Hexagram 9 – Wind over Heaven – 11/28-12/2

Hsiao Ch’u – The Taming Power of the Small

Inertia – Determination – Invincibility  .:.  Codon Ring of Light

Wind over Heaven evokes an image of the wind gathering storm clouds on the horizon. It speaks of a time when the clouds are building, just before the rain falls. This is a time to prepare steadily for a big event. The gentleness of the wind is gathering the creative energy of heaven to be used at a future time.

Looking at the lines, there are 5 yang lines around one yin, but this time the yin line is in the fourth position. The fifth line is the most powerful position in the hexagram and the one yin line is right below it. The energy is like that of a minister standing next to the throne. The single yin line holds much responsibility as it is the only one of its kind. It works closely with the leader and has a very specific task. The one yin line tames the creative fire of the other lines.

This is a time of restraint, and gentleness is what is called for. There is no space here for rash actions or rushed decisions. Instead one should attend to the small details in life and in one’s nature. Contemplate your weaknesses or blind spots, and see what wisdom they hold for you. In this way, the Taming Power of the Small can bring light to how we can best serve when the storm finally breaks.

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The magic of this hexagram lies in the accumulation of ten thousand small steps. In the shadow state, the multitude of details saps ones spirit and overwhelms their efforts. This is the shadow of Inertia, where the minutia of life blocks joy, steals enthusiasm and eventually leads to indifference. It is like torture by a thousand paper cuts. The hard facts of the “real world” with its bills, endless chores and tasks make it difficult to find the way out of the rat race. All the details pile up over time like dark storm clouds, warning of rain. The mind runs in loops, overwhelmed and unable to see a way out.

There is a way forward, and it is to focus in this moment on taking one single step. The first step is often the hardest. Do not worry about the long path to the goal, or the insurmountable odds. Instead focus only on the next step. What is the essential truth of this moment? As we take the next step, and then the next, paying attention to each essential step, the way of Determination opens. Any obstacle can be dealt with one step at a time. In this way momentum is built, and the energy of Inertia bends in our favor. The most difficult action is to begin.

Repressive – Reluctant paralysis of the will. At some point energy will have to be channeled into a breakthrough or else stay in an endless loop.

Reactive – Diverted are restless and fidgety, constantly seeking stimulus. They can never fulfill commitments or even relax.

The gift of Determination uses its diligent persistence to create new channels of energy, redirecting the flow of life’s energy step by step. Each tiny moment of life, each action, if done with full presence can ripple out and change the world. The more Determination one has over time, the less energy must be expended. As one steadily attunes every detail of their life to serve their deepest purpose, and the energy of Inertia is redirected.

Eventually, the pursuits of self meld with the will of the universe and there is no limit to what can be accomplished. The whole universe is built from a near infinite number of small parts. Attention to the infinitesimal can lead directly to a sense of the infinite. In the siddhic state, the individual disappears, leaving only the Invincible love of the universe, embodied.

Keys of the iChing .:. Jesse Chesnutt