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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 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
QI NODE: 23 Little Cold
Yin Declines
“In the Little Cold qi node yin inclines gracefully toward its demise. The ground may freeze and thaw and freeze again. The sheer weight of Yin compresses yang but it does not succumb. It may be too cold to snow. Retreat is natural gesture. The ice is cracking but it is hard to notice the change. Yang is imagining its recovery. The qi is best at 1 am! If your bed points East and you sleep on your right side - you face north all night. You should be dreaming in such a way that you are reinventing yourself down to the very depths of your being. This qi node is the inherent birth found in every death. The impulse of immortality played out in the myriad ephemeral phenomena.
You may wake from a dream cured of a chronic condition. You may wake from a dream remembering your true nature. Do neigong while asleep!”
LM The Way of Three Treasures
LUNAR HEXAGRAM: 46 Sheng: Ascending
"Since Sheng is about ascending naturally, the auspices stay favorable if you are receptive and subordinate. Your talents are recognized and they suit the times. Steady gradual progress is indicated."
LM Changing: Zhouyi 46 ShengHexagram 48 Jing: The Well
Solar Indicator: Maintain
"Jing is about the natural reciprocity in the human relationship to nature. The Zhouyi says that the unevenness of nature (well) mirrors the unevenness of our conduct. If we act inappropriately we ruin our resources (dry well). In the Zhouyi nature is not an almighty god that stands in judgement of us, meting out punishment for our wrongs. Nature is a dialog. ”
LM Changing: Zhouyi 48 Jing“It is auspicious to comply with superiors, make offerings to the ancestors, move home and/or immigrate. Only routine work may avoid negativity. Contraindicated activity: If you start a lawsuit (making your case) you will lose everything (imprisonment). If you construct a building, get married or bury the dead, disaster follows. Everything sold today will be at a loss to the seller. Pushing forward (forcing progress) on this day will have three times the negative result of other days.”
LM Notes: The Heart
“Spontaneous action and inspiration (yang) become the new tradition (yin). Qi assertion (yang) is repeated again and again to hold and harden gains (yin). Establishing a new state is the focus. The qi of practice and the drilling of troops is awesome. Allies appear from all quarters. True majesty succeeds without pressing forward. Today success breeds more success and everyone may be included in the new victories. Generosity is a prophylactic to decline - giving is a sign of strength and cements alliances. It is the sun at noon.”
LM Notes: Maintain
Lunar Mansion: The Tail / Tiger
Solar Indicator: Destroy
"Gu indicates that life is a continuous flow, not just an individual personal experience. Success is not simply a matter of personal control. Unseen environmental forces do affect us."
LM Changing: Zhouyi 18 Gu
“It is auspicious to start a building (brings prosperity), get married (brings fertility), bury the dead (resolves karma) and educate the young (secure longevity) on this day. It is a good time to move house (into a city). These actions today cause a person or family and all their projects to flourish. On this day investments increase in value. It is ideal to give or receive (spend) inheritances. Enjoying the arts is appropriate. Lost treasures can be found on this day. It is ideal for self-cultivation, meditation and enjoyment. It is a time of recognizing and acknowledging achievement with rewards. Evening is less auspicious.”
LM Notes: The Tail
“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
Lunar Mansion: The Basket / Leopard
Solar Indicator: Danger
"Since Sheng is about ascending naturally, the auspices stay favorable if you are receptive and subordinate. Your talents are recognized and they suit the times. Steady gradual progress is indicated."
LM Changing: Zhouyi 46 Sheng
"It is auspicious to marry, work hard, purchase, build and remodel (new door = new resources) on this day. It is auspicious to continue your routine work, review and reinvest. Acquiring wealth (work, invest and collecting debts) is highlighted. Good for burials, memorials and funerals (rain of blessings from the ancestors). Contraindicated activity: Laziness, gossip and slander."
LM Notes: The Basket
“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
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QI NODE: 24 Great Cold
Malignant Yin
"The Great Cold qi node is Big Yin's last stand for the year - 'Cold rolls up into Heaven'. The fact is Yin power is nearly exhausted. It is the systole of yin/yang transformation - a pause and stillness before the stirring of spring and the return of Yang. It is time to remain withdrawn and silent. Cold and Damp unite and ride the Wind. The Cold is ghostly and hollow but still dangerous and penetrating.
"During this qi node Great Cold qi is best at 2 am. One should practice neigong in the evening before bed and just before dawn facing the northeast. Do not exert yourself, but let the yang qi stir - feel warm. During the day eat two small meals. Is is still the dead of winter so do not abandon the conservation of your yang qi. Rest often and throughout the day and work indoors. Do not think too much.
"During this time the Great Yin of winter is fallen - a cold Damp (pernicious qi) spreads, along the ground. Go to bed early and avoid the cold night winds that harm the lungs. Your genetic predisposition for illness and death (ghosts) are on the surface (abroad) and can be adjusted, cleared or subdued. Heavy phlegm and cold diarrhea that do not respond to treatment are dangerous signs of possession. Stay warm. Stimulating massage is okay but should not stir up yang. Warm baths and brushing the skin red are good.
"The groundless feeling of depression, fear and 'just surviving' are common symptoms of malignant yin. The unsettled dead cause outbursts of emotion (possession/fear) that hurt the Lungs and Colon - try to stay calm, but not lethargic. Strange and/or profound dreams are good signs of the transformation and resolution of ghosts."
LM The Way of Three Treasures
Hexagram 6 Song: Disputing
Lunar Mansion: The Ladle / Griffon
Solar Indicator: Complete
"When a situation lacks clarity it is best to retreat and wait for fortunes to change. Using litigation is a costly and risky way to succeed. If disputes are successfully resolved, caution is still required in handling the outcomes. Do not exert yourself in complicated or obstructed situations. Do not force things. It is favorable to self-reflect and to seek counsel.”
LM Changing: Zhouyi 6 Song
"It is a most auspicious day for Daoist religious rites, initiations and transmission of (esoteric) teachings. It is an auspicious day to start up a business and build a new building (home, temple). It is a safe day to dig foundations (wells, trenches) and get married. New opportunities (news) abound - taking exams and routine work bring great success/reward on this day. It is an auspicious day to bury the dead - they will rest peacefully and benefit the surviving relatives.”
"Contraindicated activity: Hypocrisy, irreverence, breaking taboos and sloth."
LM Notes: The Ladle
“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
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“Unfavorable for planning or forward progress. Expect to be frustrated but make small gains. It is a good time to seek counsel from those with expertise and wisdom...Try a little self-reflection and humility."
LM Changing: Zhouyi 38 KuiHexagram 47 Kun: Beset
Lunar Mansion: The Oxboy / Ox
Solar Indicator: Harvest
"The situation is harsh, fated and seemingly irreversible. When Kun is divined efforts to escape often lead to the worsening of circumstances. Diving Kun is inauspicious in all cases...Time will tell whether enduring such hardship and pain will make you a stronger person. The good news is, the pain will pass.”
LM Changing: Zhouyi 47 Kun
“It is auspicious to stay home, guard resources, meditate and focus. It is auspicious to initiate austerity, enter retreat, recover and economize.”
LM Notes: The Oxboy
"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
Hexagram 64 Weiji: Not Yet Across
Lunar Mansion: The Maiden / Bat
Solar Indicator: Open
"Expect to be unfulfilled at first and then later satisfied. The old has not quite turned into the new...Good for waiting and preparation, education and growth. Bad for pressing forward, conflict, lawsuits, examinations, and travel."
LM Changing: Zhouyi 64 Weiji
“It is auspicious to stay home, enjoy the arts, self-reflect, do inner planning and practice austerity (meditation, fasting and rest). It is beneficial to guard your health and conserve your qi. It is favorable to support others. Building may be safe but not profitable.”
“It is not auspicious to take risks, medical treatments, bury the dead (cause epidemics, bowel disorders). To initiate industry (dig earth) and production on this day invites calamity.”
LM Notes: The Maiden
“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
Hexagram 40 Jie: Release
Lunar Mansion: The Void / Rat
Solar Indicator: Shut
“...Nowhere to go means you have no particular goal or purpose because the freedom to choose is new. You can let things come and go, that is just let them open up by themselves. After every period of restraint there is a release (southwest). Inhibition naturally thaws like ice in the spring.”
LM Changing: Zhouyi 40 Jie
“It is auspicious to stay home, strengthen family ties and protect your children. Sleep and rest are recommended (be cautioned by your dreams).”
“On this day it is not auspicious to marry (your children will be delinquent or handicapped), bury the dead or make offerings to ancestors (ghosts/dead will become demonic - causing illnesses for 3 years!). Extra-marital affairs begun on this day will eventually ruin your family, reputation and health. Medical treatments today can cause injury and expose constitutional weakness.”
LM Notes: The Void
“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
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