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Yijing Insights, Part 1

Yes, the I Ching is far-reaching, sounding its 'voice' through the ages like a distant echo in the minds and heart of humanity. It is a descriptive model of reality, that through proper understanding will reveal the most subtle of mysteries. The seeker who approaches the I Ching must do so in a receptive frame of mind. For deeper understanding one must 'shift' their consciousness and disassociate from the ego. This is very different from the analytical approach taken by modern methods of gathering knowledge.

Let us now take a look at some of the basic, yet very important principles that have long been associated with understanding the symbols of the I Ching.

The the I Ching can be summarized as consisting of 2 lines, one broken or yin and the other unbroken or yang. These two basic polarities, in turn, form more complex sets of bigrams, trigrams, and hexagrams. The process is one of doubling. That is, the 2 lines form 4 bigrams; the 4 bigrams produce the 8 trigrams, ect. until 64 six-lined hexagrams are produced. The 64 hexagrams are the ultimate expression of the symbolic constituents of the I Ching and can be used to delve into any aspect of reality.

For divinatory purposes the hexagrams are usually broken down into trigrams and the information derived from these trigrams, by way of their attributes, are reflected upon. Conclusions are then drawn from these reflections that refer to the situation one is inquiring about.

The trigrams follow two main cycles which can be referred to as the 'spirit' or intangible cycle and the 'manifest' or tangible cycle. The intangible cycle is called the Hsien Tien or Early Heaven cycle and the tangible cycle is known as the Hu Tien or Later Heaven sequence.

Though the trigrams in both cycles are identical, their sequence ordering are distinct. The Early Heaven sequence depicts the trigrams in their pure and balanced positions. It is a representation of archetypal, unmanifest energy, prior to its manifestation. The later Heaven on the other hand, expresses energy that has coalesced and taken shape or form in the physical world. This co-mingling these two great cycles results in the events that transpire in heaven and on earth, thereby influencing humanity.

The Early Heaven sequence begins with Chien and ends with Kun, and is known as the 'Creation' cycle. Its order is as follows: Chien- Tui- Li- Chen- Sun - Kan -Ken- Kun.

In the later Heaven the cycle begins with Chen and is completed with Ken. The ordering is: Chen- Sun- Li- Kun- Tui- Chien- Kan- Ken.

Although it may not be apparent, the two cycles work 'hand-in-hand'. The Later Heaven sequence is a reaction to the Early Heaven sequence; in fact, it is a consequence of the Early Heaven's structure. It completes what the Early Heaven initiates. They both follow a different course but they emerge from the same Tao, and function simultaneously.

It may be difficult for the mind to grasp this idea because the modern mind has been programmed to believe that events manifest themselves in a step-by-step process of physical cause and effect, but ultimately cause and effect, beginning and ending, or Early Heaven and Later Heaven are concurrent.

The Early Heaven sequence is thought to have been created by Fu Hsi and the Later Heaven sequence has been credited to Ken Wen. In some sytsems or methods of the I Ching both sequences can be used together. For example, in the Plum Blossum method ( see other articles on this site concerning Plum Blossom) the hexagrams are usually formed by the use of the Early Heaven cycle of trigrams. In other words, the Early Heaven sequence is used to represent the unmanifest, or that which has not yet happened. Then the Later Heaven sequence of trigrams is employed to interpret the outcome, or way in which the unmanifest will materialize, according to their attributes.

The cycles can be 'expanded' so that the 64 hexagrams are used in the cycle rather than the basic 8 trigrams. The hexagram cycle gives us a larger vision or more expanded view of the energetic process represented by the trigrams. It is important to remember that the principles are the same whether looking at the 64 hexagram chart or the 8 trigram chart, and that they are replicas of each other in an expanded or contracted design.

Watch for future I Ching articles in which all of these principles and the hexagrams themselves will be explored in depth.