Twelve Primary Hexagrams

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Twelve out of the sixty-four hexagrams are representative of the full cycle of Yang and Yin. There are six yang hexagrams in the twelve with six yin hexagrams.

Yang: 24, 19, 11, 34, 43, 1
Yin: 44, 33, 12, 20, 23, 2

You will find that all the sixty-four hexagrams are summed up in these twelve hexagrams. Lets discuss the first Yang for a moment to see the patterns. Hexagram 24 is composed of one yang line, i.e. solid, and five yin lines, broken. The first line is the yang line and is called the "first yang advances." All the hexagrams with a yang in the first places, i.e. 1st line, are there in, etc.

When you go to hexagram nineteen you get two yang lines in position of line one and two. The second line is the "second yang advances" and all hexagrams with a yang in the second place are therein, etc. this continues up to the fifth line but when it comes for the sixth then it reverses, i.e. first line is yin with the five lines above yang, thus "first yin advances."

The yang or yin, depending on the hexagram, moves from the fist place upward so even tho the first and second are yang lines the hexagram 11 with the third line now yang is called "third yang advances," which means line one and two although yang are not advancing, only that third line in that third yang hexagram is advancing.

An advancing line has the significance in reading the hexagram. How exactly is still being researched by me and to date have found no answer but may be tied to the six lines as to which is in a particular position, i.e. third here, or its condition in the reading or the time of the reading or whether the line is holding together the lines above, below, etc. It may be that the line references a body part or "heaven, earth, and man."

The hexagram meaning is extracted according to whom is divining and for who they are divining, the time, place, disposition of both parties and the questions asked. It determines the individual lines in specific places, their order, there relations to other lines and finally the relation between the lines and the two trigrams of which the hexagram is composed.

Example: The third line advances may have something to do with an "inner reason." It might deal with some intellectual activity which equates to the psychological state of the person in receipt of the reading. It might reference that persons "patience" in some endeavor. It also might refer to some social situation where the person would be advised to remain "independent" in actions, etc.

In the practice of FMA it could be advice on handling the area of the body referenced by the third line because of its advancement, i.e. loins, which could deal with the lower support of the hara, or center located just below the naval, while partnering with the fourth line which is the trunk of the body. Remember the association of the third line is also adjacent to the "calves" which leads to the bodies foundation or support to the Earth. Many paths, many strings, all attached on one form or the other depending on variables of the reading.

Don't forget to take notice that both hexagrams for Heaven and Earth are present in the twelve primary hexagrams. None of the hexagrams are with out the influences of both and this, as seen in the ken-po goku-i, is significant in all life activities to include practice of the FMA.