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/aka Auspices Listed: Yearly, Monthly, Lunar then 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
EARTH is the native element of the Dog Earthly Branch. Earth Dogs are modest, funny and independent characters. They are light-hearted and generous, often quitting difficult situations and avoiding confrontations. A short temper is hidden behind their joking. Strong idealistic aspirations fill their youth and soften as the hardships of life close in. They do not express their feelings or thoughts easily. They are prone to qi stagnation and poor circulation.
LM Notes: Earth Dog
Qi Node: 17 Cold Dew
Yin Collects Yang
"In the Cold Dew qi node autumn inclines toward winter. The door of the storehouse is closed; the harvest has been tallied. It is a time of descending temperatures (especially in the early mornings) that mark the growing strength of the annual Yin qi. The mornings show dew or frost. If snow falls, it suddenly melts. Yang drains downward and in. Quiet becomes silence.
As the autumn peaks and descends into winter, natural activity appears to subside. In fact, all activity withdraws inward. The northwest wind (qi) arises carrying the cold and the season of autumn peaks and declines towards winter. In the south winter crops are planted and in the north the fall harvest is stored away. Leaves fall from the trees. Our healthy bodies continue to crystallize their fluids for winter and the environmental qi supports the process. Light moisture (yin) in the system, used to guard against the summer heat, now crystallizes and concentrates. This fluid transformation, parallel to the descent of frost, indicates a 'slowing' of the heart. In this period we should garner resources (eat heartily), conserve qi (guard Heart) and routinize qi (strengthen Kidney qi).
During this period then environmental qi is best at 7pm. Neigong is practiced inside where it it warm - but do not sweat. Your behavior in the early morning and evening should be ritual or routine. Slow down and it is easy to stay healthy at this time of year! It is not yet time to tonify yang - remember that yang tonics are called 'dangerous' and yin tonics are not. Applying yang when it is not needed or in excessive doses can impair your health."
LM The Way of Three Treasures
“History has recorded many failed revolutions. Bad timing or inappropriate (selfish) motive has undermined many attempts to restructure the powers that be. If you wish to revolt, do not be blinded by idealism, choose the time wisely, be just, and of impeccable virtue. Remember that leadership and eminence are matters of fate."
LM Changing: Zhouyi 23 BoHexagram 41 Sun: Diminish
Solar Indicator: Destroy
“Sun is about how sacrifice brings good fortune. It is also about the enlightened management of diminished resources and the transformation of reduced circumstances into an advantage. Sun is about attracting new resources into your life by eliminating inessentials. It is a time when recycling the trappings of success allows you to stay in power. It is when less is more.”
LM Changing: Zhouyi 41 Sun"To consult a physician and consult oracles (divination of all kinds) will bring clarity. It is a good day for industry (labor/gardening = long term wealth), building (restores clarity) and burying the dead (enhance intuition). It is inauspicious to take anything for granted. It is inauspicious for revolution, confrontation, breaking taboos, neglecting responsibilities or travel (someone at home dies/gets sick)."
LM Notes: The Net
“The successful prince as warrior must now lose his youthful ambitions and develop into a proper king….Today calculated loss (cancellation) succeeds”
LM Notes: Destroy
"Things are auspicious for the underdog, but early success collapses. The situation is touch and go. Things can end up okay if some sacrifices are made."
LM Changing: Zhouyi 54 GuimeiSolar Indicator: Danger
"You must be patient and appropriate in your progress, but do not procrastinate. The auspice is for forward action."
LM Changing: Zhouyi 19 Lin"It bodes well to follow superiors, practice austerity and/or pool resources with others. It is a good day to sincerely comply with divination and maintain taboos meticulously.
"It is inauspicious to push forward, be industrious or initiate new ventures. Revolution or demanding idealistic justice on this day will be catastrophic."
LM Notes: The Beak
“To roust hypocrisy in his new alliances the leader must bait his hidden enemies (yin) by showing vulnerability. This day is a qi expression of true power but all the action is fraught with danger and risk. The games of political power are also the precursors of decline. The power plays show yin to be drawing life from the heart of yang. Success is limited now to a kind of survival. Manipulation and covert action succeed. Elegance becomes the mask of cleverness and intrigue. Doing only what needs to be done is best. Old habits or patterns of pressing forward will invite catastrophe. Beware grudges.”
LM Notes: Danger
WEDNESDAY, October 13, Yang Wood Horse 8
Lunar Mansion: The Trio / Gibbon
Solar Indicator: Complete
“It is favorable to go forward in concert with others after reflection and alliance is established."
LM Changing: Zhouyi 13 Tong Ren"It bodes well to dispose of inessentials (haircuts), edit, fast, study (Classics), take exams, enter retreat and practice meditation. It is good to be industrious close to home (house clean). Initiating business (particularly group enterprise) will be fruitful if planning has been thorough.
"It is inauspicious to push forward aggressively. Do not get married, finalize divorce, bury the dead (it will create family dissent), spend savings or speculate financially as these all lead to losing resources and cooperation."
LM Notes: The Trio
“It is a day for resting on your laurels. Success is established and secured and the new state seems to govern itself. Enemies are few. It is a time for inward reflection (yin) on the bare face of reality (yang). Struggle (yang) is no longer possible or necessary (yin). Decline is not feared and success not celebrated. Wisdom approaches and withdrawing succeeds. Art is the demonstration of confidence, dignity and wisdom - be artful. No more accumulating - decorate with modesty. The way of perfecting power is austerity and restraint. Do less, have less, show less and seek nothing. Enjoy what is already manifest.”
LM Notes: Complete
THURSDAY, October 14, Yin Wood Goat 9
Lunar Mansion: The Well / Tapir
Solar Indicator: Harvest
"It is a favorable time for dramatic reform and revolution - night becoming day. If you are ready to accept serious change and ready to let go of the past, everything is favorable. If you fear change, Ge donates the painful torment of unsuccessful resistance.”
LM Changing: Zhouyi 49 Ge
“It is auspicious to build, remodel, do fengshui adjustments, take exams, and maintain routine industry. The earth can be dug (gardening = wealth) and it is a good day to donate, buy or sell (investment) real estate. Community or charity projects will flourish. It is favorable for apologies. It is favorable for medical treatments (particularly for initiating a series of treatments for a chronic condition).
“It is not auspicious to postpone needed repairs, apologies or difficult tasks. It is not good for funerals or burials of those who died by suicide, violence or sudden illness because others will soon follow.”
LM Notes: The Well
“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 Mansion: The Ghost / Sheep
Solar Indicator: Open
“Though things seem bright, one cannot rely on the brightness to last for a long time. Seize the moment. No battle is won without sacrifices on both sides."
LM Changing: Zhouyi 30 Li“It is especially auspicious for funeral/burial (resolution of fate). It is also good to make gifts/donations to temples and offerings to the divinities, spiritual guardians and make memorials for the dead (ancestors/lineage). It is advantageous for entering retreat, meditation, fasting, spiritual initiation, ordination and ‘crossing over’ into transitory states.
“It is not auspicious for worldly industry of any kind. It is a bad day to go to war (many casualties) or get married (husband will die early). One should avoid the wilderness (possession/illness will result).”
LM Notes: The Ghost
“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 Willow / Roebuck
"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“It is especially auspicious for seclusion and the composing of memorials. It is favorable to make offerings and practice divination. It is fruitful on this day to fast, enter retreat, practice meditation and receive spiritual initiation and/or ordination (lineage). It is ideal for funerals / burials and the complete resolution of the unsettled dead (exorcism).
“It is not auspicious for marriage. Do not indulge in lawsuits (as it will ruin 3 generations).”
LM Notes: The Willow
“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
SUNDAY, October 17, Yang Earth Dog 12
“Think powerful, but gentle succeeds...It is auspicious for building and routine work (you will meet / hobnob with the powerful). Good auspice is directly related to continuity, convention and not innovation.
“It is not auspicious for funerals/burials or marriages (rape, divorce). It is a dangerous day for travel and/or medical treatments.”
LM Notes: The Birdstar
“It is an excellent day to recover wisdom by stepping back, planning, recalling alliances and reassessing our position.”
LM Notes: Design
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