I Ching

The image of opression conjures up a dried up lake bed with nettlesome crows stalking the shoreline.  Hard times shrivel our spirits, and give rise to a multitude of “crows” in the form of troublesome worries.  Times of great loss or personal failure break weaker people; but the strong of heart can bend with fate.  To endure hard times – or even grow and benefit from them – it is essential to tap that deepest stratum of personal identity, that which is deeper even than fate, and which is incorruptible by even the harshest realities.  It is essential, in other words, to tap the wellspring of human endurance: hope.

In a sense, there is no such thing as failure.  There is only sweet and sour reality, and more is learned from the sour, oftentimes, than from the sweet.  For failure, hard as it may be to swallow, opens the blinds to the real world, and reawakens the clarity of vision known only to those who have risked, and tasted, disappointment.

When in the throes of hard times, it is essential to be resolute and strong on the inside while remaining quietly cheerful on the outside.  Avoid too much talking – except to your closest friends.  Your words will have little effect on all others, since your influence will be at a low ebb – and they will drain you of vital energy.  Strong silence is the most skillful posture when facing the public during adversity; it shows that your inner core is strong enough to withstand the current troubles, and suggests that your recovery will be complete.  At the same time, talking openly to those you trust is equally important, for in times of calamity, talking is part of healing.

Keep in mind that failure – the final taboo in modern society – is but one part of the inevitable cycle of life for those who dare to live fully and completely.  Never to fail at all is to fail in the biggest way – avoiding risk altogether, one cannot help but fall far short of what might have been.

1. No matter how overwhelming your challenges may seem, gloom and melancholy will only make them worse.  By working to overcome your problems inwardly, and committing to move forward without despair, progress becomes possible.  Banish the phantoms of self-pity before moving to slay the dragons of ill-fortune.
2. Does this situation seem familiar? Outwardly, things appear fine; but inwardly, you feel oppressed, weighted, dreary? At such times, help often appears suddenly, randomly, as if miraculously from the gods.  Problems may remain after such help arrives, but the anchor which had been keeping your mind mired in your troubles – real or imagined – has suddenly been raised.  At such moments, personal effort may be necessary to smooth out the wrinkles in your life, but great new energy becomes available to do so.  When you find yourself in the dumps, hitch a ride to the hills with whatever will get you there.  And don’t look back.
3. Indecision in times of adversity only brings added misfortune.  The image is of a man who has gone on a walk in order to wrestle with a personal dilemma involving a relationship with his mate.  Failing to resolve the problem within his own mind, he becomes more and more frustrated.  He comes across a tree whose position annoys him, so in his frustration he kicks at it, stubbing his toe.  He then sits down to examine his toe, only to find he has chosen to sit on thorns and nettles.  Screaming with anger, he races back to his house – only to find that his mate has left him.  What advice can such a person be given?
4. Progress can be made, but it may seem as if you are the beneficiary of charity.  In times of real misfortune, it’s good to accept help where you find it, so long as your inner dignity is preserved.  On the other hand, if charitable aid is being asked of you, now might be an opportune time to give.
5. When you find that your best ideas and best intentions are being stifled by spurious, red-tape emitting bureaucrats, your only course of action may be to suffer patiently, and consider your efforts a sacrifice to the gods of efficiency.
6. The future suddenly grows brighter.  You have been oppressed by bonds which can now be broken, and recent troubles are drawing to an end.  Allow yourself to go forward; kick up your heels even – there’s no need to be overly cautious any longer.  Your problems may well be more illusory than real at this point.  As soon as you grasp the reality of your current situation, take a positive attitude, and become determined.  You will then master the situation, and reap the rewards.