Trailer | I Ching Dyad: Following and Repair

Living the Tao – Episode 1-157 (Subscriber Trailer) I Ching Dyad: Following (17) & Repairing What Has Been Spoiled (18)

There are times when following an established path leads to success—and times when that same path begins to fail.

In this short trailer for a subscriber-only episode of Living the Tao, Taoist Master Michael Steenrod introduces a classical I Ching dyad that frequently appears together: Hexagram 17, Following, and Hexagram 18, Repairing What Has Been Spoiled.

Rather than treating the I Ching as symbolic abstraction, this episode explores it as a practical system of pattern recognition. Following is not blind obedience, but an aware alignment with momentum that conserves energy and produces results. Repair becomes necessary when that momentum decays, calling for assessment, effort, and intelligent adaptation.

The episode also introduces the “karmic bus driver” metaphor—explaining when it is appropriate to lead, when it is wiser to follow, and when repair or withdrawal is the correct response.

This subscriber episode is especially relevant for anyone navigating change in personal practice, leadership, work, or life systems, and clarifies a common misconception: Taoism is not passive surrender—it includes decisive action when conditions call for it.

🎧 Full episode available to subscribers.

 

Subscribe now at https://living-the-tao.supercast.com

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
There are times in life when following is the wisest thing you can do,
and there are times when following becomes the very thing that causes failure.
In this subscriber episode of Living the Tao, I explore a classical I Ching
dyad, following hexagram 17 and repairing what has been spoiled hexagram 18.
We'll look at why following is not blind obedience, why every successful system

(00:25):
eventually decays, and how Taoism recognizes the moment when effort must replace ease.
I'll also introduce what I call the karmic bus driver, how leadership,
followership, and responsibility shift over time, and how knowing which role
you're in can save you tremendous energy. This is not about surrender.
It's about timing and knowing when to follow, when to repair, and when to step away.

(00:50):
If you're navigating change in practice, work, or life, This episode will give
you a clearer way to see what's actually happening.
Living the Tao subscriber episode now available at link in bio.