I find experiences and interactions with others extremely challenging these days. The only way for me to get through all this is by acceptance (or ‘modesty’, as the I Ching calls it). Modesty is recognizing we need help and asking for it. It is an attitude of humility and willingness to being guided. When we return to the place where we recognize that our life is connected to the Higher Power, we are helped by the Sage, or voice that speaks to us through the I-Ching. Life begins to be a series of miracles and blessings.

The I Ching is a manual for self development. It believes that an obstruction lasts only so long as needed. It also says that by working on oneself, all obstacles are naturally resolved. Here’s an example: Last spring I read at a local psychic fair. I was invited, at that time, to participate at the next fair in October. When the time for the fair came, my name wasn’t in the newsletter announcing the event. I called the store, where the fair was, and asked whether I was scheduled to read. The person who answered the phone said that, due to a mixup, I hadn’t been included. I sent the people at the store an email saying that I would be happy to participate in future fairs. Then I let the situation alone. A week after the fair, the store’s owner called to invite me to read at the next fair. When something is meant to be, there is no reason to try to make it occur. It always works out.

One of the most difficult things to do involves listening to and trusting yourself when everyone else around you is dancing to the beat of a different drum. Doing ‘your thing’ is a challenge when your ‘thing’ is not the same as others’ are. I feel alone these days. As I told a friend: ‘ I feel like I was invited to a birthday party only because the hostess’s mother is friends with my mother’. I am having a hard time fitting in these days, and I think much of this is due to the fact that I am trying to fit a mold which really isn’t me. I am working on lightening up about this, and trying to be kinder and more gentle towards myself. This helps a lot. It allows me to accept where I am now, and to grow at my own pace, appreciating and accepting my own uniqueness. By being more open and positive about myself, I naturally become more appreciative of the different qualities and aspects of others. I become more tolerant, accepting and open. This becomes a win-win situation for everyone.

The way you are living is a reflection of your thoughts and state of awareness. Change your thoughts (and feelings), change your life. Simple? Not at all. The secret is to keep your thoughts or vibrations focused on positive things. How can you do this, when ’stuff’ gets in the way? Well, one way I have found that works for me is making a gratitude list. This idea isn’t original; I have just found it to be very effective. The way it works is this: you write down 15-25 things you are grateful for. This cans be as simple as a beautiful day, or as complex as getting a new job. Doing this keeps your mind focused in a more positive way. Even if you only list several things, taking the time and intention to do this really helps. During times when I have no paper and pen (or computer) available, I find that just thinking of things I am grateful for also works.

A friend and I were talking. I happened to mention that there is a woman at work I don’t ‘love’. Granted, we’re civil to one another, however she and I will never really be friends. I asked him his opinion about this. ‘Do you think it is necessary to make an effort to be friends with her?’, I asked. He responded that sometimes an obstruction is useful to teach us discernment. It can show us what we are willing to accept and what we want to change. ‘If the situation isn’t bad’, he suggested, ‘then why not leave it?’ The I Ching teaches that an obstruction lasts only as long as it is needed. It suggests that as you correct yourself, things fall into place and have a way of working out, so I have decided to do nothing right now. This replaces pressure to act (a sign of the inferior element) with faith and trust (a sign of the Higher Self)

This was the hexagram I received this morning, when I did my daily I Ching throw. It hit home strongly. So many opportunities have come to me lately, and I fear I haven’t utilized them. Here’s the clue; I just used the word ‘fear’. Fear is a kicker, it is ‘The Secret’ in reverse. What a person thinks manifests. This idea is both inspiring and yet somewhat overwhelming at the same time. It is time to take serious stock of my life, see what I have been creating, then make the changes which need to happen. The next hexagram I drew (I don’t remember the number for either one of them ) indicated that quiet return to improving oneself can still obtain a positive results.
So I am going to turn some things around (even on a small level good actions can still be beneficial).

Sometimes it takes a mistake to show us that change is needed. The I Ching (or Oracle of Change) teaches that guidance is always available. We only need to ask for it and wait for it to appear in the form it chooses. Sometimes mistakes and challenges can be one of the quickest ways to develop. Both light and dark are needed to enable us to see the higher vision and grow. This is a life for learning. Studying the I Ching is one way of doing this.

Many things have happened lately to make me aware I don’t know as much as I thought I did. I just completed a busy period (filled with classes and fairs). The events were great, however, I was left feeling like I might not be making as much of a difference as I think I should. A friend gave me some advice recently. He said to get rid of the idea that I am tied to a certain Path. Just ‘be’ more and ‘do’ less, he suggested. This idea doesn’t mean to avoid going after things. It does, however, suggest being more open and spontaneous. Be more flexible. Go more with the flow. I guess my Virgo rising raises it’s introspective head and analyzes more than it needs to. I just had a birthday. Maybe this year will allow me to experience some new ideas and directions, just by being open to new options. I’ll have to see.