Living the Spiral
Living the Spiral
Imagination Leads to Realization: A Journey Through Gate 64
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Imagination Leads to Realization: A Journey Through Gate 64

A Special Birthday Conversation with Kodie Smiley of Heavenly Bodies

In this week's episode of Cycles of Time, I had the pleasure of diving deep into the realms of imagination and realization with my guest (and my birthday twin) Kodie Smiley, host of The Observatory Podcast (tune in here!)

Kodie Smiley is a podcaster, writer, and devoted student of the esoteric sciences. With a deep curiosity for the unseen forces that shape our lives, Kodie explores the ways cosmic influences move through both our physical bodies and our more subtle energetic forms.

Kodie’s works weave prose artistry, contemplation and inquiry, inviting others into a deeper relationship with the rhythms of the cosmos and the wisdom within themselves. Through her podcast and writing, Kodie creates spaces where the mystical and the everyday meet, helping others attune to the patterns of the universe and discover new ways of knowing.

Kodie and I came together for this special chat because both she and I share the unique astrological placement of having our Sun in Virgo Gate 64, a gate that moves through the energies of Confusion > Imagination > Illumination.

In this conversation, we discuss how having 64 as our sun gate influences our perspectives, allowing us to see the interconnectedness of various esoteric systems. As Kodie eloquently put it, "It's all connected- the I Ching, human design, and the zodiac, describing the same thing in different languages."

In this episode, we dive into the profound insights that arise from this shared cosmic influence— an influence that we all are collectively feeling this week as the sun finishes it’s transit here before moving into Gate 47, the Gate of Realization. This energy of 64 feels even more potent than usual this year because it was the Gate opposite Sunday’s lunar eclipse in Pisces, where the moon reflected it’s light across the Zodiac in Gate 63 (the Gate of Doubt/Curiosity).

The Power of Shared Experiences

Our conversation highlights the beauty of shared experiences and how they can lead to deeper understanding. Kodie shared, "Meeting someone who also lives in this multi-dimensional space feels like finding a kindred spirit." This connection is not just about shared astrological and human design placements but also about a mutual journey of exploration and discovery.

As we navigate the eclipse portal, moving from the Gate of Imagination to the Gate of Realization, we invite you to join us in embracing the chaos and confusion that often precedes clarity. This episode is a testament to the power of imagination and the potential for illumination when we allow ourselves to dwell in the unknown.

I hope you enjoy!

xo

Alison

Tune into Kodie Smiley’s Podcast The Observatory or her substack Heavenly Bodies for more insights on the intersections of Human Design, Embodiment, and Astrology!

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This Week in the Wheel of the Year:

  • MEDICINE WHEEL Direction: WEST

  • WUXING Element: EARTH

  • PAGAN Season: LAMMAS/LUGHNASSA

  • ZODIAC Season: VIRGO (August 22-September 22)

  • I’CHING Hexagram/HUMAN DESIGN Gate:

    • Thursday, September 5- Tuesday, September 9:

      • Gate 64: Fire over Water “Before Completion”, aka the Gate of CONFUSION/IMAGINATION

    • Wednesday, September 10- Monday, September 15:

      • Gate 47: Mountain over Lake “Oppression (Confining)” aka the Gate of REALIZATION

  • MOON Phase: Waning

  • PLANETARY DANCES:

    • Friday 9/12: Mercury Cazimi in Virgo, Gate 47 (Realization)


Last Friday-Tuesday: Gate 64 (Confusion)

  • Human Design: Gate 64 sits in the Head Center, the pressure to make sense of overwhelming fragments of thought and experience. Known as the Gate of Confusion, it is not about solving but about sitting in the unfinished, letting images and impressions swirl until clarity arises. It pairs with Gate 47 to form the Channel of Abstraction — the movement from confusion to realization.

  • Gene Key 64: The Shadow is Confusion, the Gift is Imagination, and the Siddhi is Illumination. Confusion is not a failure; it is a sacred process that disorients the mind in order to open deeper perception. The Gift of Imagination takes the raw fragments and turns them into art, story, and vision. At its highest, the Siddhi of Illumination sees the whole pattern.

  • I Ching Hexagram 64 — Before Completion: This is the very last hexagram of the I Ching. It speaks of the unfinished nature of existence — the sense that things are always in process, never fully resolved. It advises caution: at the threshold of completion, don’t rush, don’t assume. The story is still unfolding.

Theme of Gate 64: Confusion as the necessary ground for imagination. The unfinished moment that precedes illumination.

Wednesday- next Monday: Gate 47 (Realization)

Human Design: Gate 47 sits in the Ajna Center, the pressure to find meaning and resolve the fragments delivered from Gate 64. Known as the Gate of Realization, it does not guarantee answers but offers the potential to frame confusion in a way that brings coherence. Gate 47 transforms overwhelming impressions into insight, yet it can just as easily become a loop of mental oppression when clarity is forced. In partnership with Gate 64, it completes the Channel of Abstraction, the journey from confusion toward realization.

Gene Key 47: The Shadow is Oppression, the Gift is Transmutation, and the Siddhi is Transfiguration. Oppression arises when the mind clings to confusion, demanding resolution before its time. The Gift of Transmutation turns heaviness into lightness, suffering into wisdom, through a shift in perception. At its highest, the Siddhi of Transfiguration reveals liberation from the confines of form, a radiant knowing beyond thought.

I Ching Hexagram 47: Oppression (Exhaustion): This hexagram speaks of the pressure and weight of limitation. It advises perseverance, integrity, and inner clarity when outer conditions feel restrictive. Oppression here is not a permanent state but a crucible: within constraint lies the possibility of great release.

Theme of Gate 47: The alchemy of pressure into meaning. Realization as the slow crystallization of insight from the fog of confusion. The gift of transmuting mental oppression into wisdom and freedom.

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Stay in touch!

Website: Book astrology and human design readings with me at astrosomatics.com⁠⁠⁠
IG: @cyclesoftimepodcast⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠@astro.somatics⁠⁠⁠ ,
Substack: Subscribe at cyclesoftime.substack.com to get the pod in your inbox every Monday.

And tune into Kodie Smiley’s Podcast The Observatory or her substack Heavenly Bodies for more insights on the intersections of Human Design, Embodiment, and Astrology!


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