Already Crossing

Today's divination for the week

Thank you to everyone who joined this morning to create an inquiry and a reading using the I Ching Oracle! I’ll be posting here each week after our session putting in writing some of my thoughts on our collective reading and inviting comments and questions.

The Inquiry:

What is the result of staying inwardly focused this week, tending to our hearts?
[The unspoken background to this question is the condition of living in the world in this time of upheaval and change.]

The Initial or Primary Hexagram:

The initial hexagram we received was Hexagram 63 - Ji Ji - Already Crossing. We received one changing line in the line 6 position (top line). Hexagrams are usually created from bottom to top, one line on top of the other. This sequence represents the evolution from matter to spirit, the expenditure, you could say, of our precious essence in service of obtaining the view of the spirit, the biggest view possible. This is especially relevant in a group divination as we collectively aspire to bring into being the biggest, most generous, most kind perspective for everyone, those of us present and those we hold in our awareness throughout the world.

Hexagram 63 contains water above and fire below, the perfect arrangement for something that is cooking. The question then, for this moment, is to know when something is cooked, when is it done. In a certain sense, you’ve already committed to what you are cooking, so it isn’t a question of what is in the mix. Instead, the question is tasting it to affirm that it is done, and not overdoing it, not adding more to the mix when, in fact, it is quite right as it is. Can you rest with this moment of knowing that something is done? Are you ready to sit down with your meal?

Sometimes we abandon ourselves in this moment with worry that whatever we have cooked it isn’t just right, or it isn’t what we think the moment needs. This is when you must trust, bring integrity and inner knowing to your creation. It is perfect just as it is, perfect in the sense that the moment is now, not that it will continue to be perfect because things are always changing. But for the present it is just right.

With relationship to our inquiry, this Hexagram is telling us that our inward focus will serve us well, that we can remain connected in ourselves to our own water and fire, and that this, in fact, will support us in navigating our world in the coming week. In our bodies, the water element is represented by the pelvis and reproductive organs. The water systems in the body hold the essence, the precious vehicle of our physical body. The water in this way is literally our vital fluids; seminal fluid and hormones. The fire is represented by the heart, physically and spiritually. This fire is our awareness and how we choose to use it. In this reading, you could say that our heart is in the right place, we already know what is meaningful and important to us. The challenge is not to unduly stoke the fire or dampen it, but instead to rest with it, to enjoy the beauty of what is already in process.

The Changing Line

Changing lines are choice points, a time in our week, when some challenge will offer us the opportunity to use our inner knowing to either continue to rest with things as they are or to take some action. Line 6, our changing line, says “Soaking your head. Danger.” in the translation by Hilary Barrett. Soaking your head could refer to resting on your laurels or indulging in feeling sorry for yourself. With an inward focus the danger is always that we might lose sight of the larger world, become consumed by our own concerns. With this line as a changing line, you need to consider whether your concerns are petty, small-minded or whether in fact that need airing or tending. Another way to see the danger, is to remember how easily we can be swept away in concerns that are likely to vanish on their own with time and how we might waste our precious essence in some misguided effort to avoid our feelings. We must, from this point of view, hold our feelings with delicacy and care, but not magnify them beyond their momentary importance. We could consider that we hold all feelings with some kind of equanimity, honoring them but not dramatizing or minimizing them. Which way is the way for you in the moment, only you can know.

The Secondary or Relating Hexagram

In this reading, the secondary or relating hexagram is Hexagram 37 - Jia Ren - The Family, The Clan, The People in the Home. Hexagram 37 is about knowing who you belong with, who is your family and knowing your role within the family. In the context of our inquiry, it suggests that this week is a good time to look carefully at what you value and who you share your values with. A value, in this kind of outlook, is not an opinion and with the changing line, it is important to consider how you might not want to indulge in any kind of opinion but rather to emphasize common values such as love, kindness and peace. If one values love in this situation, one will stay in connection with the people in the “family” or “clan” even if they have differing opinions. If one values kindness, one will act with care and consideration even when engaging with those we know are different from us. If one values peace, one will allow space for each person in the family to find their own resting place, their own knowing without imposing opinions or directions unnecessarily.

It is interesting that the secondary or the hexagram resulting from a changing line or lines can be called the relating hexagram. It means that the results of relating to what is happening, what is changing, do not have to drive us off our original course. We can, by staying connected within ourselves, remain true to our original intentions, which in the case of this reading, imply that we are cooking just right even if we have to add a bit of salt or spice to complete our meal. Another way to say this is that the taste is good either way, with a little more salt or without. We can eat things just as they are, share them with the family or not, but either way remaining aware of your commitment to yourself should be your primary concern. It is your commitment to yourself that sustains you in times of great change, especially if you do not over-indulge transient feelings, but instead allow them to pass through you easily, informing you, but not radically altering your commitments.

A Few Additional Thoughts

As a support for the week, you could use the essential oil of Melissa. Melissa or Lemon Balm helps us to move easily with emotions and events, both inviting and nourishing change. Melissa clears excess fire, which would be the condition of overthinking or dramatizing situations, making it very calming to our nervous system. It also supports you in integrating and transforming whatever is happening that demands your attention, strengthening digestion and elimination. Melissa is a strong but very fast-moving smell, engaging our relationship with the outer world in this way.

To best way to use Melissa for this purpose is to inhale it. This means that you can put a drop on a cotton ball or in a cup of hot water and gently inhale the aroma. One drop will be plenty, more is never better when it comes to essential oils. If you have cats in the house, be very careful as the essential oils can be toxic to them due to the way their respiratory system works, but the smell will be gone very quickly so if they are not in your lap it will likely be fine. Be sure to dispose of the cotton ball in a covered trashcan or pour the hot water into the sink or toilet to dispose of it. Be careful not to apply Melissa directly to the skin without diluting it first as it can irritate the skin. It isn’t necessary to apply it to the skin to enjoy its support, inhalation is magical and instant.

Next week, same time, we will create a new reading for the week together. I hope you can join! The link will be posted as before at the top of the post first thing in the morning and will be the same each week if you want to save it.