Eight Divisions of the Day
The trigram of Shock, Thunder starts the cycle; it is the first movement of light after the greatest darkness, in this case midnight. Or it could be said after reaching the lowest point of the heavens beneath us, the sky starts to rise. It signifies the first three hours after midnight, or the first forty-five degrees after the IC (lowest point in the sky or horoscope)
The colour for this phase is indigo or dark blue.
The trigram of the Clinging, Fire represents the phase from three am to six am. The light is increasing but it is still predominantly dark. This actually leads from the darkness of early morning to the ascending light of the period before sunrise. It is the phase of the heavens that is rising but not yet above the horizon or visible. It covers the forty-five degrees leading up to the Ascendant or eastern horizon.
The colour for this phase is burgundy or crimson.
The trigram of the Joyous, Lake represents the first three hours after sunrise, or starting from sunrise. It is the forty-five degree phase from the eastern horizon ascending. It covers the period of the sun rising and the misty dewy part of the morning.
The colour for this phase is red.
The trigram called the Creative, Heaven covers the final ascending of the sun(or planets and Moon) to its highest and brightest position of the day. This is the three hours leading up to noon (true noon). It covers the forty-five degrees of the ascending sky leading up to the mid-heaven (MC in the horoscope).
The colour of this phase is orange.
The trigram of the Gentle, Penetrating Wind, Wood covers the setting phase from when the sun is at its highest in the sky at the MC (Midheaven) and for the next forty five degrees. This corresponds to the period from noon to three hours after noon (true noon). The darkness has started to increase but there is still a predominance of daylight.
The colour of this phase is amber.
The trigram of the Abysmal, Water runs from mid-afternoon to sunset. Light is predominant but it is decreasing and will continue to decrease right until the sun sets. This covers the three hours before sunset.
The colour for this phase is yellow-green.
The trigram Keeping Still, Mountain covers the period from sunset to three hours after sunset. These are the hours from dusk to darkness. From the Descendant (Desc. in a horoscope) to forty-five degrees below the western horizon. Darkness is greater and it is increasing.
The colour for this phase is green.
The trigram of the Receptive Earth represents the time leading up to the greatest darkness or midnight. It is the three hours before midnight, or the forty-five degrees leading down to the IC (lowest point of the heavens in a horoscope). Darkness is increasing and leading up to its greatest extreme.
This phase is given the colour blue.