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The 64 Hexagrams
of the I Ching

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4: Youthful Folly

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6: Conflict

5: Patience

A fisherman can cast the line but still can only wait for the fish to bite. Your catch will come in its own good time; you cannot make it come sooner—neither by working nor by planning nor by wishing. Though you may have a need to provide nourishment, it is only through patience that you can become the bridge between the fickle fish and the eventual feast. Strength in a time of trial waits quietly, resolutely. Weakness grows agitated, abandoning the effort before the fish start biting. Periods of waiting are most fruitful when used for quiet contemplation. This is patience.

Proceed cautiously but resolutely, with whatever you are doing. The situation calls for consistency and perseverance. Waiting is an essential skill; patience is a powerful force. Time is an ally for those with inner strength—the strength that allows you to be uncompromisingly honest with yourself while sticking to the path you have charted. If you persevere with a positive attitude, time weakens even the hardest obstacles. To rush anything, or force results, stimulates resistance and causes setbacks. At best, you achieve surface changes that may be reversed just as quickly. Steadfast waiting—holding to your integrity—leads to slow but permanent improvements. In the end, you accomplish something great. Be content to practice patience.

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