Monday 10/18 : 13th day of the 9th moon

Support the women in your household. Ask her how she’s doing. Help her cook and give her a break from cleaning. Pass her the wrench if she’s a Formula One mechanic. If you live alone, make your grandma’s favorite dish, and feast with your ancestors. If you don’t know your grandma, go with your own culinary preferences. They come from somewhere!

Sometimes we can’t see our complicity in a difficult situation, so we blame others. Blame wastes our time, especially today. Recognize and thank your supporters instead of criticizing them. (Thank your “enemies” while you’re at it.) Generosity and working in the background go well. It’s a great day to come together over food. If you feel held back, find freedom in constraint. Be the haiku you want to see in the world.

how kind is the dew

to slake an aphid’s thirst

and wash our feet for free

Tuesday 10/19 : 14th day of the 9th moon

Snake day. Good fortune relies heavily on being inclusive and observing social conventions (manners). We are likely to get bit if we break taboos or commitments. Several years ago, I lashed out at someone a snake day. I don’t remember at who or about what, but I remember being mortified. It can happen like that, too. Be slow and methodical. Snakes aren’t looking for trouble. A good day for family gatherings, concerts, and cultural events—anywhere you can play a supporting role for your community. Work together.

the October light

I could only see it

from my own angle

Wednesday 10/20 : 15th day of 9th moon

Do things and go places! Chariot days govern migration—stars, birds, and people (living and dead). All activity prospers. Business booms. Marriage inspires both partners to be their best selves. Conception makes brilliant babies. Funerals allow the dead true peace, and seed scholarly offspring. Another image of the day is the Silkworm, symbolizing constant industry. Truly, it’s a git’r done kind of day. And on the full moon. Give yourself ample time to wind down tonight so you can sleep.

when bowling pins

meet bike horns

canada geese

Thursday 10/21 : 16th day of 9th moon

Beginnings are in. Initiate anything: buy property, get engaged (or married), plant a garden, move, start a new job (or job search). Anything with kids goes great. Children born on this day will be blessed.

dewdrop glittering

on a slender blade of grass

I propose to him

Friday 10/22 : 17th day of 9th moon

Today is about not overestimating our strength. “The Titanic can’t sink” kind of thing. Instead, retreat and reassess. Focus on planning rather than action. Today’s hexagram means an unexpected incident, and the freedom of being without expectations. A clear, open mind gives plenty of space to whatever comes. Let go of goals, and allow things unfold naturally. Dragon days portend storms.

thunder shakes the dew

a cascade of throbbing dots

the waters marry

Saturday 10/23 : 18th day of 9th moon

Follow the omen of the ancestors. Multiple auspices advise remembering where we come from. When we strip filial piety of its parental overtones, we find respect for what precedes us. Our ancestors include oceans, mushrooms, sword ferns, and insects. Today’s constellation governs what happens when we don’t acknowledge our basis (difficulty). When we do remember, we experience a gentle rain of blessings (literally or figuratively). Consult oracles and physicians, make offerings to your ancestors, and go to school.

barefoot in the chill

I dream of tiny sneakers

for the centipedes

Sunday 10/24 : 19th day of 9th moon

Just because our wisdom is ignored does not mean we are powerless. Integrity is its own reward, regardless of whether we feel seen or valued, or get our way. Stick with this sentiment, and today can be a lovely continuation of yesterday. Otherwise, the day carries a big risk of miscalculation. Deliberate confrontation and use of force can sometimes succeed. Force without restraint is brutality. Be elegant rather than impulsive, knowing your measured move may still foment chaos. Another option is to fold yourself into your ecosystem with gratitude. This can look like a stroll through nature or doing the dishes. “The Halberd (axe) cuts open what has been sealed.” Our offerings come back to greet us. No gesture of love has ever been wasted. May we open to receive the care we have shown the world.

toward the old shipwreck

into the rough Atlantic

a pure white egg placed