I asked, "How can I address this feeling of extreme lack of self-confidence?"
Hex 10.2.3.4 becoming 37 was the answer I received.

In reading about these particular hexagrams, I can see that they seem to provide relevant info pertaining to my question, which is heartening (b/c I definitely don't always see connections yet in other readings), but I'm having trouble interpreting the overall message here. I actually relate to the story of 10.2 a lot:

"Nine in the second place means: Treading a smooth, level course. The perseverance of a dark man brings good fortune. -- The situation of a lonely sage is indicated here. He remains withdrawn from the bustle of life, seeks nothing, asks nothing of anyone, and travels through life un assailed, on a level road. Since he is content and does not challenge fate, he remains free of entanglements" (Wilhelm translation).

...I've been living a very reclusive life for a number of years now (which I'd really like to stop because, at this point, it's becoming clear it's definitely not the right course for me), but it's not been smooth sailing. In any case, I don't see how this changing line figures into this reading as an answer to my inquiry, especially since it's supposed to be reflecting on the specifics of dealing with my self-confidence ...and so I shouldn't read it as an affirmation/discussion of my current situation, I'm thinking, but some other interpretation/suggestion that is eluding me.

My questions:

-- How is hex 10 (Treading) to be interpreted here?
-- What do these changing lines suggest to you? What is the significance that the other lines were not included?
-- How does hex 37 (People in the Home/The Family) work in this context?

My best guess is that I need to end up interacting more with my clan whatever that be, and through doing so, my self-confidence has a chance of increasing. But what is all the tiger stuff telling me on the road to that point?

It's reasonable to assume that I'm likely off-base so far -- wish I could, but I can't, seem to make heads or tails (ha) of these at my current level of understanding. So this is my broad request for ANY thoughts or insights you might share with me on this reading. I'm finding interpretation of the I Ching a really challenging (but rewarding!) new undertaking, and your assistance would be so appreciated!

Hi yarrowfield,

How can I address this feeling of extreme lack of self-confidence?
Hex 10.2.3.4 > 37

Your answer sounds to me like this:
10.2 - you've been alone for long (so, no opportunities to practise self-confidence in interactions)
10.3 - don't act blindly - don't just go for anything if you don't have sufficient strength/information
10.4 - tread very very carefully when with dangerous people
37 - aim to familiarise yourself with the situation/environment/people

So overall it sounds like you need to ease yourself out of seclusion, and slowly begin to interact more. There's lots of nice people out there, however there's also masses of not-so-nice ones too. Ensure you're dealing with the nice kind, don't attempt to practise self-confidence with just anyone, and go for extreme caution when in dangerous situations. When you're familiar with the person/situation, then your self-confidence should come naturally, as when for example someone spends time with their family.*

(*ok, depending on the family... but ideally a family is where we feel good and safe).

I asked, "How can I address this feeling of extreme lack of self-confidence?"
Hex 10.2.3.4 becoming 37 was the answer I received.

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I think this reading might lead me to question the self diagnosis of 'extreme lack of self confidence'.. Are you sure it's not something else ? Have you misclassified it ?

Taken as a sentence "Treading's Family" hmm doesn't make a lot of sense that way and yet it kind of does. 37 can refer to the allocation of things, people, ideas to the place they belong, where they function best within a system. It could look like you labelled this as lack of self confidence and yeah it is sort of 'in the family of' those kind of bunch of feelings are and yet it isn't.

I would suggest what you feel is not so much a lack of confidence but extreme trepidation. Yes they could sound like the same thing, they may look very similar to another person, even to yourself, but they aren't coming from the same place.

I'd say you aren't a person who is simply lacking confidence you are a person experiencing a sense of trepidation (10.4) possibly due to due overstepping your capabilities in the past (10.3).

It's like one time you attempted something and it was too much and it was out of your realm (10.3..37) and you now need to feel comfortable, at home, in your element (37) to take this on again in a different way.


Of course now I have set myself the task of describing how trepidation is different to a lack of confidence. I guess I'd see trepidation as more triggered by an outer stimulus one comes to meet whereas lack of confidence sounds like it's just lying there within you. I don't think this is. I get the impression that in order to go forward successfully, trepidation notwithstanding, you need to feel fully part of or supported by the framework in which you do it (37) and you need to know your place, so you feel you belong.

I'll make something up as an example. A person starts a job where they are thrown in at the deep end. No one introduces them to co workers, no one really explains how the place works, and no one even has given a very clear description of what the role involves. This person is conscientious and does their best (10.2) but cannot meet their own standards of service (10.3). They get flustered, the phone keeps ringing and they can't answer queries, they lose files, they don't know where anything is, they are just not coping. After a few days they feel so useless they leave and say to themselves "I am not cut out for that kind of work, I'm no good at it".

However they may be perfectly well suited to the work, quietly conscientious (10.2) but without the support and the sense of belonging a proper induction to the company would have given (37) where their role would have been made clear and the overall structure of the place and how it worked was made clear, they cannot cope (10.3). When faced with taking another job they feel extreme trepidation (10.4) but they don't need to, they can manage. In my experience 10.4 always wins through although it feels like by the skin of your teeth.

So what I am trying to say in my exceptionally rambling response is I think you metaphorically need the backup, the sense of belonging, the security to perhaps overcome your sense of trepidation. I say 'metaphorically' because the work scenario is just an imaginary situation one could transpose to other areas.

Yang change pattern is 32, yin pattern 42. I have the sense you need to keep on keeping on and I have the sense the trepidation arises from a sort of interruption that threw you off balance.


I could well be wrong. I also think there will be many ways to see this answer.....but that's mine.

PS


I think this answer encourages you to try something again that may not have worked well in the past but this time where you feel much more at home. Also of course you need to consider what your 'feel at home' needs are. For example I never feel at home in work places where people just look at their computers and never have a laugh. I'm never going to feel at home anywhere like that and if I don't feel at home then whatever project I'm doing may not work out so well. Also a person cannot feel comfortable or at home when they don't know what their role is.

It's funny you have this sense of trepidation in 10 alongside the hexagram of home and family relationship.

I think you need to prioritise your comfort needs and go from there. I mean where you feel comfortable is the best place for you to move forward from in attempting new things. If a person doesn't feel at home they cannot settle in and be who they are.

Thank you, diamanda, for such a carefully considered, thoughtful response! I really appreciate how you broke it down for me so I could see specifically what each step of the casting meant from your perspective; there's a lot of valuable info in your take for me to ruminate on now. And yeah, ideally time with family would augment self-confidence, but unfortunately, that's not been the case for me so far. ...That's a story for another toss of the coins, I suppose! ;>)

Trojina, I'm blown away by your take on this reading; it resonated deeply (even your random example was uncannily right on -- exactly apropos, really!). I got choked up reading your words. I find your skill and talent in interpreting these hexagrams to be simply stunning. I know I'll be taking this in deeply over the next days, but I just wanted to drop you a note to tell you how moved I am. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to reflect on my situation and comment as you have. It means a lot.

When I posted I hadn't seen Diamanda's answer, we crossed posts, but I think in part we said quite similar things. For example

When you're familiar with the person/situation, then your self-confidence should come naturally, as when for example someone spends time with their family.*

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That was kind of similar to what I was trying to say about feeling comfortable.