The Gate of Integrity
Other Names: The Trickster, The Taming Power of the Great
Biology: thymus
Archetypal Insight from the I Ching, by Ma Deva Padma; when this description resonates, a shift from novice expression to wisdom is likely imminent:
The taming influence here is the ability to remain aware while being “tested” by circumstance. How able are you to hold firm to your ideals and maintain your integrity in the face of challenges that threaten to break down your resolve?
Life is urging you to grow beyond the security of what you have, till now, considered to be some of your most substantial achievements. Now comes the disquieting moment of having your investments in the status quo exposed. Once you begin to “sweat the small stuff” it’s likely that you are clinging like crazy to something or someone and have started to think that person, place, or thing is part of the definition of who you are.
This energy reveals truth as it really is in the moment, and this may be quite different from what you have believed was the case. Whatever is valid in the now remains, and anything else becomes increasingly hard to hold on to. This revelation is most often an internal one – it may seem to be prompted by outer circumstances, but in reality it is the inner being that has brought itself into realignment with the Tao (universal/divine Flow), thereby momentarily enlightening you. By letting go of delusions and illusions you not only gain clarity but become lighter, less burdened by ideas and beliefs that are no longer relevant.
It requires inner fortitude to not succumb to the nagging voices of a freaked-out or unhappy mind. It’s a little like training a wild animal that keeps running off whenever you are inattentive even for a split second. You must continually bring back your thoughts to neutral ground, unbiased and uninvested in particular outcomes.
Transcending your own mental boundaries can feel like swimming naked and alone in a dark unfamiliar place. The mind tends to become fixed and inflexible, and it never likes to appear “untogether.” Trusting in the flowing nature of life is perceived as the biggest threat because the mind often wrongfully interprets vulnerability as inadequacy. When existence is coaxing you to stretch beyond the limitations of habit, it is easy to feel exhausted or threatened. But the exhaustion comes from fighting against the change, not from the change itself. And defending yourself against a threat is all the more tiring if the threat exists mostly in your own imagination. Bending with changes needs alertness and an open mind.
Be aware of a tendency to make molehills into mountains so that you get to be heroic and clever while demonstrating the ability to leap tall trouble in a single bound. Don’t be misled in this way, lest you deprive yourself of the opportunity to reap the real benefits of facing the actual life challenges at hand. The only way to deal with the challenges you are facing is not through histrionics but with awareness, inner composure, and integrity.
The Changes (additional insight for applying the Line of an activated Gate)
Line 1 – Investigator/Information
By being alert to childish superhero fantasies when they start to arise, it’s possible to shift gears before the drama begins. Once you’ve set the stage for the first act, it’s harder to rewrite the script.
Line 2 – Responder/Hermit
It is wise to learn the knack of effortless effort that keeps moving with rather than against the current. It might not appear so valiant and brave, but it will conserve energy that you are going to need later. The present circumstances require absolute honesty with yourself about your limitations. Don’t try to compensate by putting on airs to appear other than who you are.
Line 3 – Explorer
When the “great” is taming us through experience, it is absolutely appropriate to feel humbled. By recognizing and admitting your limitations, vulnerability, and need for guidance, the dross of the superficial personality will be burned away and your true nature is renewed to shine forth in all its simplicity and humanness.
Line 4 – Stabilizer
The more you are willing to stay open to others and remain receptive and flexible, not just during “good times” but through all of life’s seasons, the more you will mature and grow into your true self. There is no time better than now for appreciating the regenerative dynamics of Tao (universal/divine Flow). They are flawlessly designed for all to realize their fullest potential.
Line 5 – Visionary Leader
Nature, in all her wisdom and compassion, eternally strengthens all her creatures by challenging them, redefining the status quo by breaking it down, and restoring the balance by nurturing the new that is born from the chaos. Meditation is the wisdom key that unlocks the door of understanding, enabling you to drop your resistance to change and say yes to life. It will sharpen your ability to distinguish truth from fantasy and identify the hidden gold in difficult circumstances that transform such circumstances into food for the soul.
Line 6 – Adept/Role Model
However challenging the situation may feel at the moment, go forward in spite of any doubts that might be nagging at the back of your mind. Know that you must be ready to receive what you are being given, and welcome the opportunity to stretch yourself beyond the familiar and the known. In the process, you will discover much about yourself that you might not have been aware of before, and it will serve as a reminder that the process of growth and expansion is a never-ending journey.
Other aspects
Astrological Sign: Sagittarius
Dynamics: Yang/Creative (heaven) + Keeping Still (mountain)
Color: white + dark green
Attributes: authority, strength, power, inspiring + rest, meditation, stillness, enduring
Action(s): to empower and limit
Developmental: transformation/death + maturity