This website deals with the discovery of an underlaying information processing 'template' (IDM) which seems to be neurologically based and serves as the foundation for all of our symbolisms and metaphors. The template is based on the brain's bias to interpreting data in the form of wholes and aspects and this interpretation being made by using dichotomisation. The template is proposed to be 'middleware' in that it fits inbetween neurology and psychology as chemistry fits inbetween physics and biology and so an emphasis on 'elements' and their mixing and refinement.The following article deals with one of the set of symbols and metaphors that manifest the template.
In Chinese mysticism, the term 'Wu Chi' (none extreme) symbolizes the Infinite. The term T'ai Chi (Great extreme) symbolizes wholeness or the one from the many. In this context T'ai Chi is a template which holds all the possible forms existing in "The Infinite"; the 'ten thousand things' mentioned in the Tao Te Ching, or the 'myriad' things of Greek cosmology. (Myriad has the numeric value of ten thousand). {the Wu Chi - T'ai Chi dichotomy reflects the dimension of precision we find in the human brain - see the relevant section in the IDM pages. Wu Chi reflects the implicit integrated whole of the universe out of which we make exaggerations and so derive archetypes which we then analyse, deriving their harmonics. The 'natural' yin/yang states emerge from Wu Chi in the form of archetypes and yin/yang is then used to derive details on these archetypes)
T'ai Chi is derived from the concept of T'ai I, meaning "Great Change", and the association of T'ai Chi with the idea of "Wholeness" suggests the concept of complete identity or description, which includes all related manifestations of the ideal form, together with all processes involved in maintaining the form's identity.
In the 'physical world' the concept of T'ai Chi takes the form of the T'ai Chi exercises, commonly seen being performed at dawn in the parks of China and now increasingly in western cities. These exercises consist of specific forms linked together by movement (the process). Each form, for example the crane position, symbolizes wholeness where exercise and symbol are supposed to become one. However, this oneness lasts only for a fraction of a second, hardly noticeable, like the point where we switch from breathing-in followed by breathing-out. The form then smoothly breaks down into a yin contractive movement and breathing-in followed by a yang expansive movement and breathing- out. These movements are united such that they lead into the next position, and so on. The idea is to demonstrate the T'ai Chi yin/yang relationship, and through learning, to unite body, mind, and symbol thus leading to a new experience of T'ai Chi.
These exercises are symbolic of spiritual dance, in which posture and movement unite, as manifest in the Hindu dance of Shiva, the dance of the Dervishes, and the sexual 'dances' in Tantric Yoga.
In abstract thought, T'ai Chi and the manifestation of yin/yang is symbolic of the concepts of Form and Process and their interactions. T'ai Chi corresponds to Form, whilest yin/yang correspond to Process.
The concept Grand Change (T'ai I) symbolizes the making of a distinction, the drawing out of something from the apparently lifeless infinite. This act does not remove anything from the infinite but draws attention to a specific aspect of the infinite that manifests apparent order and suggests meaning; here associated with 'life'. The Tao Te Ching states:
"The way begets one; one begets two; two begets three; three begets the myriad creatures.
The myriad creatures carry on their backs the yin and embrace in their arms the yang and are the blending of the generative forces of the two." Section 93,94 Chapter 42 "Tao Te Ching."
Once the first distinction has been made, it's manifestation in the form of T'ai Chi is dependent on how long the distinction is held. Held for only short durations, it sinks back into the many. Held for longer it breaks down into it's two fundamental pure (elementary) ingredients, yin and yang.
An analogy can be made with dreaming. Prior to the beginning of the dream is Wu Chi. The commencement of the dream is T'ai I leading to T'ai Chi. If the dreamer then wakes up, the dream may disappear back into Wu Chi unless the dreamer manages to 'catch' the dream and hold it. This act causes the extension of time that leads to the breaking down of T'ai Chi and the emergence of the yin/yang aspects. These aspects, being process oriented, lead to the establishment of time frames of reference and the editing of the apparently 'illogical'; anything that cannot be associated with cause/effect. These steps can cause the 'true' dream to be changed in form in that limitations have been imposed. The dreamer has moved from an associated state, being part of the dream, to a dissociated state, consciously observing the dream unfold, as if one were watching a movie.
Yin and yang symbolize two aspects of process; contraction and expansion. The union of these leads to stillness and therefore a wholeness or distinction that stands on it's own; is unchanging.
There is a natural tendency for yin and yang to blend and become again T'ai Chi; when you take the wheels off a car it is no longer a car, it is a car without wheels. To become the 'ideal' it needs wheels. Once it has wheels it is 'balanced' and 'whole'; T'ai Chi (although still an exaggeration out of Wu Chi). This need for wholeness and balance is manifest as Tao. Tao is the path of refinement through wholeness and balance, and is therefore related to the explicitness of T'ai Chi rather than implicitness of Wu Chi since the concept of a path or process in itself exhibits a distinction. The linear nature of a path, no matter how winding, exhibits bias to process, to movement and time, for time is bounded process. The Tao therefore is the bias to blending yin and yang.
In the English language, the concept of process can be symbolized by the addition of 'ing' to the end of a verb. If 'ing' fits then we are dealing with process (i.e. to drive becomes driving), if it does not then we are dealing with form (i.e. David becomes Daviding which is intuitively illogical (un-process). The term 'Daviding' could be used to express the copying of actions (processes) that are associated with David's behaviour (process)). The I Ching becomes "The Book of Ings".
A summary:
To reassert T'ai Chi, yin and yang need to mix perfectly.
If the mixing is perfect then yin/yang is enfolded back into T'ai Chi. This perfection is manifest as an inability to distinguish yin/yang aspects from the whole. This is analogous to process corresponding to moving energy and form corresponding to frozen energy - matter. Yin/yang is energy in motion.
If the mixing is NOT perfect then either yin and yang remain, or else other forms develop. These forms are at variance with T'ai Chi, the result of the first distinction; they can be seen as distorted images of T'ai Chi, as if one were looking at T'ai Chi through a piece of distorted glass. But, they are also refinements of T'ai Chi manifest in the material world; like the encapsulating of the ideal of beauty in a sculpture or painting or piece of music or some mathematics.
The resulting forms manifest a bias to yin or yang and can never be pure, since purity implies bias free; the first distinction. These forms therefore just symbolize moving aspects T'ai Chi. To achieve T'ai Chi the forms have to be reduced back to yin and yang which is then remixed. This process is analogous to the creation of a metal alloy.
The creation of an alloy consists of the blending of at least two metals. For example, if we have 50% of metal A and 50% of metal B, and we mix these two metals whilst applying heat, a pure alloy is only manifest at a specific point (temperature). If, for some reason, we stop the refining process too soon or too late, then we end up with a lump of fused metals, derived forms, or nothing at all except the still pure (raw) metals (although these may be in a varying state of instability until they 'cool down').
To deal with the derived forms we either throw them away or else melt them back down and try again.
Using the creation of an alloy as an analogy for the mixing of yin and yang, the intended alloy is T'ai Chi. If the mixing is a total failure then we have the two pure fundamentals - yin and yang. With the derived forms, the mixing will vary in their level of pure blend when compared to the ideally pure alloy.
The degree of pure blend manifest in each of the derived forms goes from the impure to the 'almost pure'. The 'impure' is the distribution of yin and yang in a 'chunky' form with definite biases, whereas the 'almost pure' is an equal distribution of yin and yang at a finer level(refined), but yin and yang are still independent (detectable).
This independence is such that yin and yang have developed a degree of substance in that they have become forms; solidified movement. Prior to this, both yin and yang have liquid characteristics in that if a drop of one is next to a drop of the other they join and the distinction of one drop from the other disappears. When they are solid they can join but still be seen; their distinctiveness remains.
If we give each of these derived forms a primitive 'behaviour', in the form of stimulus-response, they automatically seek balance by unmixing (unravelling) back to a pure yin/yang state, thus enabling blending and enfolding back into T'ai Chi (Wholeness).
The type of behaviour seen is found to be dependent on the degree of mixing; how close the refining process got to achieving T'ai Chi. We define three general types, bond, bound, and bind. These labels are intended to show the mixing biases. Blend is also a type, but deals with the unification of yin and yang; pure yin seeks to blend with pure yang. A perfect blend leads to T'ai Chi. The three types, detailed below, result from the yin/yang interaction failing and are not the T'ai Chi interaction, they are derived forms (incomplete) and thus still 'show' yin and yang. Once defined, they become the raw materials for further refinements, in that their interactions are like those of yin/yang, showing expansion and contraction and balance.
The purest mixture is a perfect blend. This is not observed since when it happens the result disappears; it becomes T'ai Chi.
Applied to human behaviour, in pure yin, balance seeking is manifest as devotion. The total receiving of energy. Through this reception (filling up) one becomes balanced and whole. The concept of receptivity, yin, implies that whatever comes in is yang. To be totally receptive implies the development of total trust.
In pure yang, balance seeking is manifest as power; the total giving (outpouring) of energy, and through power becoming balanced and whole. The concept of power and outgoing(emptying), yang, implies the power is going into is yin. To be totally outgoing implies the development of total self confidence.
The first level of impurity is that of bound. Bound is a derivative of blend. In this mixture yin surrounds yang or yang surrounds yin, there is a level of distinction (boarder). This is a tight relationship but at arms length. Yin/yang being symbolic of pure movement, this manifests bounded movement as in a time period or limit point. Breathing in (contraction) reaches a limit, just as breathing out reaches a limit (expansion). The generic association is therefore limitation, and in human terms, an association with the concept of protection.
Applied to human behaviour, the need to bound means a need to add another layer around the individual. It is as if one was an onion with the skin layer missing. The satisfaction of this need enables one to feel secure and therefore receptive (yin bias), or, confident and therefore outgoing (yang bias). This need is satisfied by a developed sense of security (yin) or a developed sense of direction (yang), both of which manifest self protection.
Once satisfied, there are two possible directions for bound. The need shifts from bound to yin/yang or to bond. As we will see, the former is a vertical movement whereas the latter is a lateral movement.
The second level of impurity is bond. Bond is a derivative of blend. Transformation is not quite achieved and we have only achieved a tight relationship, although somewhat closer than that of bound. In human behaviour, using the bias to yin, and receptivity, as an example, we are dealing with an identification, or relationship, with something, or someone, rather than the reception, or assimilation, of something, or someone.
The need to bond means a need to fill a hole within part of oneself. This is not as strong as the blend bias of filling all of oneself. The satisfaction of this need happens when one pushes through to something (through a door or gate) or to lets something in; to give way to something (as it comes through a door or gate). The satisfaction of the need enables one to return to blending pure yin/yang in that one becomes bias to either pure yin or pure yang. The intention of pushing through something, or giving way to something, to re-establish pure yin/yang, implies the concept of balanced development in that there is some form of restraint.
Passage through a gate (push through) is a restricted form of pure yang seeking balance (power); it requires confidence. Letting one in (give way, submit) is a restricted form of pure yin seeking balance (receptivity); it requires trust. This need is therefore satisfied by a developed sense of resoluteness (yang) or a developed sense of giving in (forgiveness) (yin). When satisfied, one shifts from bond to yin/yang.
The final level of impurity is that of bind. Bind is a refinement of bound. This is a relationship but at a distance. Self identity is strong. The effect is more of influence over time. It is as if yin and yang were pure to the extent that they could NEVER blend since blend implies two becoming one. Imagine yin and yang being different coloured balls. You can acquire as many balls as you like and then mix them up so that there was an equal (balanced) distribution of yin and yang BUT since they are solid they can never unite (unless you melt them down).
In human terms, The need to bind means a need to be influencial, to control and/or instigate change. It seems to originate from one sensing that one is either powerless or unreceptive or both; due to the almost equal distribution of yin/yang no strong bias emerges, only a degree of influence.
The satisfaction of this need enables one either to control situations and thus feel secure (yin bias) or instigate/predict situations and thus feel more confident (yang bias).
These 'resolutions' are the same as for bond and for bound, but the level is more balanced and refined. The satisfaction of the need usually shifts one from bind to bound rather than to pure yin/yang. This need is therefore satisfied by a developed sense of control (yin) or a developed sense of motivation (yang).
However, due to the mixing distribution, i.e. almost T'ai Chi, the substantiation of yin and yang leads to a level of wholeness that is as creative as T'ai Chi. We no longer deal with ideals and the 'spiritual' world, but with ideals and the material world; actuality. It is here that influences develop that, when given expression lead to the same paths as does T'ai Chi with yin/yang but at a different level; the development of the material self. This is a copy of the T'ai Chi yin/yang relationship as well as a mutation. It is a path of refinement away from the 'pure' but is so creative that it creates new levels of 'purity'.
Yin and yang seek to unite, to blend, and thus return a condition of T'ai Chi. Alone they show a need to seek balance. Under certain conditions the act of blending mutates and a new form is created. This form is unlike T'ai Chi in that yin and yang are still detectable, but is like a distorted image of T'ai Chi. Some of these forms have aspects that lead to a new level manifesting the T'ai Chi yin/yang relationship.
These generic characteristics of the mixing types seem to imply that pure yin is founded on feeling totally trusting, and pure yang is founded on feeling totally confident ((em)powering). Once established, both yin and yang then seek balance through merging trust with confidence and thus achieving wholeness.
There are two generic types of the mutant form, and one pseudo-generic type that is derived from one of the two generics.
The two generic types are labelled to manifest their mixing roots, they are called bond, and bound. The pseudo-type is called bind, and has it's roots in bound. What is now needed is a form of symbolism.
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