I Ching

Be on guard for careless or rebellious attitudes characteristic of youthful inexperience.  Just as a youth requires instruction, this is a good time to focus on learning your lessons from a patient teacher or life experience.  Is there a circumstance in your life, which you have failed to comprehend completely, perhaps because you have failed to appreciate its inherent complexities? Be respectful of anything or anyone who has something to teach you right now.In order to be ready for challenging times, let education be a continuing part of your life.  Be continually developing the strong mind and will necessary to carry one through confusing times.  The wise realize that experience, especially difficult experience, is a powerful teacher.  But we cannot be forced to learn, even from experience.  Be a good student, one who delights in learning, one who nourishes his or her expanding awareness.

Examine your attitude for factors which limit your openness.  Observe how you deal with the mistakes of others.  You must let people live their own lives and learn their own lessons.  Offer others your wisdom or advice, but only if they are receptive.  Otherwise, give up trying to convince them that you are right – that is only exhausting and counter-productive.  If people are not receptive, let them proceed – even into difficulty or dangerous circumstances.  It is the only way they can learn – and without learning, no one can achieve success.  This does not mean that you should not care — just that taking care of someone too much can be harmful.  Live and let learn.

1. Education begins with discipline.  All progress requires some degree of order.  It is the nature of youth to stumble into error through carelessness and playfulness; similar problems can plague adults as well.  But while discipline is essential to achieve success, boring routines which choke off creativity should be avoided.
2. Treating foolishness kindly brings good fortune.  Be patient with the ignorant.  For instance, if you have children, learn to accept their shortcomings.  Give them a good education, be there when they need you, and your family life will prosper.  Also, treat your associates kindly, especially if they have not achieved what you have.  This kind of inner strength combined with outer reserve is what develops true leadership.
3. Devotion to the rich, powerful or beautiful is dangerous! A weak person can easily lose his or her individuality in trying to imitate, woo the affection or win the respect of others.  Like the flippant young girl who throws herself at the handsome millionaire, it is undignified to offer oneself unequivocally to anyone.  Better to let the other – your superior, your desired lover, your investor, whomever – come at least part of the way down the road to meet you.
4. Clinging to fantasies leads to humiliation.  In a state of hopeful excitement, it is easy to entangle oneself in fantastic dreams.  From these entanglements, there are only two escapes: awakening to reality, or suffering humiliation.  The choice is yours.
5. A fresh innocence brings good fortune.  A lack of preconceptions, combined with a respect for life’s teachers, will bring success to many endeavors.  When you maintain a childlike openness of mind, you become a magnet for fresh insights and gain special glimpses into the real nature of things.
6. Punishment or rebukes may be necessary, but take care that the punishment fit the “crime.”  While it’s true that Fate evens the score with those who spurn natural laws, persons in authority offend the same natural laws if they let a crime go unpunished.  Be firm, but remember that the goal of all truly effective punishment is equilibrium, not revenge.