To maintain the sense of building-up meaning in a sequence and yet elicit
an increasing sense of precision as we move from bottom to top, we can
interprete each line position in the I Ching as reflecting a quality expressed
in the form of a wave/pulse. Each line doubles the frequency of the previous
line's wave such that as we move up the hexagram we are creating meaning
through the constructive/destructive interference of the waves as we add
them together. The frequencies are:
line 1 (bottom) 2 cycles per second ( and so basic, general, yin/yang determination)
line 2 - 4 cps
line 3 - 8 cps
line 4 - 16 cps
line 5 - 32 cps
line 6 - 64 cps (high precision focus, 64 particulars, yin as hex 02, yang
as hex 01 etc etc)
(For a GENERAL coverage, with references to neuroscience research, of this wave perspective see the page:
"Wave Dichotomies : Meaning from Frequencies, Wavelengths, and Amplitudes" )
The yin/yang or 0/1 markers are if the yang is 'off' or 'on' and so bringing
out actual vs potential states. Also note that as we build, so each line
is the EXPRESSION of all that came before it. IOW line 1 with its focus
on yin/yang determination is the EXPRESSION of what came before it - T'ai
Chi, the undifferentiated whole etc. Line 2 is the EXPRESSION of line
1 etc; line 6 covers the expression of yin/yang from the categories derived
at line 5. (and so the PAIRS of hexagrams in line 6 are reflecting such
notions as unconditional vs conditional forms of expression - e.g. 02
vs 23)
Given the line
position material so these six waves are representing of primary attributes,
manifest in those hexagrams where yang is 'on' for only that line. Thus
we have:
line 1 - hex 24 - worker/raw (bottom, begin)
line 2 - hex 07 - supervisor
line 3 - hex 15 - local lord
line 4 - hex 16 - minister/adviser
line 5 - hex 08 - ruler/court
line 6 - hex 23 - sage/refined (top, end)
Implicit in this is that all of the other hexagrams are compounds of these
basics. Thus hexagram 27 reflects the summing of the qualities of 24 with
the qualities of 23. Hex 29, reflects the summing of the qualities of
7 with the qualities of 8, hexagram 62 reflects the summing of 15 and
16, hexagram 30 is the summing of the qualities of lines 1, 3, 4, 6, and
so the qualities of 24, 15, 16, and 23. Hex 47 reflects the summing of
2, 4, and 5 and so the summming of the qualities of 07, 16, and 08. (note
the pairs of rotations and their numbering re the traditional sequence
- lines 1-6 (24,23), 2-5 (07,08), 3-4 (15,16). The 'mirror' nature counters
the more sequencial nature of line relationships of 1-4, 2-5, 3-6))
Thus hexagram 02 represents the realm of POTENTIALS (000000) just as hex
01 (111111) is the sum of all of these expressions, and so full-on actualisation.
By focusing on wave forms so we retain the sense of (a) six 'main' lines
and yet (b) introduce harmonics, chords derived from these basics. It
is this notion of waves that allow us to use the XOR operator to extract
details from each hexagram (as covered in the linemean link above) in
that what is indicated is a topological perspective where all is connected
together and LOCAL distortions draw out a particular from that set of
all. In that drawing-out so the others are ordered into a format that
allows for the identification of their expression THROUGH this particular
context.
Thus in recursion, each ROW is a complex wave pattern and each category
derived in each row is a particular manifestation of a harmonic out of
that pattern. Thus the 64 hexagrams are each 'exaggerations' out of the
complex waveform of level 6 (26). The exaggerations mean that
WITHIN each hexagram are expressed all of the others as they contribute
to that hexagram's expression, the life history of whatever that hexagram
represents etc. (and so XOR-ing a hexagram with 24 gives us a desription
of how it 'begins', as XOR-ing with 27 gives us its skeletal form)
Note what we have when we introduce gerunds to the hexagrams:
line 1 - hex 24 - beginning, re-beginning
(returning)
line 2 - hex 07 - uniforming (impose basic
'sameness')
line 3 - hex 15 - levelling-out (keep words
close to facts, avoid exaggerations)
line 4 - hex 16 - foreseeing, planning
line 5 - hex 08 - unifying (passive, unconditional,
attraction)
line 6 - hex 23 - pruning
The line 5 position is like bees to a flower and its pollen. The line 6
position is the removing of the 'waste' of this season to prepare for
next season - and so this includes the traditional perspective of line
6 being 'beyond' the hexagram - we have moved past it. BUT that pruning
action is also an action of particularising, making something conditional,
and that applies to all hexagrams with a line 6 yang vs a line 6 yin (unconditional).
Line 1, 2, and 3 cover a generic sense of preparation (and so their expression
as a whole in 11 (111000) where the harmonising/balancing (and so mediating)
dynamics set the context for the later 'flowering' etc.)
Complex forms allow for such recognition of the combining of "uniforming"
and "unifying" are reflected in the hexagram about containment
and control - 29.
Then we have such notions as 19, with a mix of beginning/re-beginning and
uniformity, focus on sameness, to give us an analogy to a sense of seeking
an audience with the 'high'. (a new path focus within which operates a
focus on uniformity)
Since hex 8 reflects unconditional attraction, but 20 reflects conditional
attraction, so we see in 20 the 'pruning' of 23 associated with 08. (08
+ 23 = 20, line 5 + line 6 = lines 5&6)
Note the subtle setting of context appearing to be the first 'yang' line
in the order - IOW 08 sets the context of 20, 23 then operates in that
context, particularises, conditionalises, and the result in expression
is 20.
For 29 so the context setter is 07, not 08.
For 27 so the context setter is 24, not 23.
What is implied in this is the 'rigid' nature of yang-based hexagrams,
they all must have a 'start' context, a 'point' - this is not so in the
yin-based hexagrams where we have to move up to find the first 'yang'
line to set the context of the complex form. As such, in 02 there is no
definite 'start' position, it varies, is context-sensitive etc., and so
in 23 it is the top line, in 08 the fifth line, in 20 the fifth line,
in 16 the fourth line, in 44 the second line etc etc etc etc.
ALL of the hexagrams are interpretable as reflecting these summings of qualities based on summing the qualities associated with the lines. Thus hex 52 reflects the summing of 3 + 6 = levelling out + pruning. etc. and so an association to stopping, blocking, and on into developing a sense of discernment. Thus 52 sums 3 and 6 and in doing so creates a derived form that can develop its 'nature' through being fleshed-out with associations to different contexts expressing the same universal but with local colourings.