~ Stick # 13 ~
Grandfather Kiang fished all day,
Though once a minister, he'd put such things away.
But when the country needed him again,
He ceased his fishing to ease the country's pain.
Though once a minister, he'd put such things away.
But when the country needed him again,
He ceased his fishing to ease the country's pain.
TRADITIONAL INTERPRETATION
The time is not ripe for whatever plans you have at present and you should wait a while before putting them into effect. It is better at the moment to remain inactive and enjoy your hobbies, but wealth and status are in store in the future. It may take you some time to recover from any current health problems, but legal difficulties should soon clear up. Somebody important to you who is currently absent will return soon.
REFLECTION
This poem is about duty. It cites the famous case of a wise official who longed for the peace and quiet of retirement but who, when duty called, took up the burden of high office and responsibility again. There are things you have to do, responsibilities you must fulfill. It is no good trying to leave them to others or pretending that it is not up to you, because it is.
~ Stick # 46 ~
For the sake of one child, the ruler's command
Was the death of all children in his own city.
But the orphan was hidden in a far-off state,
And, when a man, earned revenge for his father.
Was the death of all children in his own city.
But the orphan was hidden in a far-off state,
And, when a man, earned revenge for his father.
TRADITIONAL INTERPRETATION
This is a risky time, and you should avoid overreaching yourself. Do not get embroiled in conflicts with others, and try not to strive for wealth and fame, lest you encounter disaster along the way. You may have a tricky time in your personal life, but patience and tolerance will let you win through.
REFLECTION
Stories of special children being hunted at birth are to be found worldwide-the baby Krishna and Child Jesus are just two examples. The moral here is that rash, fearful, or vengeful actions will rebound. Trying to destroy what you fear may well lead to that fear returning a hundred times worse. In Greek legend, the basis of the tragic notion was the attempt to kill children destined to overthrow you.
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Each day I sit down, take up the cup of sticks and ask the same question, “What does the Keen community need to know or hear today?” I shake the cup until a stick (or 2 or 3…) falls out. I then post the stick number and the meanings for you to get what you can out of them.
The sticks themselves are a form of I-Ching. There are a total of 64 sticks in the set that I use* with a poem and small interpretation/story to go along with each stick. The poems, meanings and reflections are meant to be read and (as a good friend of mine once said) marinated in. In our culture, we’ve grown accustomed to getting instant gratification. In other words, we’re used to everything being given to us with little or no work on our parts. These readings are the exact opposite of that type of attitude.
Chinese Fortune sticks are meant to make us slow down and reflect on what is being said. As each sticks’ meaning can be profoundly personal to each person who reads them, it’s more important for you to read them rather than have someone give you a watered down version. These readings are meant to sing to a level of your consciousness and bring you a measure of peace, or at least enlightenment.
The best way to get the most you can out of these readings is to approach them with an open mind. Before sitting down to read that morning’s reading, make some quiet time for yourself. Sit still for a moment and clear your mind. Silence the chatter in your head and take a few deep breaths, letting them out slowly. Once you feel yourself slow down a little (or a lot), read through the reading of the day. Go over it a few times if you feel the need. Then take a moment, sit back and think about what that reading means for you. Some will be very straightforward; others require a bit more thinking. Either way, let the reading from the sticks guide you that day on the decisions or experiences you have. These aren’t meant to tell you what to think, but rather to help you look at things in a different way or to allow you to access truths you already have.
If you have any questions, feel free to email me!!
* written by Zhao Xiaomin & Martin Palmer