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The 64 Hexagrams
of the I Ching

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55: Great Abundance

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57: Gentle Penetration

56: The Wanderer

Seasoned travelers know that special decorum is called for when venturing far from home. They must develop a more yielding personality so that their local contact, or host, can open doors and pave the way. Inwardly, the wanderer knows that it is sometimes difficult to discern the intentions of strangers: Are they hostile, or friendly, or merely opportunistic?

The twin houses of mystery and discovery rule any journey we take. Each new day is launched on a fresh landscape—one that reaches out to grab our attention. Travel is a great teacher and a great equalizer; there is an art to living on the road. Increased caution and discernment become the keys not only to success but to survival.

If you are entering a new environment, be sincere, flexible, and undemanding rather than stubborn. Get rid of attitudes and habits that could encumber you or make you too conspicuous. The onset of a great journey is not a favorable time to enter into binding agreements or to start new enterprises. And though being the wanderer offers you a certain freedom from being judged by your history, you also have no history to fortify you. Pay close attention to local customs, and honor them.

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