One of the oldest and most mysterious structures on Earth is the Sphinx that sits in what is now known as Egypt. If you ask an Egyptian how old is the Sphinx, he will probably tell you that it is not older than 4000 years, because that is when everything started according to the Moslem faith. If you ask an archaeologist the same question, you might be told that it dates from between 3000 and 6000 years, by relating it to the various civilizations that have coexisted with it and included its presence into their histories. Ask geologists, and they will test the stone for erosion due to prevailing weather, and also weather consistent with a very wet climate from another era, and come back with a date of a minimum of 200,000 years.

Whoever is right, the Sphinx is known mytholigically to be aligned with riddles and mysteries. What is this Sphinx doing sitting there? Is there a library or something under or inside it? Who knows? But the Sphinx has been sitting staring towards the star system of Sirius for a long time. It is pointing, gesturing towards something that has slipped from the conscious memory of mankind. The Sirian star system has been found by astronomers to mirror the Earth's own solar system in many ways.

In Design, there are 112 Incarnations marked out in sequence around the Wheel. Everyone is born with a particular Incarnation process for their lifetime. One of these Incarnations is called the Sphinx. People born into this incarnation provide direction for themselves and others throughout their lifetime.

In this article, we shall be looking at the 'Self Center' in the Body Graph, in which the Gates of the Sphinx Incarnation reside. The Self Center relates to giving us direction, purpose and the sense of connectedness with our reality here on Earth. The Self Center also gives us connection to our sense of Love through the incarnation called The Vessel of Love.

In closing the article we look at the Designs of Marie Curie (Sphinx) and Bruce Springsteen (The Vessel of Love).

The Self Center

In Design, the Self Center sits in the middle of the Body Graph and makes connections through 8 different Gates to four other Centers. These four other Centers include:

The Sacral Center, the Sex Center, the powerhouse of Life Force energy which in Design we refer to as the Generator Center, since once it is engaged in providing energy, it keeps on without interruption. The four connections to the Sacral Center are through what we call the Tantric Channels, which bring a potentially transformative quality to any energies moving through them.

The Ego Center, our place of Willpower relating to the Heart. The single connection here is through the Channel of Initiation, which on one level is highly competitive in a "me first" way, and on another level is spiritual in quality providing an Initiation through Love and Trust into other dimensions and experiences of Self.

The Spleen Center, the "Feelgood" Center that relates to our health and well-being in physical terms by relationship with our immune system. The single connection here is through the channel called Perfected Form, the Design of a Survivor. Survival in this channel is directly related to intuition, and how things sound.

The Throat Center, our Center of Expression and manifestation, relating to the Thyroid and Parathyroid glands. The channels between the Self Center and the Throat Center all relate to Self expression, particularly in the form of providing leadership

The Sphinx and the Vessel of Love

The Self Center contains 8 gates which relate to 8 hexagrams equally spaced around the wheel of 64 hexagrams. 4 gates in the Self Center relate to hexagrams that make up the incarnation of the Sphinx and 4 make up the incarnation of the Vessel of Love.

The Gates of the Sphinx are related to the hexagrams #13, #2, #7 and #1.

In the IChing, the

#13 is called "Fellowship with Man," described as "The refinement of common ideas and experiences comes through relating to and appreciating each person's view."

The #2 is called "The Receptive," and is noted: "Receptivity brings a natural response to whatever Existence offer us."

The #7, in the IChing is called "The Army," or "The Multitude." "A forward direction in life is possible through interactions based on appropriate attitudes."

The #1 is "The Creative." "Self expression. Creativity is aligned with the natural expansion of the Universe."
In the Northern hemisphere, when the sun reachesthe #13 hexagram, at the beginning of February, it corresponds to the middle of winter; at the #2 hexagram, around May 1st, it corresponds to the middle of Spring; it reaches the #7 hexagram at the beginning of August, corresponding to the middle of summer and the #1 hexagram, around October 31st, marking the middle of the autumn seasons. Various festivals have been aligned with these times, including Beltane when the Sun reaches the #2, "The Receptive" around May Day, and All Hallowed Evening (Halloween) when the Sun reaches the #1, "The Creative," around October 31st. The Sphinx sets us in line again with our journey through life in remembering and celebrating the times of fertility, growth, progress and detachment from the physical realm.

The Gates of the Vessel of Love are related to the hexagrams #25, #15, #46 and #10.
In the IChing,

the #25 is called "Innocence," and is described: "Universal Love that acts through an unplanned and free nature, without taking anything for granted."

The #15 is called "Modesty," and is noted: "Finding a balance between the possible extremes in all interactions in life and emanating love towards all expressions of humanity."

The #46 is known as "Pushing Upward into Heaven," described as "Embracing the nature of the body and one's growth to give access to all possibilities in life."

The #10 has the wonderful title of "Treading on the Tail of the Tiger," and is the gate in the Self Center that connects into three other gates in three other centers. The #10 is described: "Personal behavior patterns and the attitude of Self Love amidst all the challenges of life." When you 'tread on a tiger's tail' what is your response?

In simple terms, the #25 is Universal Love, the #46 is Love of the Body, the #15 is Love of Humanity, and the #10 is Love of the Journey of Life. Anyone who is born with this incarnation brings love into all aspects of their life. They remind everyone that a lifetime without Love is a very shallow experience.

In the Northern hemisphere, the #25 gate marks the Spring Equinox around March 21. The #10 is aligned with the Summer solstice around June 21. The #46 relates to the Fall Equinox around September 22, and the #15 marks the Winter Solstice of December 21. These gates of Love remind us to celebrate the changing seasons within our lives, marking the days where there is equal day and night ( #25 & #46 ), the longest day, ( #10 ) and the shortest day ( #15. )

Most of us are born with a different incarnation than the Sphinx or the Vessel of Love, and yet may have within our design some of the gates relating to these incarnations. This gives us access to the various expressions and experiences related to emanating Love and Direction in this world.

It is interesting to look into the designs of two people who were born with the incarnations of the Sphinx and the Vessel of Love and to see the effect they have had on their world.

Marie Curie was born on November 7, 1867 into the incarnation of The Sphinx.

The Incarnation of the Sphinx is described:

"Direction is the purpose in life, whether it be in finding a direction for oneself or acting as a way-shower for others. With this incarnation, you will be seen as a lighthouse from whom others can find their own bearings. Throughout the lifetime you will be the beacon lighting the way for others. At times there will be the likelihood of finding yourself pointing a way which defies normal explanation, but if you remain true to your own nature and creative impulses the direction will be the right one. On Earth, the Sphinx in Egypt, symbolizes an ancient but forgotten, yet ever-constant mystical guidance. Somewhere in your being, there is a memory."

Throughout Marie's life she took a course which had until that time been barred to women. She opened the way for women to be drawn into medicine as practitioners and researchers.

Strongly individual and moody in her Design, her defined Self Center connected to the Throat Center through the 31 - 7, The Alpha, The Design of a Leader, in which role, she could show and lead the way through expounding a deeply held sense of logic. From the Self Center, she also had connection to her Sacral Center through the 2 - 14, The Beat, "The Design of the Keeper of the Keys," the channel that relates to someone who can only work through a receptive response to their own inner nature.

With a defined Root Center, she had the drive to pursue sometimes invisible objectives, quite often relying on her Spirit to carry her to where others could observe, appreciate and promote her genius, or attempt to find the means to undermine her endeavors. So long as she held her course and did not take the criticism of others personally, she succeeded.

She was open-minded in her Design, giving her access to all realms of thought, while constantly allowing her to be alert to the thoughts which did not equate with accepted patterns. With an undefined Heart Center, she had to learn to deal with and become wise about the nature of control. When she allowed others to take control, she would find inevitably that they would have to give it back to her.

Her open Spleen Center allowed her to be constantly unaware of the dangers she faced in her life, very often reading the fears in others as unreasonable and obstructive to the science she pursued. Perhaps this was her undoing, in that even though she could point the way forward for herself and others, she was blinded to the dangers of radioactivity to herself, and it is suggested that the piece of radioactive radium she kept in her pocket as a 'healing device' eventually lead to her death.

Bruce Springsteen was born on September 23, 1949 into the Incarnation of The Vessel of Love.

This incarnation is described:

"The life purpose is to be a living demonstration of love in all its forms of expression. Love of life, love of the journey, love of the physical self and love of humanity are all a part of the life path. If as a child, you have been wounded, your innocent and natural expression of love may be confined. Life is always asking you to trust again and again the rhythms of love that spring eternal from within."

Bruce was born with his Sun in the #46 Hexagram, which the IChing relates to as "Pushing upward into Heaven," possible through embracing the physical and being 'in the body.' It must be appreciated that he always makes a very strong presence in his performances and has built on his career through timely appearances.

He has been particularly identified with the working people of America and the world, often standing for the commonplace in the face of seemingly superior odds. In this way, he reminds everyone that they are special.

In his Design he has the Definition of Initiation, through which he can fire people to find and respect their own importance and authority. He has the Channel of the Survivor, the 10 - 57, which provides him with attrunement to the world around him, provided he trusts what his intuition tells him. He also has the Channel of Talent, the 48 - 16, where his extraordinary depth finds expression through a constant query of what is worth pursuing in this world, and what must sooner or later be discarded.

His open Emotional Center allows him to remain clear when everyone else is caught up in momentary excitements, it can also make him appear dispassionate at times. His undefined Root Center causes a certain discomfort in stressful situations, particularly in getting started in his performances before he attunes to his audience. His undefined Sacral Center implies a certain shyness that can draw his audience ever closer until they relate closely to the love message that Bruce has for them.

In conclusion

Known consciously or not, the seasons of the year, related to the gates of the Sphinx and the Vessel of Love have been recognized and celebrated since ancient times. Constantly in our lives, we forget what it is that really motivates and calls us. We can lose our sense of direction and can feel disconnected from others as though we are unloved. Remember whenever this happens, that not only are there people coming in and out of our lives who carry these connections as their incarnation, and who can help us reconnect, but also, there are specific dates marking seasons of the year, when Nature call us back to our reality.

Next Month: How we express ourselves from the perspective of Design.

© Chetan Parkyn, January 2002