The Thirteen Appearances
The following poem explains the natural way of life, from conception of an idea to it becoming a reality, whether it’s a good idea that comes to you suddenly or conception of a human life.
The Thirteen Appearances poem is taken from the translation in Rooted in Spirit: The Heart of Chinese Medicine by Claude Larre, S. J. Rochat de la Vallee and Elisabeth Rochat de la Vallee.
- Heaven within me is virtue
- Earth within me is the breaths.
- Virtue flows down, The Breaths expand, And there is life.
- The coming forth of living beings indicates the essences.
- The embrace of the two essences indicates the spirits.
- That which follows the spirits faithfully in their going and coming indicates the hun.
- That which associates with the essences in their exiting and entering indicates the po.
- When something takes charge of the beings we speak of the heart.
- When the heart applies itself, we speak of intent.
- When intent becomes permanent, we speak of will.
- When the persevering will changes, we speak of thought.
- When thought extends itself powerfully and far, we speak of reflection.
- When reflection can have all beings at its disposal, we speak of knowing-how.