DDD: DIVINATION DE DIMANCHE SUNDAY DIVINATION

Once again, this weeks HEXAGRAM speaks to our True Warriors engaging with the threat of the COVID-19 virus. They are our amazing Health Care Workers, Caregivers, First Responders and wonderful alimentary food workers out there dealing with the public on a daily basis. Through their dedication, skills, organisation, and knowledge they are handling this crisis with dignity and intelligence though understaffed and under-supplied. This week, people in isolation in the UK and across EUROPE took time out to applaud their courageous colleagues as a small gesture for the front line work they are doing.  

At the same, time medical researchers and scientists are working round the clock, launching and posting more and more shared data, advancing and correlating analysis of the different international entries of information, hoping to create a universal standard to quickly spot the strengths and weaknesses of the virus and hopefully find a way to stop it. We are not in this alone someone out there has your back.

But there’s another part to this divination, and it is about our shared human consciousness. Once we can get past the real virus of “fear” spreading like wildfire throughout the collective field, we need to take some deep breaths and a deeper look at the reality of the present moment. It seems we are tapping into the darkest part of the human psyche that correlates with the current Pluto – Saturn influence. We have come to accept the inevitable as new limits and restrictions are being placed on our freedom globally (Saturn) that a few months ago would have seemed absolutely impossible to administer. We’ve been told these restraints, rules, and regulations are for our own good and protection so that the virus flatlines, while at the same time, many are experiencing a sense of loss, mental and other health issues and financial hardship that will reverberate for many months if not years to come. But the Oracle speaks to the silver lining once we traverse all of this.

Considering that we are all now living in forced seclusion, it’s important that we accept the inevitable change caused by this catalytic virus and go with the current flow, some welcome the slowdown yet it is not easy for many. The main mantra of the moment is to be flexible, be adaptive, and be willing to make difficult choices because things are changing daily even hourly (Saturn – Chronos – Time).

On the other side of this slow, evolutionary process comes the transformation (Pluto) where new creative ideas flourish and new technologies (Aquarius) and foundations (Saturn) will be built. One thing for sure is that our world will not be the same as we knew it before 2020, as the old order begins to disintegrate and the new vision is yet unforeseen.

Some of us are dropping our previous materialistic, consumer-oriented, “run-run-run”, non-stop schedules, and somewhat self-centred way of being – I’m being kind here. We are being forced to re-evaluate what and who is really important in our daily living on this beautiful home we call Earth. The human species is very creative, and as Big Mama has stopped us in our tracks by sending us all to our rooms to reflect and recalculate, we are beginning to realise how critical this coming together of like-minded and complementary individuals really is (virtually of course), and how meaningful human touch and interaction actually is, while orchestrating unique ways to communicate and brainstorm with colleagues, friends and family. As we find new alliances, and original ways to balance work and life, these innovative modes of being and working, are supporting us to move forward together with integrity, and as a result we find greater value in all our relationships (Aquarius). We are also relying on the wisdom of our ancestors – i.e. washing hands with simple soap & water – your grandmother told you so 🙂 and sharing recipes, creating meal plans and craft and science projects with the kids and friends (virtually) like the old days with everyone in the kitchen.

Yet having to spend more time with the children and family can also be challenging as parents are under pressure to get work done at home and some mums are discovering that they now have to homeschool the little ones within a full work schedule. But businesses and coaches are finding new protocols and guidance, especially for Mom’s, who are the ultimate multi-taskers, trying to find the balance in this crazy new paradigm. Parents with young families are also getting creative with online playgroups from the nursery school and there are now even guides available and new babysitting options. I am hearing that more and more mums are spending quality time with their children rather than being on the run and on the phone – life has slowed down (again our Saturnian influence) – and it seems the children are appreciating it.

For the older community, there are new support groups such as our wonderful local teenagers shopping for elders called ‘Zoomers to Boomers’, who do your shopping for you (serving six cities) and there are many other like-minded groups in other towns. The main mantra of the moment is to be flexible, adaptive, and willing to make difficult choices because things are changing daily even hourly. Sounds all very Aquarian to me.

In another sense we are also being proactive by taking space away from IT and all our electronic devices, putting down those phones to give quality time and attention to the ones we are with, making the time to read books and the local libraries are helping out by compiling reading bundles to help all ages get through the weeks ahead. To keep ourselves sane, we are also using and repurposing our technology to interact in QI GONG, yoga and spiritual support and coaching groups which bring us virtually together as a way to calm and reduce the stress and anxiety.

So the real essence of the reading tells us to treat each other as a Sacred Warrior, a noble spirit, let everyone be your Teacher and your mirror. Be mindful and respectfully honour each other during these trying times. As the last line says: “The relationships you cultivate now will endure forever.“

“Namaste” (“I bow to the divine in you”)

Here’s the Divination:

aztec warriors

HEXAGRAM 61: STRENGTHENING INTEGRITY No changing lines thus we rest with the present “static” hexagram, which asks us to LOOK – PAY ATTENTION – CONTEMPLATE on the situation at hand.

IMAGE: …A female warrior and male warrior are jointly seeking advice from the creators and ancestors by consulting the divinatory instrument…

INTERPRETATION: This hexagram depicts the way for allies to strengthen the warrior spirit in one another. The union of the two warriors symbolises an alliance between individuals whose natures are complementary and mutually reinforcing…their alliance is based on a shared vision…they comport themselves as people of great dignity and merit which means that they dedicate their lives to making both their ancestors and descendants proud…Taken together, these symbols mean that you align yourself with others in order to transform your weaknesses into strengths.

ACTION: The masculine and feminine halves of the spirit warrior vigilantly treat each other with respect, courtesy and authenticity accorded great warriors. The skills and knowledge of the old ways are of little value if they are not applied to present day circumstances…spirit warriors create relationships with one another in order to train themselves to live a balanced and harmonious way of life with the utmost integrity…exchanging roles constantly, such allies face circumstances as a united front. Moving along with things when appropriate, creating resistance when appropriate, they use circumstances to train themselves to apply the old ways with honour, sincerity, and integrity. Because you make yourself such an ally, you find such allies and bring great benefit to all.

INTENT: What is difficult is to live the life of a spirit warrior all alone. Without relationships that support our goals, reinforce our values, and provide us complementary companionship, it is easy to give up our vision and accept a less demanding way of life. If we look around us for examples of how to live, we are sure to be drawn into a materialistic and self-centred way of life since other spirit warriors do not shout their presence…If we align ourselves with allies striving to sustain a balanced and harmonious way of life, we are sure to live the life of a noble spirit.

SUMMARY: Treat everyone as if they have a wise and immortal teacher within – and see everything they do as the teacher’s subtle strategy for testing the depth of your perceptions. Treat everyone with respectful intimacy – avoid informal familiarity. Treat everyone like a great warrior armed with spear and shield – don’t try to read others’ minds. The relationships you cultivate now will endure forever.

AZTEC WARRIOR

Hexagram 61 aka Hexagram 8 in other I CHING translations if you wish to investigate further meanings for yourself.

William Douglas Horden is a mystic and prolific writer and researcher on Divination and the I CHING. I consider him a mentors from afar.

A quote from him on divination:

“The art of divination is to step outside the flow of time in order to clearly perceive and accurately interpret the symbols of the eternal ideas. This act of perceiving the unfolding of present circumstances is an integral aspect of adapting to and guiding the ongoing manifestation of spirit.”

Here is part of his reasoning behind developing the ‘TOLTEC I CHING’ for our age:

“…the ancients never thought of the I Ching as an unchanging monolithic artifact.  It was a living Oracle that allowed them to communicate with the world of spirit.  The oracular tradition was part and parcel of life long before the Chou dynasty produced the received, King Wen, version we know today.”

Further clarification can be found in this blog piece:

The Mandate of Heaven II

ART by: Light Warriors ~ Guangjian Huang ~ deviantART

AZTEC WARRIORS – istockphoto-847970188-612×612.jpg

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MIDWEEK MINDFULNESS DIVINATION

As the EARTH maintains ‘rest in place’ how fitting that the DIVINATION for today was the Tarot card ‘HIGH PRIESTESS.’ In the I CHING, the Divine Feminine, the wife, and all the feminine aspects – i.e. intuition, inspiration, stability – symbolize EARTH. I found this gorgeous rose on our walk yesterday signifying the earthly gift of beauty and love. The reading speaks to our current state of health, how we need to listen to our inner knowing, and how the state of affairs is still within the realm of the unknown. Deep contemplation is needed now to stay calm, centred and healthy.

We’ve begun to settle into this new routine of detachment from work, friends, even family members, and we are seeing how the planet is healing by our slowdown, how the air is cleaning with blue skies returning, the waters are clearing turning turquoise in colour, the trees, plants and flowers are sprouting happily blown about by the March winds, and the animals are taking back a bit of their territory crossing quiet roads that were once dangerous to their very existence. It seems like MOTHER NATURE is having her way, stopping our inane mindless state of being in the world.

The divination also addresses our constant consummation of everything, especially in the West, how we have pushed our local communities and Gaia to her limits. More, more, more, for what? Just these last few weeks we’ve seen just how ridiculous this has become, with tales of people hoarding food, hand sanitizer, and the unbelievable toilet paper syndrome – thinking of only me, me, me, not thinking of the other, their neighbour. The possibility that someone else might also need to survive through this stressful period, the willingness to share, to think of another, has almost disappeared in our day-to-day dealings.

Here’s a quote from the NY Times on these effects in the Hamptons:

“On Long Island, private plane and jet traffic increased at East Hampton Airport, with everything from single-engine Cessnas and Piper Cubs to Gulf Streams and Falcon jets landing.

“We’ve had helicopters, seaplanes, corporate planes,” said Jim Brundige, the airport director. “A little bit of everything.”

Stores there have also been stripped. Some people are even buying extra freezers, residents said.

“They want to make sure they have enough for a year,” said Jonathan Amaral, the house manager and chef at a gated estate on Southampton’s Main Street. “The shelves were bare. For us locals and middle class people, that hurts.”

Thankfully we are now hearing some of the good that is being done not only by our courageous health workers, but also by the organized small and large groups taking care of and assisting the elderly, lonely and needy and it seems that the governments of the world are finally taking notice and implementing relief. We’re seeing and sensing the opening of hearts like a good mother who takes care of her children and her family. If this incident is to teach us one thing it is that we are all one family, one globe, one energy system and we need to work together to survive.

The push by our magazines, social media, and especially by Instagram Influencers fighting to be known as the best-dressed, the “must haves” showing the best and most expensive outfits, which by the way were mostly sewn by a near slave worker abroad doesn’t bother us at all – out of sight out of mind. Bigger, better, smarter, richer, prettier – this obsession with More and Beauty – just how much Botox can a woman put in her body or just how much money can one have? In my area, I am hearing of women demanding their hairdressers, their manicurists, and their estheticians come to their homes – who is going to see them?!?

I am a Libra Rising, I adore Beauty and all things beautiful, but there is a limit. What if we used all this energy, power and influence to promote Beauty in other more natural ways? This ‘alone time’ might give us the creativity to come up with some amazing ways to put things back into perspective, to a natural balance – that’s that Libra part speaking!

Our competitive nature, which used to be of the healthy kind, that stimulated invention, an honest good race, and a handshake in the end, has gone over the top into greed, slander, out and out lies, absurd manipulations of truth, and subversion of economic, political and everyday life in our current Neoliberal society. We’ve transferred control of economic factors to the private sector from the public sector with our bail-out of investment bankers, our sell out to drug, oil and large corporations instead of helping and bailing out the average citizen, but the most critical point which many of our young people are now up in arms about, is where we’ve put our environment in radical danger, our Mother in total stress, forgetting that she is the one who feeds us, clothes us, delights us with her natural beauty. How far away from our true nature we have strayed. But we can change this and I believe that we are being given our chance to reflect, to dig deep into the HEART, into that inner Feminine, SHE is a part of all of us, to find new ways to nurture, share and heal together as one family – we only have one MOTHER.

A quote from Grandmaster Hua-Ching Ni (OmNi) on the Trigram EARTH says it succinctly:              

“This hexagram expresses the essential process of self-development…these virtues are the essence of KUN and also of the Earth…Too many people struggle to be above, and this has led to all the disturbances and wars in the world.  People never realise that their true significance and worth reside in the very being of their individual lives, and that MOTHER EARTH and the entire UNIVERSE embrace all beings equally. Is there any true advantage in being “above” someone else? If people stopped this useless vanity, there would be no more contention in the world.

Every truthful individual life is like the EARTH, low and receptive, motherly and gentle, giving support to everyone and everything selflessly without discrimination. To be like the EARTH is to be like HEAVEN.”

I am compiling and mixing the meaning from the FENG SHUI TAROT with some classical meanings for this card and adding an interpretation for the TRIGRAM EARTH:

II THE HIGH PRIESTESS: TRIGRAM & DOMINANT ELEMENT – EARTH ~ DIRECTION: SOUTH WEST ~ ASTRO: CANCER, Element of WATER

The HIGH PRIESTESS is the archetype of Feminine Consciousness, intuition and inspiration. Her knowledge resides in the Heart. The number two represents balance. She prompts you to look deeply inside yourselves to cultivate your own wisdom, inner answers and study of nature because if you want the benefits of evolution, you will have to cooperate with spirit.

It is important for the HIGH PRIESTESS to be centred and balanced in her site, enabling the strong foundations for her unbending faith and intuitive knowledge. In keeping with the HIGH PRIESTESS’ sense of aloofness and detachment, the Torah from traditional Tarot cards has been replaced in this image with a symbol more ambiguous – a ceramic pot with vapor, which represents the veiled knowledge of the HIGH PRIESTESS.  

The CORE ASPECT of the card urges the need to be mindful of shared confidences. Your intuition is truly an asset. Follow your feelings to success to more effectively bring your inner spiritual practice to the material world.

Accept nothing at face value, as you don’t have all the information you need to make a decision. Question diagnosis, tests, and physicians – if it doesn’t feel right at gut level. Listen to your body, heed dreams, and be aware of synchronicities that pertain to your health.

CONTEMPLATION: Mystery grows as we proceed; the answer comes when we need. Something is hidden in your life; a mystery or secret eludes you. The answer may be found in your memories or dreams of the past. Rely more on intuition than intellect now.      

DIRECTIVE: Subtle vibrations are working beneath the surface. The whole situation has not yet solidified. Patience will be rewarded.

Things may be slow for a while, but surprise new opportunities may arise. You come up with a new way of doing something that increases your efficiency and saves you time.

You may discover that you are becoming more attuned to your intuitive level as the situation begins to reveal itself to you.

EARTH/KUN/FIELD: the womb that gives birth to all things. This spirit nourishes everything; without it nothing could exist or take shape. Its symbol is EARTH, its action is to yield, serve and bring forth and is reliable and dependable. In the family, it is the mother. As a spirit guide, FIELD opens, yields and closes all things to her. Earth’s’ hands give blessings; she receives the dead.

EARTH describes the wide surface of Earth on which everything grows. It maintains and preserves, promotes exchange and interchange, the central hub of pivot and place of transformation, centring movement and assuring a free flow of thought. Earth is the moment of transition between the YIN and YANG cycles, significant of deep changes, a moment without movement, a centred state of being.

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DDD – DIVINATION DE DIMANCHE SUNDAY DIVINATION

    Photo by Markus Spiske from Pexels

    I sit here listening as the rains of March come pouring down, replenishing our water sources, cleansing the air and nourishing all our beautiful flowering trees and plants at this beginning of Spring, with the Equinox just a few days behind us. We have entered a new Portal.

    The animals and Earth are taking back their territories, enjoying their freedom, as we humans STOP, rest in place, and conserve energy. While the numbers are increasing, people are following the protocol for the most part for COVID-19 here in our neck of the woods. It is so calm in my neighbourhood, that I can actually hear the distinct sweet songs of many different birds that often got lost in the hum or our everyday living.

    During the Coronavirus we are each partaking in forced individual retreats, yet we are becoming even more resourceful, using our technology that just a few weeks ago had us still walking around like zombies. We are now using our devices to Livestream events such as yoga, Qi Gong, gym workouts, Pilates and more. Thus seeing our fellow class buddies, giving virtual hugs and kisses, connecting the best way we can. We are sensual beings, us humans, and we still need touch and closeness but we are finding new creative temporary ways to connect. There are even concerts being live-streamed such as the wonderful Mindtravel event coming up soon.

    One of the most powerful ways we can utilize technology, which seems to speak directly from the reading below, is to use these new platforms to come together online to explore, meditate, contemplate and attend spiritual services. I have been invited to so many wonderful free offerings from the beloved Eckhart Tolle to Sounds True bringing us so many different teachers and teachings. I am sure there are many more invites from your local, national or international groups. This is such a wonderful way to calm the anxiety, stop the chattering mind, and sit and just be together. As Hexagram 26 instructs, disentangle from the everyday, find the right time to be peaceful and eliminate the outside chaotic energy to truly find the Great Being within

    Just this weekend, I attended a number of virtual online gatherings while one teacher was on the East Coast, his Sangha was in Colorado, and we all were online, yet separate, as a group in Santa Barbara. Another dear Buddhist teacher was teaching from retreat in New Mexico with another Buddhist and Christian scholar while the host, a Benedictine monk, hosted from Bonnevaux, France. Then later today I was online with Astrology University listening to three wonderful teachers and fellow astrologers, Lynn Bell from Paris, Laurence Hillman from Missouri and Tony Howard who runs the webinars from Oregon. So much wonderful support, a wealth of different wisdom traditions!

    It is a whole new world out there and once we calm the mind, focus, and disentangle from the drama, we can tap into the sage-mind spoken of below and view life and how we move forward with a whole new fresh perspective. We are not going back to the old ways and many new innovative ideas and creations will come out of this time. Proactive instead of reactive, and with that we change our world and align with Heaven. Enjoy the reading as the clarity of the Sage and the Divine Feminine is always spot on.

    HEXAGRAM 26: TA CH’U (DA CHU)/GREAT ACCUMULATES/GATHERING THE SPIRIT

    HEX 25 & 26 – The Paradigm: Disentangling from past afflictions and       Accumulating the Spirit

    The pair involves disentangling from negative emotions and past traumas and nurturing the great within yourself. It suggests the birth of the Great Being and the sage-mind through ‘eating ancient virtue’. Carefully consider your place in relation to this model.

    DISENTANGLING MEANS DISASTER HAS COME FROM OUTSIDE. GREAT ACCUMULATES MEANS YOU FIND THE RIGHT TIME,

    DA CHU: concentrate, focus on one idea; accumulate energy, support, nourish; bring everything together; great effort and great achievement Charge to the Oracle: when you are disentangled from affliction, you can ‘Accumulate the Spirit’ of the new…

    Entanglement means letting yourself go, succumbing to perverse influence or disease, being without order or rule, crazy, vain, compulsive and cruel. Being released from entanglement, results in a state of balance and purity, the image of an original and originating connection with Heaven.

    Disentangling suggests the ways to maintain that purity and freedom from affliction. It enables you to act spontaneously, to deal successfully with what comes on the stream of time, to attract and welcome the unexpected. It suggests the Wang demon who carries contagious disease, plague, miasma, etc. and the purification, exorcism and rituals used by the ‘wu-Intermediaries’ to drive out these diseases and demons. It is particularly concerned with the nei ye or inner way and the sage-person or sage-mind. The meditative practices of the inner way centre on ‘correcting’, which calm, tranquillise, rectify and free the body in order to restore a state of neutrality and align with Heaven…

    SIX AT THE FIFTH LINE: there will be rewards. You have managed to confront and disable what could have been a powerful obstacle, accumulating and focusing a significant force. The Way is open. This will bring rewards in the end. Direction: Collect the Small to achieve the Great. Turn conflict into creative tension.. The situation is already changing.

    Hexagram changes to:

    HEXAGRAM 9: XIAO CHU/SMALL ACCUMULATES/GATHERING THE GHOSTS XIA CHU: accumulate small to do the great; nurture, raise, support…

    …This time is like a shell or womb, a protective covering that will be broken through in Spring. Philosophically, this is the ‘nurturing of the smallest possible thing’ (ji), the emergent point that heralds change. It is the quality of the Way that, though now barely visible, will lead on to illumination.

    For you poetry and literary lovers out there, I leave you with this link from Maria Popova’s amazingly inspiring literary site Brainpickings which has an excerpt from the new poetry collection ‘Ledger’ of the poetess and Buddhist Jane Hirshfield. Have a contemplative week.

    Today our reading comes from ‘TOTAL I CHING.’ The wise Stephen Karcher is a prolific writer and researcher and has fused the divinatory oracle of the I CHING with the earlier Taoist version, the ‘ZHOUYI’, based on a thousand years of Eastern thought. I CHING images are from Carla Filizzola.

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    MIDWEEK MINDFULNESS DIVINATION

    This week’s card speaks firstly to our specialists out in the field. Our wonderful noble doctors, researchers, pharmacists who are working night and day determined and committed to search for a way to stabilize this virus.

    These brilliant minds are working and collaborating internationally, sharing data, and rushing to find a vaccine, or just stop the spread especially for our older more vulnerable community and those working in the field. As you will see in the meaning of the divination below, the Aquarians’ value system is constantly prioritizing the people who need them the most.

    Secondly, this kind of collaboration is also very prescient within the work of our Governors in the US and I am sure elsewhere in the world, resourcing medical experts advice, and sharing data, acting swiftly, concentrating efforts, personnel and technology and asking for what they need from the Federal Government and suppliers.

    Out of the mayhem, may a new, fresh start be created. May we look forward in an equitable balance with nature as we see some of her inhabitants retake spaces we have over-occupied as a human species with our fast cars and boats – such as dolphins swimming in the clear blue waters of the canals of Venice, or while wild turkeys cross the empty roads of Long Island in my sisters’ neighbourhood.

    We raised up the bar to meet the isolation head on as some of us have taken to meeting on ZOOM  or other applications that enhance connection, practicing our meditation, our yoga, our Sheng Zhen Qi Gong , listening to the music of the quarantined and participating in conference calls with business associates with children on laps, chatting with friends and family.

    For the Italians who inspired it… for the Irish… for ANYONE who this St. Patrick’s day is in a tight spot and still singing. For the doctors, nurses, carers on the front line, it's you we’re singing to.Bono

    Posted by U2 on Tuesday, March 17, 2020
    Bono released new music this week that he said was “inspired” by the people in Italy

    May the highest vision of Aquarian equality and individual freedom, bring and dispense new brilliant visionary knowledge to be shared equally and individually for all.

    SIX OF SWORDS: SCIENCE/2nd Decan of Aquarius (The Star) ruled by Mercury (The Magician)

    ” The perfect balance of all the mental and moral faculties, and almost impossible to hold in an ever-changing world.”

    Some of the Sabian Symbol correlations for this Decan are:

    Aquarius (10-11): ‘During a silent hour, a man receives a New Inspiration which may change his life”

    Aquarius (11-12) ‘On a vast staircase stand people of different types, graduated upward’

    Aquarius (18-19): ‘A Forest fire is being subdued by the use of water, chemicals and sheer muscular energy’

    We see a very chaotic background with the swords crossed at the centre over a Rosicrucian cross.

    This card was originally named, ‘The Lord of Earned Success’ which implies success after struggle. It stands for intellectual clarity learned from difficult experiences; we have grown through tough times, and now have a handle on life and can make intelligent decisions that will benefit all. There is a greater level of awareness to our thinking and actions, which can mean a situation is getting better. There has been something in this situation, which they have not been able to come to grips with but now we have Aquarians, who are often big-picture thinkers and who can see connections in a way that eludes others.

    Linked to the Tiphareth in the Kabbalah’s Tree of Life, it brings clear headedness and the powers and discrimination of scientific analysis.

    The number six signifies harmony, beauty, love, and reconciliation of opposites, well-being, responsibility and purpose.

    Mercury is exalted in Aquarius highlighting innovation, humanitarianism, originality, the intellect, and is detached by nature. They have energy, warmth, and a deep desire to get things done will never accept “good enough”. With Mercury’s ability to analyse will bring a clearer perspective as we move forward. This represents communicating ideas that are new and unconventional in an orderly way.

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    DDD – DIVINATION DE DIMANCHE (SUNDAY DIVINATIONS)

    These Hexagrams always speak for themselves and the message from the TAO today addresses the current goings on in our present crises with health, politics and separation. This is especially apparent under the influence of the Saturn (order and structure) – Pluto (transformational power) combination which represents chaotic challenges of deep, fundamental change to existing systems. This is likely to impose some kind of restriction on our freedom of movement or upon our resources. ~ Robert Hand

    The message in our HEXAGRAM is clear, follow the protocol that we have been given by our courageous health leaders and community. Yet, the greater message here is how we can be of benefit to others. If you are not compromised: Do you have elderly neighbours who might benefit from you shopping for essentials for them or making sure that a neighbor or someone who is living alone is well? How about a stressed out mum, who now has the kids home from school and needs a break to just take a shower or a walk to regain her sanity. Or Mums, whose kids have already played together at pre-school – kindergarten – K-12 coming together in small groups of support on line or otherwise. How about being proactive and creating a class online, as my Sheng Zhen group did here in SB, to support each other by promoting healthy exercise, augmenting our chi and coming together in community.

    And lets not forget laughter, my friends from around the world are sending me silly and sometimes ridiculous videos and photos but they make me laugh and we all know from past studies that laughter is the best medicine. Last but not least, I believe this is the most important part of the first HEXAGRAM, is your personal self-cultivation, be it mediation, journaling, chanting, etc. as that will not only still the fear and anxiety prevalent in the field but will have an effect on those around you. I am sure that there are many ways we can support each other during this time of self-isolation. Do you have some original ones?

    In the second HEXAGRAM 20, I just love how the Sage speaks directly to our current hand washing protocol. What better way than turning the washing of hands into something sacred, a ceremony, taking a breath, focusing in the present moment as bringing Mindfulness and Joy into this new ritual. BTW, my age group was brought up with these healthy everyday routines as a part of life – somewhere along the line of this digital age where we literally touch everything we have forgotten how important this practice is.  

    Though, the main message is again self-contemplation, and how perfect to take time in our forced self-isolation to do some major introspection. Looking deeply into what our lives here on the planet actually are meant for and how we are connected to each other, to Gaia, to chi, to the Universal Life Force. Perhaps as this time brings people together in other ways than face to face, we can contemplate and finally come up with a plan to take better care of our home, the EARTH, and all of her inhabitants with loving kindness and care. Be well my friends.

    HEX 59: HUAN/DISPERSION

    WIND IS ABOVE WATER. Wind belongs to Spring. Wind blowing in all directions causes it to spread in all directions.

    UPPER TRIGRAM: SUN/WOOD – symbolizes a boat, which, with the help of the WIND can pass over difficult WATERS. Thus, now is a suitable time to go far away or communicate with people who are at a distance.

    If one is guided by clarity and calm, one can successfully avert or correct problems and handle the aftermath of DISPERSION. There may be some worry over losses, so one should be careful. For the most part this HEXAGRAM has a positive outcome.

    For example, when ominous clouds gather and create stormy conditions, the WIND comes and blows them away. This is how DISPERSION can break up congestion.

    DISPERSION is especially valuable in SELF-CULTIVATION. When one is strongly influenced by desire, ambition or misunderstanding, one must remove the obstruction or there can be no real progress. Once the “frozen ice” is dissolved, joy can be restored.

    LINE 2: “He quickly goes to the rescue. Remorse disappears.”

    (An incorrect position as it is YANG in a YIN place) Thus, the surrounding YIN lines hinder is moving YANG energy, like a wild horse trapped within a ravine..

    The second LINE is unable to help itself; it gathers its energy and helps the first LINE, which is in even greater trouble. Even though one has much strength, it will go to waste if not used to benefit others.

    From the COMMENTARY:

    DISPERSION occurs when human intelligence exceeds spiritual capability, when a person or a society is unable to function as a whole. Intellectual divergence arises from the different capabilities people have for understanding and knowing things. Arguments and wars breed in the warm bed of DIVERGENCE.

    Real peace cannot be achieved until the full capability of knowing is achieved by both the individual and the human race. Meanwhile, tolerance must be cultivated when dealing with differences.

    Changes to:

    HEXAGRAM 20: KUAN/POINT OF VIEW

    WIND is above EARTH. Just as a penetrating WIND pervades everywhere, a good way of life and good teachings influence everyone they touch.

    The image of KUAN suggests a physical structure of an altar or temple

    GUIDANCE: “Contemplation. After washing the hands and beginning the ceremony, with deep sincerity the officiant centres the mind. The hearts and minds of all participants are drawn to this good example. Likewise, the way of the highly evolved inspires people to revere the divine order of the Universe.”

    The two YANG lines at the top of the hexagram represent models of virtue in times when negative forces are pushing forward. …The greater significance of KUAN represents a way of life that is cultivated and guided by constant self-contemplation. Through such introspection, one remains unaffected by the pressures of worldly life and stays attuned to the deepest level of nature, which is the origin of the universal life force. By following worldly trends, one becomes lost in the temptations of the superficial…the hexagram is also concerned with one’s overall view of life, which may be determined by how broad and encompassing one’s understanding is. Even if one has traveled in many countries and lived among many different people, one’s view may still be very narrow.

    Today I have used the reference of Hua-Ching Ni a true master, author, teacher and physician who comes from a long lineage of highly achieved Chinese masters.

    These amazing images are from Joan Larimore – IChing Artist and are for sale

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    MID-WEEK MINDFULNESS DIVINATION

    Often we hit the week running with our goals and projects in mind only to find by mid-week that we’ve lost our steam, have either gotten waylaid by other demands for our attention and time, or by urgencies that have arisen in our environment, politics or the world.  It’s easy to be thrown for a loop in these turbulent transformational times.

    I’ve already done my Divination for the weekly energies with the I CHING, but I like to pull a TAROT card to bring me into focus midweek, to show me something I’ve been missing, or perhaps an entirely new point of reference that I should steer my attention towards. I hope you find this helpful as you move forward through the end of your week.

    THIS WEEKS CARD: THE EMPEROR: Commander of Intellections: action as a free and autonomous individual, action taken as a direct result of rational decision. Astrologically this is ARIES whose affirmation is “I AM.”

    As an archetypal ruler he represents the most exemplary person in the realm, a powerful head of state, high leadership, responsibility with self-control and endurance, discipline and focus. The Emperor is a protector, who masters physical manifestation and the world of matter, performs useful actions and gives justice and order to the world and a formidable character.

    He appears as an affirmation of your powers of self-determination. It is you that must define your destination, and then lead the charge. He appears when you are being called to direct and reign, restore order in your life path, and to enhance personal discipline. Fears must be overcome because now is the time to for you to conquer new frontiers with savoir-faire.

    For me this week on the national & political level, the card seems to be symbolically pointing to what has happened with Joseph Biden, who seems to be taking his place in the race for the Democratic leader. He has endured through ups and downs and now has been predicted to have moved into 1st place.

    More personally, it’s about honouring my truth, abiding by my principles, standing in my power even if it does not coalesce with the norm. The Emperor appears to us to throw us a challenge: we must know our destination before we can lead and he is doing just that, calling us to lead. Do you know where you are going, what frontieres you must conquer and how you will lead?!? Have you had any signs, omens that you’ve ignored lately? This week I looked up into the sky and there were three red tailed hawks circling close over head – not one – three! They are always a totem for me of swift powerful change. May it be so.

    The image of the card above this week is from the Spirit Keepers Tarot by Benebell Wen an unending source of inspiration and online teachings of all things esoteric. She is my new fave and I highly recommend that you visit her website and her youtube videos. Just tap on the names above. She makes all this fun and informational with her logical lawyer mind mixed with her esoteric, spiritual side. She is a wealth of knowledge embodied in such a young woman.

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    DDD: MAR 8TH DIVINATION DE DIMANCHE (SUNDAY DIVINATIONS FOR ANGLOPHILES)

    HEX 24: REVEALING KNOWLEDGE

    I have decided to start the week off by doing an I CHING DIVINATION, as it is something that I do for myself regularly, and for my clientele. Each week I will use a different reference source from my library and you will get to sense & feel how the Oracle speaks through various founts of knowledge, different vehicles and reference points over time. I may generalize a bit, taking excerpts to give the overall meaning for the question & the time, and I always allow the Oracle of the original text to do the speaking.

    This will be a General Reading for the energies of the week to come. I won’t delve in depth into all the nuances but want you to get the overall meaning of the text. You may find the reading quite interesting as you might find some serendipitous associations, even answers to issues that you have been addressing or are about to address in your private sphere. I love how the Sage and Divine Feminine speak through these different divinatory avenues. Sometimes I feel the Divination has nothing to do with my question and then voila! Clarity arises and the answer was there before I knew that I even needed it. I sincerely hope that you will enjoy these postings as much as I love doing them!

    With everything that is going on around us astrologically, internationally, nationally and personally this should be an enlightening reading! HERE ARE THE ENERGIES PREDICTED FOR THE COMING WEEK:

    1st throw/pull with Changing Lines 1 & 5:

    I sense this first Hexagram is for each of us in a personal manner – you might find otherwise – and the Hexagram, which follows, gives us a view and perhaps a way to deal with what is happening in the present reality regarding health, politics and the turbulence of the world.

    HEX 24: REVEALING KNOWLEDGE*

    Sun within, Lake without: the season of REVEALING KNOWLEDGE arrives. Success comes to those who come face-to-face with the hidden.

    Your vision benefits all: the situation is one in which the future gives up its secrets to the present.

    Build your dwelling upon the moment of epiphany: the sacred unmasks itself in the season of REVEALING KNOWLEDGE.

    The Hexagram depicts the attitude of remaining alert to the ever-present potential for new discoveries. Together, the symbols mean that you are increasingly aware of the unseen forces at work on the transformation of the visible…Of all the different kinds of discoveries, the most profound are those that present us with a new and more vital sense of the meaningfulness present in our immediate surroundings…

    This is a time for cancelling out thoughts of goals or hopes or fears, replacing our preconceptions with a sincere willingness to see the hidden perfection right before our eyes. Rout out any feelings of unworthiness or doubt by purifying the heart of any feelings of envy, resentment or anger, ready it to be filled with feelings of relief, joy and homecoming. Stay vigilant and you will not miss a single opportunity to immerse yourself in the momentous…

    Spend time integrating your vision with everyday life, finding its deeper meanings further and further within the details of ordinary experience. Translate your vision into action, responding to all you encounter with growing consistency and congruity, methodically training your thoughts and emotions and words and deeds to reflect the ancient and secret light you keep in your heart.

    Look more closely at ordinary everyday events and ask yourself what deeper meaning lies concealed within them. Look at the present as being built upon the hidden past and ask yourself what eternal meanings lie concealed just below the surface of your habits and routines. In the midst of your work, a whole new world opens up to you. Follow your sense of wonder.

    LINE CHANGES

    1st LINE:  Nature reveals knowledge by analogy – you are attuned to the spirit of the land & sky…you feel more loved by the world every day.

    5th LINE: Spirit reveals knowledge by surprise – you are attuned to the spirit of language. From close observation of the way language shapes perception and reaction, you gain insight into and wisdom about the limits of language. Your sensitivity to the world beyond definitions increases every day.

    Changes to:

    HEXAGRAM 6: FOSTERING SELF-SACRIFICE*

    Wind within, Lightening without: the season of FOSTERING SELF-SACRIFICE arrives. Success comes to those who wait for the next opportunity.

    Before the web of silk and gold: the situation is one of benefitting others instead of attempting to advance a just cause at the wrong time.

    Stay true to your compass heading: the soul practices patience and discernment in the season of FOSTERING SELF-SACRIFICE.

    This hexagram represents a time of great change that holds no immediate opportunities for you to advance. The symbols taken together, symbolize the ending of something and a breakdown of customary routines, polarizing people and making them insecure and distrustful…Together, these symbols mean that you wait for the turbulence of the times to calm, neither revealing your intentions nor acting on your decisions.

    …There are dramatic fluctuations in gain and loss now and people are unable to guess where fortune and misfortune will strike next. While people may make a show of unity and cooperation, behind the scenes individuals and factions compete fiercely for advantage. Because all sides perceive their motives justified, they resist reconciliation with all their might. In such a climate, it is easy to be swept up in the passions of the moment and dragged back and forth indefinitely…

    …One of the ancient’s great teachings is that acting out of self-interest to the detriment of the whole injures all. Because profit brings gain for one at the expense of many and benefit brings gain for many at the expense of one, the logic of benefit is superior to the logic of profit…

    Do not be tempted to make a move at this time, as your motive will be called into question and you will become embroiled in conflict and hostility. Wait patiently, hone your skills, and broaden your experience: By not acting prematurely, you will be respected and sought after when the window of opportunity next opens…

    In the midst of chaos and confusion, hold firm to your belief in serving others. Focus on the well being of those around you and your needs will be met. Set an example by refusing to worry about things outside your control. Do not try to advance at this time. Be an asset to others. Strengthen your foundation, broaden your alliances. The momentum is against you for a while longer.

    THE SOULS’ JOURNEY

    The sap of the world tree runs out upon the ground: The trunk may be broken but the roots live on.

    *Please note the TOLEC I CHING Hexagrams are different than the KING WEN VERSION. For further reference and illumination, you can check out any source of the KING WEN VERSION of this reading under these Hexagram numbers:

    HEX 43: GUAI/DECIDING & PARTING, which turns into HEX 32: HENG/FIXING THE OMEN/PERSEVERING

    I would like to extend my gratitude to William Douglas Holden for his momentous work on creating the TOLTEC I CHING and his many other resources for the I Ching and other writings that I have only skimmed the surface of knowing, as I continue to delve into them daily.  He is a mentor from afar. You can find out about him and can purchase his books by tapping his name above.

    I would also like to thank the artists, Marlies Holitzka and Klaus Holitzka for creating these amazing images which you will find on the internet. They are beautiful and balanced and thus I share them with you here. You can purchase their cards at Amazon at the link in their names above.

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