The I-Ching is a beautiful tool, especially during times of change and transitions. All month, I’ve been sitting here and thinking “How can I best help my friends and clients through this very turbulent transition that we’re experiencing in January?” The answer came early in the month to offer the I-Ching Question/Answer Therapy Session for a special price through the month of January. Today, I had a drive to also give out some advice from it.
I’ve noticed, through the month, that people have had many concerns, many people angry, many people fearful. How I personally look at this is that “Fear eats the Light”, but “Light drives out the darkness of fear”. While I don’t like to talk politics through my business, at the same time I cannot ignore that this is affecting my clients in a very deep way.
My question for today was: “What insights and light can I offer people today who are in pain with the Inauguration of Trump as President of the United States? What can I do or say to help them find their light and allow it to shine brightly?”. The answer came back to do a quick little I-Ching Reading and post it.
The first Hexagram was #38: The Alienation, The Neutrality, The Opposition. The first hexagram in a reading talks about what is important in the present state. This hexagram represents the element of Fire. In short, Fire is all about transformation and change, it ties in very strongly to our ability to digest and the immune system. Taoist Master Alfred Huang translated this I-Ching to mean “Diversity”, which I find interesting and thought-provoking when it comes to this specific situation.
According to Peter Mandel’s understanding, this hexagram’s oracle information is useful when opposition arises through misunderstandings, and when people and situations are judged according to their outer appearances. This hexagram urges to “Stay True to Yourself and stay moderate in your dealings with other people.” It also encourages to think twice when talking, and to think even more, or even to postpone important things to a later date.
Additionally, Peter says in his book “The Playful I-Ching“, that this hexagram ties directly into the overactivity of the intellect and when a person cannot quiet their thoughts, unable to find your center and cannot see the option to rest. This has a great effect on the abdominal brain. In Manohar Croke’s book “Energy Psychology using Light and Color“, she talks about how the abdominal brain gets disrupted through traumatic events which I think is insightful and ties into this situation nicely.
The second Hexagram was #15: The Humility. The second hexagram in the reading gives more of an idea what needs to be observed in a complementary manner. The hexagram represents the strong and stable element of Earth. Earth, to put it simply, is the physical make-up of the body, the tissues, the cells, the physical and tangible.
In this hexagram, the oracle urges to “Proceed calmly, yet unwaveringly and deepen. When you have greatness, do not show it, because the unique comes in an anonymous manner. As part of the whole do not become alike. The humble person recognizes that which is good and important and acts consequently in accordance with it. If you are a light that is not blinding, then you will receive your radiance.”
Peter goes on to say in his book that “a person should not underestimate themselves, but to walk the life path with humility. Humility does not mean that we should not be ‘undemanding.’ Just to the contrary: we should defend our rights courageously and persistently while being humble. The saying ‘the smart one yields’ is interpreted by Norbert Eichler this way: ‘As long as the smart one yields, the world will be ruled by stupid ones’.”
This last election cycle was riddled with tension and opposition in so many ways, and it has continued all the way to Trump’s Inauguration. Many people have just looked at the surface of things that have been said and reacted based on that – often in an outburst and from a stance of fear and hate, pretty much bringing out figurative pitch-forks. Now, keep in mind, I’m not saying the things that were said were not wrong, disgusting, etc. Next, I do however find it interesting that in the first hexagram, it talks specifically about the “outer appearances”, and find it comical how many people have been drawn to his hair, or the orange color of his skin – in many ways it seems like we’re back in elementary school picking on someone for the way they are dressed.
Additionally, something I find interesting is that people have, for the most part, stayed on the surface of what is going on. I don’t hear people asking “WHY are we going through this?”. Yes, many have asked a similar question “How did we get here?” and then the attacks start flying because they are just at the surface with election results, polls, etc… and not looking deeper.
In the next hexagram, it talks about the need to stay humble during this time, and specifically talks about not being a blinding light. Why do I see this as important? Well, right now there is so much perceived division (the first hexagram) between the left and the right, some are screaming and being a blinding light (second hexagram in the set) at others with a differing viewpoint than them. People are having a hard time feeling their center, their middle, and having a hard time feeling safe. This all is taking a toll on us physically, and I have noticed many people complaining about digestive issues and specifically diarrhea as of late (also talked about in the first card).
Next, and here’s an alternative perspective on this situation (please hear me out): “What IF Trump is actually being a Light for America?” Has he not shown some of the darkest recesses in the American mentality? In so many ways, he has shined a light and brought these dark and fearful ideologies to the forefront for America. “What IF Trump is only a Messenger showing the dark recesses still within America today?” We have a saying “Don’t shoot the Messenger”… and instead we have to ask, “WHY are those things still there?”, “What purpose are they, or were they, serving?”, “Have those judgments and thought processes fulfilled their usefulness?”, “How can we move forward from here?”, “What’s good and right about this whole thing we’re not seeing and receiving?”.
Lastly, keep in mind — I’m not saying to “normalize” these things… instead I’m saying, let’s find our own personal center and work to bring more of what we want in this world, without blinding others causing them to turn away. Remember: “Hate cannot drive out hate, only Love can do that.” Many people hate (with understandable reason) the things that Trump has done, said or brought to light… now we have to ask “are we becoming as ugly and hate-filled as what we are trying to fight against and change?”. Stay True to Yourself… Can you find it within yourself to switch to Love, and truly dissolve the hate and fear you so wish to neutralize? Keep in mind, it does not say to be silent… instead, it says to be mindful of your words and actions.
Tip: If you need help with this transition, print off these 2 hexagrams on a piece of paper, each one on its own sheet. I’ve made each hexagram clickable so you can download the full-size image so you can print them off. Close your eyes and stand on Hexagram 38 first for 5-minutes, and then Hexagram 15 for 5-minutes.
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