On Virtue

In the practice of the Yi Fa Society, "Virtue" is a key part of the system for spiritual growth.  Even as one can only be 'Virtuous' by having an inner awareness-practice (as provided by Qi Gong, among others), and by having an understanding of the nature of reality and our place in it (as provided by the I Ching, among others), simultaneously one cannot make great strides in any practice of development without working on growth in the four fundamental forms of Virtue elaborated in Hexagram #1 of the I Ching.

These are:

1. Union: also understood as "Love", in that sense of seeking to make actual connection. It's ultimate expression is spiritual union through enlightenment, but in the immediate sense it can also represent connection, caring and affection for your life, your surroundings, and the people in it.   The qualities associated with it are "Sublime", "smooth", and "easy".

2. Discipline: also understood as "determination", or sometimes "will".  It is the physical manifestation of seeking one's true Will.  It is thus also understood as "right conduct", that is, moving in the right direction as guided by one's own Superior Individual.  It means not being afraid of hard work in that which is the passion of your heart.  It is associated with "success", and also with clear vision, including power in divination (someone undisciplined will lack the vision and proper clarity to divine effectively).

3. Harmony:  also understood as "justness" or "balance".  It is about creating an inner balance of one's Yin and Yang qualities (the stillness and the motion within one's self, the introverted and extroverted, the soft and the hard); and likewise about creating a harmonious environment around you.  It is associated with the quality of "beneficence", and is about creating harmony by showing generosity, justice (including the rooting out of wrongs), and goodness to those around you.

4. Truth:  it is also understood as "wisdom", because only that which is real can be wise.  No amount of speculation can be true wisdom, as it is not rooted in the firm foundation of Truth.  Thus, this virtue is also understood as "Accomplishment". It is the most direct form of spiritual attainment: the ability to discern what is real from what is illusion.

These four forms of Virtue will increase the more one practices (Yi Fa Qi Gong, and the study of the I Ching), and simultaneously the more one works on embodying these forms of Virtue, the more effective one's practice can become.

The secret Virtue Code of the Yi Fa Society, the Zhi De, is the specific set of guidelines for personal development of Virtue, but it is nothing more really than an elaboration on the four points above, which are easy for anyone to understand and self-evident to work on.