Alright folks, gather ’round. You know me, I like to share what I’ve been through, what I’ve messed up, and what I’ve learned along the way. Today, we’re talking about one of those things that really made me scratch my head for a good long while: Hexagram 40. Yeah, that one. Some people call it “Deliverance,” some call it “Liberation.” For me, it was just a big question mark, hanging over my head like a storm cloud, begging the question: is this thing actually good or totally bad?
I remember it clear as day. This was back when I was really stuck, just feeling completely bogged down. My work situation was a mess, my finances were tighter than a drum, and honestly, my mood was just… gray. Every single day felt like wading through thick mud. I was trying everything, you know? Hustling, saving, praying – you name it. But nothing seemed to shift. I felt like I was in a giant spiderweb, all tangled up, and every move I made just seemed to get me stuck worse.
So, in one of those moments of pure desperation, I pulled out my old I Ching coins. I’d used them on and off for years, mostly when I felt like I had absolutely no other direction to turn. I tossed those coins, really focusing, just begging for a clue, any sign of what I should do, or what was coming. And what did I get? Hexagram 40, with a bunch of changing lines to boot.
I flipped through the book, looking at the translation. “Deliverance.” “Freedom from entanglement.” My first thought was, “Great! This is it! My problems are about to disappear!” I was so ready for instant relief, for some magical fairy wand to wave and poof, everything would be peachy. But then I read a bit further, about the difficulties that often precede it, and how the release sometimes required tough choices, or even letting go of things I thought I needed. That’s when the doubt crept in. Was this good because it promised an end to suffering, or bad because it meant more pain before that end? It just felt so… ambiguous.
I spent days, weeks even, just mulling it over. I talked to a few people who were into this stuff, trying to get a straight answer. Some said it was absolutely a positive sign, a promise of light at the end of the tunnel. Others warned that “deliverance” often meant confronting the very things that kept you trapped, and that could be a really tough road. It was like everyone had their own flavor of truth, and I still didn’t know what to believe for myself.
Then, things started happening. Not a sudden, dramatic change, no. It was more like a slow, creaking unraveling. My boss called me into their office. I braced myself for the worst. Instead, they offered me a completely different role, one that sounded a lot more manageable and less stressful, but it also meant taking a slight pay cut. My gut reaction was to say no. A pay cut when I was already struggling? No way! But that Hexagram 40 kept nagging at me. Was this the “letting go” it talked about? Letting go of the illusion that I needed every single penny from my current, miserable situation?
I deliberated, big time. My finances were tight, sure, but my mental health was even tighter. I saw how the new role, while paying less, would free up so much of my time and energy. It would untangle me from the constant stress I was under. It was a risk, a calculated one, but it felt like a step towards something new, something lighter. So, I took it.
And that wasn’t the only thing. Around the same time, I had this old, beat-up car that was constantly giving me trouble. It was a money pit, always needing repairs. I was holding onto it because, well, “what if I need a car?” But the cost of keeping it running was insane. I finally decided to sell it, even though I didn’t have a replacement lined up. I just took the bus for a bit. That felt like another act of “deliverance” – letting go of a physical burden, even when it felt inconvenient at first.
What I started to see, really understand, was that Hexagram 40 isn’t about some magic wand. It’s not about things suddenly becoming “good” without any effort on your part. Instead, I began to realize its true nature: it’s a promise of the path to release, but you have to walk it. It’s an indication that the knots can be untangled, but you often have to be the one doing the untangling, and sometimes that means making difficult choices or enduring temporary discomfort to achieve that deeper sense of liberation.
Over the next few months, with the new job and without the car draining my funds, things slowly, steadily improved. My mental clarity came back. I felt lighter, less stressed. The financial situation, while still needing work, didn’t feel like a suffocating blanket anymore. I started saving more effectively, finding new ways to manage. I wasn’t rich, but I was free from that constant, gnawing anxiety that had been plaguing me for so long.
So, is Hexagram 40 good or bad? My take? It’s neither, not really. It’s real. It’s a reflection of life. It acknowledges that sometimes you’re in a tough spot, and it points towards the way out. But that way out usually involves doing some hard work, making some sacrifices, and truly understanding what needs to be let go of. For me, discovering its true nature meant understanding that deliverance isn’t given; it’s earned, through action and acceptance, and a willingness to untangle your own mess.
