vertical farming

Hi All,

Glad that some of you liked the I Ching reading.

After training Tai Chi for 12 years, I started to carry things on my head 
to check my balance, and I realized that I knew nothing about 
balance.  After much practise I started circle walking (Bagua Chang), or 
eight directions, based on the I Ching, this influenced my hydroponics 
garden, with the light in the center radiating in the eight directions.  At 
first the light hung vertically in the center of the eight directions, but 
then the structure was turned on it's side for cleaning, which lead me to 
rotating the garden around the lighting, allowing simple feeding at the 
bottom of the rotation, now the plants get exercise, easy hydration, 
perfect lighting and vertical stacking.  If this all sounds a little out 
there, see it at www.omegagarden.com.

Question to the Oracle.

I Ching please advise regarding protecting the invention.

Changing lines are 1st, 2nd, and 6th.


50. Ting / The Caldron

                 above  LI  THE CLINGING, FIRE
                 below  SUN  THE GENTLE, WIND, WOOD

The six lines construct the image of Ting, THE CALDRON; at the bottom are
the legs, over them the belly, then come the ears (handles), and at the top 
the
carrying rings. At the same time, the image suggests the idea of nourishment.
The ting, cast of bronze, was the vessel that held the cooked viands in the
temple of the ancestors and at banquets. The heads of the family served the
food from the ting into the bowls of the guests.
   THE WELL (48) likewise has the secondary meaning of giving nourishment,
but rather more in relation to the people. The ting, as a utensil 
pertaining to
a refined civilization, suggests the fostering and nourishing of able men,
which redounded to the benefit of the state.
   This hexagram and THE WELL are the only two in the Book of Changes that
represent concrete, men-made objects. Yet here too the thought has its
abstract connotation.
   Sun, below, is wood and wind; Li, above, is flame. Thus together they stand
for the flame kindled by wood and wind, which likewise suggests the idea of
preparing food.

         THE JUDGMENT

         THE CALDRON. Supreme good fortune.
         Success.

While THE WELL relates to the social foundation of our life, and this
foundation is likened to the water that serves to nourish growing wood, the
present hexagram refers to the cultural superstructure of society. Here it is
the wood that serves as nourishment for the flame, the spirit. All that is
visible must grow beyond itself, extend into the realm of the invisible.
Thereby it receives its true consecration and clarity and takes firm root 
in the
cosmic order.
   Here we see civilization as it reaches its culmination in religion. The 
ting
serves in offering sacrifice to God. The highest earthly values must be
sacrificed to the divine. But the truly divine does not manifest itself apart
from man. The supreme revelation of God appears in prophets and holy
men. To venerate them is true veneration of God. The will of God, as
revealed through them, should be accepted in humility; this brings inner
enlightenment and true understanding of the world, and this leads to great
good fortune and success.

         THE IMAGE

         Fire over wood:
         The image of THE CALDRON.
         Thus the superior man consolidates his fate
         By making his position correct.

The fate of fire depends on wood; as long as there is wood below, the fire
burns above. It is the same in human life; there is in man likewise a fate 
that
lends power to his life. And if he succeeds in assigning the right place to 
life
and to fate, thus bringing the two into harmony, he puts his fate on a firm
footing. These words contain hints about fostering of life as handed on by
oral tradition in the secret teachings of Chinese yoga.

         THE LINES

         Six at the beginning means:
         A ting with legs upturned.
         Furthers removal of stagnating stuff.
         One takes a concubine for the sake of her son.
         No blame.

If a ting is turned upside down before being used, no harm is done-on the
contrary, this clears it of refuse. A concubine's position is lowly, but 
because
she has a son she comes to be honored.
   These two metaphors express the idea that in a highly developed
civilization, such as that indicated by this hexagram, every person of good
will can in some way or other succeed. No matter how lowly he may be,
provided he is ready to purify himself, he is accepted. He attains a 
station in
which he can prove himself fruitful in accomplishment, and as a result he
gains recognition.

         Nine in the second place means:
         There is food in the ting.
         My comrades are envious,
         But they cannot harm me.
         Good fortune.

In a period of advanced culture, it is of the greatest importance that one
should achieve something significant. If a man concentrates on such real
undertakings, he may indeed experience envy and disfavor, but that is not
dangerous. The more he limits himself to his actual achievements, the less
harm the envious inflict on him.

         Nine in the third place means:
         The handle of the ting is altered.
         One is impeded in his way of life.
         The fat of the pheasant is not eaten.
         Once rain falls, remorse is spent.
         Good fortune comes in the end.

The handle is the means for lifting up the ting. If the handle is altered, the
ting cannot be lifted up and used, and, sad to say, the delicious food in 
it, such
as pheasant fat, cannot be eaten by anyone.
   This describes a man who, in a highly evolved civilization, finds 
himself in
a place where no one notices or recognizes him. This is a severe block to his
effectiveness. All of his good qualities and gifts of mind thus needlessly 
go to
waste. But if he will only see to it that he is possessed of something truly
spiritual, the time is bound to come, sooner or later, when the 
difficulties will
be resolved and all will go well. The fall of rain symbolizes here, as in 
other
instances, release of tension.

         Nine in the fourth place means:
         The legs of the ting are broken.
         The prince's meal is spilled
         And his person is soiled.
         Misfortune.

A man has a difficult and responsible task to which he is not adequate.
Moreover, he does not devote himself to it with all his strength but goes
about with inferior people; therefore the execution of the work fails. In this
way he also incurs personal opprobrium.
   Confucius says about this line:  "Weak character coupled with honored
place, meager knowledge with large plans, limited powers with heavy
responsibility, will seldom escape disaster."

         ° Six in the fifth place means:
         The ting has yellow handles, golden carrying rings.
         Perseverance furthers.

Here we have, in a ruling position, a man who is approachable and modest in
nature. As a result of this attitude he succeeds in finding strong and able
helpers who complement and aid him in his work. Having achieved this
attitude, which requires constant self-abnegation, it is important for him to
hold to it and not to let himself be led astray.

         ° Nine at the top means:
         The ting has rings of jade.
         Great good fortune.
         Nothing that would not act to further.

In the preceding line the carrying rings are described as golden, to denote 
their
strength; here they are said to be of jade. Jade is notable for its 
combination of
hardness with soft luster. This counsel, in relation to the man who is open to
it, works greatly t his advantage. Here the counsel is described in 
relation to
the sage who imparts it. In imparting it, he will be mild and pure, like
precious jade. Thus the work finds favor in the eyes of the Deity, who
dispenses great good fortune, and becomes pleasing to men, wherefore all
goes well.


55. Fêng / Abundance [Fullness]

                 above  CHêN  THE AROUSING, THUNDER
                 below  LI  THE CLINGING, FIRE

Chên is movement; Li is flame, whose attribute is clarity. Clarity within,
movement without-this produces greatness and abundance. The hexagram
pictures a period of advanced civilization. However, the fact that
development has reached a peak suggests that this extraordinary condition of
abundance cannot be maintained permanently.

         THE JUDGMENT

         ABUNDANCE has success.
         The king attains abundance.
         Be not sad.
         Be like the sun at midday.

It is not given to every mortal to bring about a time of outstanding greatness
and abundance. Only a born ruler of men is able to do it, because his will is
directed to what is great. Such a time of abundance is usually brief. 
Therefore
a sage might well feel sad in view of the decline that must follow. But such
sadness foes not befit him. Only a man who is inwardly free of sorrow and
care can lead in a time of abundance. He must be like the sun at midday,
illuminating and gladdening everything under heaven.

         THE IMAGE

         Both thunder and lightning come:
         The image of ABUNDANCE.
         Thus the superior man decides lawsuits
         And carries out punishments.

This hexagram has a certain connection with Shih Ho, BITING THROUGH
(21), in which thunder and lightning similarly appear together, but in the
reverse order. In BITING THROUGH, laws are laid down; here they are
applied and enforced. Clarity [Li] within makes it possible to investigate the
facts exactly, and shock [Chên] without ensures a strict and precise carrying
out of punishments.