I Ching Perspective

This perspective is a group of quotes with my comments in [comments]. This collage of quotes provided me with a bit more insight into the inner workings of the book of changes so thought those who read this post would like them as well …

The reason for this is the information will assist the practitioner of Isshinryu in pursuit to the understanding Bushi Tatsuo Sensei wished his students to tackle as a part of their potential in Isshinryu and in Life.

"The most general statement of the I Ching's perspective seems to be that it categorizes situations according to the exiting flows of influence."

[Since the great tai chi is the dual flow of energy, positive and not-positive, then all those influences we encounter be they of yang or yin origin will due to the theory of connectivity, string theory, influence one another. I look at this as a butterfly effect where the occurrence of one thing over here affects another thing over there. Even seeking the wisdom of the book of changes affects its outcome along with the seeker and the seekers environment. Both of which are influenced by the time of day, the day, the week, the month, the season, and even the year. As each moment becomes present then just as quickly becomes past it has an effect on the outcome of the wisdom that is the I Ching.]

"If I seek to influence a situation, I am trying to a act in a yang capacity, and to make the world yin to my intention."

[When we enter into combative situations are we not physically (yang) trying to influence the yang of an opponent turning it into a yin opponent allowing us to achieve a yin to my intent to dominate and achieve victory?]

"The yang aspect is normally described as active, intentional, creative, dynamic, etc., as well as light and strong. The yin aspect is identified with receptivity and acceptivity, as well as dark and weak."

[Uke is yin in nature; Tori is yang in nature. One is trying to achieve yang over the other yin nature to the exercise so that if required both can achieve to create a yin out of a yang situation where ultimately both are removed from the danger involved. Uke receives ergo yin while tori gives ergo yang, is this the way of the open hand in training?]

" Badness is the result of inappropriateness - being yin when the situation calls for a yang response, or yang when the times call for yin response."

[Why the training must incorporate both the hard and soft so we can feel it physically and transfer that to the mind/brain to train our spirits, bodies, and most importantly minds to accept the duality of life and seek to achieve a balance or equilibrium.]

"As the I Ching makes clear, the yin side is not passive like a lump of clay waiting to be molded. It is rather like the earth that nourishes the seed without being concerned with what the seed may become."

[Keeping with the symbol of the great tai chi there is always a seed of one or the other within the whole of one or the other. Yang has a seed of yin and Yin has a seed of yang. We train and practice to achieve a state that is both yang and yin allowing us to shift and adjust accordingly. No defense or action or intent can be totally a yang or yin thing ergo why we try to achieve a state of "positive relaxation" in all we do.]

"It is not passivity, but is non-goal-directed. It is, instead, responsive to the immediacy of the moment and to its necessities."

"Movement is not the criterion, purpose is more like it. Or, perhaps time-binding is a better characteristic. If I move without thought for the future, I am simply responding to the moment - a yin response. If I seek a goal, then the seeking is yang."

[Are you seeking a goal when attacked violently. A violent attack is extreme yang and your being on the receiving end is extreme yin to the point of being frozen. The only way to relieve that yin position is to explode into a yang response. Most difficult even with the best of training. My thought is to create such an extreme yang toward the art of avoidance that the extreme yang of a violent attack is not possible. Yet, prepare for that one moment in time when you slip and enter a violent moment.]

"The source of a flow is, therefore, yang. The target of the flow is yin to the degree that it simply responds in the moment."

[Become yin and allow the flow of Tao enter creating that swirling flow of energy that consists of yin and yang energy creating a balance of energy. Is this possible?]

"We recognize that all flows are always bidirectional."

[Attack-Counterattack; hard-soft; strike-block. All things that are life come from that singular source called Tao and separate into its dualistic form where it becomes Yang-Yin. As symbolized this is a constant flux of change flowing from one extreme to the other and back again until it finds its equilibrium.]

"It is the flow of influence from them to me that allows me to create a flow of influence from me to them."

[As stated by someone famous, for every action there is an opposite and equal re-action, or something like that. It is the way of the myriad things. It is Heaven and Earth creating Mankind.]

"It may be that problems persist primarily because we usually notice only half the flows, and that, by looking for the hidden flows, we find a wholly new, and more complete, perspective."

Bibliography:
Pease, Marshall. The Aquarian I Ching. Brotherhood of Life, inc. Albuquerque, NM. 1993.