To know the time we look at the clock. To know our situation we look at the I Ching.
In order to reach our full potential we must accept change. The
situation you are in today will not be the same tomorrow, or the next day, or
the next day. Those that try to secure their lives against change will
encounter exhaustion, frustration and disappointment. Funny that the ancient
Chinese who compiled the I Ching, and its sister text the Tao Te Ching, knew
all about this, and it’s only in our 'sophisticated' modern era that we have
lost sight of the truth.
I Ching was formulated and codified over thousands of years by the four
wise men of Chinese history – Fu Hsi, King Wen, his son the Duke of Chou and
the great philosopher Confucius. The text survived many dynasties and
upheavals, and escaped a book burning purge in 213BC.
With the I Ching you are your own master, and you don't even need to
learn Chinese, or have any claim at intuitive or psychic powers. Copies of the book are easily picked up for a few pounds here, and the method is accessible to anyone one can devote a few hours to its learning and practice. Alternatively you can download a trial version of a software program here.
The I Ching, its trigrams and hexagrams, is thought by many to be the greatest oracle of them all. It
is used the world over by intelligent and professional people, and has been for
thousands of years. It works as well on trivial matters as it does on the
profound. It can help you interrogate your Destiny and progress towards it;
give you guidance on relationships, work, money, family and friends. It
explains the situation as it is now and how best to take advantage of coming changes.
Consulting the I Ching effectively
freezes
time and enables you to interrogate the flow of your life at that point. It
is endlessly positive because it speaks of possibilities, rather than
predictions. It will not tell you that you are going to get a new job, rather
it will tell you how to do better in your current job, or advise what course of
training you need in order to start a new career. In short, it advises you on
how to get change on your side and how to avoid being a victim of change.
It is a deeply moral book, full of wisdom, and works according to four
fundamental principles:
1. The only constant is change. As Confucius said ‘Everything flows on
and on, like the river, without pause, day and night.’ The situation you are in
cannot last and must change. If your situation is good you are advised to revel
in it, for change surely lies ahead. If your situation is grim and painful,
then improvement must come. That is the way of life.
2. Duality. The Ying Yang symbol reminds us that all existence is
composed of opposites – on and off, day and night, down and up, inner and
outer, strong and weak, female and male. Light and dark are two parts of the
whole. There cannot be one without the other. There is only balance or
imbalance.
3.Judgement. All actions have consequences, and everything is to learn
from. In every situation there is a ‘right’ thing to do. Right for each
individual at each moment. Taking the correct course of action (or inaction if
appropriate) leads the individual further down their road of life, toward their
fulfilment. The wrong course of action is simply to be learned from. Everything
is significant, all experiences matter and the price for wrong actions or bad
timing, will be paid, but only so that you learn. Perfect justice.
4. Natural direction. The I Ching is associated with the The Tao, or The
Way. The Tao states that for each person there is a natural direction, a
purposeful goal, a path that person should follow in order for them to become ‘The
Superior Man (or Woman)’ and to find happiness and satisfaction. Consulting the
I Ching enables the person to recognise changes in their relationship with the
Universe, and advises them how to remain on track toward their fulfilment.
This is no mere fortune telling. The value of the wisdom contained
within the I Ching is so great, yet so accessible, that if every child was given
a copy of the text in their first year at school then the nation would transform
within a generation. Similarly, if the human race fails to stave off apocalypse,
then it should ensure that the I Ching survives, for it will surely guide the
survivors through the aftermath.
Further reading:
The I Ching – Richard Wilhelm
The I Ching Workbook – R L Wing
The Analects – Confucius
Tao Teh Ching – Lao Tzu
The Numerology of the I Ching – Master Alfred Huang
