Man, sometimes life throws you curveballs, right? I was going through a period a while back where things just felt super stuck. Like, really stuck. Every direction I looked, it was a dead end. I’d been hearing bits and pieces about the I Ching from a buddy of mine, how it’s this ancient wisdom thing, all about change and situations. Honestly, I was skeptical, but also, what did I have to lose?
So, I thought, alright, let’s give this a shot. I didn’t go all out with yarrow stalks or anything fancy at first. I just grabbed a few coins – three regular old pennies – and found a decent-looking online guide that showed me how to toss ’em. My first few tries were a total mess. I’d toss, write down the lines, and then just stare at the hexagram, totally bewildered. It felt like trying to read a foreign language without a dictionary.
I kept at it, though, mostly out of stubbornness. I’d ask a question, toss the coins, and then meticulously draw out the six lines. Then came the deciphering part. I bought a cheap paperback copy of the I Ching, nothing fancy. Just a basic translation. I’d sit there, looking at my drawn hexagram, then flipping through the book, trying to match it up. Most times, it barely made sense. I’d read the judgment, the image, and then all these line statements, and my brain would just kinda short-circuit.
Then, one afternoon, I tossed the coins with a specific question in mind about this particular knot I was trying to untie in my life. And boom, up popped Hexagram 40. “Jie,” it said. Or “Release” or “Deliverance.” Man, that word just hit me. It resonated so deeply. I felt like the universe was actually trying to tell me something directly, you know? It wasn’t some vague prophecy; it was a clear-cut theme.
Finding My Way Through Hexagram 40
Once I landed on Hexagram 40, I started diving deeper into it. I found a few different translations online and in other books. It was wild how different they could be, but the core message always remained: it was about
unraveling difficulties, finding solutions, letting go, or being set free from obstacles.
That was exactly what I needed to hear.
The first line talks about being released and returning to ordinary ways – like shaking off a heavy cloak. The second talks about being released and not relying on outside help. The third, about carrying a burden on your back and still needing a vehicle, implying you’re trying to escape but might need a push. The fourth line warns about releasing yourself from your great toe; it’s a minor release, but it shows you’re moving. The fifth is about a noble person releasing themselves, bringing good fortune. And the top line is about a prince shooting a hawk, symbolizing getting rid of hindrances. Each line, I swear, felt like it was speaking directly to different facets of my problem.
I started keeping a journal specific to my I Ching readings. Every time I cast Hexagram 40, or even when it appeared as a changing line from another hexagram, I’d write down the date, the question I asked (if any), the hexagram, and then all my thoughts on what each line meant to me in that moment. It wasn’t about trying to predict the future or anything mystical like that. It was more about using the ancient text as a mirror, making me really look at my situation from different angles.
I remember one specific time, I was so bogged down with a particular commitment that I just couldn’t see a way out. It felt like I was trapped. Hexagram 40 kept coming up, particularly the lines about letting go and finding help if needed. I kept wrestling with it, thinking, “But how?” The wisdom wasn’t about giving me a direct answer like “quit your job,” but it was more like, “Hey, this situation can resolve, you just need to initiate the release.”
The Breakthrough and What Stuck
What I ended up doing was taking a step back and really scrutinizing that commitment. I picked it apart, piece by piece. I realized a lot of the pressure was self-imposed. The hexagram kept nudging me towards the idea that release was possible, and sometimes, it’s about being proactive. I started having honest conversations with the people involved, something I’d been avoiding. It was uncomfortable, for sure, but the I Ching gave me that push, that subtle permission to seek a solution, to untangle the mess.
Over time, I started seeing the patterns. The 40th hexagram wasn’t just about escaping something bad. It was also about the clarity that comes after the storm. It’s about the fresh air, the feeling of things loosening up. It truly is about deliverance, whether it’s from a bad mood, a tough decision, or a complicated relationship.
Now, I don’t cast the I Ching daily or anything. But when I feel that familiar sense of being stuck or truly needing a different perspective, I pull out my coins and my book. And almost every time, when Hexagram 40 appears, it’s a powerful reminder that whatever tangle I’m in, there’s always a way to release it. It’s about movement, about change, and ultimately, about finding that freedom again. It really helps me look at challenges not as brick walls, but as knots that can be untied. That ancient wisdom, man, it’s still alive and kicking.
