Hexagram 22 – Mountain over Fire – 3/8-3/12

Pi – Grace

Dishonor – Graciousness – Grace .:. Codon Ring of Divinity

Mountain over Fire brings a still presence to the illuminating power of Fire. The image is of a cold, dark shadow at the base of a towering mountain with a fire in the darkness, which brings warmth and illumination within.  This is a reminder that we have the power to light up our inner nature, and we need not worry about the external appearance.

This 22nd hexagram reminds us that the nature of the ego is to seek for its own gain, using force by any means necessary to coerce others. It causes us to act aggressively, speak boldly, and not tell the whole truth in order to make temporary gains. But it always leads to disappointment in time because it subverts the true power in creation.

There is another source of power that does not sap our own reserves of energy to bull through the obstacles we face. This is the immense power of Grace. By cultivating our inner nature to be in tune with the higher principles of balance, humility, and acceptance, we allow Grace to bless our life. It is a time to still the coarse manipulations of the ego and surrender to the inner virtue of a higher power. Cultivate the stillness of a deep inner strength, and practice calm acceptance of all external events. In this way we invite the subtle power of lasting Grace into our lives.

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The 22nd Gene Key is connected to the Divine Spirit of the Great Mother, the mysterious third aspect of the Divine Trinity. Part of its mystery is connected to the Akashic Dimension where all thought, feeling and actions are recorded in the Divine Body of the universe. Everything matters and is heard by the Divine. The Shadow of Dishonor emerges as the subtle parts of our being are denied by others, by our culture, and even by our own judgments. Dishonor also happens as we project the strong emotional charges in our solar plexus out onto others. With these unconscious actions, we simultaneously Dishonor ourselves and the ones we lash out at. Many religions teach that we are meant to subdue our lower desires and put our attention only to higher frequencies, but subduing any state or feeling creates Dishonor. The goal is to honor all states by feeling them without automatically acting them out. This is a way to process unconscious trauma and shadow, because without processing our inner states, the Akashic Dimension will recreate the same energies in your life until you create new patterns with your actions.

There are many subtle layers of awareness that interact with the Akashic Dimension. These are known as the Corpus Christi, or subtle bodies. The 22nd Key illuminates these bodies and the way each layer brings a different intelligence or perception into our being. These bodies from most dense to most subtle are: Physical, Astral, Mental, Causal, Buddhic, Atmic, & Monadic. These layers are akin to the 7 notes in the musical scale, the 7 colors of light in the visible spectrum and the 7 chakras of yogic philosophy.

The shadow of Dishonor creates the victim of Ungracious Behavior, where our darker feelings allow us to continue the cycle of Dishonor by recreating the same patterns over again. There is the Dilemma of Accountability in which we must claim responsibility for all of our thoughts, feelings and actions without losing hope and collapsing into the shadows. The shadow creates two types, Proper and Inappropriate. The repressive state, Proper, creates a sense of false character to suppress hidden desires and lusts, which stew and then explode. The reactive state, Inappropriate, cannot control emotional reactions and creates disastrous private lives. These people often create great art or music but bring Dishonor to those they love.

In the heart of the Shadow lies the seed of the hidden gift, Graciousness. We begin to learn that everything matters and the Akashic Dimension is paying attention to all thoughts and deeds through the laws of karma. Once a person has been dishonored deeply, they begin to consider the feelings of others and strive to impact them in a positive way. There is great care taken to walk through life with an open heart. Life becomes a path of service, seeking to soften the hurt in the hearts of others, while also finding balance in our own lives. The great skill of Graciousness is to be able to feel and process our own emotions without disrespecting others or ourselves in the process.

Living a life of Gracious action invites the Siddhi of Grace into our lives. This siddhi is a great invisible divine force, that descends mysteriously into life from the hidden higher realms. It acts as a force of Involution, a counterpart to evolution, where the divine incarnates deeper into form from the highest frequencies of light through the 7 subtle bodies. Grace comes out of nowhere, an unexpected glint of light from the divine to ease your suffering. This is a realm of miracles where the highest and softest light reaches down into the mundane suffering of life and brings peace, purpose and comfort.

Keys of the iChing .:. Jesse Chesnutt