Reading for calendar 2004

	The present is embodied in Hexagram 2 - K'un (The Receptive): That which is great and originating, advantageous, correct and having the firmness of a mare. When the superior man must move, if he takes the initiative he will go astray. If he follows, he will find his proper lord. The advantage will be seen in his getting friends in the southwest, and losing friends in the northeast. If he rest in correctness and firmness, there will be good fortune.
You are at home in time. You feel the coming and going of seasons, people, and events. There are times you wonder at the endless flow and the meaning of all that has gone and the mystery of all yet to be. To you many answers seem to be time itself. Not that you believe "time heals all wounds", but you know a wound is a time phenomena. Last year's cut is a red line, now a time distant broken bone aches from the darkened sky above, but today is, still and forever, all that matters. You are made to be a patient observer of the human condition. If you listen closely enough to the rhythm of life, if you still yourself completely, you can receive clues to the destinies all around you. At times your own fate comes to your door--surprising but not unwelcome. In face, you welcome the chance to see beyond the momentary phenomena of the everyday. You want to see straight to the heart, and time and again your horizons will be expanded. The grace you exhibit in dealing with challenging events wins you praise and respect, even and especially from the creative and unstable people to whom you react. You don't have to travel to reach solitude. You are always alone with your thoughts and gather strength from the distance from others you establish. You experience confusion and are misunderstood at points, but usually you make the best of a situation if you follow your intuition. You are a master of the fluid plan. The shape of your days become the shape of your undreamed dreams. Waking and sleeping your heart is open to life. ¹
	The Moving Lines
Moving to 7	The second line, divided, shows the attribute of being straight, square, and great. Its operation, without repeated efforts, will be in every respect advantageous. Think clearly, and express things in a straight forward manner, commit fully to the actions you have chosen to take, but always think in terms of the big picture!
Just being yourself is your greatest strength. You don't seek material or psychological rewards--you seek only to know yourself and to learn about life. Other people defeat themselves with excessive tension and blind effort in the quest for worldly goals, but you remain an observer. You examine the great chain of events link by link. You solitary ways cause an internal alchemy and magic brings you good fortune and understanding in direct proportion to your apparent stillness. ¹
Moving to 16	The fourth line, divided, shows the symbol of a sack tied up. this line is simply telling us to seal up our lips, we do not say things that not involve us, or to judge other people with our 'narrow' mind, then we will not regret of making any mistakes (as we never say things to hurt other people at first place); We will get no blames from other people (as we never say things to offend other people at first place) See no evil, hear no evil, say no evil
In order to avoid the inevitable overreaction with those around you, you must cultivate detachment. You have a very charismatic personality and the influence you have now is extremely volatile. Supporters and enemies come from thin air and all share a basic misunderstanding of your true nature. Although it may be strangely appealing to you to be the center of attention, your truest road lies within. Use your extra senses to detect potential threats and step carefully among the masses. ¹
	The situation is shifting, and Yang (the active masculine force) is gaining ground.
	The future is embodied in Hexagram 40 - Hsieh (Deliverance): Advantage will be found in the southwest. If no further operations are called for, there will be good fortune in returning to the old conditions. If some operations are called for, there will be good fortune in the early conduct of them.
A stagnant low point is passing from your life. Whether it came from outside you, or it generated from your own subconscious longings, it is leaving. Many responsibilities and worries are upon you now. You contemplate how to reach some goal and become bogged down with details. This is a blessing in disguise since it keeps you aware and prepared for flare-ups as your hard times fade. Actually your successful release depends on two principles: The first is the principle of timing. Right now, if you have things to do, get on with them. Don't put off making a decision because a later time will not help you. Conditions are not favorable for waiting. The second characteristic you need to develop is forgiveness. The bad time which you feel passing was nourished by the darkness in your own heart. Perhaps another did you wrong; very probably in the opinion of that person you were the offender. It doesn't matter now, and you must let past bitterness go. Where you feel ungenerous, you are wrong in this case. The answer lies in going beyond the past to forgive grievances. Now you will rise above problems as they occur. Open your heart and answer feelings of danger with love and sincerity. Be relaxed and confident and you can be the leader fate has chosen you to be-because of your humility. Lead by gentleness of spirit. The human animal has much in common with every other animal. Since living is difficult, sometimes harsh and even violent, scars remain. Even the healthiest souls are familiar with negative conditioning and institutional inhibition. You must lead with a new paradigm. You must love. Right below the surface, which can be cacophonous with the discord, there is a hunger for anything positive. There will be a tremendous response to you, if you bring a healing vibration. Whatever is holding you back, is all in your head. Thus we learn the power of the mind. Everywhere you go, you will make a difference. Every scrap of sunlight you find, you will share. Practical advice: Make peace with someone with whom you recently have had strained relations. They might be a little chilly at first, but conditions will quickly ameliorate. Be uncharacteristically good-natured and watch the world give you maximum respect. ¹
	The things most apparent, those above and in front, are embodied by the upper trigram *K'un (Earth), which is tansforming into Chen (Thunder)*. As part of this process, docility and receptivity are giving way to movement, initiative, and action.
	The things least apparent, those below and behind, are embodied by the lower trigram *K'un (Earth), which is transforming into K'an (Water)*. As part of this process, docility and receptivity are giving way to danger and the unknown.