The Gate of Restoration
Other Names: Loneliness, Deliverance
Biology: stomach
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 time of Deliverance is captured best in the image of a thunderstorm. As in nature, when there has been a long dry spell, and thunderheads are gathering on the horizon, the time for deliverance is at hand. Before a storm breaks, the accumulation of energy and tension can build to a point where it feels almost unbearable. Then, the sudden release of pent-up energy in lightning and thunder delivers the earth from the oppressive conditions in the gusts of wind and cooling rain.
Awareness and grounding are especially needed at a time like this, lest you get swept off your feet by your own overwhelming sense of relief and euphoria. The small, ordinary things of life still need careful and ongoing attention – and taking care of business is the best preventative medicine to ward off the let-down that can often follow such a high.
That’s not to say it’s inappropriate to rejoice or feel unburdened now – rather, enjoy and keep your feet on the ground. When a thunderstorm has passed, there is an uncommon freshness and sense of renewal in the air… and there is often a fair amount of debris on the ground that needs sorting through and cleaning up. It is vital now to identify and clear away any destructive thoughts or actions that might have created the heavy atmosphere that led up to the storm. Taking time for reflection will strengthen your ability to learn from your actions and help you gain the clarity not to repeat the same mistakes in the future. No matter what the sources of past tensions, it is now possible to observe them with less passion and greater equanimity. And it is from this detached perspective that you can best understand what steps you need to take to move forward.
A word of caution: “detachment” is cool, free from emotional storms and drama, but it is not cold and unfeeling. In the aftermath of all the storms and interplay of energies in life, it is always important to maintain a spirit of open-heartedness and compassion. Forgiveness is a healing force, and it is just as important to forgive ourselves as it is to forgive others. In fact, the two often go together. By letting go of turmoil from the past, you will clear the ground for the lessons of Deliverance to take firm root in the soil and grow into a deeper and more profound liberation of the spirit.
If any hurts or misunderstandings remain unaddressed in the current situation, it’s time to acknowledge them, do whatever is possible to heal the wounds or clear up the misunderstandings, and move on. There is a window of opportunity now to move quickly and decisively into a new order of things, and this is best accomplished with heartfelt gratitude for all the lessons learned.
The Changes (additional insight for applying the Line of an activated Gate)
Line 1 – Investigator/Information
One of the ways that nature uses a thunderstorm is to clear away the dead branches to make room for the new to grow. If you are one of those tender young branches who has been struggling to find space to establish yourself on the tree, now is your moment!
Line 2 – Responder/Hermit
The aftermath of a particularly wild storm can either bring out the best or the worst in people as everybody scrambles to find their bearings. The wise will keep their wits about them in the knowledge that once all the excitement has passed, a newly washed and luminous landscape will reveal exactly where everybody stands. Make sure you are hanging out in a place where you’re going to be happy to be seen.
Line 3 – Explorer
One of the heady side effects of deliverance from restrictive conditions is that it is easy to get carried away by the sudden sense of liberation. But this is probably not the best moment to launch any grandiose new schemes, nor is it wise to let your head outgrow your hat. Ultimately, the art to learn is how to watch the pendulum swings of life, not to get caught up in the thrill of the ride.
Line 4 – Stabilizer
In reviewing all the factors that created the need for Deliverance in the first place, it’s important not to take anything for granted. Sometimes what imprisons us is exactly what we cling to for security, whether it is a work environment, a set of comforting routines, or a group of old friends. Make sure that you are not trying to hold on to anything that has the potential to grow into a familiar old prison before you can even begin to spread your wings and fly into the new.
Line 5 – Visionary Leader
It might be comforting to think that somebody else can liberate us, but the truth of the matter is that each of us holds the key to deliverance in our own hands. When outside circumstances combine to remind you of your inner freedom, it is both a gift and a provocation. If you expect the door to open magically by itself, you’re living in a fantasy. You’re going to have to put that key in the lock and turn it, and then push the door open using your own strength.
Line 6 – Adept/Role Model
Like the flash of lightning in a dark night, Deliverance can sometimes bring just a brief moment of illumination. If you’re busy looking at the light show in the sky, you’ll miss the opportunity to look around you and take note of the contours of a landscape that has previously been hidden. You’ll need to stay present and be alert in order to get all the information you need so that you’ll know where to go once the moment has passed.
Other aspects
Astrological Sign: Virgo
Dynamics: Abysmal (water) + Arousing (thunder)
Color: blue + red
Attributes: facing danger, difficult, emotional, obstructing + provoking movement, shock, impulsive, disturbing
Action(s): to risk and share
Developmental: fetal + birth