You know, life throws curveballs, right? Lately, it’s felt like I’ve been trying to navigate a dense fog, just kinda bumping into things without a clear sense of direction. Been working on a few personal projects, trying to get some traction, and it just felt like I was spinning my wheels. Every decision felt heavy, every step uncertain. I needed something, anything, to cut through the noise, to give me a hint.
So, one evening, feeling particularly muddled, I pulled out my old I Ching set. It’s been ages since I actually sat down and properly consulted it, though it’s always on the shelf. Grabbed the three coins, found a quiet corner in the living room, and just focused my mind. I didn’t have a super specific question, just this general feeling of being adrift, wanting to know what I should be doing or focusing on. I tossed those coins six times, one after the other, marking down the lines carefully.
Flipped open the dusty book and there it was: Hexagram 17. Sui. Following. My first thought was, “Following? Following what, exactly? Like some lost dog?” Honestly, I felt a bit underwhelmed. I was hoping for some grand, clear directive, something like “Quit your job and buy a farm!” Instead, it was this seemingly passive instruction. Just “follow.” It didn’t resonate, not at first. Felt too simple, almost dismissive of the deep uncertainty I was feeling.
That’s where the real digging started. I couldn’t just leave it at that. “Following” felt like giving up control, and that just wasn’t sitting right with me. I dove into the commentaries, read all the different interpretations, the little bits of wisdom tucked into the verses. My particular edition has a few takes on each line, which is always useful. I really tried to let the words sink in, not just read them, but feel them out. What did it mean to follow in an active sense, not just a passive one?
And then it clicked when I started looking at the trigrams. You’ve got Lake over Thunder. That’s Dui and Zhen. Thunder below, lake above. Thunder is about movement, arousal, getting things going. Lake is about joy, receptivity, being open. So it wasn’t just about being dragged along. It was about a kind of joyful movement, or movement that others are happy to follow. That shifted everything for me. It wasn’t about being a passive follower; it was about choosing what to follow with enthusiasm, or leading in a way that draws others in naturally, making them want to follow. It’s about being in sync with a larger flow, not just chasing every whim.
I started thinking about my own situation. All this pushing, forcing my ideas, trying to make things happen on my own terms. It felt like I was rowing against the current sometimes. But Hexagram 17, with its talk of harmonious following, made me reconsider. Maybe I needed to step back a bit, observe the currents, and find a path of less resistance. Maybe I needed to find something worth truly dedicating myself to, something that resonated with my core, and then follow that with real vigor. Or maybe I needed to adjust my approach so that my actions themselves became something others would willingly align with.
It didn’t happen overnight, you know? But this whole “following” idea started to morph. I began to look for the natural momentum in things, both in my work and personal life. Instead of always trying to initiate every single step, I started looking for opportunities to support, to contribute to something already in motion that I believed in. It meant being more receptive, yes, but also bringing my own energy and joy to that process. It wasn’t about being bossy, but about being so genuinely invested and clear in my purpose that my actions created a compelling path for others.
The change wasn’t dramatic, but subtle and steady. I found myself more at peace, less stressed about forcing outcomes. When I found something that felt right, I committed to it wholeheartedly, and funny enough, others started to notice. They weren’t following me because I demanded it, but because my own alignment seemed to create a clearer, more appealing direction. It’s funny how an ancient text can just kick you in the head and make you see things completely different, making you realize that sometimes, the best way to lead is by truly understanding what it means to follow, and to find the joy in that shared journey.
