The road to learning for many enthusiasts of Yi studies is often rugged and difficult. Many only resort to reading or memorizing without seeking true understanding, and some even spend lavishly in search of miraculous techniques. In reality, those who truly understand Yi Jing know that it's the law of the Five Elements' changes, devoid of any miraculous methods. A proficient Yi master relies on profound knowledge of Yi principles and dialectical reasoning rather than any miraculous tricks.
In learning, many people read ancient texts and memorize phrases without seeking comprehension and misuse them. However, these phrases have specific conditions of use and should not be applied indiscriminately. Therefore, it's crucial to study Yi principles. When studying Yi principles, we should start with the basics. As the saying goes, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Just like constructing a tall building requires a solid foundation and airplanes need airports, mastering the fundamentals is essential for further learning.
Yi studies involve logical and dialectical thinking, with Yi principles being the natural laws summarized by ancient sages over thousands of years. In practical applications, personal subjective consciousness from the feudal upper class is often intertwined. We should affirm the correct and discard the erroneous. Yi learners need to possess both dialectical and logical thinking and should not blindly follow trends. As Yi Yun said, "The Way changes endlessly." In today's rapidly evolving society, we must adapt. Yi knowledge also evolves. How does it evolve? This is a question. We must inherit and promote the essence of tradition while eliminating its dross, making Yi knowledge accessible and applicable to all. Let's not mystify it or form factions like in the past. Confucius said, "In the company of three persons who are walking, there must be one I can learn from." As long as we adhere to Yi virtues, dispel factions, and increase mutual communication and learning, we can truly embody the breadth of Yi Jing. Yi Jing says, "Life is perpetually changing," which means that only by developing Yi studies can we progress and keep pace with the advancement of society. To develop, we must return to simplicity and truly embody the principle of "simplicity."
It's easy to talk about but how do we change? Every theory's emergence faces external attacks. In reality, it's easy to abandon old traditions. The philosophy of destiny is based on dialectical thinking, but regardless of change, the purpose of Yi cannot change. We must not deviate from Yi principles. The changes in Yi are "unchanging, changeable, and simplified." As we all know, the sun and moon represent Yi and can also be interpreted as clarity. In fact, people have always failed to understand Yi principles, finding them simple only after truly understanding them. Therefore, in the learning process, we must follow the principles of Yi and draw from its essence. Simplification is changeable.
When studying fate, we must use "Yi principles" as the guiding theoretical framework. The so-called Yi principles are "natural laws." The ancients created Yi not from complexity but from the profound simplicity of natural phenomena. They observed the celestial phenomena, the geographical features, the changing seasons, and the behaviors of birds, beasts, and insects, drawing parallels between the macrocosm and microcosm. This is the greatness of it! In learning Yi, we must start from the most basic aspects of nature, return to nature, and adopt a method of combining human and natural methods for learning and research. Only by combining with nature can learning be easier. Some forms of divination have violated the laws of nature. Try to imagine if they could be accurate. If we take an approach close to nature in our studies, we will greatly enlighten ourselves. Some people say that the Earthly Branches of Chen and Chou represent water, and some blindly follow suit. However, it's evident that this assertion is incorrect. We all know that the Earthly Branches are indicators of the depth of seasonal energy, and the energy never disappears. The Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches constitute a person's Eight Characters, and each has its specific role. If we want to deviate from this and not use it, it's clear that such a person doesn't understand the laws of nature. As Laozi said, "The Way follows nature." All cannot deviate from the laws of nature. If you want to establish such a theory, you must first understand nature!
Teacher Huang Jian said, "There is no law outside the law, the law has no fixed law, do not stick to the ancient law, my heart is the law." This is the highest realm of understanding Yi principles. The "law" in these few sentences refers to the method of thinking and application. We cannot violate the laws of nature. As long as we do not violate nature, it's a great and good law. Only by not violating the laws of nature can it be called the "Way."
Landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, and floods all cause disasters because they violate the laws of nature. Similarly, our study of fate follows the same principles. In the long river of history, ancient sages have accumulated a lot of practical experience. However, as times change, they are no longer suitable for today's society. We must boldly put forward our own theories, but regardless of change, Yi principles remain unchanged. The "law" cannot change. We combine Liu Ren, Liu Yao, and Qimen's good ideas and methods to modify the predictions of Eight Characters, enriching the abstraction and broadening the mindset. Yi principles are interconnected. As long as we boldly practice and seek verification cautiously, as long as we do not violate the laws of nature, we will definitely gain a lot. In fact, there are no miraculous methods in learning fate; it's a form of dialectical thinking, which cannot deviate from nature, known as natural thinking or Taiji thinking.
My knowledge of fate is still very superficial. Here, I only write my learning methods, thoughts, and insights for everyone to share, to elicit responses from fellow enthusiasts and mentors, and to stimulate Yi thinking. Gathering firewood makes a great flame, and gathering drops of water forms a sea. The ocean of fate is vast and magical. As long as we correct our learning attitude, use logical thinking, dialectical thinking, and stay grounded in reality, utilize nature, and benefit humanity. We should not dismiss traditional fate but should extract its essence, apply it to modern times, follow Yi principles, simplify complexity, and create a beautiful world of Yi learning. Let's unveil the mystery of Yi, step out of the esoteric halls, hold hands, connect hearts, and work together to fulfill the mission of Yi learning, seize the day, and deeply understand the great principles. Truly embody and utilize natural Taiji thinking and achieve the state of "being content with fate and free from worries"!
