Hold steady in times of stress, letting go of worry and fear. Remain in the good energy of knowing that all things pass and that with hearts centered on the good there is always a chance for justice and peace to prevail. Rather than attack, go inward, and with great restraint tend to the issues of the world within the self, for if you are in a calm state, calmness may reassert itself. If you are in a loving place, love may find its way to the rest of the world too. Remain steady and innerly calm no matter what happens. That is your path of heart for this moment in time.
The gushing river, hammered with thunderous rain, topples the restraining power of its dikes, flooding the lands it borders. We gasp at the breakthrough of this violent release.
As the I Ching points out, in the hexagram of Breakthrough (#43), this release is the consequence of a long period of accumulated tension, such as in that of a cloudburst that results from an extended accumulation of condensation in a cloud that can no longer bear the weight of the water it holds.
That tension was released, on the one side, by those who felt it their patriotic duty to storm the Capital. From the other side, the release took the form of vindication: yes, they had indeed been living under the tyranny of a despot. Those tense energies have climaxed simultaneously, as we approach the end of one era and the dawn of a new. We are now in the time of Segue.
As Bob Monroe wrote in his book, Far Journeys:
“…’segue‘ is defined as a proper interlude of musical melodies and harmonies that moves from the conclusion of one composition to the introduction of another. ‘Proper’ infers a transition that smoothly loses that previous theme or mood and sets the stage for what is to come.” (p. 63)
How now will we compose our segue?
The I Ching states that the facts must be announced truthfully. There is danger, but it does not favor one to take up arms. Nonetheless, the I Ching states: “Even if only one inferior man is occupying a ruling position in a city, he is able to oppress superior men.”
That kind of power must be checked.
On an individual level we are guided to address any passion still lurking in the heart that would obscure reason. Passion and reason cannot coexist, therefore the true fight is to unseat the passion so that good might prevail. If we allow ourselves to indulge in the fires of rage, from any side, we risk devolving a peaceful segue into total conflagration.
There is no compromise with evil; it must be openly discredited. This includes an objective assessment of our own passions and shortcomings. Nonetheless, it is not wise to fight evil with proactive aggression, as this would only enflame its impulse and likely infect the good with evil, as it regresses into rageful reaction.
Perhaps the best segue the I Ching can offer, from the time of Breakthrough, is to shift the composition to one of making energetic progress in the good. The flames of evil require the kindling of negativity to continue to burn. A positive, loving attitude that embraces the opportunity for energetic progress in the good can unify a nation, and a world, that the common good may finally prevail.
Stay upon your new path by reminding yourself how old habits make your feel, how they inhibit, deter, and interfere with your physical, mental, and spiritual growth. Remind yourself often that you are doing things differently now. Have compassion for yourself. In the most positive of terms guide yourself forward, changing your attitude about yourself and your circumstances in every thought you think, in every word you speak, and in every action you take. You are doing life differently now. What could be more positive than that!
Find your equilibrium within the self rather than outside of the self. Find it in the balance of your physical self in alignment with your spiritual self. With all that you are in good balance, equilibrium may be achieved; your body and spirit united as one. Get to know your body in a new way, as your trusty vehicle through life. Get to know your spirit as the captain of your ship, the one who knows your body vehicle so well, all its intricacies, all its needs and desires. When these two are working well together all will be well and equilibrium achieved. What more could you want than to know and trust yourself to these two?
Learn from your mistakes so that your future lessons may be fresh and new, so that the old lessons may be completed and done with, so that the lessons of each day may teach you new things about yourself and pull you along into new avenues of success, so that all that you are has a chance to come forth and blossom. Even in the dead of winter the seed in the ground is working hard to change itself into the flower that is in its future. Do the same. Work hard each day to change into the beautiful flower that is in your future too.
