OVERWHELMED. Someone hacked my facebook account. He chats with my online friends and talks about unscrupulous and immoral stuffs. Danggit!

TIRED. Im not physically tired, but my soul and mind is. I need a good break.

CONFUSED. I have no idea why my smart does not deduct my internet browsing from my broadband load. But it’s nice. Really really nice..

FORESEEN. I think i’m gonna be sick. I need to be ready..

DONE. Im done watching Dexter Season1. Love its ending. :p

OVEREXCITED. I thought I can now use my downloaded deskscapes2.0.. turns out the given email address and serial number doesn’t match. err..

FRUSTRATED. i cant find a crack for my deskscape. arghh..

HUNGRY. im hungry but i don’t like the food. maarte.

IMPATIENT. my torrent download is sooo slow.. can’t wait!

soo crazy. at one point, i feel calm, relaxed, happy and satisfied. then after an hour or so as i am surfing the net, i feel so frustrated.

ugh. soo soo soo crazy, right?

this is such a noob!

from a happy girl, i am starting to be a perturbed lady..

tsss…

so strange. why is this happening to me?

i knew myself to be a jolly and lively person. now what?

i am always gloomy and sad and blue and down and all. hwooaaa!

since i tried to be a little serious with much more finesse than the usual me, i started to act like this.

as if i have all the burden a human can have. most of the time, down down down and down.

i haven’t been truly happy since then…

wake me up from this terrifying nightmare!

On a crisp Spring day in 2009, after Mr. Green’s comprehensive exam at Harbour Centre in the board room with Colonel Mustard, Dr. Avraham Cohen concluded with this deductive reasoning,

Philosophydoll, you have such a way of saying something by saying nothing… who would ever have thought YOU would be writing about hockey…

I once had a dream about a brand new pack of tarot cards and a paintbrush… the cards were blank… and the instructions were clear…

In listening to myself, I always do what I’m told… with increasing intensity…

When I was little, back in the days of suburban ditches, there was no such thing as girls’ hockey…

So finding my legs in a cage on hockey skates is an adjustment … and so is working up a quick shot with soft hands…

Unlike many of the boys in my classroom, I never had to take a girl aside for a quiet conversation about playing pocket billiards during Calendar…

Different equipment typically determines different perception… and although this may seem like a verbal Suduko puzzle to some… others will get it right off the bat…

After only three weeks at the local rink the shine is already wearing thin as self-appointed coaches irritate my sciatica with their uninvited hotstove…

Here is what I heard at Stick and Puck last Friday…

1) Get some new moves, you’re too predictable… (projection)

2) It’s a waste of time to skate with a stick and no puck… (from the old guys)

3) Ignore the old guys… (from the young guy)

4) You don’t need a cage… (from a healthy scratch)

Listen Mr. Hockeyhands I didn’t suffer through two years of braces with headgear in junior high to risk getting my teeth knocked out by a puck during a mid-ice crisis… 

It’s funny to see the Peanut Gallery choke on itself in response to the following epi-question…

Who’s department are YOU in right now???

I haven't been shopping for any new shoes...

It may be conspiracy theory, but apparently NASA expended major energy this month by slamming a probe into the Moon’s south pole… it shouldn’t have to take a team of rocket scientists to figure out that even with persistent strikes Luna would not offer up the expected response…

My doctor of TCM hit the nail on the head, as I was impersonating a pin cushion on an amethyst mat,

when she said… That is such a yang way to get some yin… 

With so much ancient knowledge, and genius, available to mankind, it is beyond comprehension that a more sophisticated way of coming together isn’t collective practice…

In commitment to a wu wei of evolving the origin of the species…

Translated from the original blog post at http://www.LiYeSen.com

There is speechless to describe the beauty of TaiJi 太极!

It  is the KEY! The key to open my wisdom door…

Traditional Chinese Medicine is originated from Yi-ology 易学. It is one of the branch of the Yi-ology 易学.

TaiJi, the simplest… the prettiest…

is a well-known Chinese Yin Yang symbol. Sometimes it’s called Tai-Chi symbol. The Tai-Chi is from I-Ching. The I-Ching is the greatest foundation of Chinese philosophy. It’s development is from the natural phenomena of our universe. Because I-Ching comes from nature, it should be easy.
This is the basic Yin Yang symbol embroidered. As mentioned above, this symbol represents the primal opposing but complementary forces found in all things in the universe. Depicted as it is, it also outlines the necessity of balance in all things.
The Yin-Yang Symbol & Taoist Cosmology:

What is the meaning of the Taiji symbol? In terms of Taoist cosmology, the circle represents Tao – the undifferentiated Unity out of which all of existence arises. The black and white halves within the circle represent Yin-qi and Yang-qi – the primordial feminine and masculine energies whose interplay gives birth to the manifest world: to the five elements and “ten-thousand things.”
Yin & Yang are Co-Arising and Interdependent:

The curves and circles of the Yin-Yang symbol imply a kaleidoscope-like movement. This implied movement represents the ways in which Yin and Yang are mutually-arising, interdependent, and continuously transforming, one into the other. One could not exist without the other, for each contains the essence of the other. Night becomes day, and day becomes night. Birth becomes death, and death becomes birth (think: composting). Friends become enemies, and enemies become friends. Such is the nature – Taoism teaches – of everything in the relative world.
Heads & Tails: Another Way of Looking at the Yin-Yang Symbol:

The black and white halves of the Yin-Yang symbol are similar to the two sides of a coin. They are different, and distinct, yet one could not exist without the other. The circle itself – which contains these two halves – is like the metal (silver, gold or copper) of the coin. It is what the two sides have in common – what makes them “the same.”

When we flip a coin, we will – in terms of the imprints – always get either “heads” or “tails,” one answer or the other. Yet in terms of the essence of the coin (the metal upon which the “heads” and “tails” symbols are imprinted) the answer will always be the same.
Smaller Circles Within The Larger Circle:

What’s great about the Yin-Yang symbol is that the smaller circles nested within each half of the symbol serve as a constant reminder of the interdependent nature of the black/white “opposites.” It reminds the Taoist practitioner that all of relative existence is in constant flux and change. And while the creation of pairs-of-opposites would seem to be an aspect of our human software, we can maintain a relaxed attitude around this, knowing that each side always contains the other, as night contains day, or as a mother “contains” the infant that she will, in time, give birth to.
The Identity Of Relative & Absolute:

We see this same idea illustrated in this passage from Shih-tou’s poem “The Identity Of Relative And Absolute”:

Within light there is darkness,
but do not try to understand that darkness.
Within darkness there is light,
but do not look for that light.
Light and darkness are a pair,
like the foot before and the foot behind in walking.
Each thing has its own intrinsic value
and is related to everything else in function and position.
Ordinary life fits the absolute as a box and its lid.
The absolute works together with the relative,
like two arrows meeting in mid-air.
Existence & Non-Existence In The Yin-Yang Symbol:

“Existence” and “non-existence” is a polarity which we can understand, also, in the way suggested by the Yin-Yang symbol: as mutually-arising and interdependent “opposites” which are in constant motion, transforming one into the other. The things of the world are appearing and dissolving continuously, as the elements of which they are composed go through their birth-and-death cycles. In Taoism, the appearance of “things” is considered to be Yin, and their resolution back into their more subtle (“no-thing”) components, Yang.
All These Forms:

The following song, by the Tibetan teacher Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche, makes the same point as the Yin-Yang symbol, and advises us – in the face of the arising and dissolving of myriad forms – to “just let go, and go where no mind goes.”
All These Forms

All these forms – appearance emptiness
Like a rainbow with its shining glow
In the reaches of appearance emptiness
Just let go and go where no mind goes

Every sound is sound and emptiness
Like the sound of an echo’s roll
In the reaches of sound and emptiness
Just let go and go where no mind goes

Every feeling is bliss and emptiness
Way beyond what words can show
In the reaches of bliss and emptiness
Just let go and go where no mind goes

All awareness – awareness emptiness
Way beyond what thought can know
In the reaches of appearance emptiness
Let awareness go – oh, where no mind goes

Can a breakfast get more balanced than this I wonder?

- Thiên Việt

YẾU TỐ NGŨ HÀNH

Trong triết học Trung Hoa nói về Hà Đồ – Lạc Thư, đã phân định ra 2 khí Âm và Dương, khi hợp là1 chia thành 2, tách thành 4… Cũng trong Âm Dương có sinh phải có tử để quân bình sự sống, nên Tạo hóa đã ứng dụng thuyết Ngũ Hành để có sự sinh khắc trong đời sống tạo thành mối khép kín “sinh lão bệnh tử”, nên nếu thuận gọi là sinh còn nghịch gọi là khắc để có sự suy tàn, hủy diệt.

Ngũ Hành gồm có Kim – Mộc – Thủy – Hỏa – Thổ.

Đến nay Âm dương Ngũ Hành được chấp nhận như sau :

- Âm Dương Ngũ Hành là KHÍ của vũ trụ, là VẬN khi chúng gặp nhau sinh biến động.

Về lý thuyết của Ngũ Hành được các nhà tượng số xem là 5 yếu tố căn bản. Sự sinh khắc của ngũ hành tương quan về luật giao hợp và sự thay đổi của Âm Dương, tạo nên muôn vật trên trái đất trong chu kỳ quay tròn mãi mãi.

- KIM thuộc những khoáng sản (than đá, kim loại)

- MỘC là thực vật, thảo mộc (cây cối, hoa cỏ)

- THỦY là nước (những gì thuộc dạng lỏng)

- HỎA là lửa (những gì thuộc chất nóng)

- THỔ là đất nói chung là khoáng chất (chưa hình thành ra khoáng sản).

Theo cổ học Trung Quốc, vua Phục Hy tìm thấy loại vật chất đầu tiên cấu tạo ra trái đất là hành Thủy.

Thứ tự của Ngũ Hành sẽ là Thủy – Hỏa – Mộc – Kim – Thổ.

Quan niệm trên cũng phù hợp với kết luận của các nhà khoa học châu Âu, khi họ khẳng định tìm thấy nguyên tố đầu tiên trong vũ trụ là nước tức hành Thủy, tiếp sau mới đến các hành Hỏa, Mộc, Kim và Thổ.

Trong khi các nhà tượng số lại thống nhất sắp xếp ngũ hành theo thứ tự theo vòng tương sinh : Mộc – Hỏa – Thổ – Kim – Thủy

Hình 1 theo đường tròn mũi tên là tương sinh, Thổ đứng giữa để xuất phát và thu về, còn có nghĩa đứng đầu 4 hành kia. Còn tương khắc với thứ tự : Mộc – Thổ – Thủy – Hỏa – Kim  theo đường thẳng của mũi tên

Ngũ hành là bản thể của Âm Dương, là sự tồn tại các dạng vật chất. Khi vật chất bị bốc cháy thành hơi bay vào bầu trời thành ion điện trường đó là Dương. Các ion kết tụ thành các nguyên tố hóa học khác để tồn tại trên trái đất đó là Âm, khi chúng gặp nhau sinh ra hiện tượng sấm sét.

BIỆN CHỨNG NGŨ HÀNH

A/- VƯỢNG TƯỚNG HƯU TÙ TỬ

Sự sinh khắc tùy thuộc vào bản chất riêng, như Mộc sinh Hỏa hay Mộc khắc Kim, là sinh khắc một chiều, thực tế khi phân tích qua 5 bậc Vượng, Tướng, Hưu, Tù, Tử (bảng trang bên) ta tính được độ số cát hung như sau  :

Thí dụ : Mậu Dần ngũ hành thuộc THỔ, thì hành Kim được lợi (vượng, do Thổ sinh Kim), hành Thổ thành đạt (tướng, lưỡng Thổ), hành Hỏa bị diệt (hưu, Hỏa sinh Thổ), hành Thủy bị khắc (tù, Thổ khắc Thủy), hành Mộc được sinh (tử, Mộc khắc Thổ), theo thuyết biện chứng :

- Thổ sinh Kim : Kim được sinh còn Thổ hao tổn, Thổ gặp sinh xuất.

- Thổ với Thổ : lưỡng thổ thành sơn, ở đây là Thổ được bồi đắp thêm.

- Hỏa sinh Thổ : Hỏa đốt cháy Mộc nên cả 2 Hỏa, Mộc đều tổn hại cho Thổ được sinh, tức Thổ được sinh nhâp.

- Thổ khắc Thủy : Thổ được tốt còn Thủy bị hao. Thổ gặp khắc xuất.

- Mộc khắc Thổ : Thổ bị hao tổn còn Mộc được hoá sinh (Tử có nghĩa là con, mới được sinh), nên Thổ bị khắc nhập.

Qua thí dụ trên, sự tương sinh hay tương khắc chỉ có 1 chiều : Thổ sinh được Kim chứ Kim không sinh được Thổ; Thổ khắc Thủy chứ Thủy không khắc được Thổ…

Hành được sinh (sinh nhập) có lợi : Kim được Thổ sinh thì Kim được lợi, còn Thổ thì hao tổn (sinh xuất).

Hành bị khắc (khắc nhập) thất lợi còn hành khắc cũng hao tổn, như Thổ là hành khắc (khắc xuất), còn Thủy là hành bị khắc (khắc nhập).

Theo lý thuyết được Sinh nhập, Khắc xuất là tốt. Còn bị Sinh xuất, Khắc nhập là xấu.

Nhưng còn tính chất hóa hợp xung của Thiên Can, Địa Chi nên không vì những điều trên phải lo lắng.

Tương sinh có nghĩa nuôi dưỡng, thúc đẩy, trợ giúp; còn tương khắc có nghĩa ràng buộc, khắc chế. Nhưng xét theo Vượng Tướng Hưu Tù Tử sẽ có ứng dụng khác nhau :

Gặp tương sinh chưa phải là tốt, thí dụ :

- Kim dựa vào Thổ sinh (Thổ sinh Kim), nhưng Thổ vượng thì Kim bị vùi lấp, mất tích.

- Thổ dựa vào Hỏa sinh (Hỏa sinh Thổ), nhưng Hỏa vượng thì Thổ trở thành khoáng sản than đá, kim loại.

- Hỏa dựa vào Mộc sinh (Mộc sinh Hỏa), nhưng Mộc vượng thì Hỏa đang thuộc hưu, tù, tử̀ không thể bốc lên đốt cháy được cây to.

- Mộc dựa vào Thủy sinh (Thủy sinh Mộc), nhưng nhưng Thủy vượng thì Mộc trốc gốc phải trôi giạt.

- Thủy dựa vào Kim sinh (Kim sinh Thủy), nhưng Kim vượng thì Thủy đục nước có nhiều tạp chất đầy nguy hại.

Cho nên gặp Tương khắc chưa phải đã hung, thí dụ :

- Kim khắc Mộc nhưng Mộc cứng thì Kim phải mẻ.

- Mộc khắc Thổ nhưng Thổ khô thì Mộc chết.

- Thổ khắc Thủy nhưng Thủy dâng cao thì Thổ bị trôi, bị sụp lở.

- Thủy khắc Hỏa nhưng Hỏa vượng thì Thủy khô cạn.

- Hỏa khắc Kim nhưng Kim nhiều thì Hỏa phải tắt.

Vì vậy hành nào là Vượng, Tướng dù bị khắc nhập hay sinh xuất đều vượt qua, còn những hành được sinh nhập hay khắc xuất đang ở thế Hưu, Tù, Tử, chuyển hung ra cát, chuyển cát thành hung.

Nhờ vậy mà chúng ta thấy sự sinh khắc của ngũ hành đều có những yếu tố xác định, như Mộc là cây cối tăng trưởng được là nhờ có Thủy (nuớc), nhưng cây không sống được ở sông mà phải sống trên đất, như vậy phải có Thổ (đất). Khi Mộc vượng thì Thủy lẫn Thổ đều gặp hao tổn. Trong ngũ hành đều có sự hỗ tương hay khống chế nhau, như Thổ bị khắc với Mộc (Mộc khắc Thổ) cần có Kim khống chế lại Mộc v.v…

Trong Hiệp hôn định cuộc cho rằng, lỡ gạo đã nấu thành cơm như Mộc lấy Thổ, để khắc chế hai mệnh Mộc và Thổ cần sinh đứa con tuổi Kim, gia đình tức khăc hòa thuận, hạnh phúc.

B/- ẤU – TRÁNG – LÃO

Ngoài yếu tố Vượng, Tướng, Hưu, Tù, Tử, nên tính thêm độ số Ngũ Hành Ấu Tráng Lão, như Ấu mới sinh chưa thể phát huy được tính cát hung cao như Tráng đã trưởng thành, hay Lão không còn sức công phá như thời thanh niên trai tráng.

Đo độ số Ngũ Hành Ấu Tráng Lão phải qua 12 cung tính đường Sinh Vượng – Tử Tuyệt của vòng Trường Sinh, gặp Thai, Dưỡng, Trường Sinh, Mộc Dục, Quan Đới, Lâm Quan, Đế Vượng là tốt, vì 7 cung này Ngũ Hành đang trong giai đoạn phát triển từ Ấu đến Tráng, còn 5 cung Suy, Bệnh, Tử, Mộ, Tuyệt là xấu, do đang ở giai đoạn từ Tráng qua Lão (xem hình 2).

THAI : là khí kết tinh khi Âm Dương kết hợp.

DƯỠNG : khí đã hình thành (khí thiếu dương hay thiếu âm)

SINH (Trường Sinh) : khí đang phát triển, còn non.

DỤC (Mộc Dục) :khí bắt đầu trưởng thành.

4 giai đoạn Thai – Dưỡng – Sinh – Dục thuộc dạng Ấu, khi từ khí thiếu dương hay thiếu âm (Thai, Dưỡng) chuyển sang khí thái dương hay thái âm (Sinh, Dục), tức đã đủ lông đủ cánh.

ĐỚI (Quan Đới) :khí bắt đầu tăng trưởng

LÂM (Lâm Quan) : khí đã thịnh (thái dương, thái âm đã đầy đặn)

VƯỢNG (Đế Vượng) : khí tráng cực

SUY : khí bắt đầu suy yếu dần, vì đã qua thời kỳ tráng kiện, thiếu âm hay thiếu dương bắt đầu phát sinh.

4 giai đoạn Đới – Lâm – Vượng – Suy thuộc Tráng đi từ khí đang cực thịnh (Đới, Lâm, Vượng) sang suy yếu (Suy).

BỆNH : khí già nua nên bệnh lão hóa.

TỬ : khí đã tận.

MỘ : hấp hối chờ chết.

TUYỆT : không còn khí dương hay khí âm, khi thiếu âm hay thiếu dương đang ở giai đoạn chờ kết hợp.

4 giai đoạn Bệnh – Tử – Mộ – Tuyệt thuộc Lão, khi khí thiếu âm, thiếu dương hình thành thì khí thái dương hay thái âm sẽ bị diệt.

Qua Ấu Tráng Lão trong chu kỳ Lục Thập Hoa Giáp với 60 tên gọi, cứ hai cặp Can Chi có chung một tên Ngũ Hành Nạp Âm, và mỗi hành còn gồm 6 tên gọi khác nhau để đánh dấu các giai đoạn Ấu, Tráng, Lão nói trên.

Như hành Thổ có “Lục Thổ” có thứ tự : 1- Lộ Bàng Thổ, 2- Thành Đầu Thổ, 3- Ốc Thượng Thổ , 4- Bích Thượng Thổ, 5- Đại Trạch Thổ và 6- Sa Trung Thổ. Hành nào là Ấu, Tráng, Lão của vòng Trường Sinh thuộc giai đoạn nào, cùng Cung Phi nam nữ chúng ta có bảng kê trước đây.

- Nếu Ngũ Hành đi từ Âu rồi trở về Ấu (theo chu kỳ 60 năm) lúc về già sẽ hồi xuân, mang tính trẻ trung vô tư như thời niên thiếu (Ấu), nếu mệnh hợp có tài lộc, hưởng được thú an nhàn, còn mệnh khắc phải chịu gian nan, sống trong tuổi già phải nhờ con cháu nuôi dưỡng như khi mới ra đời.

- Nếu Ngũ Hành đi từ Tráng, Lão, Ấu sang Tráng nếu bị khắc sẽ có tiền cát hâu hung; nếu đi từ Lão, Ấu, Tráng rồi về Lão dù mệnh khắc cũng đều có hậu vận tốt đẹp.

Đó là tính chất của mọi loại ngũ hành, để tính hành nào non, hành nào trưởng thành, mạnh mẽ và hành nào sắp cạn kiệt, suy thoái.

Có nhiều trường hợp cần luận thêm :

- Thí dụ : Hải Trung Kim (kim dưới biển), tính theo biện chứng sinh khắc.

Khi tương sinh có Thổ sinh Kim và Kim sinh Thủy :

- Thổ sinh Kim : thì Thổ hao Kim lợi, nhưng hành Thổ nào cho hành Kim được lợi ? Xét qua bảng Lục Thổ chỉ có hai loại hành Thổ có thể cho Kim lợi, là Sa Trung Thổ, Đại Trạch Thổ hoặc tối thiểu là Lộ Bàng Thổ, là những hành Thổ có thể tạo ra kim loại tức Kim được sinh nhập.

- Còn Kim sinh Thủy : Kim hao Thủy lợi là sinh xuất xấu. Nhưng xấu hay tốt với hành Thủy nào ? Khi xét bảng Lục Thủy chỉ có Đại Khê Thủy, Đại Hải Thủy mới làm cho hành Kim gặp hao tổn, còn Giang Hà Thủy, Tuyền Trung Thủy và Trường Lưu Thủy, hành Kim ít bị tổn hao, nếu gặp Thiên Hà Thủy lại không tương sinh tương khắc với Kim.

Khi tương khắc cũng tính theo biện chứng trên, đồng thời hành bị khắc (là hành đứng sau) đang trong giai đoạn Ấu, Tráng hay Lão và độ số ở vòng Trường Sinh như thế nào, để tính cát hung cho thích hợp.

NGŨ MỆNH ĐẶC QUÁI

“Ngũ mệnh đặc quái” sẽ cho thấy Thiên Can và Địa Chi khi cùng một ngũ hành, phương vị với Bát Quái sẽ cùng có những cách hóa hợp xung cát hung giống nhau.

Bảng này coi về đường công danh sự nghiệp hơn là xem gia đạo, hôn nhân, xin xem bảng Hiệp hôn định cuộc và Bát quái định cuộc.

- Hành KIM :

Thiên Can có Canh – Tân, Địa Chi có Thân – Dậu khi gặp Mệnh – Ngũ Hành sau đây sẽ có những hợp hóa xung như sau :

- KIỀN hành Kim : Số công danh phú quý, tài lộc vào ra như nước.

- KHẢM hành Thủy : Bềnh bồng chìm nổi (Kim sinh Thủy), tổn hao nhiều.

- CẤN hành Thổ : Nên ẩn cư dù Thổ sinh Kim, để hưởng thú an nhàn là tốt.

- CHẤN hành Mộc : Toại ý, toại chí trong chừng mực không to lắm.

- TỐN hành Mộc : Mùa Xuân Hạ có lộc, còn mùa Thu Đông kém lộc.

- KHÔN hành Thổ : Nhờ được phúc đức từ âm tổ, có công danh địa vị vững (Thổ sinh Kim)

- LY hành Hỏa : Không được sở đắc nhiều.

- ĐOÀI hành Kim : Số đắc địa – tốt

- Hành MỘC :

Thiên Can có Giáp – Ất, Địa Chi có Dần – Mão. Khi gặp Mệnh – Ngũ Hành sau đây sẽ có những hợp hóa xung như sau :

- KIỀN hành Kim : Có nhiều hão huyền, sống thiếu thực tê, nên không thành công.

- KHẢM hành Thủy : Bị bế tắc, nhưng tiền hung hậu kiết, làm lớn lại không bền.

- CẤN hành Thổ : Tốt khi Xuân Hạ đến, xấu khi Thu Đông về.

- CHẤN hành Mộc : Có vinh hoa phú quý.

- TỐN hành Mộc : Tuổi nhỏ nhiều gian nan, trắc trở nhưng về hậu vận sẽ tốt hơn.

- KHÔN hành Thổ : Khi thời vận đến mới phát tài lộc.

- LY hành Hỏa : Bị tổn tài hao của.

- ĐOÀI hành Kim : mùa Thu mới khởi sắc có tài lộc.

- Hành THỦY :

Thiên Can có Nhâm – Quý, Địa Chi có Hợi – Tý. Khi gặp Mệnh – Ngũ Hành sau đây sẽ có những hợp hóa xung như sau :

- KIỀN hành Kim : Gặp thời cơ vô cùng phát đạt như nước chảy xuôi, nhiều thuận lợi.

- KHẢM hành Thủy : Bị hãm địa lúc cát lúc hung, tài lộc bất định, nhiều suy nghĩ viễn vông.

- CẤN hành Thổ : Gặp nhiều hiểm trở.

- CHẤN hành Mộc : Dù được sở cầu như ý nhưng thân xác không được nhàn hạ.

- TỐN hành Mộc : Sóng gió, bôn ba lập nghiệp. Về mùa Thu Đông coi chừng tán tài tản lộc.

- KHÔN hành Thổ : Số nhàn hạ có tài lộc.

- LY hành Hỏa : Số ba chìm bảy nổi, khắc khổ, gian truân, thành bại đều có.

- ĐOÀI hành Kim : Kim sinh Thủy nên tài lộc dồi dào, công danh thăng tiến.

- Hành HỎA :

Thiên Can có Bính – Đinh, Địa Chi có Tỵ – Ngọ. Khi gặp Mệnh – Ngũ Hành sau đây sẽ có những hợp hóa xung như sau :

- KIỀN hành Kim : Tính quang minh, có trí thông minh, nếu thêm hào vị tốt sẽ có địa vị cao.

- KHẢM hành Thủy : Gặp phản phúc, tiểu nhân quấy phá (Thủy khắc Hỏa).

- CẤN hành Thổ : Hao tài, tổn thọ.

- CHẤN hành Mộc : Dù Mộc sinh Hỏa nhưng tài lộc giữ không bền.

- TỐN hành Mộc : Như lửa gặp gió, bạo phát, nên có cơ hội nên khởi sự ngay.

- KHÔN hành Thổ : Tuy không gian nan nhưng lại nhiều lo nghĩ.

- LY hành Hỏa : Lửa gặp lửa sẽ bốc, nhưng không nhiều may mắn. Có tiểu nhân rình rập ám hại.

- ĐOÀI hành Kim : Tính hay nghi ngờ, công việc trì trệ, tài lộc kém.

- Hành THỔ :

Gồm các cung KHÔN – CẤN, Thiên Can có Mậu – Kỷ, Địa Chi có Thìn, Tuất, Sửu, Mùi. Khi gặp các Mệnh – Ngũ Hành sau đây sẽ có những hợp hóa xung như sau :

- KIỀN hành Kim : Thời cơ bất nhất nên vận lúc cát lúc hung.

- KHẢM hành Thủy : hãm địa, công viêc không toại ý.

- CẤN hành Thổ : Vào những tháng Tứ Mộ (các tiết Thanh Minh, Tiểu Thử, Hàn Lộ và Tiểu Hàn, tức Thìn, Tuất, Sửu, Mùi) sẽ có tài lộc tốt.

- CHẤN hành Mộc : Có thương tổn tài vật, làm nhiều cung không đủ cầu, vất vả.

- TỐN hành Mộc : Công việc nhiều vất vả nhưng được bù đắp lại bằng vật chất, chỉ đủ cơm áo.

- KHÔN hành Thổ : Phúc lộc trùng trùng, chức vị thăng tiến, buôn bán mua một bán mười.

- LY hành Hỏa : Được bù đắp những công việc đã làm, tài lộc gia trạch cũng hơn mọi người.

- ĐOÀI hành Kim : bôn ba không qua thời vận vì lúc cát lúc hung, lao đao nhiều nhưng chẳng được bao nhiêu.

Thiên Việt

I just finished my first weekend of Yoga Teacher Training and wow…it has been deeply moving. Moving on many levels. There has been deep asana practice deliciously exploring the pelvis, amazing self-inquiry exercises that have brought awareness to my values, hands on anatomy, listened to a wonderful Dharma talk by Jack Kornfield, Who Are You Really? that had many wonderful gems, we ate lovingly prepared food, we have shared our experiences and got in touch with our feelings. I am so deeply inspired by our teachers and my fellow classmates, who are also my great teachers. It is a truly exquisite experience. What really has grabbed my attention though, is how vulnerable I feel in YIN asana. I have very little yin in my practice, and honestly never really understood the benefits of it. It just seemed boring! I am a good listener to my body’s messages but somehow I missed hearing, perhaps ignored, that deep desire to melt, to relinquish myself to the earth, to turn inward, to quiet down, to bask in the softness of the feminine. As I sat in badakonasana, my feet became a sweet receiving bowl for the tears that poured from my eyes as I melted into my yin, so fully aware of my vulnerability. Ahhh. b.r.e.a.t.h.e. And with this new awareness, I notice the yin and yang in my muscles. Yang- my heart opens easily, love backbends…Yin- I have challenges moving into my upper back, folding in. And then my hips…Yang- my hips are open. I can move into interesting postures that require the legs and hips to be open, You know those fun ones that Linda likes to take us into. Yin- The folding in of Fire log pose( Agnistambhasana) OUCH!! There is a hardness, an insane tightness, in my outer hips. I don’t like to go there. It is where I store my ikky. So… you will be seeing me in the more restorative, yin classes soon. I will bring my hanky and you may hear my sniffles as I play with my edges of vulnerability. We have just touched the surface. We have checked off 16.5 hours of the 200 hour journey. And have been blessed with profound goodies for a lifetime. It is with my deepest and most sincere expression of gratitude for this experience. As we take our steps forward individually and collectively in this journey, may we remember the Sufi expression that we are polishing the mirror of our Soul.

At Manga Falls

Is it really possible to fall in love with someone you hated before? After knowing that he’s a kind of “flirtatious” before? Well, if you asked me that question a couple of years back, I would have answered “NO WAY” But then, life has a way of changing even the worst cynics. I fell in love with him without knowing any reason. I just found myself flying across the rainbow of LOVE, and I still fall in LOVE with him even now.

When I was young I never really believed in destiny. I felt destiny was just an idea people used to excuse themselves whenever they failed. I believed that whatever path we chose was the result of our own freewill. But that changed when I found JB. It all started one day when my friend asked me to view her text mate’s Friendster. When I saw the primary picture, I was baffled because he looks familiar and when I saw his name, I could not believe that it was JB because the pictures were different from the young JB I’ve known before. Actually there’s one picture there that made my temperature rise and that was when he made a “f*ck you” sign. I was really irritated, so then  I told my friend, “You know Ai, he looks like my classmate before but I guess he’s not, because he is like a member of a Budol-Budol gang.” Deep in my mind I know that it was JB but I just can’t believe and accept it. I thought it was over but I don’t know what was running on Ai-Ai’s mind that he texted JB and asked him if he knows me. So then, my friend laughed at me when she found out that JB had a serious crush on me. I knew about his feelings for me before but I didn’t tell Ai-Ai about that because I thought she would just disregard that, but due to her curiosity she found out the truth. Starting that moment, Ai- Ai loves to tease me and she frequently utters those annoying “uuuyyyyyss”. When we were young I could consider JB as the obstruction towards my life but slight aggravating. My classmates before keeps on pushing him to me and they were teasing us and I hate it so much because I have my own crush before named JR ,a basketball player in our school and my neighbor. JB is an ordinary boy, a simple and a quite one. He even carries himself neatly but I don’t know why he never caught my attention. Instead, my attention was focused to that haggard look basketball player. The following day, October 13, my friends (including Ai- Ai) and I went in Dunkin Donuts to have snacks there. The night after that Ai – Ai texted me that JB, her text mate, texted her also that he saw me there at Dunkin Donuts (JB knows already that me and Ai- Ai are good friends but he haven’t met Ai- Ai yet), but JB didn’t know that Ai-Ai was with us that time. The next morning, October 14, I asked his number from my friend Ai-Ai then I texted him “Hoy, Bryan , nakit-an man daw ko nimo gahapun sa Dunkin ingon ako amiga. Ngano wala man ka namansin.” Then he replied, “ O kit-an tika but nag duha-duha man gud ko ato kay basin dile ikaw kay kay dugay naman pod ko wala kita nimo dire Pagadian almost 7 years na” and so fort and so on. At the end of our SMS conversation we decided to meet at 6 pm after the Holy Mass. I was quite happy to see him that night. That was the very first time I saw him after seven years of being apart. It’s so amazing to see his smiling face just the same as before. There, I have realized that he’s still the JB I’ve known before and I was wrong to say that he’s somewhat like a Budol-Budol gang or a bad boy. Since then, we’ve been best friends managing to stay close despite attending different colleges. October 17, my first date ever. The day before that was his 19th birthday (October 16). During our date we’ve been reminiscing the past. We laughed together while sharing our experiences in high school. Our Hi-Hello-Goodbye relationship lasted for almost 1 month.

One Friday afternoon (Nov. 9) my Ing-Ing Barkada and I were having an advanced birthday celebration for our friend, Lanmarie. He suddenly sent me a text message telling me that he wanted to see me right after my class because according to him, he has something to tell me personally. Of course, I was dazed then I uttered to myself “I think I know what his plans are.” A big “NOPE!” came out from my mouth, then I replied to him “sorry, but I can’t promise to meet you at that time because I still have a class at 7:00– 9:00 pm ” which is not true. Actually, my class would just end at 8:00 pm but I extended it up to 9:00 pm so that he could never pursue his plans (hahaha I’m so bad). Actually the truth that made me refused, its all because there was one time that he admitted to me that he’s kind of “Flirt “before. You know, I was surprised to hear that he had more than seven ex-girlfriends in just two years, but not all at a time, but guess what he had experienced having two girlfriends at a time. However, he admitted that he was wrong. But the reason why he did that, it’s because he found out that his first girlfriend had another boyfriend while they were still committed to each other. So that’s why he made revenge. Upon hearing that, I warned him about the bad karma that he might experience later on. Another reason why I don’t want to have a boyfriend it’s because I don’t know what would be my mother’s reaction when she finds out that I’m already entering into that kind of things. As far as I know, my mother is very strict when it comes to that. Actually my mother insists on me waiting till I graduate college before starting a “proper” relationship. But one year is too long for me, and I couldn’t wait for that time to come. So then, on November 11, around 6:00 am I received a text message from her younger brother informing me that JB was confined in the hospital. Of course, I was shocked. You know what I did, I rushed into the store to buy load without even changing my pajamas and my hair that time was so messy. I hurriedly sent him an SMS asking if he’s doing fine. But I got no reply from him. I was depressed and very worried about his condition, it seems that, I wanted to visit him there and I’ll make sure that he’s okay.

Around 11:00 am he texted me “GOOD MORNING”. Confused, I asked him if he was really confined or was it just an acting. But he replied that he was really in the hospital because the night before that he wasn’t feeling good. That moment he started courting me again. He confessed to me that his feelings for me were no longer a “Puppy Love” but a “True Love”. I laughed at him and said “What! But It’s been a long time and remember we’re best friends and I guess It’s forbidden!” I’ve uttered so many refusals and so many excuses. But he didn’t give up on me. So I told him, “Okay, that’s enough. Let’s try, but hey promise me that you won’t tell this to anybody and even to your cousin, or else I’ll kill you. Hahaha! I have no good manners that time. I accepted his proposal and he promised to me that he’ll do everything to make our relationship last. I could not imagine how or what reason that made me accept him in spite of all. Maybe I do really love him and I don’t have any regrets at all. I feel very blissful for having him as my first boyfriend. Imagine, the one I hated before is exactly the one who makes my heart beat so fast right now. I would be the most stupid person in the universe if I let him go. We may not be the most perfect pair but we know we are the right for each other, despite the constant bickering and teasing. The next day was a Monday, and my friends discovered that we were already a couple and they congratulate me for finally leaving the NBSB – NO BOYFRIEND SINCE BIRTH motto.

One of my friends advised me to tell my mother about our relationship rather than to keep it secret. So then, after my class, I confronted my mother and confessed what I did. “Ma, I have something to tell you, but please don’t get mad at me. PLEASE…” then you know what was her reaction when I say that? She was asking if I have lost my cell phone or my examination fee. I keep on saying “no, no, no, it’s not about that” “Then what?” “Ma… I already have a boyfriend…” of course, she was shocked. I thought she would slap me for what I did but she didn’t. Instead, she gave me an advice to be careful, and pursue my studies properly and I was so happy to hear that.

Now I find myself falling in love with this guy every day as I get to know him more. I’ll never forget the time when he gave me a necklace with a heart shaped pendant while we we’re staring at the starry night. It was his first monthsary gift to me but he gave it the day after our monthsary day. I enjoyed spending my Christmas and New Year’s Eve with him. One thing I can’t forget was during our 3rd monthsary (February 11), when he gave me three heart-shaped donuts and a lucky charm named Dora, a one legged glass rat which I always put inside my pocket wherever I go. It was the very first time that we spent our monthsary day together. February 5. That was our first “misunderstanding” and that was the very first time I saw his eyes holding back his tears from falling. I felt very guilty that time when I walked out from him with no further adieu. The night after that he told me that he was still at the Cathedral and there he cried because he was blaming himself. So then, I texted him to go home. I told him that I’m okay and that I’ve already forgiven him. I said sorry to him and he apologized too. Since then, we’ve been okay. I feel very comfortable whenever I’m with him. He’s not kindda boring, he always wears his smiles and he filled our dates with jokes, and there was never dead air in our conversation. More importantly, I know I’ll have a very hard time looking for another man who can pretend not to care even if I laugh so hard or even if I have a very messy hair. He changed everything I believed in. Actually, JB is not the man of my dreams but the man of God’s plan for me. We’re not just a couple but we’re also best friends sharing the BEST LOVE of all.

Pencils and Inks by

Charles S. Williams 

Click Image for Larger Version

©

Michael Sacal, Robert MacDonald, Gregory J. Novak, & Charles S. Williams

A story about dualism, Yin/Yang explores the lives of Jack Yang and Rei Kursk as they respectively fall into darkness and discover enlightenment through experiences that contradict their previous lives. Told in the form of flashbacks that show Rei’s nights and Jack’s days prior to the turning point that changes their lives along with contemporary tales of Rei’s days and Jack’s nights that follow it, Yin/Yang presents a contrast between their two very different worlds.

© Michael Sacal, Robert MacDonald, Gregory J. Novak, & Charles S. Williams

Hampir selama 3 bulan lebih saya larut dalam beberapa mini-project fotografi yang salah satunya itu memuat artikel bernafaskan “photo-journalistic” tentang sebuah Vihara/Kelenteng tertua di Kota Bandung, Vihara Satya Budhi (Xie Tian Gong). Dalam kurun waktu tersebut, saya sempatkan dua atau tiga kali dalam seminggu mungunjungi Vihara Satya Budhi yang berlokasi di Jln. Kelenteng, tidak begitu jauh dari pusat kota Bandung. Entah itu hanya untuk memotret atmosphere dari vihara di kala pagi, siang bahkan di sore hari, proses ritual sembahyang pun tentunya tidak luput dari bidikan lensa saya, sampai ke prosesi perayaan Hari Raya Waisak, Puja Bhakti di Vihara ini sempat terekam dalam liputan saya ini.

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Berawal dari ketertarikan dalam mempelajari khasanah peninggalan dari leluhur saya, terutama dalam konteks sejarah dan budaya, maka Vihara/Kelenteng adalah garis start yang tepat untuk mempelajari kedua hal tersebut, terlebih jika kita menginjak ranah yang mengandung nilai-nilai filosofis keagamaan dan kehidupan, begitu banyak hal yang membutuhkan waktu tidak sedikit untuk memperlajari-nya. Namun dalam artikel ini, saya hanya mengulas sebagian kecil saja dari apa yang telah saya amati dan pelajari, mungkin ini semua layak sebatas disebut “catatan kaki” dari perjalanan panjang Vihara Satya Budhi yang telah berusia lebih dari satu abad.

Di penghujung abad ke-19 tepatnya tahun 1896, Golongan Timur Asing etnis Tiong Hoa yang bertempat di lingkungan Pecinan (Chinees-wijk) Kota Bandung yang kala itu belum mendapatkan status gemeente dari pemerintah Kolonial Belanda, mendirikan sebuah kelenteng pertama di Bandung, Sheng Di Miao 聖帝廟,yang diprakarsai oleh Tan Djoen Liong (Luitennant der Chineeschen) dan proyek ini di pimpin oleh arsitek (Chui Tzu Tse) dan ahli sipil (Kung Chen Tse) yang keduanya sengaja didatangkan dari Cina Selatan. Pada awalnya Sheng Di Miao difungsikan sebagai tempat beribadah bersama sesuai kepercayaan tradisional yang dibawa serta dari daerah asalnya di Tiongkok. Lalu pada tahun 1917, kelenteng ini dibangun ulang dan berganti nama menjadi Kelenteng/Kuil Xie Tian Gong 協天宫 (Hiap Thian Kong) yang berarti “Kelenteng Masyarakat”.
Memasuki rezim Orde Baru, situasi dan kondisi etnis Tiong Hoa mulai dipermasalahkan, yang paling terutama adalah efek samping dari peristiwa G30S/PKI di tahun 1965, pelarangan oleh pemerintah masa itu yang cenderung sentiment Anti-China, yaitu pelarangan menggunakan segala nama-nama/tulisan yang berbau Etnis Cina serta budaya dan kesenian asli serta kepercayaan tradisional China tidak boleh ditampilkan, memaksa pergantian nama asli Xie Tian Gong menjadi Satya Budhi. Lantas perbedaan antara kelenteng dan vihara kemudian menjadi cukup rancu karena fenomena tersebut. Imbas lain dalam peristiwa ini adalah kelenteng yang telah berdiri pada masa itu terancam ditutup secara paksa oleh pemerintah. Banyak kelenteng yang kemudian mengadopsi nama Sansekerta atau Pali, lalu mengubah nama sebagai vihara dan mencatatkan surat izin dalam naungan agama Buddha demi kelangsungan peribadatan. Dari sinilah kemudian umat awam sulit membedakan yang mana “kelenteng” dengan vihara.

Mengingat para pendatang Golongan Timur Asing yang ber-etnis Tiong Hoa di Pulau Jawa, mayoritas berasal dari Provinsi Fujian (福建) dengan dialek Hokkian (Min Nan-閩南語), Daerah Fuzhou/Hokchia (Min Dong-福州話) selain dialek-dialek tersebut ada juga yang lainnya; tetapi tidak terlalu signifikan jumlahnya, seperti pendatang dari Kota Chaozhou (潮州) yang membawa dialek Teochew (潮州話) dan dari Provinsi Guangdong (廣東) dengan dialek Hakka (客家話), oleh karena situasi kehidupan dalam lingkungan etnis yang sama dan terpusat (Pecinan), maka dengan sendirinya akan terbentuk sebuah lingkungan yang diliputi budaya walaupun berbeda bahasa namun sarat dengan tradisi dan kepercayaan asli yang terbawa dari tempat asal. Untuk menampung kegiatan kelompok masyarakat tersebut, kelenteng juga dapat difungsikan sebagai balai rakyat atau community center.

Hening… Damai… Kudus…
Itulah impresi pertama yang saya rasakan ketika memasuki kompleks Kelenteng Xie Tian Gong / Vihara Satya Budhi di pagi hari. Wangi asap dari hio (baca: dupa) yang masih menyala, memenuhi altar utama yaitu altar milik Thian Gong (Toa Pe Kong). Semburat cahaya menyelinap dari celah-celah atap yang terbuka, memperkuat suasana ibadat yang begitu sakral dan kudus. Cahaya api jingga dari segelas cangkir minyak di hadapan patung Thian Gong, terlihat dari kejauhan berjajaran rapi memberikan secercah sinar di dalam kegelapan, yang seakan-akan menjadi sebuah pelita penuntun jiwa dalam kehidupan. Elemen interior vihara yang serba seimbang/balanced, kaya akan detail dan warna serta bernilai estetis oriental, mengingatkan saya pada filosofi Tao, Yin-Yang, tentang penting-nya keseimbangan dalam kehidupan. Entah mengapa bagian ambang bawah dari gerbang pintu kayu dibuat cukup tinggi, sehingga pada saat kita hendak masuk ke altar, kita melangkahkan kaki kanan terlebih dahulu yang diikuti dengan membungkuk sebagai tanda penghormatan. Salah satu ragam hias nya mengundang decak kagum adalah pedestal kolom yang terbuat dari batu dan terdapat ukiran Naga setinggi dua meter lebih. Lalu terdapat simbol floral yang berwarna-warni serta terdapat bunga teratai atau padma yang menyimbolkan mandala, ruang dimana manusia memperoleh kesempurnaan.

Jika kita membandingkan besaran Kelenteng di Kota Bandung, Xie Tian Gong tergolong kelenteng yang lebih besar dan luas dibandingkan yang lainnya. Pada bagian tengahnya terdapat sebuah altar yang lebih mirip aula tempat peribadatan dengan luas kurang lebih 30×20 meter. Di sisi kanan dan kiri aula tersebut terdapat juga altar penyembahan dewa-dewi lainnya, di tambah dengan tempat pembakaran kertas uang
di masing-masing sisi yang menyerupai Pagoda, keagungan Xie Tian Gong lebih jelas terihat.

Walaupun warna yang mendominasi adalah warna terang seperti emas, kuning, terlebih warna merah yang menjadi “raja warna”, namun suasana yang diciptakan tidak semeriah warna-warni itu, melainkan saya merasakan ambiance/suasana yang sungguh hening dan bahkan terkesan damai yang menyejukkan dan menentramkan hati. Setelah mencoba bertanya pada pengurus setempat, kenapa hal tersebut dapat terjadi? Ternyata komposisi serta keharmonisan elemen warna dan interior adalah dibuat setelah dari hasil penghitungan dengan menggunakan falsafah Feng Shui.

Kepercayaan tradisional Tionghoa merupakan perpaduan dari beberapa ajaran penting yang pernah hidup di-Timur, yaitu Budhisme, Taoisme, dan Konfusianisme. Ketiga ideologi tersebut tampak sangat jelas di-manifestasikan ke-dalam langgam arsitektur kelenteng/vihara. Arsitektur dan detail konstruksi bangunan merupakan rekaman dari falsafah tradisional masyarakat yang dibawa dari tempat asal mereka.

Ritual utama bagi masyarakat etnis Tionghoa inti utamanya ialah penghormatan dan bakti pada orang tua, anggota keluarga yang dituakan atau yang sudah tiada dan Tuhan Yang Maha Kuasa. Dalam penerapan lebih lanjut-nya adalah menjadi penghormatan pada tokoh yang berjasa pada masyarakat semasa hidup mereka, pelaku sejarah yang karakter dan tindakannya patut diteladani, guru yang dihargai, serta para nabi. Dalam perjalanan sejarah berabad abad; tokoh budaya ini bermetamorforsa menjadi folklore, mitos, legenda, bahkan sebagian dipuja dan dianggap dewa-dewi yang dipercaya memiliki kemampuan atau berkat tertentu bagi umatnya.

Dapat kita lihat pada manifestasi ini, kedua Jendral Perang kenamaan dari Negara Shu Han (蜀漢) dalam Epik Kisah Tiga Negara/Romance of Three Kingdoms (三國演義), Guan Yu (關羽) dan Zhang Fei (張飛) terlukis dibalik pintu berwarna merah, yang dijadikan gerbang utama kelenteng ini. Mereka diharapkan senantiasa menjaga serta melindungi setiap insan dari marabahaya dalam kehidupan. Terlebih lagi bagi Guan Yu atau dikenal dengan nama Guang Gong/Kwan Kong, beliau disembah sebagai salah satu bodhisattva dalam ajaran Budhisme, Dewa Perang/Dewa Penjaga dalam ajaran Taoisme, karena itu di negara lain banyak didirikan tempat pemujaan/altar yang dikhususkan bagi Guan Yu.

Untuk mengingat jasa-jasa para umat vihara sekaligus donator dalam proses pembangunan, pembangunan ulang serta renovasi dipahatkan beberapa prasasti yang ber-isikan nama-nama para donator sesuai dengan tahun proyek pembangunan/renovasi dilangsungkan. Pada pembangunan pertama di tahun 1896, terdapat donator selain dari Kota Bandung yaitu, Batavia, Cirebon, Cianjur, Semarang, Tanjung Pura, Suka Pura (Ciamis), Manonjaya (Tasikmalaya). Hal tersebut membuktikan bahwa diaspora dari Etnis Tiong Hoa pada masa itu tidak hanya terbatas pada kota-kota besar saja, sampai ke pelosok daerah pun terdapat segelintir etnis Tiong Hoa.

Lukisan mural yang terdapat di dalam kompleks Vihara Satya Budhi, umumnya yang dilukiskan juga sering bermakna simbolik, membawakan pesan tersirat yang harus ditafsirkan oleh mereka yang melihat. Sebagai pengantar kadang-kadang disertakan suatu kutipan dari bagian tulisan sastra kuno. Untuk dapat mengerti pesan-pesan tersirat ini secara tepat; mutlak perlu mengetahui secara lengkap karya yang dikutip, serta sejarahnya. Penggunaan simbol dalam budaya Tionghoa banyak juga digunakan huruf dengan bunyi yang sama (homophone). Kata yang berbunyi sama ini lalu dituangkan dalam bentuk huruf kaligrafi, ornamen, dan lukisan.

福禄夀三星拱照。
Fu lu shou san xing gong zha.
Keberuntungan, harta, usia, 3 bintang menyinari.

天地人一氣同春
Tian di ren yi qi tong chun.。
Langit, bumi, manusia bersama di musim semi.

Mural yang lukisannya sekarang dapat diteliti pada bangunan klenteng Xie Tian Gong 協天宫 Bandung, membawakan pesan budaya yang serupa. Kepercayaan menurut falsafat Tao, Budhisme, dan ajaran kehidupan Confusius. Mengangkat episode-episode dalam cerita Hong Sin, Epik Kisah Tiga Negara/Romance of Three Kingdoms (三國演義), yang juga dilengkapi contoh-contoh perbuatan tokoh bersejarah yang dinilai patut untuk diteladani oleh masyarakat generasi penerus.

Jika bagi sebagian orang, vihara/kelenteng identik dengan umat yang telah lanjut (senior citizen), maka AMVBG, Angkatan Muda Vihara Buddha Gaya hadir dan eksis untuk menyangkal pernyataan tersebut, regenerasi dari yang sudah senior terus berlangsung, mewariskan adat-istiadat dan budaya yang tak ternilai harganya. AMVBG selalu aktif dan tak kalah sibuk dengan para pengurus Vihara dalam setiap acara yang dilaksanakan oleh Vihara Satya Budhi, baik itu Imlek, Waisak, dsb.

Setiap kali berkunjung ke Vihara Satya Budhi, saya seakan-akan melakukan perjalanan spiritual dan sekaligus meretas sejarah serta melintasi keagungan yang tak lekang oleh waktu, dan yang paling penting saya sungguh menikmati memotret di tempat ini, bagi saya tak hanya sekadar membidik dan merekam apa yang saya lihat, tetapi jauh di dalam nya saya merasakan begitu kuat “aura” dimana jiwa dan hati selalu dipenuhi rasa kedamaian. Silakan sekali-kali anda coba untuk membuka hati dan jiwa anda ketika anda berkunjung dan memotret di Xie Tian Gong.

Selamat Menikmati!

• BW : Nikon SLR + Ilford XP2 400, Ilford Pan 50
  

• Colour: Nikon DSLR & Holga 120GN + Kodak Ektacolor 160

]]> http://taooracle.wordpress.com/2009/06/30/achieving-balance-while-streched-to-thin/ Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:07:32 +0000 noospherenow http://taooracle.wordpress.com/2009/06/30/achieving-balance-while-streched-to-thin/

Robin emailed me the following:

“I’m feeling a bit adrift myself, not sure where to focus my energies. Feeling a bit anxious about being adrift at times but really want to relax into just being in each moment and letting it all unfold, but feeling guilty about that. I have Imprecious to still REALLY launch, I want to do more reiki, and study along spiritual lines. I can’t manage to clear the space to dive headlong into any of it fully.”

This seems to be a question about achieving balance while being spread too thin among too many tasks, so I decided to do a Yin/Yang Balancing and Harmonizing Spread for insight here:

31 - Influence

Yin Position : 31 – Influence

This is a very powerful card to have in the Yin position! Card 31 is also known as “Conjoin” and speaks to the receptive female Yin energy being the space for connections to be made. Not everyday connections, but the big universal, “two halves bonding to make a whole” type connections. By becoming the space for these connections to be made, you influence movement all around you… no wonder you’re spread thin! You’re busy allowing all to be, and keeping up with all that is.

16 - Enthusiasm

Yang Position : 16 – Enthusiasm

The Yang card expresses the active, creative energies and the external influences on your life’s harmony. Enthusiasm, that energetic quality that excites your purpose each day, energizes those around you too. But un-tempered, the energy of enthusiasm becomes a treadmill running at high speed. Temper that enthusiasm by focusing it into mindful preparations. That way, when the time is right, you’ll be ready to embrace your dream.

64 Before Completion

Insight Card : 64 – Before Completion

Before Completion is the very definition of your current situation! Exhausted and running on empty, having carefully worked towards the goal for many patient months, each distraction threatens to undermine the stability of the whole. Weariness and doubt make it easy to lose track of the original intention of any long project: remind yourself often of why you’re doing what you’re doing. It’s worthwhile, or you wouldn’t still be doing it. The secret here is right timing: your job is to keep showing up, influencing great connections and bubbling over with well-focused enthusiasm. Then let the universe take care of moving the success to you.

Yin/Yang Balance

 The Life is fast, can end at any Time, Any

We Only have one Life and we can Enjoyed or Hated

The time Change

The People Change

We all Change

The difference is that someone change for good and others for Bad

Here Js. will publish his thoughts.

If you want to know more you can go to www.livdeath.blogspot.com

The link shows a table with the eight Trigrams and their main associations of the Taoist philosophy:
table-bagua

The eight trigrams symbolize things and affairs of everyday life and their energetic substructure, depending on the context where they appear and how they are used.

According to Dr. Song who studied the I-Ching they represent:
1. Qian: sky, day, gold, head, steel, elefant, lion, male animals, soldiers, bullet, circle, father, head of state, sunrays, radiation.

2. Kun: earth, night, minerals, stomach, grain, cow, birds, female animals, pan, mother, balance, rectangle, clothing.

3. Li: sun, summer, noontime, heart, fire, electricity, pheasant, sheep, turtle, empty room, centre, prophecy.

4. Kan: water, winter, night-time, uncertainty, danger, fox, fish, rivulet, stream, ocean, concealment, profundity.

5. Zhen: thunder & lightning, beginning of spring, foot, liver, horse, dragon, wood, city, movement, order.

6. Xun: wind, monastery, eyes, chickens, wild birds, movement, nourishment of qi, long hair.

7. Dui: lake, swamp, pond, pool, joy, goat, monkey, sword, autumn, witch, tricks, fun, bliss.

8. Gen: mountain, main-land, city wall, temple, dog, wolf, tiger, steadfastness, volunteer, men, small table.

4 trigrams are a yang phenomenon: Qian, Li, Zhen, Dui.
4 trigrams are a yin manifestation: Kun, Kan, Xun, Gen.

There are 2 trigrams that particulary work well, allure and harmonize with each other:

Qian with Kun
Li and Kan
Zhen and Xun
Dui and Gen.

"Not Just the Blues", Acrylic on Canvas.

J. Scott Bowers
The Art of Music

6 a.m.-10 p.m.

Black Dog Coffeehouse
12815 W. 87th St. Pkwy.
Lenexa, KS
913.495.5515

Hours: 6 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 6 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday, 7 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday, 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday
Runs through: April 30

Artist’s site: http://www.jsbowers.com
Gallery site: http://www.bdcoffeehouse.com

Quick, name ten songs about painting. Hard, isn’t it? I didn’t recognize a lot of the titles on this list (which does not include Bob Walkenhorst’s Jan Vermeer, by the way).

Visual art is far more liberal with its affections for music and the people who compose, play and sing it. Consequently, there’s a lot of dreck out there — the painted, sculpted or photographed equivalent of Roses are red, violets are blue …

For music-themed art to succeed, it has to transcend fandom – undertaking a serious exploration of the lines and curves of an instrument, perhaps, or conveying insights into a performer’s personality.

J. Scott Bowers has a deep-rooted love for music. He also has an artist’s eye for color, composition and symbol. Combine the two and you get The Art of Music, Bowers’ current show at Black Dog Coffeehouse.

I come from a very musical family, Bowers writes. Grandparents were in a gospel band … cousins in rock and country bands. It’s always been around and part of my life. As I’ve grown older, I discovered blues and jazz and a new passion for music had arrived. So I guess it’s always been part of my life and just changes as I do.

Bowers references jazz and blues in nearly all of his pieces. In one black-and-white painting, a man carrying a guitar case walks away from a crossroads. In another, a pianist plays on despite an empty tip glass. Miles Davis and Charlie Parker take solos in segments, their faces and hands on separate canvases; the lines of their instruments provide invisible bridges from one surface to the next.

Davis and Bird might have the star power, but guitars — not trumpets or saxophones — dominate this show. Of the fifteen works on display, guitars appear in ten: seven paintings and three small photographs.

Two of those ten pieces (both paintings) grab the biggest share of attention. The reason isn’t readily apparent. But the more one looks at them, the clearer it becomes: These are not really paintings of guitars. Instead, Bowers has used the instruments to present or construct significant symbols.

In one painting, two stylized “cigar box” guitars — the rectangular body shape favored by Bo Diddley — appear against a black background. One is red, the other blue. Their bodies and necks form a yin/yang symbol in the same color scheme as the South Korean national flag (or,  if you prefer, a Pepsi logo).

Bowers sounds an even deeper note with Not Just the Blues, the painting at the top of this post. The guitar’s soundhole is depicted as a spiral, an ancient sun sign which can also symbolize progress and growth. It’s a recurring image in nature as well, showing up everywhere from tiny, delicate snail shells to staggeringly vast galaxies.

These images link Bowers’ work not merely to the music we humans make, but to the rhythms and melodies of the universe itself.

Give this show a look … and a listen.

People often react to the story of “free information” or “no intellectual property” as something akin to communism or socialism. It’s true that with no intellectual property we would have a common resource of information. This common resource would benefit society as a whole. It could not be owned by any one person. No intellectual property would most definitely create a wonderful public resource.
But this is not just a plan for the left political wing. This is also what the right wing should want as well. The true conservative philosophy of “free markets” is free information. Currently our intellectual property laws are enforced by the government. No intellectual property means smaller government and a better reflection of the true costs of information holding and dispersal. With the internet, publishing is no longer an issue of note. It’s free and easy.

So can we rally both the right and the left to get rid of patents and copyrights? That is the goal.

No intellectual property. Build a public resource and a better free market.