~ Stick # 49 ~
The humble partridge becomes the great Roc;
A freedom that no other bird can know.
Higher and higher he soars into the sky,
Leaving miles of clouds far below him.
TRADITIONAL INTERPRETATIONA dramatic change is about to occur in your life - whether this is for good or bad depends on your actions. Be prepared for things to change completely, and learn to adapt with circumstances. While you may have difficulties forming new relationships, existing ones will probably be successful. Business deals will probably be delayed for some time but will prove profitable in the end.
REFLECTIONThis is about contrasts. The Roc was a vast, mythological creature and the partridge but a small, dull bird. Yet, says the poet, that which was humdrum and ordinary can become transformed, different. You can be in charge of your own destiny if you want to. Your actions can make you a better person. It is in your power. See if you, also, are able to change.
~ Stick # 3 ~
The mother sparrow builds with clay against a storm,
The traveler struggles against the driving rain,
Her fledglings huddle inside the nest,
But the clay melts and falls-all efforts futile.
TRADITIONAL INTERPRETATIONYour current precautions against disaster are unlikely to be of any use. Rather than wearing yourself out trying to defend against all possible calamities, concentrate on the good aspects of your life. With care and consideration you can build these up, so that when bad times do come you are easily able to weather them. Paying attention to your finances is wise, as is cautious investment in long-term projects. This is a good time to travel and meet new people, but do not commit yourself to somebody personally unless you are very sure you can trust them.
REFLECTIONAll the imagery here is of struggle, anxiety, and difficulties. In the midst of this, do not give up. Continue to plan, to build, to try to journey on, even if all collapses or seems to do so. The mother's love never ceases, nor can the traveler act as if he or she is not traveling. It is difficult, but not beyond hope. Keep going, and eventually all will be better.
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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