The Philosophy of the I Ching

About this book A companion book to A Guide to the I Ching, this book on the philosophy embedded in the I Ching remains a steady backlist favorite. It helps us understand and apply that philosophy to our daily lives. The book explains terms such as “the Sage,” the Cosmic teacher that answers when we consult the I Ching, “the superior man,” as referring to “the true self,” and “the inferior man,” in referring to “the ego.” The book also reveals the core philosophical concepts that have made the I Ching the Number One book in the Chinese Library for over 3000 years. It makes us aware that these concepts are the wellspring of wisdom from which both Confucianism and philosophical Taoism developed. Thus, the book brings us an understanding of the roots of Chinese culture. Added to the second edition is the new and highly precise method for clarifying the messages received from the I Ching oracle. Chapter 1. This book presents the cosmological background of the I Ching and its many concepts. It describes the Tao, the binary system of numbers that forms the 64 hexagrams of the I Ching, the Sage who speaks through it, the I Ching view of existence, and the hidden Cosmic order that underlies all apparent chaos. Thus rather 'In the beginning there was chaos,' one sees that 'In the beginning there was order.' Chapter 2 describes what in the I Ching is called the 'superior man' or 'noble Self' as the unconditioned true self; the 'inferior man' is seen as the socially constructed self-image, or ego. The 'superiors' or 'helpers' described by the I Ching are revealed as inherent character-traits, such as natural modesty, natural kindness, and the capacity for patience and perseverance. The 'inferiors' are discussed as aspects of the bodily self that speak, as when they say, 'I am hungry, I am tired.' Also discussed are the many references in the I Ching text to cultivating the true self and that imply self-development to be necessary if we are to learn how to harmonize ourselves with the way the Cosmos works.// Chapters 3 and 4 discuss the anonymous wise Sage who speaks through the I Ching, and the attitudes that are important on the part of the I Ching student if he is to gain the Sage's help.// Chapters 5, 6, and 7 describe the process of self-cultivation undertaken when we accept the Sage as our teacher. It describes how the Sage teaches us mostly in real-life learning situations, so that what is perceived in the head is transmitted to the heart as wisdom. It also describes many important I Ching principles, such as coming-to-meet-halfway, and working through the power of Inner Truth.// Chapters 8 and 9 describe the more technical aspects of the I Ching within the context of its historical the development of the lines, trigrams, and hexagrams. It also describes its traditional methods of use, but gives an entirely new method discovered by the author that enables the student to understand its messages very precisely. This book is a description of the method of meditation that the author learned through consulting the I Ching. It is also a collection of 250 experiences in meditation that were included because of their insightful and universal nature. They revealed the gradual lifting away of the author's hidden fears and doubts, one by one, that inhibited her from following her own inner sense of truth. This book shows the role of fear and doubt in the formation of the ego, and how they project themselves into reality. Freeing oneself from them makes the body healthy, the mind free, and the heart open to receive and to express love. "A Guide to the I Ching" is an interpretive manual to the classic Wilhelm/Baynes translation of the I Ching. Now a classic in its own right and translated into other languages (German, Spanish, Portuguese, Croatian, and Italian), the "Guide" is recognized by teachers and long time students of the I Ching as indispensable to its understanding and use. Developed from notes taken over many years, the Guide mirrors the reader's true inner feelings, helping him to bring his life and fate into harmony with the Tao the way of the Universe. This book is about love as a Cosmic gift given to two people to awaken, strengthen, heal, and nourish their true selves. It is also about the Cosmic principles laid out in the I Ching that govern the love relationship. It shows, in a clear language, that by bringing ourselves into harmony with these principles, we can make our deepest and most meaningful relationships endure.