Hexagram 51 – Thunder over Thunder – 4/5-4/10

Chen – The Arousing (Shock)

Agitation – Initiative – Awakening .:. Codon Ring of Humanity

Thunder over Thunder represents the double power of pure Thunder. Thunder comes as a shocking event, which wakes one from slumber or startles into alertness. Often these shocking events come to alert us that our ego has led us off the proper path. When we do not listen to the subtle signs that are given, a stronger message is needed which shocks us from our slumber. This may be one of those moments that startle us to take note of how we have drifted into uncertain terrain, and are called to return to the proper path.

What is called for is to stop and listen to the inner guidance which calls us into accord with the natural order of things. The ego is often blind and brash, whereas the inner awareness seeks harmony with the cosmos. Sometimes a shock is needed to pause the ego in order for us to pay attention to the subtler inner voice.  While the shocking thunder my cause alarm, all can turn out right if we return to correct conduct. This force of Thunder often comes from our life situations, but it also may come from a teacher. The intensity of the Thunder allows for laziness to be energized instantly. The shock transfers huge amounts of energy into action. Those who remain alert to their inner truth are not alarmed by the Arousing Thunder, and good fortune is assured.

.:.

Shock comes into our lives at seemingly random times. When it comes it often surprises and may be troublesome, but what is worse than the actual shocking event is the uncertainty of when it may come. This shadow has a lack of trust in life, especially in terms of the unexpected. How the shock is dealt with varies greatly from shadow to gift and siddhi. Shock is inevitable, but in the shadow there is a great Agitation built up in frustration of the unknown. This is a shadow that causes many incidents in our world, from mass shootings, to bar fights and war. Our media only amplifies this shadow by reporting all the random acts of violence. Agitation lives within us, but it is often in reaction to the storm clouds of the collective.

All shadows have two extremes of yin and yang. Agitation creates Cowardly and Hostile tendencies, the Cowardly nature loses hope, turns inward and shuts down. They allow fear to rule their lives. The Hostile nature projects out its fearless rage, with no respect for others. Manifests in competition, business, and sports.

In between these extremes lies the middle path of the gift, hidden in the heart of shadow. Here we channel the energy of Agitation into the self assurance needed to rise from a fearful state. This gift of Initiative exists when our innate human competitive gene is used in service to creativity. By directing the energy that was Agitation into creative expression, we raise the frequency of energy, and transform our suffering into creative power. This path leads where none have walked before, and all teachers, systems, lovers and friends must at some point be left behind as we follow the turns of this self determined path. As there is great power in Thunder, there is also massive power coming from all phases of this key. The Shadow is destructive to self and others, the gift is creative and beneficial, and the siddhic frequency shatters all illusions and leads the Awakened state. This is an active key where we must engage in the process of life. We move toward the light as it descends towards us. At some point we must strike out alone into the wilderness, and move through our fears to come to our unique genius.

Initiative leads us toward Awakening where the power shakes the foundations of our individual awareness. The illusions that have kept us asleep crumble under the power of this Awakening. For millennia people have experienced this powerful stripping away of the comforts of illusion. Many who have had a profound mystical experience may claim to be awakened, but when true Awakening dawns we can never go back asleep. At some level of thinking there is only awake or asleep, there is no in-between. But in another way, there is also a gradual experience, a series of softening and opening. Awakening is the ground state for all 64 siddhis. It causes a mutation in the physical body that permanently dissolves the separate self. There is a softening which is called for to meet the power of Thunder from the programming partner 57 Wind over Wind. No external influence or teacher can tell us how to Awaken. It takes our own Initiative to walk the unique path of our inner truth.

Keys of the iChing .:. Jesse Chesnutt