Hexagram 56 – Fire over Mountain – 7/19-7/24

Lu – The Wanderer (Travelling)

Distraction – Enrichment – Intoxication .:. Codon Ring of Trials

Fire over Mountain is a holy image with biblical connotations. There is an image of a wildfire swiftly spreading across the face of a mountain. There is great potential danger for the fire to spread far and wide without limit. So the traveller must be humble and not take too many risks at this time. With swift travel, large undertakings are not destined for success, but there is great potential for small aspirations to alight with ease.

Traveling contains many aspects, the traveller, the path, the destination, the shelter and the purpose. This is a model for The Wanderer’s inner process. The shelter is one’s inner presence, where the stillness of the Mountain creates stability. The path is one’s own journey of transformation and learning. There is a great balance of forces called for by the stillness of Mountain and the eternal movement of Fire. How we live this balance of forces speaks to our ability to live with purpose in our travels through the world. There is to be an integration of spiritual wisdom with our daily life activities.

This hexagram speaks of a time of intensity where a wise traveller is cautioned to act in accordance with universal law. Like a stranger in a strange land, we are prompted to live our life with caution and humility. In a storage land it is best to follow the local customs, be kind and adaptable, and to avoid conflict. When conflict arises, be sure to bring it to equanimity as soon as possible.

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This shadow of Distraction keeps us from attaining our full potential, even once it has entered our conscious awareness. This is part of the Ring of Trials, one of the three stop codons, coded in our DNA to halt progress. This stop is essential for the immaculate nature of our biology and also our inner psyche. The challenge is profound, to stay the course and express the commitment necessary to cut what no longer serves, and to Enrich what serves our purpose.

Distraction takes two main forms, inner and outer. The outer distractions come from the five senses, which are constantly stimulated by the world of illusion. These are engrossing to the mind, and in the modern world of TV, movies, cell phones and social media the opportunity for distraction is even greater. The 5 senses are addicted to the stimuli of the world and in the shadow state, are unable to exert the stopping force necessary to end the addiction. This keeps our mind fixated on the external world and away from the inner planes. But the inner world is where our pain and our true soul lives. The inner dimension is where our subtle bodies and truths exist in higher planes of reality. Inner distraction is when the mind becomes closed off from the world entirely, leading to fantasy and delusions. The illusory self that we have created distracts itself from the oneness with the divine. Either polarity of Distraction creates an inability to truly engage in life.

Repressive – Sullen The spirit collapses and dullness pervades life. Overtime this effects the nervous system causing chemical imbalance and deep long lasting depression. They fall into acceptance of mundane lives.

Reactive – Over-Stimulated Continuously moving from one stimulus to the next so as to not lose momentum. Constant change and movement.

Enrichment takes all of the traumas and challenges of life and uses them to benefit the whole. Each shadow is only a low frequency aspect of something that can look very different at higher frequency. This gift of Enrichment sinks its teeth into life unafraid of the shadows and the unknown. This is an alchemists key, taking the trials of life and transforming them into gifts, and it does this by ceasing what doesn’t enrich life. By weeding out what does not serve the whole, the whole is enriched. Life and love flourish when given the right space. Instead of our awareness being spread too thin, pulled in every direction by the sensory stimuli of the world, it expands in the space between. The same senses that Distract at a lower frequency, draw us into deep presence with our inner and outer experiences. There is a meditative state of awareness that is focused inward, while we engage in the many movements of life. There is an ability to stop the monotony and shift our consciousness into higher realms naturally. We awaken to the reality of higher planes and it Enriches our lives and the lives of those in our presence.

At the highest frequency the alchemist becomes Intoxicated on the divine essence of love. Like the Sufi masters, all pursuits return to the source and we become drunk on the divine. The discipline that it took to clear our Distraction and focus on staying present in each moment dissolves at this point and we become distracted by the divine. Like a bee seeking flowers, we seek out the most love filled moments and get lost in their beauty. Each of the 64 siddhis are the original archetypes that Deities personify, and this siddhi is represented by the hedonistic sect of Pan, Dyonisis and Bacchus. They are gods of merriment, sensual enjoyment, and Intoxication. It is not how much you drink, but the quality of consciousness that comes, so open your heart and savor the pleasure of the moment, but know when to stop. This is the power of the stop codon.

Keys of the iChing .:. Jesse Chesnutt