Hexagram 19 – Earth over Lake – 1/28-2/1

Lin – Approach

Co-Dependence – Sensitivity – Sacrifice .:. Codon Ring of Gaia

This hexagram marks the end of Lake season, which is followed by Fire season. This means that the next 8 hexagrams all have fire in the lower trigram. This transition coincides with Imbolic, and the Chinese Lunar New Year, which is the midway point to spring. Likewise, this hexagram marks a turning point towards light and growth. The two yang lines on the bottom indicate that there is a positive energy growing, but the balance must be attended to in order for the energy to express in the right way, at the right time. The warning is that if progress is rushed, the energy will rise too quickly and lead to eventual collapse. Also, If the energy is not cultivated steadily, it will stagnate and end up underdeveloped.

What is called for is to Approach with a soft and steady hand and a mindful heart. Good fortune is assured for one who cultivates proper principles, nurturing the seeds that have been gathered and stored, ready to soon be planted. It is important to remain humble and attuned to higher ideals, for this is what brought about this fertile opportunity in the first place. Often in times of success, the ego likes to bask in the glory, which brings a sure end to the the Approaching fortune. Stay open like the receptive Earth over Lake and your cup will runneth over.

Good fortune Approaches one who acts in accordance with the higher principles, but this good fortune must also be Approached. Like a skillfully kept garden, there is work to be done to prepare the soil, pull weeds, and fertilize. But remember, it is the light and elements of the natural world that allow the garden to flourish. We must learn to Approach life in harmony with the cosmic cycles and gently cultivate the natural growth of things. Those who learn to cultivate their inner nature in this way are Approached by the blessings of nature and the divine.

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Without awareness of spirit, we tend to feel lost and disconnected from purpose. In order to feel secure, we look outside ourselves for stability. This is often found in certain illusions of the material world, such as money, appearance, goods, clothing, etc. or could come from outside authorities who claim to have the answers we seek, such as religious authorities, political parties, or cultural systems. Either way, our connection to our own inner authority is severed, and we are left clinging to false illusions, totally Co-Dependent. These people often sacrifice their sovereignty to another. This Shadow creates Needy types who cling to their fear and use guilt to manipulate others, or those who are Isolated and aloof, claiming to not need anyone, lashing out at any who get too close. In the heart of this shadow, between these two extremes lies the way to the Gift of Sensitivity. We must learn to drop the Co-Dependency and become Independent.

By clearly feeling our own true needs, we gain Sensitivity to the needs of others. These people use their Sensitivity to tap into the source of energy flowing through life. This Prana frees them from searching for energy outside themselves, from their relationship, approval from others, or from material goods. This gift allows them to move to the music of a higher orchestra, hearing the celestial harmonies of the angelic realms, or the music of the spheres. As they are open to all manner of parallel dimensions, they may encounter the darker realms as well. This is why a strong independence is necessary. These are the shamans of the world, who use their Sensitivity to subtle energy to explore the liminal realms of reality: the realms of light and shadow just beyond the reaches of the physical world.

At the highest level, instead of giving part of ourself to something in the material world, creating Co-Dependence, we give all of ourself to the divine. By letting go of the self and the limitations of our ego, we are able to enter into a state of union with all beings and the cosmos itself. All of life is an evolutionary ladder of Sacrifice through the whole of the food chain, leading right up to universal consciousness.

Keys of the iChing .:. Jesse Chesnutt