Monday 11/1 - 27th day of 9th moon

Two steady indicators (Ox day/Level) help us keep our bearings if things don’t go as planned. A positive mindset doesn’t guarantee a good outcome. Relax your expectations, and enjoy what’s left—which is everything. If you don’t get what you want, give other people what you wish you had. Then you’ll receive it, too. Stay home, eat well, and take good care of yourself. Watch Coco and let your dead know that you love them (your living, too). You’ll feel them say it back. Happy Dia de los Muertos to those who celebrate. And happy birthday to my Mom!

cemetery grapes
I wouldn’t, but the birds know
nothing’s wrong with them

Tuesday 11/2 - 28th day of 9th moon

The totemic animal of the day is a Pig, who embodies ritual sacrifice, good luck, and generosity. As such, today is a rare day when both gathering and renunciation are indicated. Both forms of sacrifice yield longterm benefits. Share what you receive with others. Build, remodel, make feng shui adjustments. Sign contracts, get married, bury your loved ones (only the dead ones). Everything prospers., and allies come from all sides. Divination is not always performed to seek answers. Sometimes it simply expresses the collaboration of worlds. “You take the next line.” We’re writing the poem together.

starry night blessing
we offer light to kindle
a distant future

Wednesday 11/3 - 29th day of 9th moon

Today’s symbol (Eastern wall, where the state library was held) refers to the gifts of a group. Communities create repositories of wealth and knowledge. Share what you know. Anything that fosters togetherness and makes use of our combined resources goes well. Hit up the library, celebrate, invest, share your dreams, practice martial arts, go to a meeting. Your sensitivity is a contribution, too. Enlist it rather than being destroyed by it. Tap into the good stuff as a discipline, and watch yourself become a portal for awesomeness.

produce department
seeking the grapes who want me
to carry them home

Thursday 11/4 - 30th day of 9th moon

Today we have a paired image of a military officer and a wolf. The officer has an arsenal, but the wolf can outsmart even the most well-guarded person. The auspice is mixed because we have protection, but we need it. Do anything that parallels preparing for winter—bank deposits, planning, repairing homes and bodies. Good day to see the doctor and conduct routine business.

Today is a consult the oracle day, so I checked the runes and got Tiwaz/Tyr. Tyr is a Nordic god of justice whose hand was bitten off by the wolf Fenrir. Tyr was the only one brave enough to trap the wolf, so he became famous for sacrificing his hand for the greater good. Both the Chinese and Nordic auspices suggest we have the resources to endure wolf-like danger, but also the potential for sacrifice and loss. So, calculated loss succeeds. If it’s your turn to take one for the team, cut your losses, and assume it’s for the best. Heroics could work, but be costly. If I have a choice, today I will probably make soup and bring clothes to Goodwill.

my shadow joining
the shadow of a mantis\
devouring clean lines

Friday 11/5 - 1st day of 10th moon

Today brings a new moon and a new hexagram. Every Autumn, Yin crescendos. It's such a relief. Yin is still, receptive, and dark like the moon. Yin also refers to material Earth, which supports, defines, and nourishes everything we know. Echoed three times is the message to subordinate. Comply with confidence, knowing that Earth is in charge. Meddling puts us in danger. Stay receptive and be in your routine. Today governs family gatherings and musicians, particularly in concert. Find a way to play with your friends. Go with the flow, and show your loyalty. Confrontations are contraindicated today.

last datura bloom
not a trumpet, but an ear\
listening wildly

Saturday 11/6 - 2nd day of 10th moon

The qi is complete. “Do less, have less, show less, seek nothing. Decline is not feared, and success is not celebrated.” It seems like Daoism can make anybody into a corpse, but have you ever experienced grounded restraint? It feels like art, and teaches us to tolerate huge surges of energy so that we can have a complete death. Today is about receiving rewards, and giving the surplus away. Balance your ecosystem through generosity. Accumulation insults today’s calendar qi. If you have to buy something, let it be a gift. Fill the needs of your neighborhood, or donate to a temple. Maintain simplicity.

the luminous dew
if you have nothing to say
say it beautifully

Sunday 11/7 - 3rd day of 10th moon

Today is Samhain (yesterday, too). Stick with familiar people and places. Inherited debts may surface (ghosts), and illnesses will be more contagious. Don’t get married and don’t go to the wedding. The auspices are perfect for keeping your head down and staying at home. The moon is still new, and winter is coming. You probably won’t feel like doing much anyway. This instinct makes you sane, not lazy. Be willing to do nothing. It is completely normal to do nothing. Today, doing nothing saves lives, or at least some trouble.

I’m karate leaf
my geometry murders
—praying mantises