In the previous section we uncovered a pattern in the hexagram categorisations that extracts 5 hexagrams from each of the 8 octets of the I Ching other than that of Water where we extract 4 hexagrams. This gives us 39 hexagrams reflecting Sheng or Ko cycles and as such a definite sense of 'direction' in development.
In five phase theory in Chinese medicine, each of the phases (WOOD, FIRE, EARTH, METAL, WATER) is associated with a yin/yang pair of a Channel-Organ System (COS). e.g. Fire is linked to the heart-small intestine COS.
Disease is where an excess of deficiency occurs in one of more of these COSs. Thus an excess will 'attack' a deficiency along the Ko route. A reverse Ko reflects 'noise' going 'up' the line as well as down.
Each channel has five special points corresponding to each of the five phases and a Luo (passage) point. The Luo point allows for the transfer of energy between the organs of the COS. The other points allow for the transfer of energy between COSs through the Sheng or Ko cycles.
In the initial analysis of the relationship of hexagrams to the phases, excluding the 'reversals' in that they represent a lack in movement we have (using the bottom-to-top interpretations)::
WOOD : Sheng - 42, 51, 21, 57,
32, 50. Ko - 24, 27, 46, 18.
FIRE : Sheng - 36, 22, 30. Ko - 49, 13.
EARTH : Sheng - 15, 52, 31, 33, 02, 23, 45, 12. Ko - 39, 08.
METAL : Sheng - 05, 43, 01, 60, 58, 10. Ko - 09, 34, 61, 54.
WATER : Sheng - 29, 59, 40 Ko - 64.
The Sheng 'transfer' path follows strict orderings where the positive links are Yang-to-Yang OR Yin-to-Yin through the phases. Thus we can have something like:
Sheng Yang-Yang
|
FIRE |
EARTH |
METAL |
WATER |
WOOD |
|
30 |
52,33,23,12 |
01,10 |
59 |
42,21,57,50 |
Sheng Yin-Yin
|
FIRE |
EARTH |
METAL |
WATER |
WOOD |
|
36, 22 |
15,31,02,45 |
05,43,50,58 |
29,40 |
51,32 |
The Ko 'transfer' path follows strict orderings where the negative links are Yang-to-Yang OR Yin-to-Yin through the phases. Thus we have:
Ko Yang-Yang
|
FIRE |
METAL |
WOOD |
EARTH |
WATER |
|
13 |
34,54 |
18,27 |
39 |
64 |
Ko Yin-Yin
|
FIRE |
METAL |
WOOD |
EARTH |
WATER |
|
49 |
09,61 |
24,46 |
08 |
64 |
What all of this 'says' is that by deriving a hexagram, be it through 'random' processes or by questions, you can identify from the hexagram which cycle you are on (Sheng or Ko) and which PHASE you are in. Any of the other 25 hexagrams not listed above reflect static states rather than dynamic states, in other words, sheng or ko reversals.
Sheng Reversals (interpreted as 37, 55 produce 56, 35 but more so 56, 35 exhausts 37, 55 - loyalty exhausts family, as progress exhausts abundance. Family (37) exhausts a well (48) as diversity (55) exhausts sprouting (03).):
|
METAL |
EARTH |
FIRE |
WOOD |
WATER |
|
11, 26, 19, 41 |
56,35 |
37,55 |
03,48 |
47,06 |
Ko Reversals (e.g. 04,07 destroys 63 but 63 more so injures 04,07):
|
METAL |
FIRE |
WATER |
EARTH |
WOOD |
|
14, 38 |
63 |
04,07 |
53,62,20,16 |
17,25,28,44 |
We now repeat the exercise but using the top-to-bottom interpretations, or more so the ROTATION of hexagrams to derive temporal aspects:
(to be completed)....