Monday November 8 :: Lunar 10/4 (good buddy)

A sweet day in an otherwise precarious week. The power of Earth and “support from heaven” come together to bless us from above and below. The growing moon supports us, too. If you have something to share with the world, today is a good day to do it. Most things go well. Divination is auspicious.

Divination systems from our indigenous cultures open a powerful portal to our ancestors and the worldviews that gave birth to us. Everyone naturally divines when they dream and walk around in the world, but many people find it helpful to formally consult another system. Many years ago, I made runes from a yew branch in Ireland, but only recently have I felt grounded enough to work with them. I’ll “consult the oracle” once every month or two. For me, more than that feels like a symptom of anxiety. What systems of divination did your ancestors practice? Older forms include reading entrails, weather, tea leaves, coffee grounds, bird flight, and raven song. Many people roll bones or shells, or sacrifice goats to read the liver or other organs. Modern people often use tarot (France) and I-Ching (China). Dreaming is the oldest form of divination.

from inside the grape
a sweetness that can’t escape
until we bite down

Tuesday November 9 :: Lunar 10/5

The ancient Chinese observed that the stars move from east to west. and rivers from west to east. Today is about opposing flows—arguments, criticism, and litigation. The rise and fall of disputes is natural, but selfish arguments are a lot harder to resolve. Withdraw from complicated situations. When we find ourselves in an argument, we have likely neglected to pay attention to the trickle of circumstances that led up to it.
Jews and Tibetan monks have traditions of arguing for the sake of polishing and education. It’s like a game. But chances are, if you’re someone who likes to “win” an argument, people think you’re an ass. Personally, I can let stuff build up instead of addressing small concerns when I first notice them. The volcanic outcome of this kind of neglect can surface today. It’s much easier to blame others than it is to address a situation before it becomes a thing. Good luck!

plucking muscadines
thicker skin than mine

Wednesday November 10 :: Lunar 10/6

Good day to stay home, work around the house, and be chill. “Comply with the omens” means go with the flow. A couple weeks ago, my family was ready to move into a house in North Carolina, but when we arrived, a falcon swooped down by our car—an omen which always appears to strongly warn me. Then we learned the house had mold, then my son fell through the rotten fort in the backyard. Don’t let your idea of what you think is best undermine what is actually best. The universe is unfolding on your behalf, not because you’re special, but because you are the universe, and the universe has a vested interest in self-preservation.

The dark image of the day is about being reckless, and the bright side is found in conserving our energy. We could get hammered, go off the deep end, and sleep with a psychopath, or we could do some art, have a cup of tea, and quietly celebrate maturity. Spending resources goes poorly. Collect accounts receivable (and stuff like that) instead. Take your herbs. Do the thing that nourishes you. Trying to escape a difficult situation digs our hole deeper, so make your pit a monastery. Negative emotions can give way to inner peace, even under physical duress.

a koi jumps the pond
banking his entire life
on impressionism

Thursday November 11 :: Lunar 10/7

For the next six days we are asked to cultivate the stillness of mountains. Two mountain trigrams comprise the weekly hexagram of Stillness. The top mountain represents clarity, calm, and mystical revelation. The bottom mountain describes the courage of restraint in the face of physical punishment. Together, the images represent the view, path, and fruition of meditation. Five indicators tell us to step back and wait. Take stock and plan. Go with stillness, preparation, education, and growth. A good day for medical treatment, making repairs, apologizing, and honoring our ancestors.

one gentle breeze and
the morning glories tremble—
fear is just a wind

Friday November 12 :: Lunar 10/8

On this day, we can make progress, but pausing and loss may be part of it. To shed its skin, a snake must take time out, and lose something, but ultimately this process carries it forward. The uneven qi exposes our vulnerable, immature position. What haunts this state is aggression, imagining that we are ready for action. Holding back today is not about maturity, but about shedding inessentials. What needs to go before we can continue? Consult with experts and elders.

Death is more likely for people who are near it. It’s actually auspicious to die today. If you’re hanging on, and they don’t want to, let go. They will experience the freedom of release. Not defeat or “losing a battle.” Today governs the transitory state of the bardo, and is also associated with things that are precious but hidden—treasures, gems, secret teachings, hermits. Watch your dreams, and visit the infinite mystery within.

faces in the trees
shed their beards despite the chill
most of them redheads

Saturday November 13 :: Lunar 10/9

The qi is building, but we’re still between worlds. Visitation dreams may occur. A good day for education, preparation, polishing, gathering resources, and firming up plans. Today’s totemic animal of the stag symbolizes longevity and the non-dual revelation of immortality. Daoist rituals and inner cultivation, such as neidan, have always been practiced today. A good day for funerals, burials, and exorcism (the complete resolution of the unsettled dead). A very good day for meditation.
Consult the oracle for more information.

the day of the dead
a seance for the living
who listen loudest

Sunday November 14 :: Lunar 10/10

Mixed messages today. The auspices contradict each other. Activity is indicated, but use caution. The qi has been readying itself for action all week, and today we find a stable and functional basis from which to act. This tempers the next image of the raw yang of the Horse, unpredictable beneath an inexperienced rider. Pour this raw power into an existing structure so it doesn’t harm you. Continue old projects instead of launching your one-woman performance piece on the Berkeley street corner. Continuity over innovation keeps you in the pocket. Today, travel and medical treatments can be dangerous. Powerful, but gentle succeeds.

perimenopause
my whiskers mingle
with a mare’s
__
Thanks so much for reading, and have a great week! Feel free to share.

As always, you can find this information on the DYCTongShu app (for Apple), as well as in Changing by Liu Ming, available at dayuancircle.org.