I'm a big fan of Shifu John Painter's work. I can't just say Juilong Baguazhang, because I am inspired by his work with Xing Yi Chuan and Taijichuan and the whole of Daochichuan in the Li Family system. It was his choice to promote Baguazhang over the others, and I am sorry for the loss of the other systems and the Li Family system as a whole. He shows me that higher level martial arts can make sense and be discussed rationally - something I missed in most of my Aikido and Taiji training.
We have a Fire Palm seminar coming up in North Carolina soon. So, here is a little bit about the Fire Gua in my limited understanding of it. I feel like I am starting to have a relationship with it finally.
Hexagram #30 Synergy/Brightness/Intelligence/Clarity/Consciousness/Illumination/Dependance/The Clinging/Fire/Shining
Fire itself needs fuel and oxygen to start. Shifu told us when he was here last that we can pick our fuel, and the volume of our fuel. One of the dangers of practicing Fire is that we need to be careful when we pick our fuel. I guess Fire can touch on addiction?
The Change Lines
The Top (6th) Line: It is up to you to penetrate to the source of the trouble in the situation and eradicate it. Go after the root cause of the problem, not the minor problems. Once the major problem is out of the way, order will reign. It is best to kill the leaders. The king sets out and advances. There is a good executioner, but it is not the enemy that is captured. No harm. The king goes on expedition, and has excellence. Kill the Chiefs. Capture the followers. No Blame.
The Fifth Line: There is tremendous grief and acceptance of what has transpired. Better times are coming. Tears in floods, sighing and lamenting. Good fortune. Tears flow in torrents, a mournful lament and auspicious. Burst into tears like torrents as if groaning sorrowfully. Luck.
The Fourth Line: Overly enthusiastic energigies and endeavours will exhaust you. Nothing will come of it at all. Brightness may arise suddenly and then die out as quickly. This is the course of life. It flames up, it dies down, it is thrown away. Dashing forth, coming forth, burning, dying and being abandoned. As if coming suddenly, As if buring; as if dying; as if abandoned.
The Third Line: The best attitude to cultivate is a general acceptance of fate. To totally lose yourself in the happiness of the moment is as bad as to bemoan the passing of time. Such folly of the mind and the emotions leads to a loss of inner freedom. The sunset is bright. Now is the time to enjoy it's blessings, like that of a long life well lived. Sighing in sorrow for its end brings misfortune. ...In the light of the setting sun. The Fire of the Setting Sun - when one no longer drums on earthern jars and sings, then there is only the lament of old age and the inauspicious. Shining in the setting sun, not beating clay pots and singing but groaning like an old man of eighty - calamity. Pay Respect and receive no blame. Otherwise, you'll be strutting as if confused.
The Second Line: A reasonable and moderate attitude will bring you the best possible luck. Remember, indulge in no excess, no extremes of thought or action. Bright sunshine falls upon the earth. Moderation brings success. Yellow light, supreme good fortune. Yellow Fire, a major auspicious omen. Yellow Shining - Primal Luck. (Yellow apparently refers to moderation here according to the translators.)
The Bottom (1st) Line: Brightness at the beginning can lead to confusion. Tread lightly like a beginner, and there will be no mistakes. When you first begin in your new path, you are bombarded by impressions. Keep your goal in mind constantly and you can avoid confusion and error. The beginning holds the seed of all that is to follow. You tread onward, alternating the feet. Show respect, no harm.
This is transscribing from R.L Wing's I Ching, Brian Arnold's The Book of Transformations, A guide to the Wilhelm/Baynes translation by Carol Anthony, Yi Jing Book of Changes by Richter ( the least comprehensible sentences, but some useful ones.) Gia-Fu Feng's Taoist translation with Frank Kegan.
With the final two books, there was so much effort put into being as literal as possible that some sentences weren't very clear - I resisted the urge to add minor words and punctuation and eventually gave up for the sake of not wasting my time. The wording is still close. The most literal translations used imagery that had a context that we in the West don't have, like the Yellow Light.
Still, so much of this does actually speak to me about what Fire is and should be practiced to be. Intelligent, mindful use with correct timing (on many levels) and no overreaching or holding on to a strategy while paying full attention to the relationship between yourself and your opponent. Danger and grief comes from a static mindset - take opportunites, and let them go when they have passed. Taking what you have, but keeping your eye on your goal. Fire doesn't bat arms around, it grabs the opponent's spine and balance. Fire can appear and vanish quickly, and the timing and targeting is important. A moderate attitude helps you to sense what is needed, helps you to hold back until that timing and relationship is created for the Fa Jin that is one of the hallmarks of Fire. Fire has an area of influence, and recognizing when that limit is reached and stopping is important. Not being too flamboyant is important.
And, finally recognizing when it is time to go mow the lawn instead of typing at the computer though I would like to continue...
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