The Eight Trigrams (Bagua)

Here are the eight fundamental trigrams, the building blocks of the I Ching:

☰ Heaven (Qián 乾)

• Symbol: Three solid Yang lines.

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• Image/Nature: The vast, creative, initiating force of Heaven; the sky.
• Attributes: Strong, persistent, creative, active, initiating, light, masculine principle.
• Family: Father
• Direction: Northwest
• Essence: Qián represents pure Yang energy – the power to create, initiate action, and endure. It's the ultimate source of strength and inspiration, tireless and dynamic. Think of the boundless sky, always moving, always powerful.

☷ Earth (Kūn 坤)

• Symbol: Three broken Yin lines.

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• Image/Nature: The receptive, nurturing, yielding force of the Earth.
• Attributes: Receptive, yielding, devoted, supportive, nurturing, darkness, feminine principle.
• Family: Mother
• Direction: Southwest
• Essence: Kūn embodies pure Yin energy – the power to receive, nourish, sustain, and bring things to fruition. It's the fertile ground that accepts the creative impulse of Heaven. Think of the vast, patient Earth, supporting all life.

☳ Thunder (Zhèn 震)

• Symbol: Solid Yang line below two broken Yin lines.

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• Image/Nature: The arousing, inciting power of Thunder; movement from below.
• Attributes: Arousing, movement, action, initiative, shock, growth, excitement.
• Family: Eldest Son
• Direction: East
• Essence: Zhèn represents energy bursting forth, startling things into action. It's the spark that ignites movement, the shake-up that brings change. Think of the sudden clap of thunder that awakens the world in spring.

☴ Wind/Wood (Xùn 巽)

• Symbol: Broken Yin line below two solid Yang lines.

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• Image/Nature: The gentle, penetrating influence of Wind or the steady growth of Wood.
• Attributes: Gentle, penetrating, subtle influence, following, adaptable, grounding.
• Family: Eldest Daughter
• Direction: Southeast
• Essence: Xùn embodies gentle but persistent influence. Like the wind that subtly shapes landscapes or the roots of a tree penetrating the soil, it works gradually and pervasively. It represents adaptation and following the path.

☵ Water (Kǎn 坎)

• Symbol: Solid Yang line between two broken Yin lines.

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• Image/Nature: The abyss, danger, the deep, flowing nature of Water.
• Attributes: Danger, abyss, depth, sincerity, heart, flowing, overcoming obstacles.
• Family: Middle Son
• Direction: North
• Essence: Kǎn represents the challenge of the deep, the presence of danger or difficulty. Yet, like water that eventually flows past obstacles, it also signifies the sincerity and strength found in facing hardship. It's the courage to navigate the depths.

☲ Fire (Lí 離)

• Symbol: Broken Yin line between two solid Yang lines.

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• Image/Nature: The clinging, illuminating nature of Fire; light, consciousness.
• Attributes: Light, clarity, intelligence, dependence, beauty, awareness, clinging.
• Family: Middle Daughter
• Direction: South
• Essence: Lí represents light, awareness, and clarity. Like fire that clings to its fuel, it signifies dependence but also brilliance and perception. It illuminates, allowing us to see and understand. Think of the sun or the clarity of consciousness.

☶ Mountain (Gèn 艮)

• Symbol: Solid Yang line above two broken Yin lines.

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• Image/Nature: Stillness, stopping, the immovable quality of a Mountain.
• Attributes: Stillness, stopping, contemplation, meditation, keeping still, completion, solidity.
• Family: Youngest Son
• Direction: Northeast
• Essence: Gèn represents stillness and stopping. Like an immovable mountain, it signifies the importance of knowing when to pause, reflect, and consolidate. It's about achieving inner calm and stability, the end point of a cycle.

☱ Lake (Duì 兌)

• Symbol: Broken Yin line above two solid Yang lines.

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• Image/Nature: Joy, pleasure, openness, the reflective surface of a Lake.
• Attributes: Joy, pleasure, openness, communication, expression, satisfaction, attraction.
• Family: Youngest Daughter
• Direction: West
• Essence: Duì represents joy, openness, and communication. Like the shimmering surface of a lake reflecting the sky, it signifies shared pleasure and interaction. It's the outward expression of satisfaction and attraction.

(Content for hexagram formation and consultation overview will follow here...)