Essays From The Master

Looking at the Black Lotus Mandala one can see the trigrams of the I Ching arranged not once but twice. These 8 trigrams stand for eight of the nine elements of nature with the movement of those 8 expressing the ninth element of nature which is energy. These 8 trigrams are shown twice in the Mandala, the second time being a reflection of the first. This dual cycle of eight energies showing nine elements creates 10 circles with eight that interlock, one that joins all and a central core. The outermost circle relates to awareness because if one is standing at the center of the Mandala and another is at the edge of the outer circle the one in the center should be aware of the other, even if the other cannot be seen or heard. The outermost circle is usually from nine to 15 feet away from the center of the Mandala showing the range of the aura or the personal harmony. Moving from the outer circle inward one comes to the second circle which is created from the dynamic tension of the elements. This second circle in the Mandala gives the range at which one should engage in offense which is usually from 5 to 7 feet away from the center of the Mandala. It must be kept in mind that each individual also has these same circles with roughly the same ranges so that if one can sense another one can also be sensed, this is the basis of entry and exit or In Po and Ton Po.

The third circle is formed by the currents of the movements of the dual cycles of the elements and it represents the circle or range of defense and is usually 3 feet from the center of the Mandala. Inside the outermost circle of the Mandala is a set of interlocking squares forming an eight rayed star expressing the Ki or personal power of the individual which suggests eight straight lines in the Mandala which are the lines of attack. The suggested lines and curves of the Mandala give the counter to each other in terms of movement, when attacked along one line use the curve that answers or interrupts that line of attack. The eight lines of attack radiate from the center of the Mandala being in a sense north, east, south, west and the cross directions of each of them. It must be understood that the eight lines of attack radiate from the center of the Mandala in three ways out, above and below. In all the Mandala have 24 lines of attack and 16 responses for a total of 40 martial vectors. By standing between any two segments of the Mandala one is in the place to avoid being attacked and thus one is able to escape.

The Mandala is also a map of the body with the heaven trigram lining up with the third eye of the head so as one attack or pushes one point of the body you must pull or move so that you affect the opposite end of the body. Staying with the third eye if you attack it you would follow up with an attack to the sexual area to give two examples. Likewise if one perceives movement in one area one counters with the opposite area and the same is true of position. If one is standing at the heaven trigram then the target can be placed in relation to where they are standing in respect to heaven or from any of the other positions in the Mandala. Each element shown in the trigrams shows an aspect of the self and in this way the Mandala shows the interaction between the self and that of others using the reflective nature of the Mandala. In the Mandala we have all inner and outer motion and interaction balanced by the influence of the three levels of interaction as to awareness, attack and defense.