In honor of my Teacher, Liu Ming,
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Commentary and compilations by Jamie Shulander
All notes from class notes/works by Liu Ming
INDICATORS (Auspices): Yearly, Monthly, Lunar and Daily
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LUNAR YEAR: YEAR of the OX
Deplete: Insensitive, ruthless if crossed, humorless, sullen, slavishly conventional, fearful of change, aloof and dull.
Image: The Ox talked about in Chinese Astrology is well known to all Chinese farmers. When China turned away from the wily horse to the sedate ox as the plow animal, rice productivity greatly increased. As a plow animal the Ox plows straight furrows and needs no coaxing. Ox are linked with the profits of consistent hard work and the Confucian virtue of perseverance in what is right. Naturally strong they are at their best when they are constantly challenged. Their sense of justice (and the law) makes them good leaders. Though often materially successful, they lack attachment to material things.
Metal Ox are accommodating, strong and reliable. They never shy away from difficulty or back down in confrontation. They promise more than they can deliver. Hurtful trauma in childhood (orphaned, immigration) and repressed anger ultimately polish their cold-heartedness into a calm and generous character. They are good parents and friends to a small in-crowd. They are rarely sick, and live long lives. Though their fortunes wax and wane they have comfortable old age.
LM Notes: Metal Ox
Metal Rats are sensitive, meticulous and resourceful. They easily win the attention and support of others and love to compete and win. Their ambition is modified by a strong personal sense of moral and spiritual values. They enjoy independence and are ruthlessly calculating in matters of the heart and finance. Though not without enemies, they experience relatively even fortunes. Jovial in appearance they internally brood and worry over the slightest things. They are susceptible to contagious and common illnesses but live long because of treatments from expert physicians and meticulous personal habits.
LM Notes: Metal Rat
QI NODE: 22 Winter Solstice
Yin Rules
“The Winter Solstice qi node has the shortest day and the longest night of the year. It is one of four annual pivots that rectify the annual qi. During this qi node qi is at its height at midnight! At the end of this qi node, the new calendar year begins. In the Chinese official calendar it is the mid-point of winter. The astrological year is still months away.
Yin peaks but in this same qi node it begins its inevitable decline - supreme yin gives birth to the flux of yang. Tigers mate. Christmas lights twinkle. Birth and death commingle, but life is cold and apparently dead now begins to move toward life.
Everywhere in Chinese cosmology black (dark) produces ‘yellow’ or light of the sun. ‘The darkest hour is just before dawn’.”
LM The Way of Three Treasures
“Raw impulse is strong but dangerous. Excessive ambitions can bring about personal disaster. There will be setbacks in progress. Acting properly when the time is right goes well. In the acquisition of what you want (money or property) it is important to be strong but modest."
LM Changing: Zhouyi
Hexagram 55 Feng: Abundance
Lunar Mansion: The Roof / Swallow
Solar Indicator: Harvest
"Feng is about an enormous windfall, harvesting a bumper crop or a fated reward that comes (and goes) naturally. It expresses the mysterious and fertile generosity of nature. The mention of astronomical and astrological influences in several of the lines indicates that success is a matter of fate-synchronicity with the cycles of time. Do not waste time feeling unworthy or claim the success is yours. Honor all co-factors and reward all co-workers. Celebration and generosity express abundance."
LM Changing: Zhouyi 55 Feng
“The key to the auspices has to do with how you act in a dangerous situation…It is auspicious to stay home, repair walls (security), remodel, take tonics and comply with superiors. It is favorable for medical treatments, exercise and eating well. It is favorable to raise roof beams and rafters (begin new construction). It is auspicious for family gatherings at home. Alliances and collaborations come to fruit and good 'luck'. This day is inauspicious for travel because you will be robbed (road) or drowned (sea). Strangers and strange (foreign) places offer calamity.”
LM Notes: The Roof
“What makes this day smooth is a sense of fearlessness. It is not so much how it goes (yang) as what it shows (yin). Rise and fall are no longer the point - the wide view can be taken. Ease is possible - effortless continuity on all sides. The qi seems to float us forward quite naturally - ebbing and flowing are both acceptable. The lessons of earthly life are found in both maturing and declining. Everything succeeds. Cleverness and survival give way to courage and directness. Be like the beloved monarch and not an ambitious merchant. Let new resources and assistants come forward by standing back.”
LM Notes: Harvest
LUNAR HEXAGRAM: 39 Jian: Stumbling
“Events call for experts, but, even if experts cannot be found, all goes well. Caution, patience, humility and self-discipline pay off. If you are not anxious or selfish, you are given success."
LM Changing: ZhouyiLunar Mansion: The House / Pig
Solar Indicator: Open
“It is auspicious to build, remodel and make fengshui adjustments (especially to enhance career office/shop). It is auspicious to initiate business, negotiate and sign contracts and get married (all of which have long-term benefit). Expect to be generously compensated for work done today.
“Public welfare projects succeed. Temple buildings brings benefits for many generations.
Conversely it is auspicious to enter retreat if there is great sincerity (renunciation) and strong resolve (compassion for others). The benefits you receive on this day should be shared with others (living and dead). Burials on this day are celebrated by both the living and dead ancestors (bring great wealth).
“It is not auspicious to wait, procrastinate or be confrontational.”
LM Notes: The House
“The choice here is whether to call fate something to fight or something to embrace. It is a day with an easy qi. It is a day to appreciate how things really operate beyond the desire that creates images and appearances. Accepting should be a boundless (yin) act beyond goals - the goal has always been return to our beginningless origin (Dao). There is no protagonist (yang) that should relax - there is only relaxation itself (yin). Look around for a successor (new plan, idea, task) and resume the heart/mind of a novice. The son of a rebel leader may become the second emperor of a new dynasty. An open heart gives the option to acquire great wisdom.”
LM Notes: Open
Lunar Mansion: The Wall / Porcupine
Solar Indicator: Shut
“Jia Ren is about well-ordered, supportive families and family-like groups that have a collective purpose. Selfless caregivers (mothers/nourishment) make households and family-like groups strong. Selfless and consistent inner strength is the basis of true communities. Orderly family/communities nurture great leaders who, in turn, make the alliances that create fair and just nation-states."
LM Changing: Zhouyi 37 Jia Ren
"It is auspicious to build, remodel and make fengshui adjustments (increase opportunities/wealth [public part of home]). It is auspicious to initiate business, sign contracts and get married (strengthen family ties). It is auspicious for investments, banking (gardening [increase fertility]) and study (the classics). It is an especially good day to exercise (martial arts), socialize (create parties, feasts and celebrations). It is also advantageous to travel, start a journey or vacation. NOT complying with the auspice of this indicator may lead to madness and suicide.
"Contraindicated activity: It is inauspicious to withdraw, begin an austerity or retreat."
LM Notes: The Wall
“A Shut day is a day of rest, whether you like it or not. Qi resources are spent and the notion of a spender (yang) is long gone. Dispersion has ended in exhaustion (big yin) and no memory exists to create joy or negativity. Struggling to act on such a day borrows qi from fantasy and sets up a ghostly pattern of bad qi credit. What’s it like to float down the river with no boat, no river and no protagonist? It is ideal day for retreat, mediation and severing ties with everything - don’t worry, it is not the end of anything! Let go anyway - feel the freedom and inaction, disconnectedness, because it offers limitless insight. Focus on your golf swing and forget about how the kids are squandering their inheritance on cocaine. It’s that kind of day! The river has reached the sea and even the water is confused.”
LM Notes: Shut
Hexagram 63 Jiji: Already Across
Lunar Mansion: The Stride / Wolf
Solar Indicator: Design
"Everything is ending well but decline and disorder is inevitable. Do not hurry or press for completion...Do not imagine that change ever stops. Things do not come to an end. When you succeed, do not assume things are complete or finished. To maintain success is no easy matter. When we are triumphant, we are fated to have the same decline and loss as our predecessor."
LM Changing: Zhouyi 63 Jiji
"It is auspicious to build, remodel or repair property (line clothing for winter) - in the sense to fortify or strengthen. It is auspicious to transact routine business, banking (anything that parallels the storing for winter), to plan but not speculate. It is beneficial to receive medical treatments (qi in channels) It is favorable to make amulets.
"It is inauspicious to travel, argue or press lawsuits. It is not advised to dig the ground or bury the dead."
LM Notes: The Stride
“It is an excellent day to recover wisdom by stepping back, planning, recalling alliances and reassessing our position.”
LM Notes: Design
Hexagram 22 Bi: Ornament
Lunar Mansion: The Mound / Dog
Solar Indicator: Divide
"Bi is favorable when appearances match the inner nature of things. Simplicity, rather than extravagance, is recommended as the aesthetic of confidence. Beware of the deception that comes from superficial decoration."
LM Changing: Zhouyi 22 Bi: Ornament
"It is time to build (thresholds, public buildings) and add on (growth of family: new baby, new bride) to property. It is auspicious to initiate and continue routine business. It is a day for feasting, gatherings and romance. Marriages contracted/performed today produce resourceful and wealthy children. It is an excellent day for assemblies, parties and celebrations.
“This day brings fresh breezes in Spring, cooling mist in Summer, light rain in Fall and thin ice in Winter. It is inauspicious to enter retreat, practice renunciation or travel alone. Avoid confrontation."
LM Notes: The Mound
"Holding back on this day is related to deeper self-reflection, education of all sorts and consulting with experts and elders - rather than forward action. It is not about immature reluctance or cowardice but about shedding inessentials."
LM Notes: Divide
Hexagram 36 Mingyi: Pheasant Call
Lunar Mansion: The Stomach / Pheasant
Solar Indicator: Full
“When integrity demands action, be cautious and prepared to fail. The situation is unfavorable because the clear warnings of doom are being ignored by the powerful."
LM Changing: Zhouyi 36 Mingyi
"It is auspicious to build, bury the dead (increase status/rank) and marry (your children will hobnob with kings) on this day. It is a good day to make your case, to push forward and to ask for what you are due (collecting receivables). It is a good day for gift giving and charity (canceling debts owed you)."
“Contraindicated activity: It is inauspicious to be confrontational, break the law or squander resources (gamble); such activities will bring years of loss and regret.”
LM Notes: The Stomach
“This is an optimum day for education, preparation, polishing, gathering resources and firming up plans. Confidence grows as the right time and necessary resources are now part of the vision. The qi is forming patterns and remaining in the channels. Practice and disciplined cultivation bring confidence. The prince (yang) is gaining support. Discipline in small matters succeeds. True confidence requires no aggression. Though nothing needs to be done, the natural maturation of strength occurs.”
LM Notes: Full
Hexagram 25 Wu Wang: No Expectations
Lunar Mansion: The Watchers / Cock
Solar Indicator: Level
“Relax plans, open up and let go of goals. When Wu Wang is divined, good fortune is based on being free of fear and expectation but ready to act if an easy opportunity arises. Do not over focus on goals and gains and you can avoid disaster. Just let things happen naturally."
LM Changing: Zhouyi 25 Wu Wang
“It is auspicious to stay home (familiar places / people), study, enter retreat, initiate austerities and make offerings to the dead. It is wise to postpone everything proactive (marriage, building, funeral, burials).
“It is not auspicious to be industrious in any way (building will bring loss). All positive events that occur today will ultimately have negative results (marriage will end in disloyalty and divorce). Medical treatments on this day will complicate existing illness - turn acute into chronic (possibly bring on premature death). Confrontation or battle on this day will lead to injury or death.”
LM Notes: The Watchers
“This is a day when stable readiness and the qi of confidence blooms into activity. Youthful anxiety and ambition are replaced by personal strength and confidence. From this position all things look and are possible. Educated choices are easily acted upon. Others join you to enlarge the success of activity. The prince (yang) is mature, if inexperienced, but ready to act independently of his mother (yin). Pleasure is the outcome of disciplined practice. Yang qi’s previously renegade quality is matured, integrated and dominant.”
LM Notes: Level
