Mountain AKA Keeping Still

This trigram is the symbol of self-restraint, blocking, in the bottom position of a hexagram, and of discernment, a focus on quality, when in the top position of a hexagram. One of the six 'mixed' trigrams, symbolic of the interaction of degrees of yin and yang. A major point here, that differentiates Mountain from Earth, is the sense of conditional devotion (reflecting the focus on discernment), whereas in the trigram of Earth the focus is on unconditional devotion.

In the IDM template this trigram is representative of contractive bonding and thus an overall bias to making of relationships with the inner self (spiritual), internal reflections (Wilhelm links this with the representation of the gateway between life and death). The overall sense is of sharing space with another/others but retaining one's sense of personal identity (and so a bond rather than a blend).

In emotions the link is to such concepts as sadness and grief, reflecting the aged and so completion of life. The positive perspective is to a developed sense of quality and so discernment.

In Chinese Five-Phase theory, Mountain is linked to the concept of EARTH and so the concept of FILTRATION but through a developed sense of discernment, qualitative assessments rooted in experience.

In the Myers-Briggs/Keirsey systems of persona classification it is linked to XNFJ/Mentors and is mostly concerned with identity seeking through establishing relationships (e.g. Prophets, Pedagogues).

The numeric link is to irrational numbers. (pi, e, etc. They show static relationships that do not change even in dynamic conditions). The Peircean Category is Thirdness as Passive/Implicit REPRESENTATION (symbol formation etc)