What to do with my life: Hex 30

[foreverthine]

It's been a day of questions for me and the IC, but I love this answer the best. I'm not sure how it translates. Am I to light the way for others? I've been told I have a very strong light, yet I am unsure of how to show it to others or of how to access it for others' benefit. What is 30 advising, actually? :bows:

 

[diamanda]

30 advises to take good care of yourself, and everything that sustains you, eg home, job, partners, family, friends.

 

[answeredquestions]

Hi vgk1,

30 is about spreading awareness like you talk about. It is also about shedding light onto things within yourself. Fire is inside and outside. The original character for this hexagram was a picture of a bird being caught in a net (See here: http://www.yijing.nl/i_ching/index.html). Some main things circling 30 are to gain clarity about the nature of things (yourself and the world around you), to spread intelligence by showing the light you have within, and also to recongize the light of the outside world and to take it all in (to examine in a comprehensive manner).

I see it sort of as you catch the bird of brightness, it is sort of a learning experience, but it is more than that. It brightens your spirit and your senses, beyond learning. A realization type experience that is slowly learned. Then you set the bird free and give it back to the world. This can be by sharing knowledge but it can also just be your brightness of spirit affect and rubbing off on others around you. Other people see the bird flying and are affected by this. This is just my little take on it!

The Oracle says (Wikiwing Translation):

'Clarity. Harvest in constancy.
Creating success.
Rear female cattle, good fortune.'

The consistancy spoke of, is in the ability to retain little by little and over time you maintain 'harvest'. This harvest of 'crops' not only benefits yourself, but nurishes others as well. It takes time for illumination to grow. Female cows are docile and work at serving to benefit the harvest. These cows are a symbol of sustaining the harvest.

What do you think of all this in reference to your question? Was your answer 30 Unchanging?

Take care and "Be the change you want to see in the world" - Ghandi
AQ

 

[foreverthine]

I love both responses so much, thank you.

In reference to the question posed, I think both reflect on where I am right now. Over the past several weeks, I have sat in church and felt like I was in complete darkness, wishing I could - or knew how - to step into the light. Relationships I have with my son, his father, my casual partner, professional colleagues - they all seem to be experiences completely new to me. My son (who is three) is acting a bit strange, things with my casual partner go back and forth between casual progress and stagnation, professional appearances at work seem to be something of a mystery to me as well. Perhaps they are all indicative of experiences I'm having to slowly learn from. This morning, I felt like a complete failure at everything. But, I keep trying to put a bright spin on things and on situations even though that seems to get me nowhere and I feel as though my striving is all for nothing.

At one point, a was very valued by people in my circle because of the lessons I had learned and the spiritual path I was walking. But new circumstances and scenarios have me wondering if I'm learning about all new things, people and situations. I firmly believe that I will have things to share with the world again and am hoping for a return to happiness, rather than living (at times) in heaviness.

I yearn for a realization-type of experience, although i get frustrated by the S-L-O-W process of it all. I'm very action-oriented and am realizing more and more than nothing is on my schedule, rather that of the universe, God, etc. I have a house I can't move into for several months, my son's much-needed change of school's is not happening for several months, and a casual partner who lives elsewhere whom I probably won't see for several months. We've made no determination as to the committment level of things and sometimes I think he makes the choice to stay away because he doesn't want to have that conversation (either because of it being the end or beginning of things, but to that I can't know for sure). I'd love to set the bird free, but is it the bird of wanting things in my own time and needing to know that all things happen when the time is right (something my casual partner says to me). And it's funny you mention the bird, because this afternoon I saw a Cardinal. I want to nourish others and myself. I have a desire to give back to the world all that has been given to me.

So, long story (sorry) made short, is that this has given me many things to think about. I am in process in almost every area of my life and perhaps, with time and patience, and by gaining knowledge as it is revealed to me, I'll be able to set the bird free.

I do have one question: When you retain little by little, why does that come to maintaining harvest rather than collecting it (perhaps both words say the same thing, but that phrase confuses me a bit).
I can not thank both of you enough.

 

[answeredquestions]

Hi vgk1,

You sure are at a crossroads with everything in your life. Maybe 30 is a way of saying that everything needs to be looked at carefully like Diamanda said. Maybe also peice them together and try and find an underlined theme that could need changed. For me, I am in my Saturn return time, a time of lessons and it sounds a lot like what you have described. Things from all angles I seem to see differently and the applications I was using before to get by, they just aren't working anymore. I have been trying to be as clear about what they each are to me and keep an inner dialog like, 'that sure didn't work' or 'ok, this seems to work well in this type of situation'. And slowly, peice by peice, you gain more understanding of ways to approach things to become a happy and helpful person. I think it is wonderful you want to help other people and I believe that from just you wanting to do so, that it will happen. What I meant by retain little by little, I guess you could look at it like the energy from the sun. The plant doesn't grow overnight (in most cases!). Instead, everyday as a cycle, it receives energy through photosynthesis, and little by little it grows. If you took that sun away for too long, or didn't maintain consistancy with this influx of energy from the sun, you wouldn't have a harvest. So, collecting them up is a little different, really, it is just something that occurs after the growing period. Once the plants have grown you can collect them up and share the nourishment. After 30 comes 31-Influence. Maybe this is saying that once you have Clarity (30) you can naturally Influence(31) others.

Take care,
AQ

 

[diamanda]

From what you're saying, helping and sharing with others is really important
to you, as is learning and internal development. You would also like practical
issues to go as you want them to go (who wouldn't!). However, such is life
that some times are creative, some enlightening, some fun, some heavy,
and so on and so forth.

At the moment things sound complicated and slow and heavy for you,
without the elements that you enjoy. Those elements of course will return
to you at some point (since they are in your nature), and practical issues also
will not remain like this forever. So, until there's a change, all you can do in
the meantime is to make sure you keep yourself fed and healthy and fit, look
after yourself and those around you and your possessions. And when the
moment comes for change, you will be in fine form to welcome it. I know
some times are more 'mundane' than others, but where would we all be if
we didn't look after ourselves and our homes and our nearest? Hope it all
goes well for you.

 

[foreverthine]

Thank you so much for the responses. I stepped away for a few days because everything it seems has become completely heavy and slow. It has impacted several relationships that I'm not sure will be repaired (or if they should be), and yet it's all tearing me up inside.

This is so true of me:
"helping and sharing with others is really important to you, as is learning and internal development. You would also like practical issues to go as you want them to go (who wouldn't!)."

I have not felt as though I have been able to help and share with others, nor have I felt the constructive support of some "close" friends during this time. I worry that I am getting everything all wrong. I think I'm getting harsh critism rather than compassion from the people I trust and it seems to be making things all the more heavy. I will continue to focus on myself and those that are nearest to me and will not worry about the rest. :bows: I need to staple this thread to my forehead.

 

[iams girl]

Hi V,

Sometimes it’s easy to get lost in the big picture and forget the advice that “we can do no great things, only small things with great love (Mother Teresa).” I wrote what's below to encourage myself sometimes, maybe it will help you too...

We were each born with a wondrous and unique essence that transforms the world. We each have an important role to play. As Thomas Merton wrote in No Man is an Island, without our love, others may not become who they were meant to be. We belong; we matter, especially in the dark times.

The most precious gifts we can give each other are free to use and share 24/7. Some of the most influential people have come from lives of poverty, yet have risen to great heights because they have received these riches and passed them on. They include honor, integrity, charity, courtesy, goodness, kindness, humility, decency, and clemency, to name a few, and transcend all eras.

Even making a simple meal involves many people in a grand human chain. Some produce ingredients, some harvest; some provide transportation and distribution, and some design and make the tools we use. In all we do, many are joined. There are even those, hidden away and praying for us, for all humanity, quietly and faithfully, day in and day out.

 

[foreverthine]

These are beautiful thoughts, thank you iamsgirl. This hex seems to be a theme for me as the person I was involved with and I have decided to be just friends. I asked what was to come of the relationship and received Hex 30. It did join two people and maybe that joining was to keep both of us moving toward our own destinations. Your comments are truly lovely. I am ready to let everything take its proper place. Perhaps then I'll know what needs caring for and what needs to be let go of.

 

[Trojina]

It's been a day of questions for me and the IC, but I love this answer the best. I'm not sure how it translates. Am I to light the way for others? I've been told I have a very strong light, yet I am unsure of how to show it to others or of how to access it for others' benefit. What is 30 advising, actually? :bows:

Haven't read other answers yet but just wanted to say my first thought is the answer says 'use it up' . I think Brad once said something like 'if you don't use it up you don't get nuthing for it ' can't remember why he said it though. 30 is about the burning up of flame, all things are dependent on fire, the sun...the flame depends depends on the wood to burn. So life is for living it......

I never believe all these things about what one is 'meant to do' in some grand vision...who knows or cares, living is enough whether it looks grandly purposeful or not.

 

[mirian]

Hi vgk1,

My impression is that the Ching is saying to you (Hex 30) that you are just exhausting yourself. All your efforts to understand/learn/communicate/influence, etc... are just burning you like a fire. It is a “light” that only consumes itself, rather than bring “clarity”. If I were given your reading I would stop, relax or meditate. Perhaps you should give your mind a bit of rest until things get clearer?

Hope that helps. Bless you.

 

[foreverthine]

Hi Mirian,

I have to say this has been one of the most helpful threads/posts. My brain is full and tired of trying to understand everything all at once. It is consuming itself rather than providing clarity. Why is that? (somewhat rhetorical). Thank you so much for your response.