I Ching moved to my blog

I have moved the discussion about the I Ching to the other blog as it seems more like a YinYang discussion rather than elements. Go to discussion here

I Ching and the elements

The last post has made me think about the cycle and how, if earth is at the centre, each element spends some time above earth and some time below. I will be posting some I Ching verbal images to go along with this idea as starting points for thoughts about the five elements. There are several hexagrams which may relate to each element, for example, there is the abysmal water and there is the joyous lake. The gentle wind or the arousing thunder may be different qualities of wood. There are others too.

The I Ching uses Yin and Yang lines and forms hexagrams from two trigrams. It is the trigrams that relate to an element and so a hexagram describes the relationship between two elements. K'un, the receptive is Earth and is described as three Yin lines. Qian, heaven is three yang lines and is heaven which perhaps is outside of the circle formed by the five element cycle.

The movement of yin toward yang and then yang toward yin gives us our changes and I will be looking at what they say to me. I hope they are useful and inspirational.

Earth, Yin and Water

Looking at the diagram for earth as the centre of the circle we see that the water element (the season of winter) is extreme Yin having arrived from the descending yin of metal.

The 7th hexagram in the I Ching is Earth above and Water below and the image is of the army. The power of the hidden forces where water resides in the earth, waiting to rush forth with unstoppable power.

In the I Ching the 8th hexagram is water above and earth below and the image is of water coming together as in the rivers descending to the ocean. Water always seeks the lowest place where it can rest and become still, being held by the container of earth (so that in fact we could say that Earth is the lowest energy).

Always remembering that the five element diagram is one of energetic flow and not of five stations or places that we arrive at. We are always in flux, moving on a journey through the flavours of the elements. Thus the power of water in the waterfall, the flow in the river and the stillness of the lake all require earth as a guiding influence in order to "come together".

The relationship of Earth and Water in the standard model shows that Earth controls water which is in line earth being in the centre, holding the safety while water flows and receiving it when it comes together.

Earth centred

I have long been interested in the idea that Earth is at the centre of the Five Elements. At the start of the Yellow Emperor's Classic there is talk about the four seasons and of Yin, Yang and of sub-dividing these with the other inside.[1] (For example: You might think of spring as Yang within Yang, summer as Yin within Yang, autumn as Yin within Yin and winter as Yang within Yin. The Classic talks about the time of day and I have extended the idea)

I have finally put the idea into a picture and will use that as a starting point to consider the dynamics of the Five Elements in traditional form and centred form. I hope that it will provoke us all to think about the energies of the elements from our own understanding and to embrace the idea that there are many ways to relate to energies.

[1] - The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine, Maoshing Ni, Chapters 1-5

Being strong and feeling the breath of Heaven move you.

I sometimes use the idea of wind in the trees to show how every small part of the tree allows itself to be moved and when it has gone to where it will it returns, bringing the next part with it. It does this with great success when it is well rooted and is safe.

Wind storm - from Youtube

In the same way, when we breathe out, every cell of every structure lets go of waste carbon dioxide and we relax until the in-breath returns us to full. The safer we feel the easier it is to release and know we will stay safe.

Thus flexibility is used in flow and not by control. We are blown by the winds of heaven and moved by the freedom of our breath.

Wood, Earth and Metal in harmony

Metal mindmap

I've finally got around to drawing my Metal mindmap. It took some time as I wanted to convey something of the order that metal has about it. As with all the elements to define them is to limit them so we should try to look at them as a starting point. I hope it gives some inspiration.