I Ching, Yijing or Zhou Yi
"Oracle of the moon": © 2000 LiSe
Yi Jing, Oracle of the Moon
Xùn-Lí, Wind-Fire
The great image says: Wind emerges from fire: family. The noble one has substance in words and perseverance in actions.
What are the potential and qualities of this situation?
Xùn, 'Choosing', the character xun is a table with tokens or seals and a pair of hands. Her attribute is Wind. She is the master of inspiration. She is good at communicating and spreading rumors, news, ideas, orders or goods. The officer who spreads the wishes of the sovereign. She is patient and precise, good at detailed work. She can penetrate and influence physically and mentally. Wind can bring a mood or atmosphere which is clearly felt. Wind can also spread disease, but her absence can cause decay.
'Xùn' means counting, choosing or being chosen. It is giving or having a direction, a purpose, a 'seal' or mandate. It can be in the way fate does, a path that can hardly be avoided: "your number is up". Being chosen is stronger than the freedom of choosing. It also works in physical ways, defining 'what you are' and the urge to grow into it and live and multiply it.
Like water always follows gravity, the wind follows air pressure, answering the 'atmosphere', which makes her stronger and more persistent than moving toward a goal.
Your intuition will have a stronger influence on your road than your mind, even though Wind also relates to thoughts. Thoughts follow the decisions of the heart. Wind follows the voice of the Earth, the voice of life.
What is the subject, intention or hope of your question? And what is your power in this?
Lí, separate, image of an Oriole with its golden color of the sun. Her attribute is Fire. She is the trigram of discernment and order, of searching for truth and meaning - or bringing the lack thereof to light. Lí is separating or leaving, but also clinging, holding on to things. It is what the light of fire does: separating the light and dark, seeing their differences and similarities, distinguishing things by the shadows they cast.
Fire can easily be extinguished, buried under earth or water. To spread light and warmth it needs to be nourished. Attention, inspiration, order and truth will make it shine wide and spread its warmth, like the sun emerging from the clouds.
Li's mandate is to show the 'now', the border between past and future. The moments of 'now' fly past like birds. To turn them into reality, you will have to catch them right now, to enjoy something when it happens, to seize an opportunity, to realize a flash of insight.
What do you want or need to do, what can you truly do, or what will fate unfold in this situation?
When Xùn activates Lí, this will be like a softly burning fire. Wind brings food and inspiration for Fire and Fire brings boundaries and visibility for the wind.
This is what happens after "she said yes": now comes the hard work. Happy-ever-afters need a lot of effort, but most of all a lot of truth. When your visions prove their worth, there will always follow the labor of turning them into concrete reality, making them alive and turning them into a life, showing their beauty and strength.
Xùn and Lí are the 'origin' of hexagram 37. First trigram is the upper trigram (called '悔 huǐ, regret' or 'consult': the problem that makes you consult the oracle). Second trigram is the lower or inner trigram (called '真 zhēn, true': the answer of the oracle for this situation: the advice how to deal with it).
The initiative
The top line (Heaven-line) shows the change of the focus or initiative.
The top line is stationary yang. A yang initiative, entering a yang world, fits right in. Both are clear and inspiring, full of plans. Even when other things change, you will remain giving, pouring ideas, efforts or money into this situation. Yang brings and spreads ideas with a good basic structure, It is the master of good timing and planning, but not of finding a final solution or concrete results.
Stay within limits, Yang is also prone to deplete itself. It is relentless, and it can focus so intensely on mental images that they can turn into air castles or delusions. Yin is necessary for concrete results but not before the planning is right, too early can be disastrous, no matter the quality of your ideas or how determined you are.
Yang has the talent to enjoy the road
before reaching any destination.
The subject
The bottom line (Earth-line) shows the change of the field or subject.
巽卦。 变初爻为乾, 风收云静, 廖廓一清。
风恬浪静.人物繁华, 风尘不动, 日月昭明, 星辰荣耀, 尊卑永荫, 始终太平。
Xun gua. The change of the bottom line activates Heaven. The wind silently drifts the clouds together, making the far-reaching sky pure and clean.
The wind is a light and agile breeze; man and matter thrive. The wind doesn't stir the dust; sun and moon shine bright; the stars sparkle.
There is no distinction between high and low. From beginning to end there is peace and harmony.
When Xun around you activates your Qián, Wind blows high in Heaven. One can follow one's conscience and dedicate oneself joyfully to one's duties.
The wind carries with it your hopes and intentions and Heaven gives them power - this is your 'Heaven's Highway', your Dao (Tao), your mandate, your true destiny, whatever you call it. If you attune yourself to Heaven in the things you do or gather, by copying its persistence and obeying its rules, Heaven will sustain you and your life will be rewarding and true. Reaching goals is temporary, the meaning of life is to live it and make it worthwhile.
General: The bottom line is the subject, the 'field' where you find the cause and in which you pour the resources for your initiative: space, material, problems or opportunities, helpers and other people or food for thought. But here you also meet your problems, fears, hopes and expectations.
The subject is yang, but your question means you are entering a situation of yin potential. After collecting the material for concrete results, it is now the task or time to display them and then prosperity will gather. The subject will reveal itself, it will grow brighter and give joy.
If things don't meet expectations, this is the right time to get new inspiration. Usually, yang at the bottom is positive, you find a balance between yang and yin that will help your efforts, or pave the way to finish your work, making it visible.
The timing of this change of the subject. (Time can refer to the seasons of the year, the hours of a day, the progress of an undertaking, a state of mind - anything that has a beginning, a peak, a decline, and an end. See "Timing")
春暖夏炎，
三三 秋爽冬温，四时俱美，万物咸亨，吉无不利。
风恬浪静.人物繁华，风尘不动，日月昭明，星辰荣耀，尊卑永荫，始终太平。
In spring warm and in summer hot;
Usually in autumn cool and bright; in winter mild; so it is good in all seasons. Everything goes smoothly for all beings; auspicious without exceptions.
The outcome
The middle line (human or self-line) shows the outcome.
变中爻为艮, 风势入山. 动摇山岳. 令命上行, 人多敬畏。
When Xùn's middle line changes it activates Gěn. The wind penetrates the mountains and agitates their lofty heights; the destiny of life goes up, this person gets a lot of awe.
If you listen to your intuition, you will find your destiny. Fate can bring you luck or disaster, and often it's not your fault, but a part of it is what you do yourself.
Heaven and Earth will not move from their place. You are the one who decides where you go. Flying up to heaven, higher than you ever imagined, or staying down on the earth, where the space is unending. Heaven beckons, but you will always end up on the earth, because that is where you live your life. Never forget about her, every voyage into space has to start and end in her arms. She gives it reality and meaning.
If you keep finding your origin, you will go where you belong. Dare to conquer the world or be crushed by it, but deep in your heart is the peace of living the path that Earth opens for you.
General: When yang meets yin, the shine will decrease, but now things will proceed in a more tangible way. Resources will be used to create concrete results. Things change from giving to absorbing, from ideas and inspiration to processing, from overviewing to being part of the work. And if there are problems, a decrease can be what you need.
Maybe it is time to pass the reins to your guts and intuition instead of your head.
The timing of this outcome: (Time can refer to the seasons of the year, the hours of a day, the progress of an undertaking, a state of mind - anything that has a beginning, a peak, a decline, and an end. See "Timing")
春风入山. 草木荣茂, 人多贤豪, 人则可以把麾扬节。
夏风入山, 巽木成林, 峰峦蓊郁, 贵显非常。
秋风入山, 风藏山谷. 草木渐凋, 有始无终. 先达后穷. 人难久耐。
冬风最冷, 果落枝枯. 萧索憔卷一・ 悴, 先困后达, 难中获易。
When the spring wind enters the mountains, vegetation grows abundantly. The people are wise and unconstrained, and they can take on the command to raise the festival (take charge of important matters).
When the summer wind enters the mountains, the pliant trees grow into a forest. From their very high position the mountain tops long for this dense vegetation.
When the autumn wind enters the mountains, the wind conceals the mountain-valleys; the vegetation gradually withers, there is a beginning but no end. First understanding, later unreasonableness. One has to endure difficulties for a long time.
The winter wind is the coldest; fruits fall and branches dry out. Despondent and barren. First obstruction, later passage. In the midst of difficulties one obtains ease.
Overview of the lines.
Activated (when the second is different) or stationary (when they are similar)
An activated Yang line is generally bright and giving.Yang is great for enthusiasm and spreading joy or success, for structure, but don’t expect solid results.
An activated Yin line generally does the work. Yin's creativity absorbs and converts resources into tangible results. It brings peace, beauty, and a sense of security.
The initiative (top line or Heaven line) is the intention or focus. Your ideas, plans, or what you want, or something that happens and you want to influence it or use its possibilities.
In this answer the line is stationary Yang: the initiative is clear and strong, this is a good time to develop visions and plans, pouring in creativity, efforts and enthusiasm.
The subject (bottom line or Earth line) is the 'reality' of your question or the ‘field’ of action. A situation or person, resources, materials, facts.
In this answer the line is activated Yang: the subject is clear and generous and responds to the initiative. Usually yang at the bottom is positive, there is balance between yang and yin.
The outcome (middle line or Man Line) is what you or others or fate cause to happen 'between Heaven and Earth'. It is the outcome of this question. It can be physical or mental or both. If this is a yes/no question, then yang means yes, yin means no or 'not yet'. Both can be good or bad, depending on the question.
In this answer the line is activated Yin: good for concrete results. More work is needed, but your dedication is not in vain. For now, it will reduce the 'shine' because it focuses on creating, on growing something of quality, not on how it will look.
About the 3 lines of the trigrams and the spirit helpers:
Each line, active or at rest, summons one of the 8 trigrams as a Helper. For an activated line: telling you what you need - or about a problem area or something to avoid.
For a stationary line: this is what you already have or do or what you don't need. Often we just need a reminder of our abilities. Or it could be what you wish or fear - but will not happen.
Active lines are the helpers to change things, they listen to intentions, which can come from you, surroundings, or fate. Stationary helpers are part of the core meaning, they are your soul talking, but they also see the impossibilities or what is lacking at the moment. They reinforce the overall power of a reading.
Helper for the initiative:
Kan, Water, with his direction and focus, his courage to take risks and his talent to give things shape, is lacking here or not needed. Yang remains Yang.
Helper for the subject:
Xun, Wind, with her power to choose and influence.
Helper for the outcome:
Gen, Mountain with his constancy, his ability to make things endure.
But when things are not satisfying, it might be that one or more helpers don't help enough - or try too hard. Or maybe you don't listen carefully enough.
This oracle is NOT according to the Neigua Chuwaili, a chapter of the Heluo Lishu, which is meant to be read and used in Chinese astrology. But I found beautiful texts about the trigrams in the Neigua Chuwaili and borrowed them for this trigram oracle.
For those who are interested in the Heluo Lishu see the course by Harmen Mesker.
See also "Yijing astrologie" by Harmen Mesker (Dutch).
The guide to calculating your birth hexagram.
For divining with trigrams, see the video by Tin Yat Dragon