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Hexagram 29 deals with meeting with Obstruction and Entrapment. Confidence and mental stability help one to overcome the difficulty.
In business, Hexagram 29 means:
Ambush
Entrapment
Risk
In romance or marriage, Hexagram 29 means:
Lust, Anger, Greed
Jealousy, Danger, Betrayal
Spiritually it says of a person:
The mind is uncontrolled.
The person is quick to anger.
Most problems in this person's life are self-created.
Spiritual achievement is lacking.
The person faces important life decisions and problems
that should be overcome.
The person does not take responsibility for his
emotions and states of mind.
The person is likely to blame others for his problems.
The Chinese Dark Lord of the North - Xuan Wu
The Dark Lord of the North or Xuan Wu Da Di is a deity that comes from the pre- history of shamanic times (c. 6000 BC). In relatively modern Chinese prehistory (c. 1200 BC) the Dark Lord has become the human figure of a warrior with wild, unruly black hair, dressed in the primitive clothing of the tribal peoples of Neolithic times. He is powerful and strong deity capable of powerful punishments and redemptive deliverance. He is frequently depicted as the black tortoise who rules over the direction North in Chinese cosmology . He is called " Xuan" for the color black and " Wu" meaning "tortoise.
Prehistory: The Snake and the Tortoise
The Dark Lord speaks to a more ancient myth, that of the snake and the tortoise, in religious prehistory. Very ancient drawings of a black snake and tortoise together symbolize the Dark Lord. These reptilian creatures, the snake and tortoise, were probably themselves worshipped or were powerful medicine to help in overcoming one's enemies. From Shang times onward, the flag bearing this symbol was part of the king's color guard. In Neolithic prehistory the tortoise - also known as the somber warrior- and snake together are the symbols or totems of a powerful shaman who fights evil against the demons of the Invisible World. (Above, 3rd Century BC drawing of the black turtle and the snake, colorized. According to ancient tradition, the black tortoise is yin; the snake, yang.)
This shaman, among some tribes was called the "black shaman." This shaman would be a great warrior, menacing and powerful, with the ability to slay enemies by raining down catastrophe upon them. The specialty of the black shaman was exorcism and he often fought battles with the demons of the Lord of Death. (Left, probably the most ancient known inscription of this symbol)
The turtle and snake together are also symbols of the seven stars of the North, called the Xuan Wu Constellation.
The Dark Lord In Chinese Mythology
talisman of the sacred north
Xuan Wu, also called "Zhuanxu" was said to have been born during the period of the Yellow Emperor. He was a crown prince in the country of Jing Le. Like Buddha he refused to made a king and left worldly life to study religion. Xuan Wu thereafter devoted his life to the study of Taoism and eventually became an Immortal. The Jade Emperor, one of the Supreme Deities, then made him lord over the northern heavens because Xuan Wu was the only deity strong enough to deal with dark powers inherent in the primal direction of the North. Talismans such as the one above originally were for warding off evil spirits. Later the talisman became a method for achieving ecstatic union with the deity.
This deity, The Dark Lord, was especially worshipped in northern China during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368 BC). The mountain Wu Dan, which is named for him, is his sacred place. At the peak of the mountain at Tian Zhu Peak stands the Golden Temple built in honor of him during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD). The Golden Temple still stands there today and is a place of pilgrimage for his followers. Fittingly for Western movie enthusiasts, The Golden Child sits to the right of the Dark Lord as he grants audiences on his throne in the northern heavens. The epic film of the Manchu warrior-woman, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, takes place at the monastery of the Dark Lord on Wu Dan Mountain.
The Dark Warrior is often shown with long, wild hair and dressed in primitive, tribal clothing. This manner of dress symbolizes his wild, atavistic and dark, powerful nature. He is a strong martial deity who has sworn to kill all the evil spirits in the world. The Dark Lord of the North is often the chosen deity of those who study the martial arts and war.
(above, Chinese cave drawing)
In I Ching cosmology, in the transition from Primal arrangement to Later heaven , Kan, Water, interacts with Li, Fire, to create the realm of later heaven or the earthly realm.
Danger and the Way of Dealing With Danger
The hexagram itself represents danger because the yang lines are enclosed by two yin lines, like an abyss ( see Hexagram 29, left). The hexagram also represents the way to deal with danger:
First, know that the danger is external to your true self. Second, your true nature will not be affected even by great suffering because the danger is external to your spiritual essence. All great spiritual beings have experienced great suffering in their lives. Indeed, suffering is necessary if one is to penetrate to real meaning of life. Take heart in the time of danger!
(left, Immortal crossing Lake Dong Ting, date unknown)
In dealing with danger one should imitate the element of water which the hexagram represents: This teaching below is taken from The Book of Changes and the Unchanging Truth by Hua-ching Ni.
Be content with a "low" position. Like Water, by remaining low, one may be safe and free from competition.
Remain profound. A profound mind is as quiet as the deep ocean. Therefore, it is undisturbed by the waves on the surface.
Give generously. Water constantly gives without asking to be repaid.
Speak faithfully. The flow of Water is always faithfully towards the sea.
Be gentle. Water moves with gentleness, it can overcome even the hardest obstacle under Heaven.
Work capably and be adaptable. Water can fit what is square or what is round. It keeps its true nature in any container or circumstance.
Take action opportunely. Water freezes in Winter and melts in Spring. Its inflexibility in Winter is like death. Its softness in the Spring generates new life.
Never fight. Water does not fight for itself, thus is beyond blame.
The Male Tally
"Brazen and haughty arrogance is what is meant by the male tally......." "In general men love to use the male tally, this is what is meant by 'obstructing life.' If a great man uses it he will be destroyed; if a small man uses it, he will be lost. Holding on to it, you will not be at peace; using it to initiate affairs, [you will not succeed]' using it to seek, you will not gain; fighting with it, you will not] conquer. You yourself will not live long.....This is what is meant by the 'Inauspicious Tally." The Yellow Emperor from The Canon (Jing) Five Lost Classics (c. 168 AD), translated by Robin S. Yates.
Manifestations of the Uncontrolled Mind
It is said that the danger of the uncontrolled mind creates our biggest dangers in life. What are the dangers of the uncontrolled mind? It is the mind that pursues its ends by killing, stealing, and lying. It is a mind that indulges its lower nature by feeling envious, jealous, or crippled with anger. Idleness, sexual excess, vanity and addictions are its characteristics.
The transformation of the mind begins with the strong wish to tame the wild horse of the mind. Most people will not see the inherent wisdom presented here: All change must itself begin in the mind with the strong wish to transform one's life.
All immortals and enlightened beings were also once human and did very bad things and for this they often experienced profound suffering. Yet they were able to gain control over their minds by constant perseverance. This control of our lower nature is the gateway to higher realizations.
Buddhist Method: Transforming Adverse Conditions into the Path By Means of Wisdom
Suffering, like Karma is Ultimately Empty of Inherent Existence
To transform adverse conditions by means of wisdom we recollect our wisdom understanding emptiness. Faced with any situation of suffering or difficulty, we remember that the three spheres we, who are experiencing the suffering, the experience of suffering itself, and the object or condition causing our suffering are empty of inherent existence. For example, if we fall ill and experience pain, we recollect that we ourselves, our pain, and the illness causing our pain, are all empty of inherent existence. We then focus single-pointedly on emptiness for as long as possible.
This practice will increase our wisdom and reduce our suffering and discouragement. Through further meditation eventually we will attain a direct realization of emptiness and thus completely eliminate the root of all suffering.
Adverse conditions are mere imputations by conceptual minds that label them adverse'; they do not exist inherently. When our understanding of this becomes firm, the difficulties we meet will no longer cause anxiety and frustration, or interrupt our practice of Dharma. For example, suppose there are two people who suffer from the same disease. One transforms the affliction into a positive spiritual practice, while the other does not. As a result of his positive attitude, the former will remain calm and cheerful all the time, even when in severe pain, and this may even help him to recover from his sickness; but the latter will only become depressed and anxious, and this attitude may worsen his condition. By considering examples such as this we will be greatly encouraged in our practice of transforming adverse conditions
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
I Ching Wisdom: Hexagram 42, line 3
Misfortune brings Increase
Good fortune is frequently hidden in misfortune. Put to use the benefits of misfortune by learning from it and thus the misfortune becomes a source of achievement instead of defeat. If you're going to experience misfortune, you might as well have something good to show for it, otherwise why go through it?
Hexagram 29 Also Means:
Those who are melancholy
Those who have sick hearts
Those with wild courage
Thieves who penetrate a secret place
The sign of blood and the color red
Water and ditches
Ambush
The bow and the wheel
- from the Shu Kua, discussion of the trigrams
Xuan Wu on Throne with 3-Dragons ( 12")
Lord Xuan Wu (also called The Dark Lord of the North or The Lord of True Martiality) is one of the most widely revered Chinese deities, ranking in popularity behind only Guan Yin and Kwan Kung. The God is always depicted holding a magical sword, which he borrowed from one of the 8-Immortals named Lu Dong-Pin. Legend says that He borrowed the magical sword to beat off a powerful devil, and after he was successful, he refused to return the sword back to Lu Dong-Pin. If his palm opens, then his sword will automatically fly back to Lu Dong-Pin. Therefore he always hold this sword tightly. Lord Xuan Wu is also always depicted with a tortoise and a snake, beneath his feet. He is revered as a powerful God, able to control the elements (worshipped by those wishing to avoid fires), and capable of great magic. He is particularly revered by martial artists, and is the 'patron saint' of Wudang Mountain in China's Hubei Province, where he allegedly attained immortality. |
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