The Time

trigram Heaven

The season, the moonfase, the stage of the venture, the hour of the day.

Everything moves in cycles, and it is important where you find yourself in a cycle. If we take them into account, they will work along with us. What is difficult at one stage may be easy at another.

There is the daily cycle, the moon cycle, the year cycle, the cycle of our life, but there is also the cycle of the question you asked: is it a hope or vision or already a start, or is it at the stage of growing, at its top or further down the road, declining again. All cycles have an ascent, top, descent and end. In the oracle answers I call them spring, summer, autumn and winter, but they symbolize the phases of each kind of cycle. Descent and end are not negative, autumn also means harvest or success, winter completion or period of rest.

The timing is always about the changing line. It can be right or wrong, eg right for the initiative, but not for the outcome, or right for the outcome but not for giving energy to the subject. Each changing line has its own good or bad timing. When "spring is good" it is a good time to start something - and so on.

For each line or trigram change there is also a 'general' timing. The end of the work or winter or when you are 90 is 'generally' not a good time to start a new big enterpise which needs years of hard labor, But 'general' is not the individual situation with its unique qualities, so feel free to disregard it.

Some trigrams are in harmony with one phase but less so with another one. Thunder is strong in spring, except when the other trigram does not align with Thunder. When Thunder changes into Earth it disappears into the ground and cannot bring rain. Not good in spring and summer, but not bad in autumn and winter.
The other way, when Kun changes into Thunder, Thunder emerges from the Earth and brings energy and swift actions and powerful results, except in winter. Thunder is more at home in the beginning and growth phase. In autumn and winter it will not be able to thrive, but it might still be able to shake things up.

  Spring: around new moon or Easter. Period: Imbolc-Beltane, 3-9 AM: the beginning, plowing, sowing.
  This is the beginning of things, the start of an enterprise or a relation, the time of new moon to first quarter, midnight to sunrise (the time of vivid dreams), the germination of a seed or the 'hatching' of an idea which was just a vague hunch until now.
  You can feed this, put in money or efforts or new details, find information or brainstorm with others. Sow the seeds or nourish the roots of what you want to start. Spring-choices will have a deep effect. Ultimately they drive the subtle mystery of why our lives do or don't change. It is a time of action toward our heart's desire.

Summer: around full moon or noon, midsummer. Period: 9 AM-3 PM, Beltane-Lughnasa: evaluating, growing, blossoming.
If you are already turning your dream into reality, it is a good time to share and make friends, so you can support each other. A beautiful time but also a time of challenges and hard work. Of problems which arise and demand changes. Scrutinize the structure and if necessary, purge what doesn’t work well. The work is now in full swing, and new ideas keep presenting themselves. By now there is more realism, and you have a better view of stumbling blocks. At the same time, this phase can also indicate that it all takes more energy and effort than you had thought. The closer you come to 'midsummer', the better you are able to focus your actions and efforts on bringing out your product, idea, wish, etc. During this phase the light is getting brighter: what you are doing is being seen and it is easier for others to join in with what you are doing.

  Autumn: second-third quarter moon. Period: Halloween/Lughnasa-Samhain, 3-9 PM: actualizing, harvest, fruit.
  Test if your plans will work and bring you profit and joy or maybe criticism. Many things can still go wrong. Safely store the harvest and keep enough seeds. Sow those which need the rest of winter to sprout next spring.
  At each Last Quarter Moon, we naturally review and reassess the past and its lessons, examining our missteps, making adjustments as needed. It is a time of introspection.

  Winter: around new moon or midnight, midwinter, Christmas. Period: Samhain-Imbolg, 9 PM-3 AM: reorientation, examining the seeds, inspiration, dreams.
  At this point the time is not favorable for results like finalizing plans or deciding. Progress is slow and arduous. It is better to use this time for recuperating strength, to find new ideas or improvements for old ones and to reflect on past and future. Winter or Last Quarter Moon or evening all issue a progress report on what we set out to accomplish at spring, dawn or the New Moon. Connect more closely with people, activities and pastimes which bring you happiness.
  Or maybe it means 'sleep over it', literally or metaphorically. Very often a 'new morning' brings the long awaited insight.

Sources:
Tom Evans book and interview
and website
And the 'Jaarboek van Symbolon'
by Karen Hamaker-Zondag