...life can be translucent

Menu

Facing northeast?

S

sooo

Guest
What, if any, is the significance of the northeast in the Yijing?
 

Sparhawk

One of those men your mother warned you about...
Clarity Supporter
Joined
Sep 17, 1971
Messages
5,120
Reaction score
107
What, if any, is the significance of the northeast in the Yijing?

I suppose you mean the geographical and historical association of the northeast of China with the Yijing, right?

IMHO, the easiest association is the one found in the Hou Tian Ba Gua, where the trigram Gen stands in the northeast, with all what Gen means. Geographically, in Zhou times, it meant "unconquered territory". When I say unconquered I mean a place of potential territorial expansion, of keen interest to Zhou monarchs but marred by difficulties, both topographical (mountain ranges in the way) and by the fierceness of the people living there. In fact, as later historical events grant, it was one of the areas blocked by the Great Wall and the people there, Barbarians to the Zhou and later dynasties, were more likely to maraud and invade the south than the other way around. From that perspective, the southwest was home for the Zhou, a place to return to for safety and well being, while the northeast was a place of risk and pause; a place to think hard about the consequences of pursuing such a path. Which, in many ways, ties back to Gen and what's associated with it, etc.

That's the way I think of it, anyway. :)
 
S

sooo

Guest
Thank you, Luis. Interesting stuff. Will have to think if/how it applies to my personal matter.

Any additional input on Gen is appreciated. Anything regarding receiving spiritual guidance, or the place of ancestors, Sage, gods, spirits, etc?
 

Sparhawk

One of those men your mother warned you about...
Clarity Supporter
Joined
Sep 17, 1971
Messages
5,120
Reaction score
107
Any additional input on Gen is appreciated. Anything regarding receiving spiritual guidance, or the place of ancestors, Sage, gods, spirits, etc?

Indeed, Tai Shan, one of the five sacred mountains of ancient China, is situated in the area considered northeast, from the perspective of the earlier Western Zhou capital of Haojing. Tai Shan was considered the most important of all five sacred mountains. Considered a symbol of the state and the cosmos as well as the producer of life forces. The emperors have always be closely related to Tai Shan, where they performed sacrifices to Heaven and Earth. A lot of lore is associated with Tai Shan.
 
S

sooo

Guest
Sooo, this is the great Mount Tai.

Great personal significance. Thank you so much for this information, my friend. :bows:
 

hilary

Administrator
Joined
Apr 8, 1970
Messages
19,149
Reaction score
3,418
Something Daniel Hessey wrote in his take on southwest/northeast in Hexagram 2 gave me new thoughts on this one, too:

“In the mandala of Later Heaven [[FONT=MingLiU_HKSCS][/FONT] ) the southwest trigram is Earth, and
the northeast trigram is Mountain. When a being is born, he or she must be
educated and brought up. An immature person is humble, and a part of a
multitude, which is represented by the trigram Earth. The Earth is nourishing and supportive, and like the Earth, the immature individual is still basic and
undistinguished, and depends on the support and guidance of others of his or
her own kind.


Later in life, a person of virtue becomes accomplished, and his or her nature is
fulfi[FONT=MingLiU_HKSCS][/FONT]lled by his or her way of being in society. A mature person of virtue is not
one of the multitude, but is alone in the unconditional expression of
warriorship. A genuine warrior or leader can see reality directly, and thus is
ruled by Heaven’s commands ([FONT=MingLiU_HKSCS][/FONT] ) in fulfill[FONT=MingLiU_HKSCS][/FONT]ing his or her duty in joining Heaven
and Earth. The warrior is without companions in the sense of not relying on
others for relative support and guidance. The mountain here represents the
accumulation of merit and wisdom, which is the body of the awake (bodhi)
being (sattva).


On an inner level, at the beginning of the Bodhisattva warrior’s path, he or she
perceives sentient beings, and thus has many companions. At the end of the
Bodhisattva’s path, he or she does not see any true existence in beings, and in
[FONT=&quot]this sense is without friends or companions.”[/FONT]

So mountain as something like earth that took shape as it grew up. You can see he's thinking about 52, and maybe 15, too.
 
S

sooo

Guest
Thank you, Hilary. This further informs and validates my experiences and my question, including the attribute of southwest. Really fascinating. :bows:
 
Joined
Feb 19, 2010
Messages
1,260
Reaction score
18
I wonder if the attributes of the Northeast in Feng Shui are connected to your personal matter sooo.
 
S

sooo

Guest
I wonder if the attributes of the Northeast in Feng Shui are connected to your personal matter sooo.

Hi AQ, well, I'm not a real Feng Shui guy per se, other than from a natural aesthetic perspective, as I've read some pretty far out stuff that bordered on sounding silly to me, however, I'm receptive to hearing relevant Feng Shui information regarding (specifically) facing northeast, sure. Southwest is also of interest, since both of those directions are relevant to my specific personal interest.
 
Joined
Feb 19, 2010
Messages
1,260
Reaction score
18
:p Feng Shui information can sure be over the top sometimes. When I read stuff about it I try and pick and choose the truth within it all. From what I know both NE and SW are a place symbolized by earth and rocks etc. The SW is a place where Kun is represented and NE is where Ken is..

SW is a place for relationships to others to be harnessed and cultivated, where as NE is where a relationship with the self is grown and explored.

Oh and I don't know if this will help but in Feng Shui, if you are facing NE then your back would be to the SW and then you would want to be looking at what the SW means and symbolizes (In Feng Shui, say you want to work on the 'self', you would sit with your back to NE facing the center of the area you are in).

When I have gotten a reading saying the SW furthers I think about how the SW is a symbol of relationships to others and I take it as connecting with people or going to visit someone special or surrounding myself with friends dispite wanting to stay at home and read in my chair that is in the NE. (You know, the one with the stone bookshelf by it :D )
 
S

sooo

Guest
Well that is helpful, and consistent with the Yi. Guess that should come as no surprise, huh.

The direction my back faces is as relevant to which side my front faces, so that's an excellent bit of confirmation. Haven't given much thought to which side my friends are, but I can see a connection to the physical realm, as opposed to the heavenly realm.

There is a mountain directly to my northeast, and it's one I've written of and have shown images of, and it was the cover of my Yi Images page. It, for ten years, has been the direction I'd have to face to receive instruction and inspiration. There's been further and closer developments to that in the last year or so, an actual being in my room. I can not pray, meditate or listen for council unless facing him. Clearly a him, the Observer within and without.

But I must turn my back on him in order to face my mother, the southwest mountain across the valley. I receive no council from her, but she gives me comfort and rest and assurance. It is the direction I can sleep toward, and feel secure in.

This has become so real, so literal, that whether or not there was affirmation of the experience, I would continue following these inclinations. But I will admit, I've received chills and have had my eyes full of tears when my instincts have been affirmed from the historic significance of these places and their directions, for which I am deeply grateful. :bows: toward your northeastern stone bookshelf ;).
 
Joined
Feb 19, 2010
Messages
1,260
Reaction score
18
Sooo.. I got goose bumps just reading your last post. It does all seem to correlate. In Feng Shui the SW is the place of the Matriarch. Your Mother is seated in a great place. :) And lucky you are to have that mountain.
 
S

sooo

Guest
Must admit, I feel really vulnerable to talk directly about it. Plus, talking sometimes seems to pull the power out of things such as this. Thank you (and Rinda) for your receptivity and understanding. I could say more about it, but probably best to leave it be. Thanks again to those who have helped illuminate.
 

ginnie

visitor
Joined
Dec 2, 2008
Messages
4,342
Reaction score
309
I could say more about it, but probably best to leave it be.

I think the NE signifies striving. Lonely striving.

While in the SW we can relax.

Thank you for this poetic thread, sooo ... Sorry to come here so late.
:)
 

Clarity,
Office 17622,
PO Box 6945,
London.
W1A 6US
United Kingdom

Phone/ Voicemail:
+44 (0)20 3287 3053 (UK)
+1 (561) 459-4758 (US).

Top