Sun in Gate 19: Approach (Wanting), Earth in Gate 33: Retreat (Privacy)
Yesterday, the sun entered into Gate 19: Approach (Wanting).
In the Root Center, this is an extreme sensitivity to one’s own needs and the needs of others. It is the pressure to approach (and perhaps flirt😘) with others in order to make a bargain that ensures we all have the resources we need.
We need one another. This is the nature of the human condition.
Gate 19 presents a constant lesson in sensitivity and fairness. It reminds us of our interrelatedness and invites us to attune to what is truly needed. It motivates us to refine the ways we approach getting our needs met, in order to align our actions with higher principles.
“That all things are interrelated is apparent and manifested through the action of approach”
That all things are interrelated, the Marxist ideal of “from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs”. When each individual is operating correctly, sharing their gifts and valued for their unique contribution to the whole, there is no lack.
Gate 19 is deeply tribal; it forms bonds rooted in the principle of mutual support. When everybody in the community (or partnership) is doing their part and everybody’s needs are met, there is harmony.
In a not-self world characterized by inequality, excessive consumption and unmet needs, Gate 19 drives us to ask: how can we approach our own relationships and communities as microcosms of healthy, authentic interdependency?
The key word here is interdependency, not one-sided dependence or codependency. This means that we are able to give and receive support without sacrificing the integrity of our individuality or our identity.
If we are unable to meet each other’s needs without compromising our own and overriding our true nature, the bargain of the relationship needs to be renegotiated. This is nobody’s fault, it’s just mechanics.
When Gate 19 becomes distorted by the not-self mind’s agenda, it can become overly sensitive and needy, with an amplified and distorted need to be needed, fear of rejection and insatiable longing for recognition and acceptance.
Driven by a compulsive need for acceptance, the Not-Self Gate 19 has a tendency to self-abandon in order to support others, with the expectation that this will motivate them to want to meet your needs in return.
As a Projected element, Gate 19 is most successful when invited. If you are trying to support others in ways they haven’t invited, your inner voice may sound like, “I’m so sensitive to all of your needs, I do so much for you and you don’t even recognize or appreciate it, or care about my needs!”
Without strong boundaries and clear, ongoing communication around agreements, Gate 19 can be prone to bitterness and resentment in relationships. You feel like you are constantly doing more than your fair share, dissatisfied with the contributions of others.
Ultimately, these Not-Self patterns dull and distort your intuitive ability to attune to what’s actually needed and receive the recognition you deserve for your gift of sensitivity.
And then we have the Earth in Gate 33: Retreat (Privacy)
“Active withdrawal and the transformation ofa weak position into a strength”
This marks the end of a cycle. In the Throat Center, Gate 33 is the need to retreat into privacy and reflect on what you have experienced, which lessons you will be bringing with you and integrating into the next cycle. It is a time to pause and renew your strength while you contemplate all that has transpired, prior to sharing the wisdom you’ve gained with others.
This week’s transits produce an atmosphere of heightened sensitivity, inviting us to retreat and reflect on our approach to relationships.
You might notice yourself and others feeling extra sensitive and/or needy during this time. Our minds tell us we need all sorts of things. The key is to refrain from taking action based on these thoughts, and to trust that following your Strategy & Authority will ensure that your needs are met, and your relationships feel supportive, balanced and authentic.
Some questions for contemplation:
What do I truly need, and to what degree are my current life circumstances/relationships meeting my needs?
Where might I be confusing needs with preferences or fantasies?
Where am I not asking for what I need, out of fear of rejection?
Where might I be self-abandoning in order to gain acceptance?
Where do I feel bitterness or resentment around not feeling met in my relationships? How might I communicate more directly and honestly in order to create the opportunity for a more resonant and mutually supportive dynamic?
As one cycle comes to a close, what are the lessons I would like to bring with me into the new chapter I am entering into?