Hexagram 26 – Mountain over Heaven – 12/9-12/13

Ta Ch’u – The Taming Power of the Great

Pride – Artfulness – Invisibility  .:.  Codon Ring of Light

In trying times, our faith may be tested, but it is in these moments that we must meet the challenge with our inner principles intact. Spirituality which falters in a time of challenge is incomplete. When the pressures of the outer world press in, be still as the mountain and seek the light deep within.

Others may test the inner strength we have gained through discipline, and if we react defensively, our strength is undermined. If however you remain still and trust in the power of the great, the negativity can be tamed. This will inspire all to want to gain this spiritual strength as well. It is in challenging situations that our spiritual wisdom is earned through the great pressures of the outside world. Stand as tall and still as the holy mountain and be a great refuge for the light of heaven within.

Mountain over Heaven allows for a great energy to be cultivated. Heaven represents an abundant creative energy, harnessed by the immense presence of the still Mountain. The two yin lines in the fourth and fifth positions form a space within the boundaries of the yang lines. This acts like a dam, holding back the massive pressure of a river. The stillness of the mountain is able to remain calm under pressure and direct the great energy in service to the whole.

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This key highlights the massive power of a strong will. A strong will that serves the ego for selfish gain, leads one into the many traps of Pride. Most of the modern world is trapped in the Pride of the individual ego, which believes that it can control nature, and manipulate it for selfish gain. But this Pride cuts one off from the power of the great and sows the seeds of their eventual humbling. Pride acts according to the fear that in order to succeed we must climb over each other in a scramble to the top of the pile. It is the dog-eat-dog mentality that prevails in business and our modern society. The problem with this model is that someone always must lose. This is the shadow of the ego and the personal will. Along with 45 shadow of Dominance, there is a strangle hold on power, order and control. Pride, Dominance, Control & Interference, set up so much distortion in the field and difficulty changing the dynamic.

Repressive – Manipulative, bending the will of others to serve the desires.

Reactive – Boastful, unable to see the harm of their prideful actions.

At a higher frequency, the power of will can serve a different purpose. It can be used for the benefit of all, and this aligns the personal will with the creative will of the universe, magnifying the greatness of power. The difference between the Shadow and the Gift is the difference of My will and Thy will. One who understands the greater power of the whole and uses their strength of will to serve the whole attains a profound power and grace. The higher frequency of energy mutates the cellular DNA, allowing more light to be released. The effect is a transformation of the ego from serving itself to serving the whole. This is done by allowing the humbling, stillness of the Mountain to provide restraint and direction to the creative energy.

Creating from this place allows for an Artfulness and joy to move through an individual. Many creatives use this gift to create music and art that manipulate people into a higher state of consciousness. These are the Artful tricksters who trigger awakenings of higher purpose. There is an ability to use the great power of the heavenly creative realm with high efficiency, cutting to the heart of the matter and effecting great change with ease and grace. They learn use their ego and will to serve the whole. “In order to transcend the Ego, one must have an ego worth giving up.”

At the highest level the individual will is swallowed up into the will of the One. The microcosm and macrocosm meet inside the body and birth a cosmic being. This endows an ability to move through creation in union with the environment and culture, allowing for a sense of Invisibility. This is the archetype of the sacred trickster, like the great Merlin, using illusion and Invisibility to trick people into realizing great truths. All that remains are swirling vortices of magic and laughter. At the shadow level the Pride and ego will do anything to be the center of attention. It doesn’t matter what is being done as long as the attention supports their Pride, where as in the Gift, they have found a way to channel  their power into creative service of the whole. This allows for an abundance of powerful energy to create art, song, image, media and all sorts of beauty into the world that makes people pause and reflect on the beauty of life. In the siddhi, the ego and individual self is completely surrendered into the whole, beyond simple service into complete immersion with the universe. There is no desire for recognition, just a will for the sacred light of the HOL to create beauty in the world. There is great magic in Invisibility where service and creativity are able to have great power in the world without the corrupting influence of the Pride and Ego. This is the power of Merlin to emerge from the forest where he is Invisible, and have council with the king. He brings the wisdom from the thousand voices of nature, which helps the King to listen and understand the many voices of his people. Then he slips off, unseen back to the forest.

Keys of the iChing .:. Jesse Chesnutt