| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from The Rig Veda: 12 May helpful Indra as our good Protector, Lord of all treasures,
favour us with succour,
Baffle our foes, and give us rest and safety, and may we be
the lords
of hero vigour.
13 May we enjoy the grace of him the Holy, yea, may we dwell
in his
auspicious favour.
May helpful Indra as our good Preserver drive from us, even
from afar,
our foemen.
The Rig Veda |
The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy: clothes.
"Are they like mine?" asked Henchard.
"Well--they are. Dear me--I wonder if--Father, let us go
away!"
"Go and look once more; and then we will get home."
She went back, and he could see her stoop till her head was
close to the margin of the pool. She started up, and
hastened back to his side.
"Well," said Henchard; "what do you say now?"
"Let us go home."
"But tell me--do--what is it floating there?"
The Mayor of Casterbridge |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Life in the Iron-Mills by Rebecca Davis: Only one woman. She came late, and outstayed them all. A
Quaker, or Friend, as they call themselves. I think this woman
Was known by that name in heaven. A homely body, coarsely
dressed in gray and white. Deborah (for Haley had let her in)
took notice of her. She watched them all--sitting on the end of
the pallet, holding his head in her arms with the ferocity of a
watch-dog, if any of them touched the body. There was no
meekness, no sorrow, in her face; the stuff out of which
murderers are made, instead. All the time Haley and the woman
were laying straight the limbs and cleaning the cell, Deborah
sat still, keenly watching the Quaker's face. Of all the crowd
Life in the Iron-Mills |
The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from The Art of War by Sun Tzu: all sides at once, thus emulating the achievement of T`ien Tan.'
[See p. 90.] That same evening, a strong breeze sprang up; so
Huang-fu Sung instructed his soldiers to bind reeds together into
torches and mount guard on the city walls, after which he sent
out a band of daring men, who stealthily made their way through
the lines and started the fire with loud shouts and yells.
Simultaneously, a glare of light shot up from the city walls, and
Huang-fu Sung, sounding his drums, led a rapid charge, which
threw the rebels into confusion and put them to headlong flight."
[HOU HAN SHU, ch. 71.] ]
10. (5) When you start a fire, be to windward of it. Do
The Art of War |
