Defining the Subject and Object - The Definitions of "World Line" and "Response Line"

In the complex mathematical logic (Six Lines Method), a hexagram is like a drama, with six lines representing different roles. To know "who represents me," we must define "Self Line" and "Other Line."

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1. What are "Self" and "Other"?

• Self Line (Self): Represents the diviner themselves. It reflects your mindset, the strength of your energy, and your situation in this matter.
• Other Line (Other): Represents the person, matter, thing, or environment you are inquiring about. If you ask about a relationship, the Other Line is the other party; if you ask about buying a house, the Other Line is that house.

The interaction between these two (generating, overcoming, combining, clashing) directly determines the final outcome of the situation.

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2. How is the Self Line defined?

In the money hexagram system, the sixty-four hexagrams are categorized into "eight families" (eight palaces). The position of the Self Line depends on the "order of change" of the hexagram within the family:

1. Pure Hexagram (Initial Hexagram): The Self Line is fixed at the top (the sixth line).
2. Evolution Process: As energy moves upward, the Self Line can appear in the first, second, third, fourth, or fifth line.
3. Return Process: In some special hexagrams (Wandering Soul Hexagram, Returning Soul Hexagram), the Self Line can appear in the fourth or third line.

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3. The positioning rules of the Other Line

The position of the Other Line is very simple; it always maintains a "two-line interval" symmetry with the Self Line:

• If the Self Line is in the first line, the Other Line is in the fourth line.
• If the Self Line is in the second line, the Other Line is in the fifth line.
• If the Self Line is in the third line, the Other Line is in the sixth line.

This correspondence symbolizes the opposing aspects of "co-resonance" in the universe.

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4. Why is defining "Self and Other" so important?

A hexagram without Self and Other is like a map without coordinates. Once you define Self and Other, you can immediately see:

• Self Line overcomes Other Line: Represents that you hold the initiative and can overcome the other party or achieve your goal.
• Other Line generates Self Line: Represents that the situation is favorable for you, and the environment or the other party actively contributes to your success.
• Self and Other clash: Represents that both parties have conflicting positions, making the situation prone to reversals or ultimately breaking down.

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Although the origin of "Self and Other" involves profound logic of the evolution of the I Ching families, the most important thing is to learn "to find it" and "to observe it."