The Eight Gates

Another birthday has passed for me. And I have now reached the point of reflection on my life which will become the foundation for my journey into the future. I have come to the understanding that to prepare for tomorrow I must focus on bringing balance to my life today. I also know that the success of any future venture will depend on my ability to bring success to as many people as possible. By success I mean helping to bring balance to the lives of as many people as possible - starting with myself. After coming to this understanding I realized that to accomplish my goals it will be necessary to dedicate the rest of my life to mastering the mysteries of the Eight Gates.

I often write about the I Ching and it’s influence on past, present and future human development. The eight trigrams that serve as the foundation of the sixty four hexagrams which comprise the I Ching (better known as the Book of Change), corresponds with the 64 combinations found within the genetic code. It is said that the I Ching’s influence helped James Watson and Francis Crick discover the genetic code, unlocking the very mystery of life itself. If you Google “I Ching Hexagram” you can see a picture of the eight trigrams of the I Ching, also known as the Eight Gates. The foundation of the eight gates is the broken Yin line __ __ and the straight Yang line ____ which represents the negative and positive dualism existing within all things - from the protons and electrons of the atom to the conscious and subconscious of the human psyche.

Taijiquan (Tai Chi) Grand Master Abdul Musawwir introduced me to the circular movement of the Eight Gates, which can be used for health and defense. In Jou Tsung Hwa’s classic book, “The Dao of Taijiquan: Way to Rejuvenation”, the movement of the Eight Gates are described as North, North East, East, South East, South, South West, West and North West. While studying Ki Energy treatment and training in the mountains of Korea, I was taught the energy relationship of the Eight Gates with North (Heaven) representing the Electromagnetic Field and South (Earth) representing the Bio-Psychic Field. If you Google the South Korean National flag you will see it has four of the Eight Gates: Heaven, Earth, Fire and Water. I plan to conduct an I Ching workshop in the Fall at the City College of New York , because the best way to master a subject is to teach it.

I will write more about how the Eight Gates can be used as a foundation to improve the quality of life. I invite you to join me on this journey. I will keep you updated on events and programs that can help anyone interested. You can also send me an email at u.ology@yahoo.com for more information or questions on how the Eight Gates can improve your quality of life.