Contemplating 'The Advancing' - Tao Wisdom - I-Ching 19

Welcome to this reading for Hexagram 19 of the I Ching,

Known in some texts as the advance and in other texts it is seen as nearing.

In preparation for this reading,

I'm going to take a few moments to arrive into presence,

Settling the nervous system and opening our intuition.

Let's start with an attunement of the breath.

So in your own rhythm,

Breathe in gently,

Pause the breath,

Breathe out quietly and pause the breath again.

Breathe in,

Pause,

Breathe out,

Pause.

Breathe in,

Pause,

Breathe out,

Pause.

Now let your breath find its own natural flow.

Relaxing your whole body,

Feeling peace opening into your limbs and feeling the rivers of peace flowing down your back,

Through the front of your torso,

Connecting with the earth,

With the sky above and with nature in between.

Take your awareness around the physical body and notice the different areas and sections,

What they feel like.

Sense into the space in front of your physical body.

Sense into the space above you,

The space behind you,

On either side of you,

Beneath you and notice the space between your physical body and the perimeter of the environment that you're in.

Now take your awareness further afield,

Past the perimeter.

Just gently and quietly sense into these areas.

Notice the sounds around and see if you can stretch your hearing further past the immediate sounds.

Then slowly bring your hearing back to your immediate environment.

Bring your awareness to around your body and then move your awareness to your breath,

To your whole body.

Let's set the intention now to trust.

Trust that you will receive exactly what you need to from this reading.

Let's start by looking at the symbology.

So the hexagram comprised of two trigrams,

Sees earth in the upper trigram and the marsh or the lake in the lower trigram.

This shows the yin yang placement as two yang lines at the bottom with four yin lines above.

In other words,

Reading it from the bottom up as we do with the hexagrams,

We see these two yang lines,

This yang energy is moving upwards.

There is this advancing something powerful,

Meaningful is coming in,

Is coming towards and this is a good thing.

And with the yin nature above that,

Yin is receptive to this,

Yin is yielding,

Yin is present with this advancing.

So we notice that there is a level of trust and security within this particular experience of change.

And whether one is arriving at this hexagram after a difficult time in life or because of the uncertainty of something new or decisions having to be made,

The message here is one of growth and strength.

I Ching says to us,

You are required to remain steadfast to true aims in the midst of a favourable time.

The undertaking you are about to begin will have great power and impact and will be a success.

Don't be impetuous and forceful.

All you need to do is proceed with due care and with regard for good conduct and respect towards others and success is inevitable.

This sounds like a wonderful message and indeed it is.

However,

If we are in an experience where what is advancing towards us feels unknown or perhaps it's something that we have known in the past and we remember it as dangerous or threatening,

Now we are called to trust and to also transform our old perspectives into ones of expansion.

And so we are invited to let go of all the expectancies or thought patterns that hold us back,

That are not life-giving,

That are restricting,

Even if in the past they have been necessary for protection or survival.

The time now is a time for change,

Time for change that involves seeing the world through new eyes.

And for this,

We are called to soften the heart,

To open our eyes,

To trust and to respond with open arms.

Breathing in and breathing out,

Let's bring our awareness back to the body for a few moments and then move in to consider how this message is applicable for you right now.

Where in your life do you know,

Feel,

Sense that something is advancing,

Perhaps something entirely new or perhaps something that you know,

You remember.

And this can be showing up in a multitude of ways,

It can be a person from the past,

It could be a new time of life,

It could be a change in one's environment,

Or something going on with one's health where we feel that there is an opportunity,

An opportunity for progress.

Just allow your first responses to come through and sometimes our first responses don't tie up completely with the logical information.

And trust your first responses,

Even if you do go down the paths of contemplation of answers that came through later.

Also allow yourself the opportunity to engage with those first responses because that is key information from your subconscious,

From your intuition.

There's a reason that it came through first.

And now notice your first emotional response and you might notice that you're not aware of it,

That and know it by the sensational reactions in the body or thoughts that are responding.

And you're just in observer mode now,

You're not going down that story lane,

You're observing your initial reaction and then breathe in,

Breathe out,

Let it go.

And visualize yourself slowly and carefully moving forward to that which is approaching you.

And as you move forward,

Step by step,

You feel your heart center opening and you notice your energy field around you is expanding.

It is strong and glowing with light that is protective,

That is guiding and that is aligned with your soul's purpose.

And because of this,

You now know that you can trust this interaction or experience that is going to be happening soon because it is for your highest good.

And all you need to do is remain in your center,

Connected to your essence and being in your truth every step of the way.

And see yourself as this beautiful,

Glowing light sphere.

And notice the advance of that in front of you,

Also as a glowing light sphere.

And then watch how the two interact.

Perhaps they dance together,

Perhaps there is a transformation that takes place,

Or a creation that takes place.

Give yourself a minute now to explore the possibilities.

And slowly bringing that to a gentle close.

Let your awareness now bring forth for you the concluding message that this hexagram speaks to in relation to what you are experiencing in your life right now.

And breathing into that message,

Holding that in your heart.

Then gently exhale as you let that go,

Knowing that it will process in your life in the right way,

In the right time.

Just keep checking in on yourself regularly throughout your day.

Asking yourself,

Is this choice I'm making in alignment with my highest goal?

Is what I am feeling or thinking in alignment with my greater goal?

And when we are in alignment with that,

We are not only doing that for ourselves,

But for the benefit of all.

In closing,

The I Ching says to us,

Spring brings new growth and gladness.

As the seasons change,

So do all situations.

Therefore,

All you should do now is continue to ensure the worth of your principles and conduct.

This hexagram number 19 works in conjunction with hexagram number 20,

Known as Contemplating.

So number 19 is more of the exterior experience of change,

And 20 relates to the internal.

So if this hexagram has spoken to you,

Please do consider contemplating on number 20's Contemplation,

To allow this process to unfold further for you.

And I wish you well on your journey of unfolding.

May you be aligned and in truth.