8 Trigrams Of The Yi Jing!
Which One Are You?
by P.K. Odle, The Feng Shui Advantage
Are you tired of practicing the "Goldie Locks" method of locating your best sleeping direction? That's what I call it when you keep moving your bed position until you find a direction where you can sleep? Or have you tried to figure out why your infant turns to a certain direction during the night? It's because your infant will naturally turn the top of their head toward the direction that is most restful for them, because they haven't been taught to be concerned with the shape of the bed. They are actually turning toward the direction of their personal trigram from the Yi Jing (old spelling was I Ching). So to sleep like a baby, you want the head of your bed toward a wall in one of your supportive directions.
Each trigram of the Yi Jing corresponds to a direction , a number, a symbology, an element (including the colors that represent that element), a familial relationship, parts of the body and illnesses related to those body parts. When you position eight trigrams in their corresponding directions in a tic-tac-toe shaped grid with the South direction at the top, they make a magic square. A magic square is mathematical grid that results in the same sum when you add the numbers in each square in any direction. For instance the magic square used in Feng Shui has 5 in the center, which added to two of the opposing trigram numbers results in the number 15. Since this magic square has eight outer boxes it is often called a BaGua Map, because BaGua in Chinese simply means eight portions or sides. There is nothing really magical about this grid or any other part of Feng Shui.
The eight trigrams are split into East group trigrams and West group trigrams. The supportive directions for East group trigrams are the sabotaging directions for the West group trigrams. When an East group person marries a West group person they must compromise when it comes to their bed direction, because their supportive directions don't match. In this case, the house sitting direction (darker, heavier, private side) will determine which direction to point the head of the bed. One spouse will be supported by their house's sitting direction, so the bed would be positioned to support the other spouse. This way one is supported by the House and the other is supported by the bed.
Your best sleeping direction is the original or home direction of your personal trigram , which is determined by your gender and date of birth. Each trigram is related to a familial relationship, however that doesn't mean that if you are the trigram of the eldest daughter (which I am) that you will be the oldest or even a daughter. Your personality is related to the familial relationship of your trigram as it was represented in the ancient Chinese culture. Sometimes your personality reflects aspect of the symbology that is related to your trigram.
See if you can determine your personal trigram from the following descriptions of each of the eight trigrams.
QIAN trigram –
Northwest, 6, Heaven, Hard Metal (white, gray, gold, silver), Father (husband, head-of-household, owner, president, leader)... Head & Lungs (headaches, pulmonary diseases) QIAN people are natural born leaders and authority figures, however they can be headstrong. A client’s Qian grand-daughter has the other children in daycare following her lead, even though she isn't doing anything to cause it.
KUN trigram –
Southwest, 2, Earth, Soft Earth (yellow, brown, sand, clay), Mother (wife, female owner, older lady)… Abdomen, Stomach, Reproductive organs (digestive & reproductive disorders), KUN is the equivalent to Mother Earth. They are gracious caregivers and nurturers at heart. I have several Kun clients who are doctors, nurses and chefs. Sometimes they need a little push, just like when you plant something and you need to move the soil up around the plant to hold it is place.
ZHEN trigram –
East, 3, Thunder, Hard Wood (green), Eldest Son... Legs, Feet, Throat (hysteria, convulsions, leg/feet/throat problems), ZHEN relates to thunder, which is loud and moving. Zhen people like to be moving and would hate a job where they had to sit still for long. They are enthusiastic and can be loud like thunder at times.
XUN trigram –
Southeast, 4, Wind, Soft Wood (green), Eldest Daughter…
Hips, Thighs, Buttocks (colds, rheumatism, hip/thigh/buttock problems)
XUN is the eldest daughter who's marriage into a family in a nearby town would be arranged from the time of her birth. Knowing she would move like the wind, she would be restless and like variety. She would also love to travel, since when she married she would travel back and forth between her two families.
KAN trigram –
North, 1, Water, Water (blue, black), Middle Son (middle aged man)…
Ears, Blood, Kidneys (earache, blood or kidney ailments), KAN people are flexible, yet focused and determined like water. Water is soft, but the most powerful element one earth... since it can erode a mountain.
LI trigram –
South, 9, Fire, Fire (red, purple, burgundy, maroon), Middle Daughter (middle aged woman)… Eyes, Heart (eye & heart disease),
LI people are like the "Energizer Bunny." They keep going & going & going, sometimes until they burn themselves out. Most Li people only rest when they are ill. They are very passionate and can have a hot-temper that blows like a tea kettle.
GEN trigram –
Northeast, 8, Mountain, Hard Earth (yellow, brown, sand, clay), Youngest Son (youth / children in general)… Small Bones: Arms, Hands, Fingers, Spine (arthritis, broken bones), GEN relates to the mountain, which is hard earth. It takes forever for a mountain to age, so a Gen person is very youthful. Mountain are not easily moved so Gens are stable people, however they can be stubborn.
DUI trigram –
West, 7, Marsh, Soft Metal (white, gray, gold, silver), Youngest Daughter (young girls)… Mouth, Teeth, Chest (mouth & chest related diseases),
DUI is the youngest daughter who was the more artistic, sociable and talkative. Therefore, you won't find a Dui working as a librarian.
Are you interested in learning your Personal Trigram and your supportive vs. sabotaging directions? Well, for the first time even you have the opportunity to order your own ‘Lifetime Keys… Personal Feng Shui Report’ with all the step-by-step guidance you’ll need to identify and manage all of your 45° Trigram Directions and your deeper 15° Personal Feng Shui Directions anywhere in the world. For more information or to order yours today visit… Personal Directions
© 2003 P.K. Odle. All rights reserved.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
P.K. Odle is a celebrated classical Yi Jing Feng Shui consultant and the Executive Director of the world-renowned American Feng Shui Institute®, where she has taught since 1998. She created The Feng Shui Advantage's "Lifetime Keys Personal Directions Self-Mastery Toolbox." To learn more about using the ancient Chinese science of Yi Jing Feng Shui to improve your Health, Relationships and Finances... through 16 weeks of FREE TIPS subscribe to her award-winning eNewsletter, The Feng Shui Advantage MONTHLY, at http://www.FengShuiAdvantage.com. The next issue could change your life!
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