The Concepts/Theories Of Ti And Yung

Ti and Yung are two terms that are fairly well known in Chinese metaphysics. As many other things involving metaphysics, Ti and Yung can only be considered a theory because trying to prove it in a factual way is not possible. Ti and Yung is known and considered to be a strong factor in Plum Blossom (Mei Hua) I Ching divination. Most refer to Ti as Object and Yung as Subject. Though this simplified categorization is acceptable, the true meaning of Ti and Yung runs much deeper. When it comes to the classification of Body/Spirit, some refer to the body as Ti and the Spirit as Yung.......where others say just the opposite. So it can become a little confusing. It is a bit like the Japanese Macrobiotic classification of Yin as 'expansion' and Yang as 'contraction ' where the Chinese for thousands of years have been saying the opposite. In my studies I have always given much more weight to the Chinese perspective and have always believed that George Ohsawa, the creator of modern macrobiotics was irresponsible in his yin/yang classifications, although I do believe that his dietary discoveries, though not perfect, are sound.

Ti and Yung are in everything great and small. It is in the motions of an ant to the motions of galaxies. It is also operating in the world of the senses in addition to the intangible world. There is the Ti and Yung of Heaven and of Earth. Many confuse Ti and Yung with Yin and Yang...but they are two different ideas. Ti is something that can be accessed or sensed through human perception where Yung cannot. In a person's life, the person themself is Ti and all the events that occur in their life is seen as Yung. It is not an easy concept to absorb. In terms of Qi (Chi), the interaction process is Yung and the entity it produces is Ti. Once you understand the Ti/Yung theories you can apply it to divination to enhance and give more meaning to the hexagrams, numbers, elements, etc. Many believe that Ti/Yung only applies to Plum Blossom divination, but this is not the case at all. It is applicable to Ba Zi (4 Pillars), Feng Shui, Zi Wei , Luo Shu (9 Ki), Stems/Branches, Wen Wang Ba Gua, or any other method.

Knowing the ideas and principles of Ti and Yung is one thing, but applying it as a part of your divination procedures is another. Unfortunately there isn't much written about it in detail and we must be content with what little we can find. At the present time I am not particularly inclined to write a great deal on it because of the complexities involved and for various other reasons we won't get into here. I do plan on posting a few charts in the very near future that will assist you in understanding Ti/Yung on a more intimate level.

Assigning Ti and Yung To Various Divination Methods

Ba Zi (Four Pillars) - The Day Master (Day Stem) is Ti and the rest of the stems and branches are Yung.

Luo Shu ( 9 Ki) - The center number in the natal chart is Ti and the remaining 8 numbers on the periphery are Yung.

Plum Blossom (Mei Hua) - The trigram of the present hexagram without the moving line is Ti and the remaining trigrams (Nuclear, Future) except the trigram in the future hexagram that is the same as the Ti is Yung.

Wen Wang Ba Gua - The line representing the subject is Ti and the rest of the lines are Yung.

Stems/Branches - When analyzing stems to branches, if the need arises to categorize Ti and Yung, you can assign the branches as Ti and the stems as Yung.

Comments Option Re-connected

I hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday season. The new year is approaching and though it is not the Solstice, Lunar New Year, or Li Chun, I would still nonetheless like to wish everyone a great Year in 2008. I have connected the Comments option again and am looking forward to corresponding with anyone who cares to leave a reply, opinion, suggestion or anything else they wish to discuss. I would hope that by now everyone knows that they can say whatever they care to express in their comments. I will post every reply unless it is ridiculously obscene. So again, feel free to express your views in any way you choose.........there are no formal rules here. So go ahead and Tell It Like It Is.

The Future Of Chinese Metaphysics by Eric Teoh

If you have never read a blog post before, I urge you to at least take a look at the article called The Future Of Chinese Metaphysics written by Eric Teoh who I consider a friend. Read it a few times closely. In my opinion this is a brilliant article. Thanks Eric. Click below :

http://ericklteoh.blogspot.com/

A Christmas Poem

This poem was written and given to me 20 years ago by a very good friend of mine.

Mr. Gable.......wherever you may be, I hope the cards are falling your way, the dogs are running box to wire, and the horses are treating you well.

*******************
Outside the wind is blowing
and the trees are full of snow,
the weatherman informs us
that it's 32 below.
But the kids are out there playing
and with frozen toes they grin,
when this you see
you must agree
It's Christmas time again.

***
The shopping malls are buzzing,
cash registers on tilt,
there are people blowing money
and spending without guilt.
I don't recall seeing such a sight
since I can't remember when,
"yes you do dear...same time last year"
It's Christmas time again.

***
And the red clothed dude with whiskers
has cloned himself ten-fold,
and been scattered 'cross the planet
wherever Santa can be sold.
And some they don't seem old enough
and some seem a bit too thin,
But there are no flaws in Santa Claus
It's Christmas time again.
***

The trees are shining brightly
and the carollers they sing,
and the families come together
with the presents that they bring.
And everywhere you hear these words,
"peace on earth........good will to men"
De ja vu, the jokes on you,
It's Christmas time again.

***
And for one day all is peaceful
and for one day all is bright,
and for one day the world is loving
from the morn all through the night.
But tomorrow won't be as wonderful
nor seem as free of sin,
And that's the way it's sure to stay,
till it's Christmas time again.

Experiencing Freedom

Freedom's just another word
for nothin' left to lose.
- Janice Joplin

As I awoke this morning I lay in bed pondering on the metaphysical side of things and wondered how free we truly are. We all seem to be bonded by knots so tight that our circulation is in jeopardy and we are either strangling ourselves or allowing others to strangle us. This certainly seems to be the case both collectively as a species and independently as individuals. As I lay there, I remembered the early days of my studies and what a long, long road it has been. I realized all the sacrifices I have made to obtain the metaphysical understanding I have always longed for. I certainly believe the sacrifices and trades were worth it, as my perception of things have dramatically changed and evolved. Things have not always been easy though. I have always hungered for various types of knowledge and this hunger ran extremely deep. I was/am insatiable in my searches and learning and I wonder if my hunger will ever be satisfied. I admit that I am a glutton for metaphysical knowledge. If an education was certain and static, things would be much easier. For example learning to become a doctor, lawyer, engineer, brain surgeon, or rocket scientist would be fairly easy because the education process is mechanical. Learning metaphysics however is a great deal intuitive and therefore the information is rarely static. That's one reason why hospitals, courtrooms, and laboratories can function or operate on computer techniques. Metaphysics has little use or value for computers. This may seem strange as I write this on a computer, but deep down I know that computers can give but a tiny glimpse of the realities of metaphysics. Sooner or later, if you haven't realized it already, you will start to see that computers are just a basic tool or instrument that has very little value in relation to divination.

I believe that the best way to penetrate the ancient and even modern ideas of astrology, divination, and other techniques is through freedom of thought and not computers, books, teachers, etc. If you remain in metaphysics long enough, there will come a time in your studies when you will realize that you have learned more in the first 6 months than you have in the last 10 years of your work. In other words, the more you study the less you seem to know. The reason is because in the very beginning of your studies your brain is a clean slate and whatever you take in is new and has not before been encountered. This gives you great confidence and even over-confidence. There is nothing to rebuttal what your mind accepts. This can be dangerous because you start to see yourself as having a power beyond the ordinary. Then...as your studies advance into years or decades you begin to absorb information from myriad sources and the information is not agreed upon because everyone has differing opinions. Then you have to battle the contradictions and this can be quite taxing I can assure you. As you try to grow in your studies you begin to see that all the 'experts' are giving you different information and you become totally confused and you start wondering if you should just give up and call it quits. This is called "growing pains" and every successful and accomplished diviner experiences it. You feel trapped because of the possibility that you have been going about it the wrong way for all those years. If you quit...you have wasted all that time, and if you go on....you will be wasting more time if you don't learn properly. You begin to lose faith in all the 'experts' you once believed were infallible. Many have suffered deep depression over this and other related issues, such as Richard Wilhelm to name just one. It is a bit like discovering after many years that your parents are not truly your parents.

I have learned that to overcome the situation you have to eventually believe in yourself. It isn't easy because we are all programed to believe that others know better and more than us...especially if they have a "master", "guru", or "teacher" title. This is the furthest thing from the truth and if you begin to put your faith and energy in others, you will simultaneously be taking faith and energy away from yourself. You strengthen them and weaken you.......and this is absolutely no good. There is nothing wrong with learning from someone at the early stages of your education, but you will eventually be forced to discover that you cannot stay at that level if you are to advance. You will soon discover that the ones you once thought were mighty dragons have turned into paper dolls. Persevere...don't despair, as this is your greatest opportunity. This is when you yourself can take matters into your own hands and create your own successes. Successes that are uniquely yours and not tainted by anyone else. It is something beyond description when you begin to make progress on your own without having to rely on masters, gurus, and other ignorant titles people bestow on themselves. You will then experience true freedom and every moment is a blissful adventure. Then you don't need masters talking to you because nature becomes your teacher and will speak to you any time, night or day, always giving you signs and assisting you along in your discoveries. This is the truest joy your heart can experience.

In The Zone

This is the third day of a mini-fast I have been on. Not a complete fast , just a short one with very little food. I didn't intend it, it just worked out that way. I feel physically weak but very much alert mentally. Have you ever heard sports athletes talking about "being in the zone', well that's what it feels like. It is the most incredible feeling, like you can sense every little thing that's going to happen...from the smallest seemingly unimportant situations to the largest and most crucial ones. My mind is extremely 'hazy' but super-sharp right now. I thought I would write a post and leave it on the blog regardless how it turns out. Many may not understand it or may think it makes no sense.......but if they read it a few times they may see something in it. Right now to me it makes all the sense in the world even if later on I don't even understand it myself. Fasting is greater than any drug in the world...beats alcohol hands down...and something all the money in the world can't buy. This is what Osho calls being aware and in the moment...this is bliss. Join me for a few moments on my journey won't you.

MONEY SUCKS !!! How's that for a starter. Money is the greatest controller of humankind and whoever doesn't believe that is probably not human. Pink Floyd wrote, "Money...it's a hit, don't give me that do-goody-good bullshit". Much can be said of those words. Neil Diamond states, " Money talks, but it can't sing and dance and it don't walk", then concludes that he would much rather be forever in blue jeans. Money is a funny thing. Religions have tried to tell us for eons that money doesn't fit well with their sects and then proceed to pass the money basket to collect...well...money of course. Catholics are the greatest basket cases if you don't mind the term. Christian's on the other hand go straight for your throat, they demand at least 10% of your total income. They call it tithing or something like that. If you don't become a victim for their extortion schemes they convince you that you'll go to hell. Grown people actually believe them...they don't believe in Santa Clause or the Easter Bunny but they believe in the gods and hells that their religions created and cram down their throats. No wonder half the world is messed up in the head and the other half is doped up on depression medication and other drugs. Right now I have probably pissed off a few folks.......so far, so good. Keep reading.

Then a group comes along and calls themselves "Spiritualists". They are the ones who talk about angels, fairies, karma, and all the other stuff that the religions discredit or don't talk about. The Spiritualists are basically the rivals of the Religions...on the surface anyways. One branch of the Spiritualists is the "New Age Movement". The New Agers sensed that part of the world would eventually become wise to the worn out and jaded dogmatic ways of the religions and so these New Agers were quick to establish their own set of ideas to 'save' the world. In other words, they found a new way to 'hook' the world in a different way than the religions. Again, humanity went for the bait and then a new cycle began. Around the 1970's or so when the I Ching and other Oriental ideas were gaining popularity in the Western world, the new charlatans were called 'Gurus'. Fast-forward a couple decades to the 90's and Feng Shui became a trend that was gaining popularity and the world started sprouting "Feng Shui Masters" at will. At the turn of the 21st century there seemed to be more Feng Shui Masters than drug addicts. The great philosophical and astrological ideas of ancient China were (and are) being watered down and mass-marketed in the west.......mostly under the guise of Feng Shui. Today everyone seems to be a Feng Shui master from young men and women in their early 20's to the elders in their 70's and 80's and beyond. Perhaps the biggest mistake these Feng Shui master wanna-be's made was to announce that they are promoting Oriental metaphysics for the betterment of the world rather than for the money. This statement is what has made hypocritical asses of the 'masters' and has tainted Feng Shui at the same time.

The techniques 'masters' use are crimes against humanity. I see more honor in what society calls criminals than I see in Feng Shui masters...and this is not an exaggeration. Simply put, there is more honor in crime than in spirituality...much more. Larry Sang is a Vietnamese who runs a Feng Shui Institute and he uses the word American in the name of his business. He has most likely felt intimidated by American culture and so by using the term in his business name and by sitting in front of the American flag as he does on his website, he seems to feel more protected by kissing the right asses. I have a strong suspicion that Larry doesn't give two licks about American values other than the fast buck, but he knows that by 'aligning' with the almighty USA his chances of success are improved. Larry personally and through his students promotes himself as a master and the "keeper" of the Iron Plate secrets. He claims to be one of only five people on the planet who has access to the great secrets of the mysterious Iron Plate methods. I have heard from many people that Larry doesn't read or write a word of English and that is the reason he doesn't teach at his institute...he pays others to teach there. There could be truth to this because I have noticed that his books lack information that a master would write. I have heard that he has others write his books for him but takes full credit himself. This is but one example of a person taking full financial advantage of a truly misinformed and gullible public. This is his way of promoting Chinese ancient metaphysics. It is not only a shame but also a crime.

Some self-proclaimed 'masters' when exposed will twist and alter facts and lie until they achieve their desired results. The reason they can get away with this is because of their Chinese name. Joseph Yu from Canada is a prime example. In September of 2006 Joseph Yu read a post I wrote on a Chinese astrology list that describes a flaw in Plum Blossom I Ching that has been overlooked for 1,000 years. Less than 3 days after he read my post he announced on his own list that he himself had discovered the information. This is not something I could easily conjure up and you can verify these statements by checking the dates. He then had the information copy written so that he could actually sue me if I tried to take credit for my own discoveries. He then tried to financially promote the work. Now take a moment and try to understand the implications involved here. This is a man who is well-known in Chinese metaphysics and has convinced the world of his 'impeccable' character and honorable traits. People have put some trust in this man and regardless if that trust is blind or not...it is trust nonetheless. Then he flat out lies when he got caught and expects the world to believe him. I ask you, what honor is there in this. He would rather have lied than to admit that someone other than him had made the discovery.......especially if that person was a non-Chinese. Joseph has gotten away with many things in the past and he was evidently fairly certain that he could get away with the Sep.2006 incident. Unfortunately for Joseph it didn't turn out as he hoped and to this day he tries to discredit me for trying to defend my work. Everyone pretty much knows what happened although those loyal to him act as though they believe his every word. When he looks his students in the eye they know exactly what they are looking at...or I should say, what they are not looking at. They'll tell him they believe him, but I know better.......and so does he. Every time someone writes about him and his inadequacies, Joseph tells everyone that he likes it and thanks them because it creates more money for him. The money issue again ! Why would a person who claims to teach others out of the goodness of his heart be thanking me or others for making him money. Another contradiction on his part. If it were true that he were making money when I tell the truth about him.......so be it.......I'll try to make him a billionaire. Joseph Yu is one of the biggest disappointments in all that I have seen in Chinese metaphysics. I can only hope and pray that future generations, both Chinese and otherwise, do not follow in his footsteps and tarnish and diminish the beauty of what the ancient Chinese have created.

I know very well that I will be attacked for writing this post, but I can live with that because it is the truth. I'm getting on in age...I'll be 50 in a few years and I have not the time nor the inclination to apologize or explain myself anymore for the things I believe in. People constantly tell me to this day that I can only hurt myself by writing and speaking the truth about charlatans like Joseph Yu. They say it would be better to remain quite. Truth is, I'm overly quiet in every aspect of my life other than Chinese metaphysics. I have lost friends because I will not open up and express myself, people are not always comfortable around me because of what they call "quiet stoicism". Who on earth reading this blog would believe that? Well it is true. If people stop talking to me because of what I write, I can surly see this as a benefit both for them and for me. For them because they don't have to listen to me, and to me because I don't have to explain myself. I've spent my whole life explaining myself in one way or another, and I can see that it would be a tremendous relief to become as "quiet as a winter's night". I long for the days when I can reside in my future country cottage as an old silent man with eyes half-closed, body half-dead, mind half-crazed listening to the ideas of the new generation of ancient Chinese philosophy and astrology enthusiasts. Perhaps I can even lend them a hand in their studies ........Heaven knows I can't do that today...no one is interested in learning. I can tell them stories of how it used to be back in the 2,000's , the stories of the Larry Sang's, the Joseph Yu's, the Joey Yaps, and all the other marketeers. There could even be a chance of having some beneficial influence in their lives. If that happens I can leave this world with a little dignity and I can leave knowing that I didn't have to promote myself like a metaphysical prostitute and sell myself for a few bucks to every potential buyer who happens along. Not that I have anything against prostitutes.......I have more respect for them than the metaphysical marketeers. If I can leave the world under those circumstances I'll know my life has not be wasted. That is my dream.

Thank You Lord

Now I lay me down to sleep
hopin' I don't hear a peep
If I get clipped before I wake
bury me with carrot cake (sugar-free please).

Thank you Lord for giving me another night to pray to you. Thank you Lord for letting me call you Tao instead of God. Thank you Lord for being with me through my studies. Thank you Lord for blessing me with a wonderful family and many wonderful friends.......please give me the chance to live long enough to show them how much I truly appreciate them. Thank you Lord for giving me a healthy existence. Thank you Lord for allowing me to be as ignorant and silly as I want to be. Thank you Lord for not judging me too harsh after I became an adult. Thank you Lord for giving me the knowledge to understand that you don't give a shit what people do. Thank you Lord for letting me have faith in knowing that you will eventually put the metaphysical charlatans exactly where they belong. Thank you Lord for putting me in jail only once in my life...well, physical jail not the imprisonment society impinges on us. Thank you Lord for not making me over-ambitious.......alright, alright, thank you for making me lazy. Thank you Lord for so many other things too numerous to mention.

and while we're at it...let me mention a few other things ........

Lord, what in the world we're you thinkin when you created all this new age bullshit. Lord, what's with all the drugs and drug addicts you're creating. Lord, how many more killings must there be before you get off your ass and put an end to it. Lord, how much did the politicians put in your pocket to allow them get away with all they do. And how about the Medical profession and Petroleum companies Lord, how much did you sell out to them for. And by the way Lord, what's the deal with gas at well over $3 a gallon...how much higher must gas prices rise before your enormous greed is satisfied. Lord, may I ask if you are ever going to make food fit for human consumption...without all the poisons and chemicals...or is your sadistic little game gonna continue indefinitely. Lord, there are many more questions I have that are also too numerous to mention.........even more numerous than the things to be thankful for. Lord, you have created a true mess, but I am just as grateful for your many blunders as I am for your beauties. I just hope to heaven that no one judges you the way the religious freaks say you judge everyone else. If they do.......you're in a whole heap'o trouble dude.

Good Night Lord.

The Purpose Of Life

Humans are perplexed with one simple question, " What is the purpose of life". Then of course, they personalize it and ask. " What is my purpose in life". It is a question that has been thought upon for generations before us and for generations to come. Many people miss the essence and beauty of their existence because they spend all their time engaged in this one particular concern. A purpose is a draining phenomena and causes much unnecessary stress on the human body, mind, psyche, and spirit. Most spend their entire lives trying to solve the "purpose of life" mystery that when the time comes for earthly-to-spirit transformation (physical death) they leave behind not only an empty shell for a body but also an empty unfulfilled spirit consisting of a lifetime of unanswered and unsolved puzzles. The very act of searching for a purpose will assure that you will never find it.

The human species is much too assertive in its relationship with nature and the energetic flux of existence. The biggest problem humanity faces is that they have not learned to surrender to reality. If you wish to witness the biggest mishaps then you can take a look at the human race. When seen from the viewpoint of the whole, where human energy and all else in existence is One, then all is in perfect balance because as we have all learned, every Yang has its Yin counterpart and it all forms a cohesive and inseparable unity where humans are but one tiny aspect. But when humans isolate themselves and break away from The Whole, The One, The Tao (which they excel at quite well incidentally), we are looking at the great human failure.

So what is the real purpose of life ? Some say it is to help others.......then spend their time concentrating only on themselves. Some say it is to experience and express love.......a love they have no idea or clue about. Some say it is to help all species extend their lives to their fullest potential.......and then kill everything in sight from plants and animals to their own physical and spiritual selves. Let us look at various other purposes. The purpose of a family is tradition and the carrying forward of familial blood-lines. The purpose of religion is to submit to a person who tries to convince us that he/she is close to the Creator. The purpose of business is money. The purpose of politics is domination and control. And the list goes on. The institution in question must have a purpose or the organization will break down. Without a purpose there can be no establishment or structure. Without a definite purpose the organization cannot exist. However.......without a single human invented purpose, life will continue to flourish and flow in its abundance. In truth, the less purpose there is the more smoothly the universal energy flows. Purpose cannot in any way alter the universal waxing and waning. The Sun will always shine and the Moon will always glow whether there is purpose or not. The Stars will forever rotate in the heavens and this cosmic dance cannot be affected by a silly purpose that humanity is hung up on. Again, the truth is that a forced purpose can only diminish this beauty. Would it not be lovely to experience as effortlessly and beautifully as the cosmos. Well, it can never happen as long as we remain attached to a purpose.

So what is the true purpose of life ? ? ?

THERE IS NONE.

Last Words Of A Wise Man

These words were spoken to me several years ago by one of the wisest men I have ever known.

My path to destruction

has been paved by me, my friend, and my foe ;

And who's done the most damage

I guess only Heaven would know.

The Gang's All Here

This past week I was surfing the net and noticed that there are others out there who are not intimidated by the 'social structure' of today's metaphysics...in general, and Chinese metaphysics in particular. I had a smile on my face when I noticed that there are others who are Tellin It Like It Is. I was very pleased to see that many have blogs and are writing some decent material. In my opinion , these current times today could very well be the turning point for Chinese metaphysics. 15 years ago we had little choice but to accept only what was being published in books. There was basically no interaction with the so-called experts and our 'education' was being force-fed to us. With the Internet , group lists ,and blogs, the pattern is slowly changing. It is getting more difficult for the charlatans to operate although you can be certain they'll keep trying. In the past, the claims made by the marketeers didn't seem quite as dramatic as today. They didn't overdo it because there was not as much competition. Today everyone and their brother, sister, and cousin is becoming a 'master' and to compete for business they must exaggerate their services to the point of complete embarrassment. If anyone questions a 'master' today or disagrees with their teachings the master charlatan quickly defends him/herself by saying that the person making the comments are jealous. Joseph Yu , for example, has accused many people of being jealous of him and his success. He has accused me many times of trying to put him down to make myself look better, and he says it is because I am jealous. If I had something to sell, one may begin to wonder if Old Joe might have a point. But the truth is that I have never had anything to sell, so I had no reason to build myself up. I have never published a book, I haven't taught, haven't given workshops or seminars, never offered correspondence courses, no e-books, no videos.......nothing. The times I have spoken or given seminars I have done it for no financial payments. Even when the sponsors gave me checks after the talks I simply gave it back to them and told them I didn't want paid. Old Joe is wrong again. The jealousy accusations that he makes are even more comical. First of all Joseph is about 20 years older than me, his health is not that great (although after he reads this he'll make sure to write that his health is fine ), he looks like he's got one foot in the grave, his knowledge is weak, he has contradicted himself over and over, he is a hypocrite, he has been lying forever, he has stolen and cheated and the list goes on and on. And he has the nerve to say I am jealous of him.......oh yeah Joe...sure thing.......I'm sure everyone wants to be like you ! Anyways, Joe and others had better take a good hard look at themselves because we don't have to put up with the bullshit we've been putting up with for so many years. Today there are other options and although the public is still in a hypnotic trance, they will slowly come out of it eventually.



If the master charlatans are one side of the metaphysical coin then the other side consists of the intellectual rebels. The folks who 'ain't afraid of the big bad wolves. They're out there if you look and I salute their achievements. They are the Robin Hoods...the David's opposing the Goliath's. One of them is Alex Chiu. I don't know Alex but I spoke with him a few times several years ago. I didn't listen to him close enough when he told me of the poison Joseph Yu would spread over the community. Alex was absolutely right. Alex tangled with Joseph repeatedly and with a few others. Alex stood his ground and was not easily intimidated and spoke his mind at any cost. Some hated him...others loved him, but he wasn't afraid to speak his mind. He had a pretty good following but I lost track of him over the years.



Harmen Mesker is a brilliant reviewer and doesn't cut corners and speaks his mind quite well . He is well versed in the I Ching and has written some extensive material. He doesn't seem to 'sugar coat' things and will get to the meat of a situation. When Lillian Too wrote her Plum Blossom book I couldn't believe that any one would publish...let alone buy, her book. I was amazed at the inaccuracies in her book and I wanted to write a review to let people be aware of it. As it turned out, I didn't need to because Harmen did just that. He wrote a great review and if you read closely you'll see hints at how Joseph Yu and Lillian Too make some of the same mistakes with Plum Blossom Divination. Herman has done some other reviews and has alerted the public in helping them avoid some possible pitfalls. Herman also has a blog but I'm not sure of the address. You can probably find it without too much difficulty. Click on this link to see Herman's review of Lillian Too's book:

http://www.biroco.com/yijing/lilliantoo.htm

Allan Lian has a blog and he talks a lot about stocks. Oh no ! That's gambling isn't it ? Many say that mixing speculation and divination is a sin. Well that hasn't stopped Allan from writing about it. When someone told me Allan had a blog that talked about the I Ching and stocks I was interested. I know nothing of stocks but it can be closely related to gambling so I took a look and found his site interesting. The following is Allen's blog address :
http://atouchofancientszhouyi.blogspot.com/

A gentleman named Eric Teoh has a blog that I visit often. I can see that Eric will say what needs to be said and he does it with charisma. He has a great sense of humor and he has posted some poetry that I have really enjoyed. He seems to have a vivid imagination and you never know what he is going to write next, so the element of surprise is always associated with Eric's blog. I heard about Eric's blog through a friend and my friend says to me, " this guy Eric is a lot like you...he ain't afraid to write about anything". So of course I had to check it out...and I'm glad I did. I hope Eric keeps his blog for awhile because I believe he can provide a decent service to his readers simply by his writing. I wish you the best Eric...Keep Rockin Brother ! Here is Eric's blog site :
http://ericklteoh.blogspot.com/

There are many other blogs out there that are of value. I have read a brilliant 2 part post on lineage, I have read another on the false oral secrets that are being peddled as advertisement gimmicks, one person wrote about 'tag team' consolidation ploys, and a lot of other topics involving the devaluing of Chinese metaphysics. There's a lot of stuff out there. Just look and you'll find.

I wish to thank all the serious devotees of Chinese metaphysics who have had the courage to tell the public the true story of what is really happening . My heart goes out to all of them.

Temporarily Removing The Comments Option

I have temporarily removed the 'Comments' option for the time being. This will not remove the previous comments, but only temporarily restrict future comments until it is reactivated. Nothing else has changed and all is as before.

Everyone's A Hero

"Well we all have a face

that we hide away forever

and we take them out and show ourselves

when everyone has gone ;

Some are satin, some are steel,

some are silk and some are leather

They're the faces of a stranger

but we love to try them on."

Recording artist Billy Joel

In metaphysical studies you will rarely find the truth. It is basically as simple as that. People are so hungry for anything even slightly resembling metaphysics that they are willing to overlook all the lies, fraudulent claims, phony masters, incompetent teachers, etc. There is absolutely no question that the public has become a herd of sheep. The innovative master-marketeers have become quite proficient in promoting themselves. Some use mass-education ideas and have created Research Centers, Academies, and Institutes in the names of their businesses. They are turning metaphysics into a business field. To gather students for their business they then begin to create myths about themselves and start spreading these stories as far as possible. With the information media being what it is today, it isn't too difficult to reach all corners of the globe in no time at all. Master marketeers have become successes in short periods of time.......some almost overnight it seems.

One guy on the west coast of America claims to be one of only 5 people on this planet that has access to the secrets of a Chinese method of divination called Iron Plate. The Iron Plate is surrounded in mystery and secrecy and the old tale says that only 5 people on the planet at one time can have access to its deep and profound workings. This west coast guy claims that he is one of the "special chosen ones". Of the 6 + billion people on this planet he and 4 others are the only ones who have been given the privilege to the Iron Plate and another person will inherit this knowledge only after one of the five dies. Sounds flowery and dramatic doesn't it? Well, if you happen to read some books this guy has written you will soon see how absurd his Iron Plate claims are.

Another guy's claim to fame is his self admitted stalking and Peeping Tom status. His story says that his next door neighbor was a feng shui master and he used to stalk the old master's house and hide outside his window peeping tom style and watch as the master taught his students. Eventually he learned all the techniques of the master and of course gets invited inside the house and the old master has the Peeping Tom stand in front of all his students as he rants and raves about what a great student the peeper is. Years later the Peeping Tom promotes himself as a master and he opens a "research center", writes a few books, steals a few ideas from people, lies about anything that benefits him and goes on to become a fairly well-known metaphysical charlatan. Some people have mentioned his unethical behavior and he defends himself by saying that others are jealous of his success. The loyal herd he has accumulated keeps him well insulated and they speak highly of him regardless of his unethical behavior. In other words he uses them as a shield and in return they are elevated to the position of masters. Its a trade off basically. They both profit from each other.

Then you have the Dynamic Duo who have mastered not one.......not two.......but three systems of Chinese divination that they claim to be the most powerful techniques in the annals of all humanity. Just one of those methods learned properly would take a lifetime to learn, yet they have mastered all three. And they will even be generous enough to share their secrets with you.......for a hefty price I might add. By the time you read this they may have even mastered a few more.

There's a group out there promoting some 80 or 90 year old guy who they say is a grand master and they make him out to be the greatest thing since sliced bread. They say he is the only master in the last 600 years to have the secret oral teachings of Yang Gong Feng Shui. The old guy will teach you and even make you part of the family by baptising you as an indoor student. Price tag : US $6,000 + anything else he can get out of you.

Unfortunately there are many , many more stories to tell but you probably get the idea. The masters will keep lying and the public will keep believing. W.C. Fields once said, "There's a sucker born every minute". If he knew about the metaphysical field he would have to make an adjustment and say that there is one born every 15 seconds.

Talking With A Sage

After going for my daily walk in the park yesterday I laid down for a little nap and began to have a dream. In my dream a Chinese master with a long beard and monk's robe walked toward me with a stern look on his face and pulled out a gun and said "I would like to have a little chat with you". Ironically, I was not a bit nervous and was quite relieved that I would be able to express my views to this bonafied master. We were in the woods and we both sat down next to a tree. The sun was starting to set and there was a small pond nearby. It was a peaceful and serene setting. I remember our conversation almost word for word and it went like this :

Master : In your heart do you believe you are doing justice to the world by exposing those who in your heart you believe to be exploiting others ?

Andy : Even though you have a gun in your hand, I will answer you honestly and say I don't know if I am or not.

M : I will lay the gun aside and you can reach for it at anytime you wish.
(he laid the gun down between us)

A : Your gun doesn't intimidate me, and neither do you, But I do respect certain things about you. I'm not sure why though.

M : Why do you suppose I have a gun with me ?

A : Maybe for the same reason that every master carries a gun, to try to convince the world that they are the boss. Like a priest who carries a cross as his gun to convince the world that they are special and close to God. I think it is your security blanket.

M : Priests are fools, and so are masters, and so am I and so are you. Do you understand that we live in a foolish world. What is your security blanket...is it the exposing of false masters and gods ?

A : There are not enough blankets to compensate for every false god and master in the world and beyond. I cannot say if you are correct or not.

M : Do you know who I am ?

A : No.

M : I am every god and every master...every saint and every devil...every friend and every enemy that has ever existed. I am every success and every failure that you and everyone else has ever had or experienced. I am all of these and I am sitting here talking with you and you are not wise enough to sense this.

(At this point I am confused and speechless and don't know what to say. We sit together quietly for what seems to be a while)

A : Did you come here to stop me from expressing my views to others about the bogus metaphysicians in this world ?

M : I came here to ask you if you are going to stop expressing these views. What is your answer ?

(He gets up and picks up his gun and I get up to answer. I am about to answer him honestly and I am all but certain that he is going to shoot me if he doesn't like my answer)

A : Ok heaven, here I come. No.......I am not going to stop expressing my views about bogus metaphysicians.......regardless if you shoot me or not.

(At this point he has the biggest and brightest smile on his face and the gun transforms into a red rose and he throws the rose toward the sky and as the rose reaches a high point the petals start spreading out in all directions and comes cascading down over the earth like a beautiful rainfall. The master hugs me tightly and as we walk away together I realize that he is a Sage and not a master after all).

Crazy Little Thing Called Love

This Thing called love
It cries , In a cradle all night
It swings , It jives
It shakes all over like a jelly fish

- Freddie Mercury

A few days ago I was talking with a friend about.......of all things........the subject of love. I never would have thought I would write a post on this subject, but I guess you never know. I am thankful for our discussion because I have learned quite a lot. The main thing I learned is that too many people are afraid of love. Many people will jump out of planes, go white-water rafting, ride the biggest roller coasters in the world and stuff like that, and not be intimidated at all. But mention the word love and they become petrified and clueless. I believe people are afraid of and don't understand love because they are afraid of and don't understand themselves. Please don't think I am trying to say I am a love expert because I am far from it. I'm just pondering a bit here. Many people mistake love for weakness when in reality I truly believe that love is a strength. Maybe that's the reason why in general, females may be stronger than males, as many so-called love experts have claimed. I tried to explain to my friend that love is nothing to be ashamed of. I tried to tell her that it's not silly to play with love, to do different things with it, like a child would play with clay or something. Paul McCartney surly doesn't think love is silly when he writes :

Love doesn't come in a minute
Sometimes it doesn't come at all
I only know that when I'm in it
Love isn't silly...
Love isn't silly at all

England Dan writes that " Love is the answer". Jimi Hendrix said "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will live in peace". Millions of songs and poems have been written about love but judging by the way the world is today, these artists and poets have not made that much of an influence in transforming atmospheric energy into loving energy. I suppose it's too 'sticky' and 'gooey' for people to be comfortable with love...so I guess humanity as a whole will keep running and hiding from it while the poets, artists, and priests keep profiting from a seeming fairy-tale. It would not surprise me if some day it will be against the law to love someone. It is already starting to slowly happen. The world is turning love into a crime.

Some people spend their whole lives running away from love...from the "center within". Even in the rare cases when people feel they are expressing love, they are mistaking the periphery for the center.......the facade for the pure. The enlightened spiritual guru Osho said that if you love someone on the periphery you will then also hate that person on the polar peripheral position, but if that love comes from within the center, beyond polarity, then it is bliss. People who run away from love are running away from themselves. They have lost their center. After all, isn't the ultimate depth of our core being (our soul) comprised of love.

************************************

So go ahead...take a chance... make someones day a beautiful one by telling or expressing to them you love them.......but before you do, check your local laws and make sure it's not a crime.

Saints And Sinners

.......and they say there's a heaven for those who will wait

some say it's better but I say it ain't

I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints,

the sinners are much more fun...

- Recording artist Billy Joel

If I don't go to hell, who will? If going to hell can save the innocent or wake them up to open their eyes, I'm willing to go there, join my friends and play majong.

- Master Peter Leung

If you're going to be a bad person, be the worst you can be,

because when the cycle turns and balances

you'll be that much more the better.

- Michio Kushi

To hell with the saints

To hell with the sinners

Pass the wine bottle please.

- The drunken Poet

I've seen and heard and read of saints and sinners

and I've even spoken with a few

and in conclusion I must admit

there ain't much difference between the two.

- Andy Nicola

I'm gonna tell a little secret

if you promise not to tell

If you wanna get to heaven

you gotta raise a little hell.

- Popular 70's song lyrics

If you see the face of a saint, tell him to turn around

and you'll be starring at the face of a sinner.

Never trust them two-faced bastards.

- Unknown Poet

Saints and Sinners...what is the difference ?

It is nothing more than walking a tight-rope ...

nothing more than a balancing act.

- Anonymous

A good man is a bad man's teacher.

- Lao Tzu

And the list goes on and on and on. There are some who have not fallen for the deceptive mirage that various institutions have painted. They understand the energetic dichotomies of good-bad, heaven-hell, saints-sinners. Some understand it and know it as two sides of the same coin. If you would like to read a tremendous amount of material on the absurdity of saints and sinners look at some of Osho's writings. If you are a Jesus freak however, you may want to stray from Osho. He doesn't have a whole lot of nice things to say about Jesus.......and he's not all that fond of Mother Teresa either. If you have your own slogan or saying you would like to add...feel free to send it.

Assigning Time/Space Coordinates In Plum Blossom I Ching

In Plum Blossom I Ching Divination the Time and Space aspect can be a very important factor to consider. To divine about an event that occurs in a certain area or time zone it makes sense to use the time of where the event takes place rather than the time where the diviner is making the calculations. So if an event took place in Paris, France and the diviner is consulting in Chicago, Illinois, you would use the time in Paris. You would want to know the longitude of the exact spot and then convert the time to True Local Time. If a specific event is the subject of the divination, that is, if the event was being created by your own specific subconscious, then the the Time/Space coordinates of the diviners location would be used. Let us say a sporting event is taking place in Paris and the diviner is in Chicago, we use Paris coordinates. But if your friend is in Paris and you're wondering from Chicago what they are up to, you would in that case use the true local time in Chicago.

Advertising And Promotion

Today people advertise and promote themselves to the utmost

but ultimately accomplish and deliver little or nothing.

When it comes to words

they are indestructible giants

When it comes to deeds

they are faltering midgets.

I Ching Concerns : Repeated Questions

People often believe that the toss of the coins or separation of the stalks is too random to be considered relevant. They also argue that if you ask the same question more than once and receive different hexagrams it makes the I Ching invalid. To clarify this misconception, we'll take an example. Suppose someone were to ask you, "What is your opinion of Mr. Yang". You answer that he is a nice and quiet type of guy. Now, if the next day you heard rumors in the neighborhood that Mr. Yang came stumbling home drunk at 4 AM with a woman on each arm while his wife was at the hospital spending the night with her sick mother, and someone asks you again your opinion of Mr. Yang...your answer this time is drastically different from the first answer. Perhaps somewhere along the lines of having to do with a womanizing, lousy, drunk. Then you find out it was all a rumor and in fact Mr.Yang was sailing the Seven Seas on his million dollar yacht. Someone now asks you the same question a third time, "What is your opinion of Mr. Yang". You now say what a rich and lucky guy he is to be able to travel like that. In the end you find out that it was Mr. Yang's wife's third cousin who was actually doing the travelling.


You were asked the exact same question three times and you gave three totally different answers. Why ? It is because the information you received after the first question influenced the way you answered the second. The same thing happened between the second and third question. It is the same with the I Ching. If you should ask the same question more than once, the information gained from the first inquiry would interfere with a receptive state of mind causing altering hexagrams. Rest assured that if you asked the I Ching the same question 20 times and you received 20 different hexagrams, the I Ching answered correctly 20 times. This is extremely difficult for a rationally dominated mind to accept or comprehend. To avoid the confusion of multiple hexagrams it is advisable to ask your question or concern only once and concentrate on the received hexagram until you understand the information completely. In this way, you avoid the barriers........the barrier being mainly the ego.

Knowing The Tao

The Tao does not set parameters on right and wrong or morals. If the mind can adopt this procedure it can then get the answer to any situation it is interested in. Many people sternly state that the I Ching or other divination methods cannot be used for gambling purposes , while others say they have successfully used it to make money on stocks. The truth of the matter is that the Tao is not a personality, but an energy. It doesn't know or doesn't care about stocks or gambling or any other name you wish to give a human phenomena. In one sense it can be compared to a cold bitter wind...it responds to a person the way a person responds to it. To the wind it doesn't matter how "good" a person is or how "bad". If a priest is stuck in a blizzard and a thief steals his coat and gloves, the wind would freeze the priest to death and the thief would benefit. The wind has no opinion either way. Only a society calls a thing good or bad....or a saint or thief. The Tao does not discriminate in this way. A Christian or a Catholic or other religion would call this a cruel God....a Taoist would call it pure energy.

A Song for Sammy

Years ago when I used to jog every day, I ran into an old bum who used to get his meals from a garbage dump. I felt really sorry for him. For several months we did not acknowledge each other...I would just run my route and he would search for his treasures in the garbage hoppers. Then one day I stopped at the Italian deli that was next to his stomping grounds that he rummaged about and I bought him the biggest Italian submarine sandwich they had, along with a salad and a quart bottle of natural spring water. When I took it to him he starred at me blankly and wondered what I was up to. I told him the food was for him. He was stunned for a moment and then wiped a tear from his eye. He asked me if I would split the sandwich with him and I told him I wasn't hungry, and so while he ate I sat down on the grassy hill and watched the old man devour his sandwich. When he was finished we talked for an hour and a half. He said that he always saw me running everyday and he always wanted to say something but he was too embarrassed and thought that I would shun and avoid him for the way he lived. From that point, on the days that I would see him we would always wave to each other and he would yell, "How many today", meaning how many miles I was running, and I would say 8. or 10, or 12, or however many miles I was running. Then he would pause and he'd yell, "run an extra one for me". Every now and then before I left the house I would put a five or ten dollar bill in my sock and when I would reach the point where I would see him, I'd run by and throw a five or ten at him and keep running before he would become embarrassed. His name was Sam but I called him Sammy (he liked that) and I had many conversations with him and I enjoyed his company. He had a serene-ness to him that was quite nice.

As the seasons turned into autumn that year I noticed that about a month and a half had passed without seeing Sammy one time. I stopped in at the Italian deli and asked the people who worked there if they'd seen Sammy lately. Then the old woman who ran the place said, "No, that old man is gone. He passed away and we don't have to watch him digging through the trash anymore". She said it almost as if she was relieved. As I walked out the deli I was very distraught and the atmosphere seemed eerie...I was truly saddened by the news. On that day I took the long way home.

When I got home I took out a piece of paper and a pen and wrote the following poem for my friend Sammy.

*************************

A SONG FOR SAMMY

He wears a torn up shirt and pants
and he smells like gasoline
he hangs around the garbage dumps
when times are really lean.

All the businessmen and lawyers
all the people in the crowd
they would all laugh at Sammy
and they all would laugh out loud

Hey there people,
won't you give old Sam a break
he really ain't a bad guy
he just made a few mistakes.

One day I stopped and talked with Sam
as he was starrin' at the sky
his crackled voice began to speak
as he wiped a tear-drop from his eye.

I'm a withered, worn-out, tired man
and I've surly paid my dues
and once I was a wealthy lad
but today don't own a pair of shoes

There's nothing much for me to give
and little I can mend
so I walk the streets and count my steps
and wonder where my day might end.

Be prepared for all your lessons boy
for in this life there's quite a few
and if there's only one thing I could say
this is what I'd say to you :

When you reach for fame and fortune
be prepared to take a fall
and you're sure to lose your precious pride
when they force your back against a wall

Everyone is rushing
everybody's on the run
and they're working hard for ulcers
when they could be lying in the sun

So take a look at me my friend
while you're still young and wild and free
and don't dare let the world do to you
all the things they've done to me.

And to this day I ponder
on the words he spoke to me
and the best that I can hope for
is that he found peace and har-mo-ny.

The Flaw Of Attraction

All the rage today is centered around some ideas put out by some New Age practitioners who have labeled a so-called new discovery "The Secret". It has caught on like wildfire and the mass media is promoting them to no end. From what I hear it was created by a woman (not sure where she's from) and now droves of experts have joined forces with her to get this very important message out to the world. Truth is, they're a little late........like several thousands of years late. This 'secret' that they are slowly revealing to the world has been known for eons by many groups from many cultures. The whole concept is based on 'the law of attraction", "focal intention", "like attracts like", create-your-own-reality, and so on. If you can think it, they say, then you can manifest it....just like that. Hmmmmm. Wouldn't it be nice to bypass Heavens plan and change our destiny pattern any old way we choose. Wouldn't it be nice to over-ride God's decisions and alter them to fit our own desires. Who needs Gods and Heavens when we have the 'Secret'. It's all a bit superficial.

The law of attraction has been preached by many people...Jane Roberts/Seth, Hicks/Abraham, Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, Gary Zucav, and millions of others. They are all basically saying the same thing and people keep paying them money and making them millionaires to hear the same message over and over. It is strange to note, that if these people really believed that the law of attraction works why are the unattractive, out-of-shape, and unhealthy law of attraction promoters of 10 years ago, still unattractive, out-of-shape, and unhealthy today. Why has the law of attraction not worked for them. Many of the biggest names have battled alcohol and drug addictions and a host of other problems. If the law of attraction worked the way they say it does, the world could be saved in a day. Could it be that all these people are lying.......perhaps we should not be too harsh on them and just accept that they were probably misinformed and got a little over-excited in promoting their misinformed ideas.

I doubt that Pythagoras believed in the law of attraction. I would say that Shao Yung certainly did not buy into it.......unless of course you were a sage. Master Shao believed that things could be created with the mind because the mind can be equated with Tao. But only rare and certain people could accomplish this mind/Tao connection. Master Shao called this person a sage, and he unfortunately states that " I have never seen one with my own eyes". In one of Wayne Dyer's book he is referred to as a modern sage. I wonder if Shao Yung would consider Wayne Dyer a sage ??? If Dyer is a sage then we are seeing something that some of the greatest masters and philosophers of the Neo-Confucian era have not seen. At the time Dyer was called a sage, Dyer himself admitted to having a alcohol dependency problem. This was kept very quiet from the public because it would not look good for the publishers to promote a "Drunken Sage". Does all this seem a bit strange to you.

I would agree with Shao Yung in believing that anyone and everyone has the ability to create their own reality or even to become a sage, but...."amongst men he is one in a billion" to use his own words. It is like saying that everyone has a chance to win the 50 million dollar lottery but how many actually do it...some spend their whole life trying but get nowhere. It is probably much easier to hit the 50 million dollar lottery than it is to alter heavens patterns or to become a sage. The "Secret" crew/cult will very likely accumulate 50 million dollars at the rate they are going...and they don't have to alter Heaven's plan, become a sage, or hit the lottery. They just need to convince simple saps like us.

Working With The 81 Segment Luo Shu

I have pulled out 3 of the 81 segment Luo Shu Time Charts I work with to give a brief demonstration of how they may be used. The first is the round segment and is easier to use for directions or travel analysis , the second is the square version which is a bit easier to use for Time period analysis , and the third is a chart that is complete with numerical values and data. The first two are the master charts so to speak, with the number 41 in the center (41 is the 5 Year/5 Month combination). The last chart is "Time Specific", or in other words is connected to a specific time period. Some people refer to the 81 segment chart as the Kanagi Guruma, but I will refer to it as the 81 Segment Luo Shu. In actuality there are 81 different charts in the system to cover all the possible time periods but it would not be easy to list them all here right now. The 81 Segment Luo Shu works with the Year and Month numbers and this is important to know because there are no sources that I have seen to date that expresses or explains this idea. Everyone today is using the 9 squared Luo Shu to analyze all time periods from decades and years down to the hour level, and in my opinion this is taking away from the accuracy of the Luo Shu system. I am not saying the 9 squared Luo Shu will not work...but I do believe it is severely limited in both theoretical and practical use. There are 4 rules that can be easily remembered and they are as follows :

1) The 9 segment Luo Shu is used for analyzing the Year.

2) The 81 segment Luo Shu is used for analyzing the Year + Month.

3) The 729 segment Luo Shu is used for analyzing the Year + Month + Day.

4) The 6561 segment Luo Shu is used for the Year + Month + Day + Hour.

Steps 3 and 4 are quite advanced and can be extremely complicated. We will concentrate on the 81 segment in this discussion to keep it somewhat simplified. The following is the basic 81 segment Luo Shu in it's circular form. You can click on the image to enhance its size.

The chart above is simply a Luo Shu chart expanded 9 times in all directions. It can be used quite effectively as a Luo Shu Compass for direction of movement. You can even insert a magnetic compass in the center where the number 41 resides and use it very effectively for practical uses. Remember that when a specific time period is used, the number in the middle would correspond with the year and the month of the time involved. For instance, if you were using the chart for solar September 2007, you would have the chart with the number 29 residing in the center and would therefore make your assessments according to that specific chart.

Next we will look at the same chart in a squared configuration rather than a circular one. It would look like this :

You can see that the squares make it quite a bit more difficult to use as a compass for direction degrees. The good news however, is that for time periods it is much easier to work with than the round chart. With the square chart you can look at any time period you care to analyze and look at where a person's natal /birth numbers are located and make your predictions according to that information. You can also use the square chart for the time a person was born and look at their life destiny for 81 aspects of their life. Each square is equivalent to one specific aspect for a total of 81 different aspects or areas of life. The third image below shows a completed chart with the numerical values for each of the 81 segments or aspects.

With the values filled in, you can now analyze the chart in numerical terms and get an idea of how strong or weak a specific aspect is in the person's life. A very quick example would be where you can look at the person's Southwestern portion of the chart (the 9 squares at the top right of the chart) and this gives information about the person's mother and other 2 Earth attributes because the Southwest is associated with the mother as one of its many attributes. What has happened is that the normal one square SW portion of the chart has been sub-divided into 9 sections. This gives us 9 different aspects we can analyze that is connected with the person's mother...i.e. the number 29 in the master chart reveals communication patterns with the mother, number 56 is associated with how you relate with your mother in financial situations, and so on. You can also look in the SW portion to get an idea of the health of the mother and which organs affect her positively or negatively. The same process can be used to look into patterns with your father by concentrating on the 9 squares in the Northwestern section of the chart. This section is also related to employment, authority, and a host of other attributes. The analyzing process is limited only by how much energy you are willing to invest. There is so much that can be done with these charts and hopefully we will be able to explore the different potentials in future blogs because to list all the possible applications in one post is absolutely impossible.

Response To A Post

A few posts ago I wrote I Wonder. Someone named Stupid Guy responded , and since he went to the trouble of commenting on every single statement I would like to also respond. My comments are in red.


I wonder if the New Age revolution can harm Chinese Metaphysics

-Not harm but reveal what's inside

I doubt it...most New Ager's can't even reveal what is inside THEMSELVES.
***
I wonder if people will ever stop paying thousands of dollars for a Feng Shui audit

-Yes when chinese disappears same like casinos

I don't think so...if casino's disappear gambling will still be around. You can BET on it.
***
I wonder if Eva Wong will ever come clean

-As and when you are

I don't think anyone will ever confuse me with Eva Wong. If they ever do I will leave this field.
***
I wonder if people will ever find the strength and confidence to rely on themselves

-As and when you are not overindependent

I think you made a typo.
***
I wonder what the Chinese metaphysical field will be like in 20 years

-As like how it evlove from 20 years back

Another typo I think.
***
I wonder if Lao Tzu (Zi) really existed

-As like any other historic figures

You think so huh.
***
I wonder why people say Qi Men Dun Jia is more powerful than other I Ching methods

-I wonder why people say method A is more powerful than other B method

Tell them that.
***
I wonder if people really believe Feng Shui can work the way it is presented today

-I wonder if people really believe God can work the way it is presented today

I agree with you on this one.
***
I wonder if the so-called masters will ever stop lying

-The real says the fake is lying the fake say the real is lying. So who is who?

Is there such a thing as a Real Fake.
***
I wonder if there is any difference between a saint and a sinner

-It is difference by a thin thread

How Thin ???
***
I wonder if the New Age charlatans really believe in karma

-Why should they when they have not seen it yet like god

Too many gods makes karma confusing.
***
I wonder how many true masters there really are in the world

-A billion dollar finding

You can look but I doubt you'll find anything.
***
I wonder if Yap Chang Hai will live to be 100 years old

-He is not Ceng Zhi Nam with multiple LIFE GRAVE

Of course he's not Ceng Zhi Nam........he's Yap Cheng Hai.
***
I wonder if anyone will ever translate Shao Yung's entire work in English

-Anyone can do a direct translate without the true essence

Then why haven't they done it. I only want the translation. An interpretation would ruin it. Commentaries are what ruins the true essense.
***
I wonder if there is even a single sage alive today

-It is call true phyilosopher if exists

Hmmm, I hope this is another typo. Philosophies are poison to sages. Ask Osho.
***
I wonder if astrologers/diviners will ever concentrate on studies rather than advertising or promotion

-Yes if they are funded of course

You must be one who believes that you have to pay money to get knowledge.
***
I wonder if Sylvia Browne believes half the stuff she says

-Like any masters or conmen they are convince of themself

Are you putting masters and con-men in the same category. Now you're talkin'.
***
I wonder if people will ever recognize the importance of the solstices

-Then all will be enlighten

Depends how deep they go.
***
I wonder if the public will ever wake up to the antics of Lillian Too and Joseph Yu

-They will when you wake up from your antics

Their antics and mine are diametrically opposed. My antics are to reveal their antics. So I hope that people wake up to my antics...the quicker the better.
***
I wonder if there will ever be another Osho

-More to come

How do you know. Have you been hangin' out with Sylvia Browne lately.
***
I wonder if the computer will take over Chinese metaphysics too

-Will take over not only that

I think you're right.
***
I wonder if Joey Yap's luck will keep continuing

-Have you seen a forever celebrity

Nope...well, except for Elvis maybe.
***
I wonder if the I Ching will ever gain its due respect and recognition

-Not until everyone gets it's true essence

Then I guess it will NEVER get its due respect
***
I wonder why people think metaphysicians are spiritual

-I wonder why people think spiritual is methapysics

So you must be saying that spirituality is physics...hmmmm.
***
I wonder if Alfred Huang is 100 years old yet

-Are you worried as he is not

No, not worried at all.......just curious.
***
I wonder why Carl Jung got so much credit for understanding the I Ching

-So is other celebrity masters

You mean like Joseph, Lillian, Eva, and the rest of the crew.
***
I wonder when the masses will wake upI wonder if the masses will ever wake up

-No one will when they do not think they are not awake

So I guess humanity is doomed.......Right ???
***
I wonder where the eagle flies, when the path it roams eludes my eye

-To see all eagles can do but beyond is not

Hmmm, your comment is very muddled. I hope it's a typo. This statement had more to do with one's thought process than with physical eagles.......but you were not able to read between the lines.
***
I wonder if anyone will understand this post

-As much as you think you understand.

Or as much as you think you know.

Buying An Education

Beautiful women and cars that go fast

Don't waste your time or your money

on things that don't last

I've seen the world and it's hypocritical lies

but I now see the world

through crystal clear eyes

********************

If a young chap should come knocking on your door trying to sell you the services of his Feng Shui "grand-master" for $6,000 you may want to tell him to turn around and hit the road. Don't be dazzled by the promises of lineage, oral secrets, and indoor studentship. No one can make you a master for $6,000 ........or $6,000,000 for that matter. Masters are created through passion not through pricing. Anyways, if this culprit happens to be lurking around your neighborhood, quickly close and lock your doors and call the Feng Shui police. Not that the police will be able to do anything about it, but at least the neighborhood will be prepared. Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware) !

Qi And Objects

Qi (chi) and objects are not two separate entities, they are two aspects of one whole. In the non-material realm qi crystallizes to form objects that come into expression in the material world. Qi is to the object it creates as an object is to its shadow in the phenomenal world. An object and its shadow are not two separate entities.......they are, (like qi and its object mentioned above) two aspects of one whole. In the intangible realm an object is qi's "shadow", and in the tangible realm an object is a shadows qi. That is, qi creates objects and objects create shadows.

Another way of looking at it is that in the intangible realm qi is the shadow of Tao and in the tangible realm objects are the shadow of qi.

If you can meditate and ponder on the above statements and rise beyond the "haziness" of the description, you may be surprised at what you may discover. It is definitely metaphysical.

I Wonder

I wonder if the New Age revolution can harm Chinese Metaphysics

I wonder if people will ever stop paying thousands of dollars for a Feng Shui audit

I wonder if Eva Wong will ever come clean

I wonder if people will ever find the strength and confidence to rely on themselves

I wonder what the Chinese metaphysical field will be like in 20 years

I wonder if Lao Tzu (Zi) really existed

I wonder why people say Qi Men Dun Jia is more powerful than other I Ching methods

I wonder if people really believe Feng Shui can work the way it is presented today

I wonder if the so-called masters will ever stop lying

I wonder if there is any difference between a saint and a sinner

I wonder if the New Age charlatans really believe in karma

I wonder how many true masters there really are in the world

I wonder if Yap Chang Hai will live to be 100 years old

I wonder if anyone will ever translate Shao Yung's entire work in English

I wonder if there is even a single sage alive today

I wonder if astrologers/diviners will ever concentrate on studies rather than advertising or promotion

I wonder if Sylvia Browne believes half the stuff she says

I wonder if people will ever recognize the importance of the solstices

I wonder if the public will ever wake up to the antics of Lillian Too and Joseph Yu

I wonder if there will ever be another Osho

I wonder if the computer will take over Chinese metaphysics too

I wonder if Joey Yap's luck will keep continuing

I wonder if the I Ching will ever gain its due respect and recognition

I wonder why people think metaphysicians are spiritual

I wonder if Alfred Huang is 100 years old yet

I wonder why Carl Jung got so much credit for understanding the I Ching

I wonder when the masses will wake up

I wonder if the masses will ever wake up

I wonder where the eagle flies, when the path it roams eludes my eye

I wonder if anyone will understand this post

Dust In The Wind

The following is a recording from an old song titled Dust In The Wind. It is a beautiful song, especially if it is listened to in a very relaxed state. The words need no explanation or interpretation as they speak for themselves quite nicely. It is an elegant song for putting the conscious ego in check. It tells us that we are but a speck of dust in this vast universe. In the line... "All we do, crumbles to the ground, though we refuse to see" , we may get a Taoist feel or perspective about the idea of Wu Wei. Well to be honest, the whole song seems to have a Taoist flavor when I listen to it. When things are not going well for you, it is a perfect time to listen to it. You begin to realize that in the overall scheme nothing is really important, so why take the trouble and effort to stress yourself out. I hope you can listen to it while lying down relaxed and with the lights out. I hope it does for you what it has done for me. I have included the lyrics.



I close my eyes, only for a moment, and the moment's gone
All my dreams, pass before my eyes... a curiosity
Dust in the wind, all they are is dust in the wind

Same old song, just a drop of water in an endless sea
All we do, crumbles to the ground, though we refuse to see
Dust in the wind, All we are is dust in the wind

Now...don't hang on, nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky
It slips away, all your money won't another minute buy
Dust in the wind, All we are is dust in the wind

A Brief Discussion On The I Ching Charts

The following ia a brief discussion on the Early and Later Heaven charts connected with I Ching. Click to listen.

Conventional Thinking Will Cripple You

How many people have the ability and the courage to break away from conventional thinking...or from thinking 'outside the box' as they say. In any area of life you can be quite certain that following the crowd will eventually get you into trouble. Some call this the Sheep Mentality. Following the advice of conventional doctors for example will certainly make you less healthy. If you want to get sick do what everyone else does and go to a doctor. If you're already sick and want to become more sick, do what everyone else does and go to a hospital (usually on the advise of the doctor who made you sick in the first place). Following the crowd is the quickest way to decline. By far, the best way to improve every aspect of your life is to look at what the majority is doing and then do the exact opposite. Just this one act alone will improve your life drastically and tremendously. In this sense, 'majority rules' has no value for us, but if we can accept and adapt to 'minority rules', I believe we would be astounded with the results. If everyone runs to Mac Donald's for lunch, we walk to the nearest fruit tree for lunch.......if everyone uses medication for health, we use herbs.......if everyone goes to a university for an education or a hospital for cures, we educate ourselves through introspection and cure ourselves through breathing. The list could go on indefinitely.

Chinese metaphysics is no different. If you do what everyone else is doing , your understanding will be more difficult and your education will take longer. This is the main reason why there are so few great metaphysical Masters, Teachers, Practitioners, or Students. Lucky is the one who can find a master or teacher who is not intimidated by 'going against the grain'. Luckier is the one who is not intimidated by learning on their own. Dare to be different and on your own...you are your best teacher. Don't be afraid to take the road less travelled...as it will have fewer obstacles and less footsteps to confuse you.


Following the crowd is dangerous...following the minority is better...following yourself is best.

A Tale Of Li Chun

Note : This article was originally written Feb.3.2004

One cold early February morning in the Midwestern part of the United
States back in the year of 2004, I sat in anticipation of a
monumental event that was about to occur. The Chinese call it Li
Ch'un...in the west it is simply translated as "Spring Begins". The date was
February 4 and everyone was talking about a feeling in the gut, a
twinkling in their head, special vibrations in the heart, and a
million other things that happen to them when the cosmic energy
shifts. Since at this time a 20 year energy shift was about to take
place in addition to the yearly shift of energy, the atmosphere all
over the globe was at a high level. People were even talking about
ascending to heavenly realms at this time. Wow! I could hardly
wait to experience all this. I fasted 5 days for this event so that
my earthly body would be as receptive as possible. I calculated the
event down to the second using latitude, longitude, equation of time
and every other time trick I learned throughout my decades of
study. Oh yes, I was gonna join in the fun this time, I was ready.
I couldn't wait to see what kind of cosmic experience I was about to
have. Well, the time came and passed and guess what happened.
NOTHING. No twinges or twinkles, no special vibrations, no luvy
duvy feelings...nothing. I knew the Tao did not make a mistake
because the Tao is perfect. So I guess it must have been me. So I
waited an extra 5 minutes to take miscalculations into account, then
an extra hour, then an extra day even.....Nothing! Everyone else
was talking about the Cosmic Orgasm they experienced at the exact
moment of Li Ch'un...and here I was with nothing. I missed the
party again this year. I decided to go see the Ancient Wise Master.


I went up into the mountains to see the Ancient Wise Master (AWM)
who has been residing there for the past 50 years. He knew the
answers to everything. I asked him why everyone got to experience
Li Ch'un except for me. I told him I ate better than anyone I know,
studied harder than anyone I know, meditated longer than anyone I
know, and lived my life as close to nature as possible. The AWM
said " People are knowledgeable of both fact and fiction and so it
comes down to a mathematical solution". Could you explain the
solution I asked, in which he replied "A little fact plus a little
fiction equals a lot of bull". Hmmm, he always had a way with
parables. He also said " A person who experiences nothing when
there are energy shifts may be MORE receptive and aligned with
cosmic processes and nature than the ones who hear and feel cosmic
bells and whistles". He went on, "this is because a smooth
transition is taking place between the cosmos and the individual,
there are no interruptions. Twinges could indicate an uneven flow of
energy.....be like the seasons and transform without any
expectation. When the seasons shift between spring and summer it is
done in an instant...in less than a second, there is no noticeable
change in temperature, atmospheric conditions, humidity, etc. Make
your transition as smooth as this. If the seasons don't concern
themselves with twinges and whistles, why should you". I told him
that most people who are unhealthy and have little intelligence or
wisdom do not experience Li Ch'un twinges. Does this mean they are
aligned with the cosmos. He was getting annoyed with my lack of
understanding as he continued, " There is quite a difference
between a healthy, wise person transforming with the cosmos and an
unhealthy ignorant fool transforming with it.....now go away you
ignorant fool" So I bowed my head and walked back down the
mountain.


As I was walking back home in shame and embarrassment I happened to
see a young man carrying a McDonald's bag and eating a greasy cheese
burger and sipping on a coke, I also noticed he had a large fries
and apple pie in the bag. He was listening to Pearl Jam on his
Walkman radio and he was chatting away on his cell phone. He also
had a very unhealthy look and after getting a whiff of his odor I was
happy that we were traveling in opposite directions. He offered me
a bite of his sandwich, which I declined. Then he said, "Hey Dude,
yesterday was Li Ch'un.....Oh man, I heard bells, whistles, my body
went though a cosmic cleansing.....it was awesome dude. I'm gonna go
share my experiences with the Ancient Wise Master". As he walked
away I felt a great sense of relief. If the AWM called me an
ignorant fool, heaven only knows what this young Pearl Jammin guy
was in for. I couldn't help myself, I decided to sit right there
for a little while. I pulled out my binoculars and I could see that
the kid made it up the mountain to the AWM. What I saw next was
beyond anything I could imagine. The AWM was sharing the cheese
burger with the kid and eating the greasy french fries like they
were going out of style. They were laughing and dancing and having
a good ole time. Then the AWM put on the headphones and started
listening to Pearl Jam. I was speechless. I was confused. I
looked up at the sky and yelled " CAN WE FEEL LI CH'UN OR NOT" Then
came the reply "THE ANCIENT WISE MASTER IS NO DIFFERENT THAN RONALD
MC DONALD" At this instant....... in less than the one second the
Master said it takes for the spring to transform to summer..... I
became enlightened.

Happy Li Ch'un