(this was the original post that was modified for my Youtube episode Mastering Calm: Grounding Techniques for Chaotic Times.)
How do you find your grounding when life keeps throwing you off balance? If you’re feeling stretched thin and playing catch-up, you’re not alone. To navigate this, the ancient sage says this is a sign to turn inward to reconnect with your balance.
The Sensation of Overwhelm
I think about this because it doesn’t always feel possible to turn inward and reconnect. Those waves of fear, grief, anger, anxiety, and self-doubt can be relentless.
Those emotions have us reacting in familiar ways—patterns we learned long ago, when our true voice was first told it was wrong, too much, or needed to be quiet.
What triggers those uncomfortable patterns are emotions that get too loud. It can be as simple as one more setback or life hiccup that is one too many hiccups.
With two many hiccups our carefully managed composure can crumble. In its place, our old defenses rush in to protect us. That’s not weakness; it’s the body’s memory trying to keep us safe.
As we move through the rest of the year, this kind of reactive energy that throws you off-balance may keep surfacing. It feels like a lot struggle.
And here is the first piece of hard wisdom: this feeling of struggle, of being overwhelmed and stretched thin—it is not a sign that you are broken. It is a sign that you are human. The world may feel chaotic right now, but I’m going to show you that you don’t have to match its pace.
Struggle cannot be avoided, but it can be navigated. The I Ching calls this Hexagram 47, Oppression. Its lesson isn’t that you should just ‘grin and bear it,’ but that this very pressure is what forges your inner Integrity. It’s the storm that will test the roots of your tree.
The Lesson of Oppression – Endurance
Life teaches through discomfort. But, you don’t have to figure it out on your own. Taoism and the I Ching help figure out the best way through the discomfort. When faced with a situation which feels oppressive, it’s not about pushing through or pretending to be fine.
It’s about learning endurance. True endurance is like a tree in a storm: it bends, it doesn’t break. Its strength comes from deep roots, not rigid resistance.
Those deep roots are built on understanding your foundation. Turning inward builds the foundation and helps you stay grounded in your Integrity. The goal is to pause, reflect, and choose your energy wisely so you don’t do something you’ll later regret.
In practice, this endurance might look like consciously choosing to keep your head down, staying focused on your own lane, and sometimes withdrawing your energy from unnecessary conflicts. Because everyone is feeling this reactive energy.
When the world grows loud and chaotic—when people are swept up in their own storms—that’s not the time to leap into the current. The energy of chaos is powerful and unstable. It is easy to get swept away by its force.
Endurance, is not about gritting your teeth. It’s about remaining true to your principles when the world feels uncertain. It’s allowing hardship to shape you into wisdom, not bitterness.
Now is not the time to go swimming in the current. Instead, it’s time to sit on the bank and understand yourself better.
The Power of De
So, you’ve sat on the riverbank. You’ve turned inward. You’ve found your breath and your roots in the midst of the storm. What now? This is where the magic happens. This inward journey, this act of true endurance, changes your energetic frequency. In the I Ching, Hexagram 47 naturally evolves into Hexagram 31. This is the hexagram of genuine Influence, of connection, of ‘wooing’ not through force, but through your authentic presence.
Endurance isn’t about hiding from the world. It is about purifying your own energy so that when you do step back out, you aren’t coming from a place of lack and reactivity, but from a place of wholeness and compassion. This is how you build relationships and navigate systems that don’t drain you. This is how you stop being a leaf in the wind and become a magnetic center of your own life.
In Taoist thought, this authentic presence we’ve been cultivating has a name: De. It’s often translated as ‘virtue,’ but it’s really your inherent power. It’s the natural charisma that radiates when you live in alignment. This is the ‘magnetic center’ you become through the journey from 47 to 31.
If you find the wisdom of the I Ching helpful and would like support moving through a specific situation with greater wisdom, Integrity, and flow, you can click here to order your own personalized reading.
Cultivating Your Influence: Daily Practices
Let’s look at ways to reconnect.
- “The 3-Breath Pause:” Before responding to a provoking email or a demanding family member, take three conscious breaths. This is the modern equivalent of “sitting by the riverbank.”
- “The Integrity Check-in:” When feeling pressured to say yes, ask: “Is this a ‘Hell Yes’?” If it’s not, the empowered, connected response from Hexagram 31 may be a graceful “No, thank you.” This is applying your newfound De.
- “Micro-Connections:” Hexagram 31 isn’t about grand gestures. It’s about small, authentic moments. That is the practice of Influence.
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- There was a mix-up with some tests I needed, so I told them I’d come back once it was sorted. Later that day, the assistant called—clearly flustered—saying it was resolved and urging me to return. I didn’t know what she was dealing with, but it felt like she just needed reassurance. So I said, “It’s okay, we have time.” I had to repeat it a few times—that’s the kind of chaotic energy swirling around lately. She checked the schedule and realized I wasn’t due back for three weeks. She was so relieved. I was able to thank her for getting it all fixed.
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- “Planning” There is a second part to influence. I’m making sure to give myself more time so I don’t get caught up in a time crunch.
- Those tests – I’m trying to get them done three weeks early because this unstable energy is causing more rework than usual.
- “The Why” When feeling pressed to respond or act ask yourself why you need to say something. This is the foundation of Integrity
Final Thoughts
The energy of the crowd will always push you. It’s easy to mistake that anxiety for your own. But remember the journey: From the Endurance of Hexagram 47, to the Authentic Connection of Hexagram 31. Your quiet, rooted self is your most powerful asset. It’s not just about becoming quiet when you want to be loud; it’s about becoming so grounded that your response, when it comes, is powerful, compassionate, and uniquely yours.
If you’re looking for more ways to tap into your inner wisdom and navigate life with integrity, I’ve got something special for you. Get your personalized I Ching reading to help guide you through whatever you’re facing right now.