The Gate of Collaboration
Other Names: Role of the Self in Interaction, The Army/Discipline
Biology: liver
Archetypal Insight from the I Ching, by Ma Deva Padma; when this description resonates, a shift from novice expression to wisdom is likely imminent:
When the time to mobilize “the army” has arisen, it is a clarion call for self-discipline and much needed clarity that is stripped of emotional excess and undaunted by mounting chaos. When it seems like you are surrounded on all sides by potentially undermining forces that threaten to chip away at the foundations of all you stand for, it’s neither the time to act hastily nor the time to allow the present conditions to continue any longer without your intervention in the hope that they will change of their own accord.
You may experience your own reserves dwindling and can ill afford to wait any longer for others to come to the rescue. By not taking matters in hand, you risk being drawn into emotional tangles or swept up in conflict and bickering that will only worsen already degenerating circumstances.
In order to achieve long-term objectives you must avoid any tendency to go for the “quick fix.” Cutting your losses by taking the easy way out might seem to satisfy an understandable desire for resolution, but the effect of such actions can only be short term. Whether you are in a position of leadership and your actions affect many, or the conflict you face is within your own consciousness, this energy reflects being tested to the maximum. The spotlight is on the urgent need to get a handle on your diminishing resources.
Whether the challenge facing you is social, spiritual, or physical, the fact remains that you cannot afford the slightest trace of immature or undisciplined behavior. Marshal all your strength to focus on taking care of each situation as it arises, and in doing so, leave no detail unattended, no stone unturned. Do not relax your awareness. This will need all your skill in spotting and reining in any little tricks of the mind that might interfere with your awareness by besieging you with fearfulness or self-doubt.
However threatening a situation may seem, it should be carefully considered from different angles before any action is taken. Gaining some overview will enable you to formulate the right strategy. Put aside any restlessness and anxiety that might surface, and don’t fall prey to reactionary tactics. Confronting others head-on will only create resentment and a desire for revenge, although the opposition may not be obvious and it is wise to play it very close to the hip in order to plan your next moves in privacy.
Don’t shy away from or deny the powerful energy that wants to forcefully assert itself through you when it’s called for. Instead, work to harness it so that it can be creative and support a solution to applicable dilemmas. You might have to act alone, or if you are fortunate you will be able to find companions to help you in your task. Like defusing a bomb, addressing the situation that confronts you will require a good deal of patience and skill. But if you succeed, it will benefit you and everyone around you.
The Changes (additional insight for applying the Line of an activated Gate)
Line 1 – Investigator/Information
Rushing into anything out of anger, anxiety, or frustration will attract trouble like flies to honey. Take the time to consider what lies at the roots of any anxiety you might be feeling. Wherever you feel tensions in the body, consciously relax that tension by breathing in spaciousness and clarity and breathing out fearfulness and confusion. Learn the knack of releasing tension when it first begins to tighten its grip.
Line 2 – Responder/Hermit
You have a talent for communicating with others and bringing order out of chaos when called out to do so. Give freely of these talents, without holding anything back. You may or may not be recognized and applauded as a result, but as your actions begin to bear fruit it will be apparent that everybody involved has benefited, including you.
Line 3 – Explorer
To act out of awareness is very different from reacting out of frustration. At times, you may be swept up in enthusiasm and emotional extremes that throw your inner equilibrium out of whack. If you find that you’ve been placed at a disadvantage as a result, it should come as no surprise. Make efforts to restore your inner equilibrium so that you can act with more clarity.
Line 4 – Stabilizer
An effective army never rushes blindly into situations where it is likely to be slaughtered! Don’t let pride or reckless enthusiasm keep you from making a strategic retreat when retreating is intelligent, if not the most glamorous, course of action. There’s not much consolation in being a hero if you’re not around to pick up the medal.
Line 5 – Visionary Leader
If you find yourself on an emotional roller coaster or fluctuating between anger and paranoia, it is possible that somewhere your creative energy has become blocked. Frustration often manifests as defensiveness and aggression. Take responsibility for your impatience the moment it begins to surface. Instead of gnashing your teeth and wringing your hands, create some simple disciplines that help you to restore inner balance and a sense of well-being.
Line 6 – Adept/Role Model
Some form of energetic daily routine will ground energy that could otherwise easily create accidents or problems with others. Work on replacing unconscious behavior with a renewed sense of purpose. You’ll receive the resources necessary to support the self-discipline you need to strengthen your awareness and inner calm. By focusing on light and depth, flexibility and alertness, this self-discipline will not be a heavy, rigid affair.
Other aspects
Astrological Sign: Leo
Dynamics: Abysmal (water) + Yin/Receptive (earth)
Color: blue + black
Attributes: facing danger, difficult, emotional, obstructing + yielding, supportive, devotional, intuitive
Action(s): to risk and give away
Developmental: fetal + womb