I am going in two different directions here, and am therefore being a little miscommunicative. Please forgive me for that. On the one hand I have been trying to answer your question, on the other, talking about hidden knowledge. They are not necessarily the same thing.

in a way, there is no answer to your question, because there are only so many hours in the day, and we must deal with that. Unless, of course, we can move so deeply into the spiritual level that normal physical laws do not apply. And how many people do that? In a sense what it is saying is that the answer to your question is covered up. It is not available to you at this time. You must go a step deeper before this question can be answered.

Gene

@Gene Is there a connection between being at peace with not knowing, like Darlene says, and being at peace with not being able to do it all?

I do agree that the ‘covering’ can be there for a reason, can be protective. And also that “We can only know more when we are ready to know more.” To which I would add that being willing to ask question after question about it doesn’t amount to being ‘ready’!

in terms of the question posed, you and I have a similar problem. How to make the most of our time. For there are only so many hours in the day, and only so many days in our lives. How do we cover it all?

We can’t. We can’t we can’t we can’t. And we have to learn that that is okay. That is why we live more than one lifetime. In hexagram four we learn that we must come to understand the seriousness of life. Yet for all that, constant drill must not be applied, for it leaves us lifeless and dull. There is only so much we can do, and that is okay.

As Isis said, “no man hath me unveiled.” The more secrets we uncover, the more there is to be uncovered. We see darkly, as though through a tainted glass. We can only know more when we are ready to know more. And in other sacred texts, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that he hath revealed…” How much is revealed to us? Are we ready for more? Can we handle more….?

Gene

Not knowing can lead us into new territory and thus into a novel perspective on what we’re struggling to see…

I’ve started looking at my sage-figures at home (photos of my spiritual parents; Kwan Yin, Confucus; beloved humans and cats who have died and joined my line of ancestors; Buddha; two art prints by Frank Howell; my cats, who can be Holy Fools to the nth degree, etc.) and seeing them as if we are mirrors of each other. To look in a mirror and see a sage’s face … that’s a huge stretch most days … but it’s a face I pray to emulate in how I look at the world and relate with others …

The sage knows, too, that the Young Fool of Hexagram 4 is already a sage, one just out of bud and unaware … clueless at first ;-D (That could be a great name for Hexagram 4! –> Clueless At First)

I think there’s one intrinsic facet of awareness called, “knowing that I don’t know.” There are some things that we simply will *never* know as long as we’re housed in these bodies and minds. And there’s so much that we do know, and can apply to what we don’t, and see if there’s any “fit” between the two. Of course there is, ’cause this is Yin and Yang in one of its countless blendings

Hilary, you’ll know and you’ll not know … you’ll know and you’ll not … know and not … know and not … and have all kinds of thoughts, hunches, feelings and questions to bring into the blend … and possibilities will emerge … Sometimes it feels like you’re on a roller coaster, doesn’t it …

Sometimes, too, Life and our minds just need to slow down a bit; perhaps it’s time to rest in the questions for a while, even as you tend to related matters …

It can be such a relief to be able to say, “I don’t know.” Mark Twain, as he aged, felt pleased as punch to declare his ignorance on things…Here’s the quote (which is one of my Hex. 4 favourites):

“I was gratified to be able to answer promptly, and I did. I said I didn’t know.”

Thank you for your work. I’ve been frustrated because I don’t understand the I Ching and can’t express it eloquently like you do. But I’m learning to be at peace with that and just learn from you as the Unknown guides me.

Now I’m going to read the rest of your words…

(You know, your blog tag line sums up divination in a nutshell. I think you and Yi will get on beautifully.)