Structures 1
1. Relations between
hexagrams.
King
Wen's sequence
Multiple
moving lines
Line-correspondences (jiao yao,
fan yao, qian yao)
The Big Pattern
The Bagua as lay-out map
The structure of a hexagram
Why do hexagrams look the way they do?
The relation between the first and second hexagram
When you get a
hexagram, and one or more of the lines are changing (they are old yang or
old yin), you get a second hexagram. Some say, the second one indicates
the future, others see it more as the future you make yourself, the good
or bad outcome, depending on how you handle the situation in regard to the
first hexagram.
For me, the second hexagram more or less
specifies the first one. To give an example:
Hex.44, with lines 1 and 2 changing, becomes hex. 13.
Line 1 and 2 are very direct action and contact. It is important to cooperate with something very different (44), but you should take care to stay true to what you add to the cooperation (13). If you add the male part, then be male. Or if your contribution is the beauty, or maybe the spiritual, or feelings, to complement someone technical, then take care of that specific part, which is your responsibility. Then you really work together.
Hex.44, with lines 3 and 4 changing. It becomes hex. 59.
Line 3 and 4 speak about emotions and decisions. In a cooperation (44), dissolve your (too narrow) personal opinions (59). Make a common goal, a common feeling. Be considerate of the other and his dreams, build a temple together and sacrifice to higher things than personal wishes.
Hex.44, with lines 5 and 6 changing. It becomes hex. 32.
Lines 5 and 6 have to do with mind and spirit. In that realm it is important that you follow your own course (32) when cooperating with someone very different from yourself. Stay true to the wisdom of your heart.
There is always the question about the sequence. My own idea is: the Yi is an ancient moon-almanac, starting at new moon, and giving the meaning for every day of two consecutive moon-months. The first one yang, the second one yin, like the Chinese signs. In the course of a sun-year, there are 6 of those double months, each with its own 'color'.
Danny van den Berghe made a very good website with an explanation of King Wen's sequence of the hexagrams: www.ping.be/icrea/ I like this one very much, it is convincing and beautiful.
A difficult page (you are warned!) has been made by Chris Lofting. I heard several arguments which made sense, but I am afraid I am not intelligent enough to oversee it. But maybe you are? He divides the 64 hexagrams in 8 octets. http://www.ozemail.com.au/~ddiamond
THE INVISIBLE LANDSCAPE, MIND, Hallucinogens and the I CHING, by Terrence & Dennis McKenna, (see page 'sources-books') Very convincing too.
In
Onlineclarity was a discussion about multiple moving lines and the difficulty
many people experienced by making sense of so much information. For the whole
discussion, go to: http://www.onlineclarity.co.uk/friends/showthread.php?t=2742
and for Hilary’s article:
Clarity (Hilary) asked the Yi Jing itself for a solution, and it came up with 58, changing into 8
Here is my view on the problem. Not only about these two hexagrams, but on all
lines, whenever.
But hex.8 is very different. It is also about contact, but the contacts in a group where everyone is dependent on each other. They need the group to survive, and it is not a group that one makes, it is the group one is born into, or maybe married, or any other reason. Not a personal choice. A ‘Bi’ is a group of 5 families, a unit. Living in a group does not make life easy. One needs the group, and at the same time it can be utterly frustrating.
The judgment of hex.8 is very interesting. Literally it says: Source, oracle-consulting-with-yarrow-stalks, eminent, long range, determination.
Wilhelm translates: Inquire of the oracle once again Whether you possess sublimity, constancy, and perseverance.
He changed the source to ‘once again’, which is probably right, but it is not the only way of translating it, and in this case I think it should be ‘source of oracle-consulting with yarrow’, and that the result of doing so yields important and long-ranging answers.
The character ‘determination’ or perseverance is the answer of an oracle or of the gods. One cannot get an answer and then not do what the gods say. It sounds ancient Chinese, but even today, when you get a shock from the answer, you do what it says, because you feel it inside: your gods tell you. If it is just an interesting answer and nothing more, you can do something different, because then there are no gods involved.
The multiple moving lines are the group, they turn the question into something like real life, where one has to cope with many different people, all with their specific character, with good and bad traits. The lines are the group members. A leader, who can be a good one or a tyrant, a mother, a neighbour, a nasty little boy next door, a brother or sister to share play or secrets or fights with, a son or daughter, a husband. Together they make up life.
The lines are not an undifferentiated bunch, they have structure, like a group has. The bottom line is about the decision if one should act, and the potential of acting. The commoner and the worker. Your responsibility towards yourself. Your instincts, your ability to survive. The dragon who is still under water, the hoarfrost which will become real frost.
Line 2 is the official, the one behind the locker who is often the only contact with the government. The brother who helps, the thought, which solves a problem (the official who makes contact with your own inner king), social activity, education, assertiveness.
Line 3 is the local leader: a boss with very personal wishes, your feelings, emotions, psychological state. Your ability to oversee situations and to analyse them. Your feeling of responsibility.
Line 4 is the minister. He should be free of personal wishes because he is the direct assistant to the overall leadership. He makes the decisions and choices, he is your intellect and knowledge and experience. No meditation is possible with an imbalanced line 4.
Line 5 is the king, he is higher than rationalism, he is your wisdom, charisma, leadership. Like line 2 he is about contacts, but on another level. Not based on interest, advantage, feeling good together and other earthly goals, but concentrated on ideals and mental interests, on the common good.
The top line is the sage, the mystic, your possibility to find sources of mythology or religion. It is (or should be) completely free from anything personal or temporal. It goes beyond normal-size life and reaches into universe.
When the lines have a structure, one cannot miss any one of them. It would feel as an essential loss. In real life one also cannot remove an aspect, or even reduce all to just one way of dealing with a person or a situation or whatever. The result would be very reduced too. One cannot make a choice (4) without instinct (1) or emotions (3). No contact (2) without a universal spirit (6) or universal mind (5) – or without 1 or 3. Every single thing one does cannot miss any of the other aspects.
In hex.58 lines 1, 2, 4 and 5 are yang: action and thinking; 3 and 6 are yin: listening and contemplating. But that is the structure of 58. In order to become the living group of hex.8 special emphasis lies on lines 1, 2 and 4.
Line 1: Inner contentment, not needing anything from outside, is the base of freedom. You find your power within yourself. Making a real good contact with others is only possible when this inner freedom exists. (If one needs advice about how to stay free, then read the hex. it changes into: 47)
Line 2: Deep and relaxed exchange makes all heaviness go away. Talking or even only feeling the others presence puts everything in perspective. A shared heavy heart weighs only half as much, a shared happy one is twice as happy. (changes into 17, about how to resonate with others, or with the Yi Jing in this case)
Line 4: Talking turns very easily into a discussion. Stay calm and relaxed. Don't expect to be put in the right, agreeing is not necessary for a good contact. One can like a person without liking his convictions. Stay curious and positive towards ideas different from your own. (changes into 60, about respecting everyone’s rhythm and pitch, including your own)