the worst being over soon, although it may not feel so good while you're getting through it.

You shouldn't stay inside of a house that's got a roof ready to cave in, which is what's shown in this hexagram. But how you get yourself out is of utmost importance. It's a situation that's out of balance to the extreme, and therefore you need to keep your emotional and mental balance as much as possible. To continue the metaphor, running in a panic through a house that's in imminent danger of collapse, slamming doors and yelling and causing everyone in the house to stampede to the exits, is not likely to be helpful. To the contrary, it could well cause the house to collapse immediately on top of you.

Mentally beating up on yourself with self-recrimination is only going to drag you down. (I can relate to doing that, and having a tendency to depression can contribute to it, but it's going to be counter-productive. It sounds like you've come a long way already, so why give up now? Keep on moving forward as you've been doing, and let the negative thoughts and self-talk go.)

Neither 28 nor 63 say anything about this situation being the result of your having done anything wrong, or having expected too much. They also aren't saying you won't succeed. It's up to you, but the potential for a positive outcome is there. 63 is not about failure. It's not a judgment or a punishment. It's simply about something that has reached its end and thus is over. It indicates a time when we're ready to move on to something else, some new beginning. Life is like that. Some things work out well and some don't. Nothing stays the same and nothing lasts forever. It doesn't sound as though this job is a happy situation for you anyway, so wouldn't that be a good thing?

28 is about a situation that's become untenable, so you've got to do something, and soon. As to what to do, this would seem to be a clue:

i can't just quit, i need the money

Which means that going to work tomorrow and telling your boss where he can shove this job is probably not a wise move. What can you do to assure your financial needs are met while you're making the transition? Can you start immediately to look for a new job or other source of income? What creative alternatives can you come up with for that? 28.2 and 4 talk about joining with others, mutual or group activities that benefit many people, more than just you alone. Are there possibilities you can see with that?

When I'm in a 28 situation, it feels a bit like walking on a balance beam in the middle of an earthquake. It requires focus on your immediate next step, and then the next, rather than taking a far-off-in-the-future approach. The thing about 28 is that it can feel overwhelming, but keeping focused on the next step can help you get out of the overwhelm and see what you need to do to take care of yourself.

 

[willowfox]

so i asked the i ching what to do with that job! 28.1.2.4.

Line 28.1 warns you immediately to be careful in what you do for the moment at your current job because if it isn't working out then you need to make plans about going elsewhere.

Line 28.2 suggests look for another job and you should find one, perhaps something very different for a change.

Line 28.4 In the meantime try to find a balance in your working relationship with your boss, perhaps tell him to back off next time he jumps on you.

Hex 63 So just hang in there until you are ready to leave to go another job and all will be well when you find one.

 

[schastlivchik]

Receiving the final hex. 63 means that things will get settled and fall into place, so that should give you some sense of peace as you work with your current situation.

The funny thing is that you received 3 changing lines and you are working 3 jobs. These 3 lines all transform to a situation that is very balanced. Why not compare each job to each moving line and see what it reveals? After such an exercise, you might glean some creative ideas to apply to them. For example, line 1 is a foundation line, but yin and weak when it should be stronger. Which job isn't living up to what it should be? Is there a way to get more out of this one? Maybe if this were giving you more, you could scale down something else.

Line 2 ideally should be yin, yet fortunately it is centered. This is perhaps a job that is good but demands too much from you, and perhaps you can find a way to scale down something about it.

Line 4 should be yin and is yang, and is just into the outer trigram. This one seems to be the the job with the most risks, the most problematic because it is more exposed and can only relate to yin 1, which isn't strong enough to support it. It seems to be without help but close to a yang leader.

At the heart of 28 is hex 1 - not only are you obviously quite yang and busy, but this situation can allow you to tap into your own creativity and leadership. You obviously can handle three jobs and are learning many things about yourself... so perhaps from the springboard of these 3 you could create one focused career.

Schastlivchik

 

[my_key]

Hi Schnook

The journey that you have had from a year ago is one that you can congratulate yourself on. Crawling from a place of depression and apathy to one where you are much happier is a great achievement. As you are now, being busy sounds as though it is important position to be in for you.
So to look at your question

so i asked the i ching what to do with that job!
i ching gave me 28.1.2.4.

Richmond has a lovely view on Hex 28 - "When firm and inflexible the only way of moving is to break. When so gentle it changes nothing, the only way of living is to die into a beginning" and he makes a great link to nature saying "The wood is too ripe for budding, too rigid for change until it returns to earth".

28.1 - Some of this stress you are feeling could be coming from within you and how you are perceiving things. Have a good honest, simplistic look at the situation you see yourself in, make your plans, then make your move.

28.2 - There's going to be a break in what is going on around and within you. Thhings are going to lighten up and your situation is going to feel so much better for you - much more like your old self.

28.4 - So in your current job scenario you are going to have a chance to see things differently so that you won't feel so pressured any more. What that is only you will know - because it will be your choice to make a step to the right solution for you. Allowing you to feel so much better inside.

63 - Richmond again " He may be surprised to find himself without the thing he has made with such care. He can rejoice in passing from one reality to another" Be prepared for a change and a new beginning.

Be Well
Mike

 

[shnoock]

hey you all!

I want to thank you so much for your responses, which actually helped me a lot do deal with my situation!
here's what I did: first thing I started to look for a better job (which I couldn't find by now), and also I have been discussing my problems with my co-workers, and guess what turned out: they all(!) had experienced the same with our new boss and were considering to quit. we'll have a meeting next week to discuss our next steps.
and, last but not least, I resumed some "relaxation practice", because kitty and my_key were absolutely right about that perception thing, I tend to panic over nothing (and now I'm actually a little bit ashame of my dramatic question here). I wouldn't say my problems with my boss disappeared, but they are so small after all. it's a job, not my life. it's not my life at stakes here, it just feels like it sometimes.
THANK YOU AGAIN!

 

[my_key]

Hi Schnook
Well done you.
It's great for everyone to see how well you have done and to have seen your feedback fit so well with all the advice the oracle gave you.
Be Well
Mike