Aug 26 25
King of Pentacles (reversed)
15. Modesty
These first few lines are the general aphoristic returns for the week. They are raw and uninterpreted; there to use how you’d like. (The specific readings follow.)
Question from “N.B.A.”: How to do a good job at doing one thing at a time, in an occupation that includes a wild amount of unrelated-ish tasks — that all need top-quality/full attention?
Oracle reply: Yes, conscientious, “real” work always takes more time, that is a fact — and a good job (as you are feeling) is never singular, it is a network of attributes/tasks. There’s simply no other way but patience. Know, though, that should you be able, through such patience, to get the balances and weights right, your world will organize into a pageant or something like a symphony. Maybe think of “patience” as respecting and relating extremes and diversities. It is tough, as differences are jarring, but without difference there is no dimension. Dimension is to consciousness as water is to the body.
Complete Reading:
This week we pulled the King of Pentacles (reversed). Basic aptitudes are off. The governance of a balanced self (the accord of the body, the emotions, intuition, receptivity, the unconscious, the intellect, and communication) is insecure or fatigued. One must bring power back (to themself) by sincerely pursuing a balanced self.
Our first and only hexagram this week is #15, Modesty. Here, simplicity and a lack of pretension is said to be the mode to which all humans should aspire. “The destinies of humans are subject to immutable laws that must fulfill themselves. But individuals have it in their power to shape their fate, according as their behavior expose them to the influence of benevolent or of destructive forces. When a person holds a high position and is nevertheless modest, they shine with the light of wisdom; if they are in a lower position and are modest, they will not be passed by. Thus the superior person carries out their work to the end without boasting of what they have achieved.” Another note, boasting and complaining are two sides of the same coin. Though there is always much to gripe about, and sometimes, there are successes to brag about, these qualities are ruinous to any project. “…when establishing order in the world… the superior person equalizes the extremes that are the source of social discontent and thereby creates just and equable conditions.”
“The destinies of people are subject to immutable laws that must fulfill themselves. But we have the power to shape our fate, whether to expose ourselves to the influence of benevolent or destructive forces.” Modesty is the key here, keeping the above in mind one must strive to equalize all extremes. Extreme endeavors are necessary for individual and group survival, but should be kept as a rare method. If an extreme becomes a norm all outward relation is lost and frictions result.
- Dimension is to consciousness as water is to the body.
- Do not give too much attention to any one aspect of self.
- Modesty (that is, moderation) is the mode. Continual exploration of extremes will end in catastrophe (extremes destroy dimensionality).
- Work hard to eradicate excessive complaining and excessive bragging from your personality.
Question from “N.B.A.”: How to do a good job at doing one thing at a time, in an occupation that includes a wild amount of unrelated-ish tasks — that all need top-quality/full attention?
Oracle reply: Yes, conscientious, “real” work always takes more time, that is a fact — and a good job (as you are feeling) is never singular, it is a network of attributes/tasks. There’s simply no other way but patience. Know, though, that should you be able, through such patience, to get the balances and weights right, your world will organize into a pageant or something like a symphony. Maybe think of “patience” as respecting and relating extremes and diversities. It is tough, as differences are jarring, but without difference there is no dimension. Dimension is to consciousness as water is to the body.
Complete Reading:
This week we pulled the King of Pentacles (reversed). Basic aptitudes are off. The governance of a balanced self (the accord of the body, the emotions, intuition, receptivity, the unconscious, the intellect, and communication) is insecure or fatigued. One must bring power back (to themself) by sincerely pursuing a balanced self.
Our first and only hexagram this week is #15, Modesty. Here, simplicity and a lack of pretension is said to be the mode to which all humans should aspire. “The destinies of humans are subject to immutable laws that must fulfill themselves. But individuals have it in their power to shape their fate, according as their behavior expose them to the influence of benevolent or of destructive forces. When a person holds a high position and is nevertheless modest, they shine with the light of wisdom; if they are in a lower position and are modest, they will not be passed by. Thus the superior person carries out their work to the end without boasting of what they have achieved.” Another note, boasting and complaining are two sides of the same coin. Though there is always much to gripe about, and sometimes, there are successes to brag about, these qualities are ruinous to any project. “…when establishing order in the world… the superior person equalizes the extremes that are the source of social discontent and thereby creates just and equable conditions.”
“The destinies of people are subject to immutable laws that must fulfill themselves. But we have the power to shape our fate, whether to expose ourselves to the influence of benevolent or destructive forces.” Modesty is the key here, keeping the above in mind one must strive to equalize all extremes. Extreme endeavors are necessary for individual and group survival, but should be kept as a rare method. If an extreme becomes a norm all outward relation is lost and frictions result.