Archive
MONDAY’S POEM: Poet’s Choice
Today’s poem is from the archives. I opened to a random page in my journal and reached back to August 2011. I am feeling a bit conflicted today so this poem is for me and all of you out there having a conflicted Monday!
Poet’s Choice
What does a conflicted poet write?
What bubbles up from below?
What trickles down from above?
Love. A poet writes of love
For all the world to read
And understand this Queen.
Low. A poet sinks so low
To find the deepest part
And understand this King.
Light. A poet merges with light
To sing of the highest peaks
And understand this God.
A poet writes of highs and lows.
He writes of light and sings
From mountain tops.
And most of all he writes of Love!
©2014 Richard W. Bredeson. All rights reserved.

I CHING GUA FOR THE NEW MOON IN TAURUS: Da Guo
The New Moon (and solar eclipse) occurred early this past Tuesday morning (2:14 am), April 29 on the east coast. The sun was well below the horizon here so no great visual effects, only vibrational!
This New Moon was the bookend to the Cardinal Grand Cross that peaked a few days earlier. We began the month of celestial activities with the Full Moon/Lunar eclipse on April 15th. It was quite a month! Have you felt the effects of the transformational energy?
It was with a certain level of excitement during this time that I cast the Gua (I Ching hexagram) to determine the energies we are heading into for May. If you follow my blog you know that I use yarrow stalks and manipulate them in traditional fashion to determine the six lines (either open/yin or solid/yang) that compose the Gua.
For the next month the Gua is Da Guo, or “Great Exceeding” as Master Alfred Huang translate it in his The Complete I Ching. It is pictured here:
The hexagram consists of two trigrams; the lower is Xun or Wood and the upper is Dui or Lake. So Great Exceeding is like a lake over a tree. Isn’t it interesting that there has been a tremendous amount of rain here in Maryland with significant flooding just after this New Moon!
During this time of “Great Exceeding” there is a need for “extraordinary action.” The action required is to balance, or adjust for that which is exceeding limits.
The image offered by Master Huang and King Wen’s Decision is that of a roof beam with weak end supports (the strong yang lines bounded by the two weak yin lines). The roof sags under weight. Extraordinary action is required to straighten the roof and balance the load.
The key here is to watch for imbalances. Things that are too big are difficult to control. Things that are too firm are easy to break. Take action to shore up weaknesses and to trim excesses. This is a positive Gua if action is taken. Confucius’ commentary on the Decision concludes:
Smooth and joyous in action.
Favorable to have somewhere to go.
There is success.
Truly great is the time of Great Exceeding!
Watch for imbalances in your life, correct them promptly and decisively and have a great month!

MONDAY’S POEM: Signs and Wonders
It has been quite a month with significant astrological and astronomical events occurring in the heavens. And we have been traveling on the west coast during these times of change and rebirth. Tonight, 11:14 PM Pacific time, we have one more April event to push us farther along this path to awakening: a solar eclipse.
In recognition of these events I wrote:
Signs and Wonders
Eclipsed Moon, Earth’s shadow hiding
Features, drawing blood, going deep.
Long shadows cast along a path
Of discovery and regeneration.
Grand Cross, Cardinal Signs, upheaval,
Rebellion, war god soothed in the
House of Love. God of Hades opposing
Expansion and stabilizing influences.
Eclipsed Sun, Moon’s shadow hiding
Light, blotting out life’s blood.
Dark shadows reaching far in this time
Of reformation and transformation.
©2014 Richard W. Bredeson. All rights reserved.

A FRIDAY POEM FROM “RHYTHMS AND CYCLES” – Shells
I planted a few seeds in some pots on our deck last week. Now I watch for the sprouts to break through. Spring time is such a wondrous season of birth; it’s the perfect time to consider all the cycles of life!
Shells
The heart does not expand
From an empty shell.
The seed is there inside
Waiting for the moment.
It takes a special love
To break through that shell.
The germ hovers in bonds
Trembling in dark potential.
The light waits calmly
Just outside the shell.
The sprout presses its power
Seeking a weakness and release.
Suddenly love explodes
Through that hard shell.
The tender life wiggles free
Reaching toward the light.
The heart embraces all life
To escape that empty shell.
The community grows
Filling the world with love.
©2014 Richard W. Bredeson. All rights reserved.





