Maintaining Your Light
For many places around the globe, last week began the switch from Daylight Saving Time to Standard Time. While we still have approximately 24 hours per day either way, I did hear a TV weatherperson say that the days will now be shorter. Likely, she meant that sunset will be an hour earlier on our clocks, foregoing the news that the sunrise will also be an hour earlier.
Why am I writing about personal light today? I have been in a muddle lately. I even understand much of the reason for this: my life being stalled by those who thrive on blocking out or stealing other peoples’ light. Because of the sheer volume of such interfering that has come at me in a short amount of time, I have begun succumbing and dipping low, no longer able to notice the pulling and continue on my way forward.
A look at ancient texts for insight and solutions is in order!
Last week’s Torah portion was Lech L’cha, which can be translated as, ‘Go Forward’ or ‘Go, Get Yourself Moving’. It follows the Torah portion of the previous week, “Noach” where we met Abram, who had settled with his family in Charan. Abram listens to God, and then at age 75, Abram Goes Forth. Being impulsive is rarely a good thing when making major changes, especially for the elderly! We may not know what lies ahead, but knowing that where you are or have been is no longer serving you well, this is the important first step. Abram followed the instructions of a formless Voice, he had context and a mission, and did not move on a whim or a guess.
It can be hard to move out of a place that you’ve always known, even if you’ve outgrown it, or just never felt right in. Becoming stuck or immobilized could be due to being bogged down or sapped of your energy by others: this is not an uncommon problem. In fact, there are many books available about this, about ‘energy vampires’ and light robbers. It is prudent to learn how to identify these people in order to mitigate their dampening and draining effects on you that can impair you from moving forward in your life and purpose. This is how I was feeling.
It’s not that easy sometimes to identify who is creating a drain or what barriers you are tolerating as you fail to stay on track with your goals and purpose. Lucky for us that our ancestors left us their tools!
We talked about the Torah portions of the last two weeks and I urge you to look at those for insight.
Another book that can be very helpful with understanding where you are at in a process is the Yi Jing or I Ching, which can be translated as the Book of Changes. This book contains 64 collections of lines called ‘Hexagrams’, each of which details six steps toward resolution of recognizable situations, such as Decay or Difficulty in the Beginning or Coming to Meet. It is a complex book that requires studying with an expert, and I had the privilege of studying at both the undergraduate and graduate academic levels with Dr. Titus Yu when he served on the faculty of a Canadian university.
Today, with having lost track of how problems were arising or where they were taking me, I turned to the I Ching. Sometimes, by knowing what the the problem is, it is possible to know which Hexagram to read. But, being blind to any insight, I proceeded with the traditional yarrow stick counting procedure that would produce a Hexagram for me.
Now, there is some false belief that the I Ching is a book of fortune-telling and divination. It is not, and certainly not any more than the Torah or Bible are. This misrepresentation came about when the Book was introduced to North Americans during the glorious hippie days of the ’60’s and ’70’s, when everyone ‘did tai chi’ and ‘tossed coins’ to get their fortune told via this inscrutable and mysterious Chinese book of fortunes. The divination misconception persists in North America. In fact, I was recently at a Jewish farm centre that had an abundance of yarrow growing wild on its acreage, and I suggested that the farm harvest and dry the yarrow stalks to sell for those who use the I Ching as some much needed farm income. They declined, saying that the I Ching was a religious book of divination, forbidden in Torah, and could not be promoted by them. It is a shame that this great book of wisdom has been cast as a cookbook for fortune telling.
Sorting yarrow stalks to determine a Hexagram is quite involved and tedious, and it is meant to be that way. Briefly, fifty yarrow stalks are gathered and divided and counted in a precise system that uses both the right and left hands and fingers of both hands. In psychological parlance, both sides of the brain are being engaged. The lengthy time for the formulaic repetition and manipulation of the stalks allows the brain to move to into subconscious realms. You always start with a question, a very precise question, and keep it in mind as you process the stalks. This allows the brain’s linear and non-linear processes to integrate, and the inner answers that once were obscure, can now be understood. We indeed, have the answers within us. The I Ching helps us to access them. No intermediary person is needed.
The first Hexagram I obtained was ‘Conflict’. Rats! I thought, my problem has nothing to do with conflict! But, with faith that that there was something there for me, having made those piles of stalks over and over again, I read on. Only the two moving of the lines in this Hexagram had to be read. The text at the second step reads that it is important to step back when it is clear that a conflict can not be won, and that this retreat brings no shame, and could save one’s village from damage as well. The other line text says that the correct action at a stalemate is to go to an impartial authority or judge to resolve a conflict and to not pursue it further.
These two moving lines must then be transformed to form a new Hexagram. This one is called, ‘Progress’. The image of Progress is:
The sun rises over the earth
The image of Progress
Thus the superior man himself
Brightens his bright virtue
According the the I Ching, we are all born with tremendous good light and purpose. As time goes on, we lose much of this, often due to the acts of others. The superior person learns how to move forward without losing their light to others. One way is to use one’s brightness to become a leader who gathers others together to honour a higher sovereign, bringing unity and reward to all. The alternative, of shining your light merely to be seen or for reward and praise, creates acrimony, rejection from those in charge, and loss of brightness.
As you see, in the I Ching, there are no specific answers or instructions given for your situation, such as stock tips or messages from deceased relatives. Instead, there is universal imagery for you to discern and find clarity to your answers, that already lie within yourself.
A third way we can lose our energy and potential through others is told in the indigenous allegory of the stick/mud/corn people. The corn people want to climb high in the sky, and the stalk people are the helpers that allow them to climb higher than they could on their own. Thus supported on a stake, the corn thrives. But, then there are others below who are jealous and see the weakness in this system. They do not see that being a mud person is also a good and natural path, just as a being a corn or stalk person is a natural path. The mud folk make the over extended stalk people fall over, and if not strong on their own, the corn people also fall down to the mud level. To remain aloft, one must have strength and clarity.
If you find you have lost your energy or focus or motivation, consider these stories. Who are you? What is clear for you and what is not? when did things slow down or stop? was anyone else involved? You can learn a great deal about how to proceed, reclaim lost focus, and bypass interrupters to continue to shine your light.
By the way, you wish to learn more about the I Ching, please don’t hesitate to reach me through my contact form, or send me an email request: susan at susanjkatz dot com.
We are born full of brightness and light. These books of our ancestors help us know how to preserve clarity and share our wonderful gifts, and avoid the dampening forces of others.
Lech L’cha, Go Forth and Shine Your Light!