KI REVIEW
I offer shiatsu along with an Energetic health evaluation, supported by basic macrobiotic dietary and way of life guidance, in Fairfield, CT, and Manhattan. I also offer classes in Five Transformations theory and Nine Star Ki, from my personal viewpoint. For further information, please contact me at Tel: 203-254-1795.
I am taking appointments for housecalls in Manhattan on Thursdays and Saturdays.
While based on my understanding of the macrobiotic teachings of Georges Ohsawa and Michio Kushi, and of Daoist and Buddhist thought, my blog entries, unless mentioned otherwise, are original material following my personal line of thought, the result of in-depth research over many years. I hope you enjoy this material, find it informative, educational, interesting and helpful. But please, if you pass any information from this blog on in any way, whether complimentary, critical, or otherwise, be sure to mention my name and the website address, so others can decide for themselves. Thank you.
A Very Happy New Year!
Present
“Start Me Up!”
Canal Street, NYC, 12.24.2016
Mick Jagger, 3 Tree ☳
(b. 7.26.1943, Dartmouth, Kent, England)
First, I would like to comment on the photo, from a poster of the cover of issue 1275 (December 1, 2016) of Rolling Stone, which ran a cover story on the Stones and their latest album, Blue and Lonesome. If you look closely you will see single lines running down each side of Jagger’s face from the nose; the “laugh lines”. In his most insightful book, “Face Fortunes”, Peter Shen tells us that these lines indicate a person’s potential for longevity, as well as overall health and vitality. Clearly, on his left side, we see that the line goes all the way to the chin. Such laugh lines are extremely rare and traditionally considered auspicious, and his expression of joy probably suggests the spirit behind their meaning. According to Shen’s descriptions of the different kinds of laugh lines, Jagger’s would be considered “very long, curving down and then out”. He says about the owner of such that “you will be a longevity star, seeing five generations of your descendants”. At 73, Jagger fathered his eighth child in December, has five grandchildren, and one great grandchild. So, should he choose to take good care of himself, he could at least see his great, great grandchild.
Regarding Mick’s 3 Tree energy, there are three things worth considering. First, the 3 Tree I Ching trigram is called “Thunder”. It images a yang line below two yin lines; a strong force rising up below and trying to break through, two weak ones. Thunder can cause the earth to shake. This movement, along with its loud noise, can shock; it is a disruptive energy. To me, it describes rock and roll, whose popularity basically began with Elvis Presley (1.8.1935, Tupelo, MS – 8.16.1977), who was born in a 3 Tree year. Second, in nature, 3 Tree corresponds with early spring (closer to Chinese New Year), when a plant first breaks through the earth and into the light, and in daily life with early morning, from the moment we first open our eyes and arise, through the busy time when most of us prepare for work and school, and travel to such places. It thus corresponds with new beginnings, youth, and pioneers. It is, employing the imagery of a Stones song, a “start me up” energy. 3 Tree people often have early successes (Paul Allen, b. 1.21.1953, Seattle, WA, who cofounded Microsoft but was forced to leave early due to ill health), or become prominent early in life (Malala Yousafzai, b. 7.12.1997, Mingora, Pakistan), yet manage to maintain a youthfulness (Mick), and remain attractive to young people, even in their senior years (primatologist, Jane Goodall, b. 4.3.1934, London, England). Third, Brian Jones (2.28.1942, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England – 7.3.1969) who formed the band was born in a 4 Tree year, and Keith Richards (b.12.18.1943, Dartford, Kent, England) was, like Mick, born in a 3 Tree year, so there has been a strong Tree energy influence in the band from its inception. Blues, especially Chicago blues, was a strong, early inspiration on the band, and this present album suggests, in a Tree image, a “getting back to one’s roots”, as it is a cover of blues tunes.
And Also
Joan Rivers, 4 Tree ☴
(6.8.1933, Brooklyn, NY – 9.4.2014): American comedian, actress, writer, producer, and television host.
Joan Rivers: Bulldozer, by Bari Weiss, WSJ, 12.31.2016
A tree grows in one place
‘Far more fascinating than Rivers’s obsession with the superficial was her exceptional grit, which her inferiority complex about her looks doesn’t come close to explaining. In the late ’50s at a Boston strip club where she’d been hired to perform under the name “Pepper January,” she flopped and was fired before her second set. But even that night, in a hotel room smelling “of urine and peanuts,” she sobbed but knew she couldn’t quit. As she’d later recall: “I was giving birth to a baby and someone had tied my knees.”.…. Her motto was Churchillian: “Never stop believing. Never give up. Never quit. Never!”’
“…Far more fascinating than Rivers’s obsession with the superficial was her exceptional grit … she couldn’t quit … Never stop believing. Never give up. Never quit. Never”: A naturally growing tree occupies only one place during its lifetime. For it to survive, it has to endure the hardships nature presents it with. I think there is a strong similarity in this image with the ideas of standing one’s ground, taking a stand, and leaning in against the wind; the notion of grit.
Obituaries
All birth data from Wikipedia.com
Franca Sozzani, 6 Metal ☰
(1.20.1950, Mantua, Italy – 12.22.2016): Editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia, from 1988 until this year (Wikipedia).
Looking at the Vogue magazine Wikipedia entry, I found it interesting that the editors-in-chief of American Vogue, Anna Wintour (b. 11.3.1949, London, England), and of Paris Vogue, Emmanuelle Alt (b. 5.18.1967, Paris, France), were also born in a 6 Metal year. Some prominent women of style; Anna Piaggi (3.22.1931, Milan, Italy – 8.7.2012), Isabella Blow (11.19.1958, London, England – 5.7.2007), Madonna (b. 8.16. 1958, Bay City, MI), and Daphne Guinness (b. 11.9.1967, London, England), were also born in a 6 Metal year. Helen Gurley Brown (2.18.1922, Green Forest, AK – 8.13.2012), former editor of Cosmopolitan, a women’s magazine, was also born in a 6 Metal year.
Franca Sozzani Dies at 66; Gave Italian Vogue a Daring Look and Voice, by Matthew Schneier, December 22, 2016
The 6 Metal I Ching trigram
To understand Sozzani’s profile, some background information on the 6 Metal I Ching trigram is helpful. First, it is called “Heaven”. There are eight “trigrams” (symbols of three lines) from which the 64 hexagrams (symbols of six lines) of the I Ching are constructed. These eight trigrams are considered a family with a father, mother, three sons and three daughters. Heaven represents the father; a symbol of strength, motion and creativity. Heaven initiates and invents. 6 Metal people often possess unique talents, and they establish the templates that transcend boundaries, which the masses follow. In Sozzani’s case, according to this obituary:
“Artists and talent flowed to her, and it wasn’t because she was Italian Vogue but because Italian Vogue was her”
It also helpful to consider in terms of the physical heaven, the sky, and its position of being part of our life but above and outside of earthly existence, with a big view, of being able to see “the whole picture”.
The sky corresponds with 6 Metal
‘…she was a beauty, with Pre-Raphaelite curls and a durable elegance immune to trends...’
“… Pre-Raphaelite curls …”: In the image of heaven, we can assume, and it is the case that more than likely, a 6 Metal woman is going to be strong, even “very” strong, but she may also appear, in the image of heavenly beings, “angelic”, which I think we can relate with many of the images of pre-Raphaelite women.
“… durable elegance immune to trends …”: Durability exemplifies the strength aspect mentioned. Metal is literally refined; it is separated from the earth and finds itself above it. The Chinese character for Metal is the same for “gold”, so in a combination of these images we can see a connection with elegance. “Immunity to trends” is interesting to me. If heaven is located above and therefore outside of earthly existence, it can remain aloof to the trends of daily life.
Metal is strong / the unbroken lines represent continuous movement
“I will never forget the energy of that woman,” said Federico Marchetti, the chief executive of Yoox Net-a-Porter Group…. “Throughout her life and career, including to the end of her life, she continued to do everything.”
““I will never forget the energy of that woman,” … she continued to do everything.””: An excellent quote to me exemplifying the strength and motion aspects associated with “Heaven”.
A heavenly mother: a “god" mother
‘Ms. Sozzani took special care to nurture emerging designers with Vogue’s Who Is On Next? Prize. “She was a godmother to talent everywhere,” Diane von Furstenberg said in an interview.’
‘From her earliest days at Italian Vogue (and before that… Ms. Sozzani nurtured the careers of who would become the most important fashion photographers of a generation…’
“… nurture emerging designers … a godmother to talent everywhere … nurtured the careers … of a generation …”: How did Sozzani manifest this yang energy in a feminine way? Apparently by “nurturing”, not only offspring (she had a son), but the special qualities and skills she saw in others. This point is most relevant. I think Metal energy represents that quality which is unique to each individual, the part that needs to be discovered, developed and brought out into active life; what makes each person special in his/her own way. “… of a generation.”: This part of the quote highlights the way 6 Metal influence can be long lasting, often the creator of templates which others follow.
Metal has weight: gravitas
‘…she addressed herself to serious concerns, too, dedicating photo shoots and special issues to themes too delicate for her international colleagues to touch: drug abuse and rehabilitation; domestic violence; the Gulf oil spill of 2010.’
“… she addressed herself to serious concerns, too, …”: Even though she was editor-in-chief of a fashion magazine, she introduced important social issues not normally found in such publications.
Social networks correspond with Metal
‘… she was known as a social connector nonpareil…’
“... a social connector …’: With metal we can build machines, run on electricity, which enable us to connect with the world. Reid Hoffman (b. 8.5.1967, Palo Alto, CA) who co-founded the business social network sight, LinkedIn, was born in a 6 Metal year, while Mark Zuckerberg (b. 5.14.1984, White Plains, NJ) founder of social network site, Facebook, was born in a 7 Metal year.
Obituaries
George Michael, 1 Water (6.25.1963, Finchley, London, England – 12.25.2016).
Carrie Fisher, 8 Soil (10.21.1956, Burbank, CA – 12.27.2016): American actress, writer, humorist. Known for playing Princess Leia in the Star Wars film series.
Debbie Reynolds, 5 Soil (4.1.1932, El Paso, TX – 12.28.2016): American actress, singer, businesswoman, film historian, and humanitarian. Breakout role, her first leading role, as Kathy Selden in “Singin’ in the Rain”. Mother of Carrie Fisher.
Birthdays
All biographical information comes from Wikipedia.com
Lars Ulrich, 1 Water: See below
Louis Pasteur, 7 Metal (12.27.1822, Dole, France – 9.28.1895): French chemist and microbiologist renowned for his discoveries of the principles of vaccination, microbial fermentation, and pasteurization. Remembered for his remarkable breakthroughs in the causes and preventions of diseases.
Noomi Rapace, 3 Tree (b. 12.28.1979, Hudiksvall, Sweden): Swedish actress; most famous for her portrayal of Lisbeth Salander in the Swedish film adaptations of the Millennium series: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest (Wikipedia). She is yet another actress born in a Tree year, easily the most popular Energy regarding acting.
Jon Voight, 8 Soil (b. 12.29.1938, Yonkers, NY): American actor; most famous for Midnight Cowboy, Deliverance, Coming Home, and The Champ. Winner of Academy Award for best leading actor, for his portrayal of a paraplegic Vietnam veteran in Coming Home. Nominated for four other Academy Awards. Father of Angelina Jolie.
Tiger Woods, 7 Metal (b. 12.30.1975, Cypress, CA): American professional golfer who is among the most successful golfers of all time…one of the highest-paid athletes in the world, for several years.
Diane Von Furstenberg, 9 Fire (b. 12.31.1946, Brussels, Belgium): Belgian-American fashion designer best known for her iconic wrap dress…. Her fashion company, Diane von Furstenberg (DVF) is a global luxury lifestyle brand available in over 70 countries and 45 free-standing shops worldwide, with the company's headquarters and flagship boutique located in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District.
J.D. Salinger, 1 Water (1.1.1919, NYC – 1.27.2010): American short story writer and novelist known for his widely-read novel, The Catcher in the Rye.
Past
2016
Lars Ulrich, 1 Water ☵
(b. 12.26, 1963, Gentofte, Denmark): Danish musician, songwriter, actor, record producer, and co-founder of the American heavy metal band “Metallica”. (Wikipedia)
The Last Word, by Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, November 17, 2016
What did you learn about yourself from watching that movie?
[He is referring to the 2004 documentary on Metallica, entitled “Some Kind Of Monster”. The following quote from the print edition is slightly different from the website one.]
‘… I was proud of the fact that we were completely transparent and let people in. I have an ability to compartmentalize stuff that scares me; the only thing that scares me about myself is that I have the ability of not being scared. Sometime I can be just so thick-skinned that it actually freaks me out. In the wake of my Napster [lawsuit], I took some pretty heavy hits. I just learned to kind of put the turtle shell on and not be affected by any of it.
Water imagery
“… we were completely transparent and let people in. …”: I think Ulrich expressed his innate Water nature in this quote, since the two underlined images can easily apply to Water. The 1 Water I Ching trigram, entitled “Water”, images a river, as does the Chinese character for water. I maintain therefore that a river is the underlying image from which we can derive Water metaphors. With this in mind, we can see below the surface in clear water. It suggests to me, that in a person who can say he/she was completely transparent, we can see behind the front (the darkness of a river from distance), he/she is not hiding anything, we can see such a person’s true nature; genuine and truthful. Let people in? Press your finger into water, and it makes a space: water lets you in, water is accommodating.
Fear corresponds with Water
“… compartmentalize stuff that scares me; the only thing that scares me about myself is that I have the ability of not being scared. …”: In classical Chinese medicine, the emotion of fear corresponds with Water, and so does danger. Fear as an issue arises often in 1 Water people profiles (see Carly Fiorina, Week 32, 2015). Again, in the image of a river, water only moves forward, despite whatever obstacles. Fear by comparison represents a resistance to move forward. To be fearless is to have strong Water energy; it might also suggest a liking for danger and risk taking, and consequently the possibility of harming oneself. To be fearful by contrast, might suggest weak Water, but it might also suggest a wise use of caution. It would appear Ulrich was blessed with strong innate Water energy, although the quote suggests, possibly too strong.
Running water can be soft, and hard
“…so thick-skinned… put the turtle shell on and not be affected by any of it…”: We think of running water as being soft, but if we are hit by it, by a strong wave for example, while surfing, we know it can also be hard. In nature, when the leaves have fallen, and the sky has turned grey and it is cold, winter is upon us, and the environment can appear hard, and indeed the expression on people’s faces can often appear this way. I recommend viewing the movie “Winter’s Bone”, a movie I maintain clearly carries Water energy, to demonstrate this point. So, the hardness of Water which is usually concealed by a gentle exterior, can show itself when the external is challenging. Hardness comes to the surface, which normally remains concealed, as imaged by the strong yang inner line in the trigram for Water, which is surrounded by two yin lines.
Angela Carter, 6 Metal ☰
(5.7.1940, Eastbourne, England – 2.16.1992): English novelist, short story writer, journalist … Ranked by The Times in 2008, tenth in their list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945”. (Wikipedia)
We also learn in her Wikipedia entry that she died of lung cancer. In classical Chinese medicine (CCM for brevity), the lungs correspond with Metal. Most people who died of lung cancer were probably not born in a Metal year, but from my research, it is common to see the person dying from a disease associated with the organ systems related to the Energy of the birth year into which the person was born. With this in mind, whether or not a smoker, it may be that a person born in a Metal year, might be that much more predisposed to lung cancer than those born in one of the other Energy related years.
I have included this profile this week because I think it helps to highlight some of the issues I have mentioned in the profile above, of Franca Sozzani.
Cartergraphy, The Economist, November 12, 2016
This article is a review of a new biography of Carter entitled: “The Invention of Angela Carter: A Biography”, by Edmund Gordon. The use of the word “invention” in the book’s title is notable to me as the 6 Metal I Ching trigram “Heaven”, stands for creativity and the instigation of things, and thus, invention.
Heavenly imagery
‘Readers and critics have tended to pigeonhole Angela Carter, or reshape her in their own image. Undergraduates often reduce the British novelist, whose stories are known for their magical realism and striking female characters, to a mouthpiece of feminism. Tributes when she died in 1992, at just 51, cast her as a “fairy queen”, a “benevolent white witch” and a “fairy godmother”. The novelist loathed being appropriated or misinterpreted; when an editor, believing Carter to be “an Earth mother”, asked her to write about the summer solstice at Stonehenge, she said: “You just haven’t got me, have you dear?”’
“…reshape her in their own image…”: Metal objects can be melted down and re-used in different ways. From my research the prefix “re” is common in the profiles of those born in a Metal year: renew, reinvent, reform, restructure, and reprogram are some common examples. Carter’s Brittanica.com entry again employs the word “reshape” to describe the basis of her approach to fiction:
‘British author who reshaped motifs from mythology, legends, and fairy tales in her books, lending them a ghastly humour and eroticism.’
In the case of many readers of her work, they have “melted” her metal to “reshape” her personally. “…the British novelist, whose stories are known for their magical realism and striking female characters…”: In the image of Metal, magical realism is an interesting image to me because it embraces the two qualities we can associate with Metal. On the one hand, metal objects can have a strong physical presence, on the other, there is something magical about “Heaven”, about the way we can communicate in an invisible way through the skies (“Heaven” / Metal) with our electronic devices. “Striking female characters”? They are likely to be strong, and special in some way (see below). “…Tributes …. cast her as a “fairy queen”, a “benevolent white witch” and a “fairy godmother”: Fairies, and to some extent witches, are, like angels (“Angela” Carter), mentioned in the obituary of Franca Sozzani, feminine images associated with the sky and heaven. “… when an editor, believing Carter to be “an Earth mother”, asked her to write about the summer solstice at Stonehenge, she said: “You just haven’t got me, have you dear?”: They certainly hadn’t, she was not of the earth, but a woman of the sky; a “Heavenly" mother; a “god” mother.
Worldview
‘Her ego was stung by repeated snubs for the Booker prize, Britain’s biggest award for fiction. She hated being reduced to a “woman writer” ...’
“Her ego was stung …”: As mentioned, the lungs correspond with Metal in CCM, and ego is associated with the lungs. From my research, the connection between ego and Metal is somewhat common in Metal people profiles, especially 6 Metal. “… She hated being reduced to a “woman writer ...”: The image of heaven is of vastness, and of transcending boundaries, in this case, of gender. In addition, it is a yang energy so we can expect her to be strong, perhaps very strong, and able to confront men on their terms.
Special qualities
‘Mr. Gordon is especially strong on the myriad influences on Carter’s writing, all the while noting her uniqueness.’
“… all the while noting her uniqueness ...”: My understanding of Metal is that, in the image of metal being mined, it derives its qualities from being separated from the earth and in the process, of finding itself above it. The Chinese character for Metal is the same for gold. I maintain that in a similar way, our metal, our gold exists within each of us, but it has to be mined; we have to dig deep, find it, and through a long process, refine it, and turn it into that something which makes us special and unique.
2015
Obituaries
Natalie Cole, 5 Soil ☷/☶
(2.6.1950, Los Angeles, CA - 12.31.2015): American singer, songwriter and performer... daughter of Nat King Cole... initially an R&B artist, and then a pop artist...she re-recorded standards by her father resulting in her biggest success, "Unforgettable...with Love", which sold over 7 million copies and also won her numerous Grammy awards...sold over 30 million records worldwide. (Wikipedia)
Natalie Cole, ‘Unforgettable’ Voice and Million-Selling Hitmaker, Dies at 65, by Jon Pareles, The New York Times, January 1, 2016
Fire nourishes Soil
'Yet it was with “Unforgettable...With Love” in 1991, leaping back to a previous generation’s songs, that Ms. Cole would establish her latter-day career...Ms. Cole’s new direction continued to yield both hits and awards...Her 1993 album, “Take a Look” and a 1994 Christmas album, “Holly & Ivy,” both sold half a million copies; “Stardust,” another collection of standards in 1996, eventually sold a million copies and brought her a Grammy for another duet with her father, “When I Fall in Love.” Her 2008 album, “Still Unforgettable,” was named Best Traditional Pop Album...And the virtual duets with her father continued through “Natalie Cole en Español.”
According to Wikipedia, the music album “Unforgettable ... with Love”, focuses on covers of standards previously performed by her father, famous popular singer from the '50's, Nat "King" Cole (3.17.1919, Montgomery, AL - 2.15.1965). The song “Unforgettable” was an engineered, virtual duet, she sang with him.
“… leaping back to a previous generation’s songs …”: The Energetic relationship with her father is important. Nat was born in a 9 Fire year, and in this system Fire nourishes Soil (ashes return nutrients to the soil, the sun enables things to grow in the soil), meaning that energetically, he supported her, his energy flowed easily to her; they could easily have a good connection, their voices could probably harmonize well. I think it can also suggest that in times of need, she could fall back on him; he was always there for her.
Soil doesn’t move much
“… another collection of standards … Best Traditional Pop Album…”: The second point worth noting concerns this word “standards”. To explain, we first need to know a little more of where 5 Soil fits into the scheme of things. Basically, Soil occupies the center in Five Transformations theory, and in the magic square in Nine Star Ki, 5 Soil occupies the center. Soil occupies this position because it provides the solid base upon which we can carry out our lives, and the food we need to exist. The center therefore, represents values and experiences that stand the test of time, and thus traditions, rituals, and recurring annual events, handed down from generation to generation. The geometric shape representing Soil in classical Chinese medicine and philosophy (CCMP for brevity) is the square, and thus we can see inklings of that which is square and old fashioned in Soil. Concerning music, it could mean “standards”. In his later years, Rod Stewart (b. 1.10.1945, London, England), who was born in a 2 Soil year, has recorded a number of albums of American standards (The Great American Songbook, Vols. 1 – 5).
2013
Patrick Soong-Shiong, 3 Tree ☳
(b. 7.29.1952, Port Elizabeth, South Africa): Surgeon, medical researcher at UCLA, businessman and philanthropist. (Wikipedia)
Who's the richest guy in Los Angeles? by David Whitford, Fortune, December 9, 2013
This profile of Soong-Shiong is significant to me as it shows aspects of his nature that we often see in 3 Tree people.
A plant breaks through the earth and into the light
'Never heard of him? Many people haven't. Until recently his reputation was strictly professional -- as a pioneering transplant surgeon at UCLA in the 1980s.'
“… a pioneering transplant surgeon at UCLA in the 1980s …”: First, 3 Tree energy corresponds with the time when a plant first breaks through the earth and into the light. It is a “beginning” energy, the energy of pioneers. A tree can also be “transplanted”, so we might consider some kind of connection here with his Tree energy, but perhaps not. Christiaan Barnard, (11.8.1922, Cape Province, South Africa – 9.2.2001[Wikipedia]), responsible for the first successful human to human heart transplant, a major event at the time, was born in a 6 Metal year, an energy that could easily imply a connection with cutting; with surgery. Moreover, metal cuts wood; it is with a metal implement that roots are cut and the tree removed. [Interestingly, in terms of what I have said regarding the relationship between the lungs and 6 Metal in Angela Carter’s profile, according to Wikipedia, Barnard died from a severe asthma attack]
A tree's branches extend outwards
'Soon-Shiong already has a plan to save the world. The next "arc of my career" is how he sometimes describes it; at other times he calls it his lifelong "mission."'
"... a plan to save the world... his lifelong "mission.": For me this quote describes three images that are classic Tree. Planning corresponds with the function of the Tree related organ, the liver in classical Chinese medicine. I think we can see the correspondence when we see how a tree grows toward and responds to light. In this image, the plan corresponds with the light. A tree's branches extend outwards. I maintain that in this image we see an extension of energy outward. In the image of limbs, it implies to me, “helping hands”. Rescuing, saving, of being involved in causes, of being on a mission or crusade, are common themes in Tree people profiles.
A tree grows toward light: vision
"His ability to envision exceeds sometimes the capacity of language and visual representation to express,"
'What sets Soon-Shiong apart is the sheer scale of his undertaking. "He has a vision for stitching together all the parts of health care that are disparate today," says David Rose, a product designer affiliated with MIT's Media Lab who sold Soon-Shiong one tiny part of that vision ... "It's a pretty sweeping and bold and ambitious vision.'
“… envision … visual representation … He has a vision … sweeping and bold and ambitious vision.”: According to classical Chinese medicine, the eyes, and thus potentially, vision issues, corresponds with the liver, and the liver in turn corresponds with Tree. Vision issues might imply physical problems with the eyes, but it could also have a connection with one’s imagination and one’s ability to visualize; the ability to plan and strategize also correspond with the liver in CCM. In this way, to me, Soong-Shiong is naturally expressing his innate Tree energy. Bigness is another issue. In Western astrology, he was born in the Fire sign of Leo. A fire can become huge. In addition to his strong Tree nature, his strong Fire nature stimulates him to envision big.
Obituaries
Mikhail Kalashnikov, 9 Fire ☲
(11.19.1919, Kurya, Altai Krai, Russian SFSR – 12.23.2013): small arms designer, Russian lieutenant general, designer of the AK-47, and AK74. (Wikipedia)
The reason for his fame helps to confirm a relationship between Fire energy, and violence or war, for he is the inventor of the AK-47 semi-automatic and automatic assault rifle (Auto, Kalashnikov, 1947, the year this rifle was invented). As I have mentioned often, “bigness” corresponds with Fire; a fire can become huge, and we see it in many ways, in the profiles of those born in a 9 Fire year. Also known as the Kalashnikov, it is the most popular assault weapon. According to Wikipedia.com, there are over 100 million Kalashnikovs in circulation. Not surprisingly, he has been twice named “Hero of Socialist Labor” in Russia, the “hero’” being another classic Fire related image, since a fire rises to a peak, the highest expression of energy in the Five Transformations system. His other claim to fame is as the manufacturer of “Kalashnikov” vodka, 41 percent alcohol that is sold in a rifle-shaped glass bottle. Vodka, as a spirit, also corresponds with Fire.
2012
Obituaries
Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, 3 Tree ☳
(8.22.1934, Trenton, NJ – 12.27.2012): United States Army general. As Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Central Command, he led all coalition forces in the Persian Gulf War in 1991. (Wikipedia)
Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, U.S. Commander in Gulf War, Dies at 78, by Robert D. McFadden, The New York Times, 12/27/2012
'Schwarzkopf....commanded the American-led forces that crushed Iraq in the 1991 Persian Gulf war and became the nation’s most acclaimed military hero since the midcentury exploits of Generals Dwight D. Eisenhower and Douglas MacArthur....'
The 3 Tree I Ching trigram is called “Thunder”. It images a yang line rising below two yin lines. In his translation, "The Authentic I Ching", Henry Wei describes it thus: "a strong, dynamic force moving up from under the earth and about to burst through its surface." This trigram symbolizes quick, rapid, "shocking" energy. It corresponds with early spring, when a plant first breaks through the earth and into light. We should also note the organ that corresponds with Tree in classical Chinese medicine, the liver, in being likened to an official government post, is entitled "The General". Some prominent American generals were born in a Tree year: Douglas MacArthur, 4 Tree (1.26.1880, Little Rock, AK – 4.5.1964), George C. Marshall, 3 Tree (12.31.1880, Uniontown, PA – 10.16.1959), Curtis LeMay, 4 Tree (11.15.1906, Columbus, OH – 10.1.1990), Eric Shinseki, 4 Tree (b.11.28.1942, Lihue, HI), Martin Dempsey, 3 Tree (b. 3.14.1952, Jersey City, NJ), and David Petraeus, 3 Tree (11.7.1952, Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY).
While his defeat of the Iraqis’ in Kuwait, was to many not as great a victory as was maintained, due to the imbalance of the size of the allied army versus the Iraqis’, as well as other factors, it would appear that his approach to gaining victory demonstrated this burst of energy described by "Thunder". According to "In the Eye of the Storm: The Life of General H. Norman Schwarzkopf”, by Roger Cohen and Claudio Gatti:
“His swift triumph over Iraq in the 1991 gulf war came as a shock to a nation that had been battered, by failing industries and festering economic problems, into a sense that the century of its power was at an end,” they wrote. “Schwarzkopf appeared abruptly as an intensely human messenger of hope, however illusory or fragile.”
And also:
'The ground war was over in a few days, thanks to what he called his “left hook” strategy, in which he placed forces behind enemy lines for a swift, decisive strike.'
The boxing metaphor is interesting. The action of a boxer whose major movements occur in the upper body, resembles the image of a tree with its branches extending outward, while its trunk remains fixed, suggesting that as a sport, boxing corresponds with Tree. Classical Chinese medicine states that "all decisions are made in the gallbladder", the partner organ to the liver which corresponds with Tree. Rather than remaining in the public eye after this event, he soon retired, and after the publication of books on him in the early 90's, not much was heard from him, again suggesting that 3 Tree energy has its major impact in the beginning of things.
Tony Grieg, 9 Fire ☲
(10.10.1946, Queenstown, South Africa – 12.29.2012): English Test cricket captain, turned commentator. Death from cardiac arrest due to apparent heart attack. (Wikipedia)
Energetically his death is significant, as I maintain that since the heart corresponds with Fire, those born in a 9 Fire year may be more prone to heart disease and circulatory disorders, than those born in any other Energetic year. Grieg is another example in addition to those I have already mentioned (see Week 4, 2013).
Copyright© by David Sergel
Photograph© by David Sergel
One Peaceful World