Forgot to send to list:

I like your design, but I'm not sure about attaching too much meaning to it. I like to think of Pd as a blank slate, with no preconceptions. I do not agree with some that the icon needs to be as bare and uninviting as the interface of the program, but attaching too much symbolism may cloud perception.

Anyways, I've attached a slight variation of one of your modified, rectangular yin/yang. I removed the color, for just the reasons above and to give it a more neutral look

Nicholas

-----Original Message----- From: pd-list-admin@iem.at [mailto:pd-list-admin@iem.at] On Behalf Of X. J. Scott Sent: Monday, October 20, 2003 8:07 PM To: pd Subject: [PD] interpretation of Li K'an icon

Hey all,

I just realized that it may not be obvious to everyone the detailed symbology of the red and blue icon I presented.

The trigram against the field of red fire is Li, which represents fire, sun, and lightning as well as clarity, conscious thought, and revelation.

The trigram against the field of blue water is K'an, which represents moving water like rain, clouds, springs as well as a dangerous difficulty, depth and the profundity of mystery, in other words an exceptional challenge which brings growth.

The hexagram formed by the two, fire above moving water, is interpreted as follows, and I believe you will see it is obvious that it is the hexagram that best forms pd:

Before the End comes progress. But if the young fox, having nearly crossed the stream, gets his tail wet, there will be no advantage.

                 -- translation from
                   "The Illustrated I Ching"
                    by R. L. Wing

This is the ancient origin of the term "getting your tail wet". It means that to succeed at something that is a difficult challenge, it will not be easy. You must completely immerse yourself in the moving water, the difficulty that pd represents. Only by wilfully embracing the struggle of exceptional difficulty can one emerge, wet, on the other side of the river. Having mastered the challenge, one is ready to proceed to the new land that awaits you, strengthened by the enlightenment and new powers that your struggle has birthed.

This, is the message of pd and the only way to master pd -- to struggle and to become immersed. Getting the tail wet, fooling around here and there, will bring no benefits because the necessary price has not been paid. But for every prize of such power as pd, there is a worthwhile price that must be paid.

I believe that the excerpt from the I Ching I have quoted makes a beautiful motto for pd itself.

-- X. J. Scott

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