The Ken trigram is usually translated as "Mountain", but from a western context corresponds to the Earth Element. It is the lowest of the four terrestrial trigrams.
This trigram represents immovable solid power, and has the quality of stubbornness and stuckness. Because of its strong line at the top, it is called the “youngest son”. Its quality is attachment. Its key spiritual concept is “Solid”.
In I Ching divination, Ken/Mountain/Earth-element tends to "slow" the elemental force of the other trigram paired to it, reducing its intensity, movement or force. Hexagrams with this trigram tend to represent situations that have either a positive or negative quality of slowing things down or cutting off force, generally suggesting patience, slowness or caution.
"Its quality is attachment." Is it? I thought that 'attachment' was linked to Li, Fire? See http://www.online-iching.com/30-li.htm
ReplyDeleteThanks very much for commenting!
ReplyDeleteThe general quality associated with Li, which is Primordial Fire or The Sun, is "radiance" or "brilliance". But that link may be calling 'attachment' what is seen as the power of Li, which is "clinging".
In Ken, the power is that of stubbornness. The way to understand quality "attachment" in Ken is not in the sense of clinging (like the power of Li) but in the sense of being firmly planted, attached, immovable in the earth. I suppose you could phrase it as "well grounded".
I hope that clears it up?
Yes, thank you.
ReplyDelete"The way to understand quality "attachment" in Ken is not in the sense of clinging (like the power of Li) but in the sense of being firmly planted, attached, immovable in the earth. I suppose you could phrase it as "well grounded"."
That sounds much better to me and is an excellent (and usable) association with Gen. I do hope you will do the other trigrams as well.
Yes, that's definitely the plan!
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