Nature and Imagery

[peace]

This question is with Bruce in mind - and I'd like other people's input as well.

Bruce - I like your nature metaphors. You've mentioned that you have your own "journals" over the years. What I'm specifically looking for are ways to visualize the different hexagrams - based on the octets. For example: How does Fire over Earth differ from Thunder over Fire, etc. (as nature images).

I'm trying to find some themes or patterns when I think of the trigrams. Anything of your own, or other resources you could recommend that deals with this would be great. And...from what I've "learned" about you over the months, your own would probably be most useful to me!

Chris - I am looking at this STRICTLY intuitively, so please don't take the time to give me a scientific point of view for this.

Thanks,
Rosalie

 

[bradford_h]

Rosalie-
What you are speaking of is the province of the Da Xiang or Overall Image, where the two images are put together and lead to ethical advice. I've found this part of the Yi to be a lot more insightful that it's usually thought to be. The natural images may often take some time to really grasp, but they're there.
Try meditating on a few of them until you REALLY get them. My translation and commentary expound on them a bit and might help them pop a little better.
Also there's a section in my Dimensions chapter called Ban Xiang (half images) that explains more about the Lower and Upper (Zhen and Hui) trigram positions, which might help you put the natural metaphors together with more clarity.

 

[philippa]

Hi Rosalie,

This is an utterly utterly interesting topic!

Echoing Brad's response, it is good to know all the different metaphoric extensions of the position, trigrams, etc. For example, one of my favorite trigrams is wind. Wind also symbolizes wood. An example is in 59, wind over water. Because of homonymy, you also get an image of a boat crossing a river.

Similarly, in 46, you have earth above wind (wood). This is not one of those "top-down" image, instead, you have one "embedded" into another: wood grows from the earth, i.e., an image of a tree growing. Quite neat!

P.

 

[bruce]

Hi Rosalie,

I have no real journals other than as memory serves, and a few ongoing notes of condensed thoughts. Since I started with Wilhelm, my first impressions of interrelatedness of trigrams began there, such as the generally assigned meanings of heaven, earth, thunder, water, rock, wind, fire, lake: all natural elements.

There is an order to the trigrams, loosely translated in the form of a family. That establishes a certain hierarchy among the trigrams, useful in some interpretations. Mostly though, these values have a way of being drawn out in natural way, rather than following rules and dictates beyond the basics. If I have the basics, I adlib my way through an interpretation until what I hear connects consciously.

I?d say, familiarize yourself with the nature of each trigram well. Then, when you look at life around you, imagine each object as a trigram. Then interrelate it with another trigram. There is a relationship there, and that becomes the metaphor which constructs your answer. And work it from the opposite direction as well. Not everything fits together as easily as some, but often that?s because of some other value attributed to the trigram that has been overlooked.

I don?t mean to sound all hip and zen like, but try just allowing the meaning to come through to you, rather than having to ferret it out. But do learn and understand the value of each trigram first. Then as you think or write it out, your own cognition will assemble the pieces. For me, trigrams are a crucial part of that process.

But, this is not exact science. Fishing never is. If you hold your jaw just right, the fish?ll bite.

 

[peace]

Thanks. Good guidance from all of you.

I know the trigrams - not always sure about putting them together. I like Bruce's idea of looking at objects and figuring out what trigrams they are - great practice and it's been fun. And - I meditate (Bradford) on them first.
It'll take some work - but I think it will be worth it.

I also found this website which summarizes the trigrams too - some of you have already seen it by Dennis Mair.
http://www.yijingpoetics.net/oysterbay/ichingtitle.html

Thanks,
Rosalie

 

[bruce]

Rosalie, a little technique that has helped me is: to become the metaphor. I'm guessing this is at least in part what Brad spoke of as meditating on trigrams, and it is an essential part of what I mean by observing nature. So, it is not "be like water", it is "be water". Do you see the difference that makes in evaluating a hexagram or trigram, in terms of applying natural law, as opposed to constructing a simile? It removes, or at least helps to dissolve the human-only perspective by gaining a more objective view of the situation we?re asking Yi about. Plus, the affinity we gain with nature through this exercise benefits our general outlook on life, in that we re-cognize all things as being unified. It is indeed a meditation.

 

[peace]

Bruce - I love that! Thanks.