Hexagram 7, The Army [group, tribe, dojo, etc.]

The I Ching, as translated by James Legge, indicates that hexagram no. 7, Shi, which consists of the trigrams Kan and Kun is supposedly the primary hexagram for "The Army."

Legge speaks of the conduct of military expeditions for a feudal system, generally, is denoted by the hexagram "Shi." or in his exact interpretation, "Sze."

It explains what must exist for a war to be righteous, i.e. the manner of conducting it, especially at the outset. He stresses that the hexagram, to be successful, must provide for war to be "right and just." Anything less would indicate failure which entails many "bad" things to the kingdom, etc.

The various attributes required for a just war are also indicative of a Sensei or modern day warrior. Sensei as war must have one in charge who has experience, a leader of age, one who conducts actions with firmness and correctness. It expresses how important the leader-sensei must adhere to the rules which in my interpretation are the unwritten rules governing the style in practice-training, etc.

So, maybe in some fashion as I try to extrapolate from the meaning of the seventh hexagram on "the army" we can also learn to conduct martial expeditions into the realms of jutsu and karate-do.

To Expand:

Text: Shi (the army); to persist (in righteousness); (available with) a great leader; auspiciousness and no fault (or calamity).

Judgment remarks: Shi (the army), (signifying) a crowd of people. To persist, (signifying) to carry out the righteous course; in leading a crowd of people to carry out the righteous course, one can rule the world. Rigidity at the axle center has correlation, (and) moves in peril but smoothly (or with submissiveness). To use it to ravage the world, but the people will still follow; auspiciousness; what fault (or calamity) does it have?

The nuclear trigrams-hexagram may also shed light in this direction. The nuclear hexagram of the hexagram "Shi or Sze" is no. 24, "Fu." This one is comprised of an upper trigram of K'un-earth and a lower trigram of "Chen- thunder."

To Expand:

Text: Fu (to return), smooth progress. Coming in and going out without illness; friends are coming and (there will be) no calamity. Back to Fu is the rule, it returns in seven days; it is instrumental in going somewhere.

Judgment remarks: Fu (to return) and smooth progress; rigidity returns, moves and then proceeds smoothly; therefore coming in and going out without illness; friends are coming and (there will be) no calamity. Back to Fu is the rule; it returns in seven days the way that heaven performs. It is instrumental in going somewhere; rigidity is growing. Fu, it displays the intention of sky and earth!

This seems to fit for to read this openly with out restriction you can see that this particular hexagram supports the hexagram Shi with smooth progress, etc. This hexagram seism to indicate auspiciousness due to the benevolence of the person put in charge which in the practice-training hall is Sensei or in the Army, the General.

To Expand; Cleary, Thomas. "The Taoist Classics." Boston Mass; Shambala Publications, inc. 1989:

7. The Army

Using the primordial to repel conditioning, using the real to get rid of the false.

The "Army" is a group [tribe, dojo, etc.]. One person [man, person, sensei, etc.] leading a group [tribe, dojo, etc.].

Yang to rid of yin; repelling yin is to get rid of wrong by means of right, to destroy falsehood by truth, like righteousness in the leader [man, person, sensei, etc.] of an Army [tribe, dojo, etc.].

Qualities of an Army General [man, person, sensei, etc.]:
Firmness and Flexibility; humanity and justice; command of authority and ability to change [to be effective: in army, dojo, as sensei, etc.].

The path of direction: strive to burn away all the pollution of acquired conditioning … not let the slightest flaw remain in the heart … re-experience original completeness …

Progress is according to the proper order and act in accord with the appropriate method [careful in the beginning, victorious in the end]. Be sincere and single-minded, with out fragmentation.

Flexible receptivity in balance, one opens the mind and manages oneself, responding appropriately to whatever comes, causing external influences to dissolve of themselves.

To Expand; Wilhelm, Helmut. The I Ching.

It requires a strong man who captures the hearts of the people and awakens their enthusiasm. [sensei must capture the hearts, wholeheartedly, of the deshi to awaken them to the possibilities and keep their enthusiasms awake and electrified]

When danger threatens, every peasant becomes a soldier; when the war ends, he goes back to his plow. [instill on deshi that the FMA is one used for civil defense against violent persons so by taking this FMA they must understand its purpose so that when the time comes they lay down their civilian cloak and don one of the karate-ka who defends within the civil laws of the group/tribe/dojo, etc.]

In the face of a superior enemy, with whom it would be hopeless to engage in battle, an orderly retreat is the only correct procedure, because it will save the army from defeat and disintegration. It is by no means a sign of courage or strength to insist upon engaging in a hopeless struggle regardless of circumstances. [much missed by sensei where one is taught to attack a true karate-ka learns that this is wrong. It must be instilled that the first line of defense is "retreat." Run away if you can as there is no dishonor of living to see the light of the next day so you can properly apply your skills again. It takes true courage and strength to know and understand when to run and when to protect. If the situation is hopeless then don't fight. The most famous air-to-air combat pilot once told his emperor that the reason he was so successful is that he recognized when he would not win so he "ran."]

Energetic combat and punishment are here thoroughly justified, but they must not degenerate into a wild melee in which everyone fends for himself. [Is it truly defense or is it a fight. One is honorable and defend-able the other is prosecutorial activity.]