A look at Gate 52 and our fuel to be still
It is said that in yoga one of the hardest poses to hold is savasana, where you are “simply” lying still on your back. You can think back to playing freeze tag as a kid. Staying perfectly still requires a great amount of focus and energy! This is the frequency of Gate 52, evoked in the ancient I Ching by the image of a mountain – one of the stillest things there is.
The Human Design definition says that this “inaction” is “self-imposed” for the “benefit of assessment.” If you’ve ever had to study for a difficult exam, you know this oh so well.
To understand the gate’s mechanical function and purpose, let’s review the Root Center, where Gate 52 is found. This source of vitality is both a motor and a pressure center, and it works as an ignition that directs fuel to the rest of the bodygraph.
We perceive the Root’s pressure as actual stress. It is associated on a biological level with the adrenals, which produce the stress hormones adrenaline, cortisol, and norepinephrine.
Of particular importance in the Root are the three gates that point upward to the Sacral Center, whose channels “format” the energy for the Individual Circuit, as well as both sides of the Collective Circuit. These channels set the thematic tone for each stream, greatly impacting their operation.
How interesting that the Understanding Circuit’s ignition switch fuels stillness. This implies a great truth: that focus and awareness are very active.
Gate 52 specifically seeks Gate 9 in the Understanding (Logical) side of the Collective Circuit. This energetic pathway wants to find and logically confirm patterns it can share with others to ensure the future of the Collective. The full channel 9-52 brings a powerful ability to concentrate on the task at hand, usually with the aim of mastering an understanding of something.
If you have Gate 52, you might identify with a certain constant tension – perhaps a restlessness, a sense of seeking something to focus on. Its harmonic, the Gate of Focus in the Sacral Center, funnels your energy and directs it to the correct details, as well as giving you the energy to keep the focus going. (But only when its Sacral response is yes, which is another way you know if it is correct for you to focus in the first place.)
For this reason, with just the hanging Gate 52, you have the pressure to focus on something, but you don’t know what. This tension without a physical outlet can lead to depression. From the viewpoint of others, you might come across as antisocial or withdrawn.
Regardless of your own personal chart definition, this energy exists as a potential for everyone all the time. An interesting way to experiment with the gifts of Gate 52 is to notice moments of stillness. Where does your focus take you? After all, so much of the bounty in life resides in this one still, perfect moment.
