Whakapapa: On June the 4th I threw the I Ching & asked it whether I should attend a workshop. As so often happens, the I Ching spoke to a deeper process going on in me. It came up with Hexagram 49: ‘Skinning/Revolution’.1) It spoke of the need to ‘strip away the old: let new life emerge; revolt and renew.’ The need to ‘burn away ego conditioning and bring to light the true essence of primal unified awareness.’ Skinning/Revolution includes the image of a snake shedding its skin. I think of a snake striking to heal; striking to reveal. Snakes are linked to the basic wellspring of life. Their archetypal power is particularly linked to poetry, painting & healing. The image of ‘Black Stone’ comes from a dream. In the last line ‘cold’ speaks to me of the potency of ‘original instinct’ & its ability to strike through the lukewarm, people-pleasing layers of cultural conditioning to bring ‘sight’ & ‘life.’ Snakes are cold blooded.

1) Stephen Karcher’s ‘Total I Ching, Myths for Change’ Pg. 351.