Achieving Feminine balance

I found a copy of the I Ching on our bookshelf last night. I never realized Jeff had it; it's a small version, subtitled Book of Changes: A Guide to Life's Turning Points. It's somewhat complicated to learn, but I found it an interesting way to focus my thoughts.

Last night I threw Heaven and Thunder which corresponds to Ta Chuang or The Power of the Great. This hexagram is about obtaining power through alignment with truth, and that misusing that power to judge, condemn, manipulate or dismiss can lead to imbalance within an individual. The book describes one's power to change oneself or bring oneself into balance by adopting characteristics of modesty, gentleness, softness. That resistance will begin to give way once one is prepared to make changes by consciously letting go of self-confidence and aligning one's actions and thoughts to these characteristics.

This resonates with me and my concurrent struggles of becoming comfortable with the Feminine and achieving balance. The characteristics described for this particular hexagram strike me as feminine traits, and I really don't possess these qualities in abundance. By working with the Feminine and getting in touch with my own feminine strengths I think I can achieve that inner balance that I currently lack.