I Ching

[SunBeam]

Has anyone here had any experiences with I Ching before? Or any information about it that anyone can offer?

Thanks

[cydira]

My experience with the I Ching is limited to reading about it in an Asian history class and a philosphy class. I can recommend a few good books if you're looking at the history of it and it's influence on the development of religious practices in China. Also, there's some really great information on www.sacred-texts.com , I believe the online text discussing this is actually written by C.G. Jung or it was translated by him. I am not sure, however. I do know that there is one that's attributed to him. <shrugs>

If you're looking at this history, a good book is the Sources of Chinese Tradition. It's by Wm. Theodore de Bary and several others. It's part of a group of books known collectively as Introduction to Asian Civilizations. If you're looking for something as to the influence of the Hexegrams on Asian art, then you'll probably find the book A Survey of Asian Art by la Plante to be a good read. I forget what the other books we used in class were, but I can hunt down my old syllabus and try to find out for you, if you'd like.

I hope this helps.

***
PS: If you want, there's an on-line I Ching oracle at www.facade.com I've found it good for a chuckle, everything on that website is funny to me, though. I guess it's the idea of using a website for divination that strikes me as amusing. I mean, how would those folks who feel "candles were good enough for grandma, I don't need light bulbs" look at that? <giggles> I've heard too many pagan lightbulb jokes.

[Siarlas]

Has anyone here had any experiences with I Ching before?

Only recently! My mom bought me the Dragon Oracle for my bday a couple of months back and I hadn't really had a chance to look at it. Well, last week I decided to give it a go.
It has not just the Oracle cards in it, but the I Ching coins to do a reading. So far so good.

I'm not sure what kind of information you're after (how to do a reading? or what the trigrams mean?), but ... let's see if I can sift through my brain... the way to do the reading is to hold your question in your mind and the three coins in your hand. Each side of the coin equals some number that I can't remember right now, and each time you throw the coins, you add them up. After the eighth throw, you take note of the numbers and figure out if it's a yin or a yang line. This will give you the trigram and after you've figured that you, it gives you the meaning.

At least that's how I remember it....

[serenarian]

I've used it several times, I first started using it when I was 16. I found it very accurate. There are several ways to use it. Kaya is right about the coins, but you can also use yarrow sticks. Check out local bookshops - you can buy starter packs that show you how to do it properly. I have two versions of the I Ching - one starter pack and another special board version.

[jcldragon]

I began studying the I Ching in 1969. I was using the Willhelm/Baynes translation with the forward by CG Jung. I knew there was something really deep in it, but I had trouble getting what it said in the lines I got from my consultations, until after I had learned the life lesson it was talking about. (Go figure!)

So whenever I got the message, I would write down in simple American English expressions, what the line meant. After a few years, I realized that I was writing a book. Part of my study was a rigorous mathematical examination of the hexagrams, which actually do derive their meanings from the arrangement of yin & yang lines, and also from their relationships with other hexagrams.

When I had completed my conceptual translation of all of the lines, I showed it to my acupuncturist. She said it was exactly like the I Ching she had had to study in college in Taiwan, (where she grew up). Currently, I'm in the final stage of completing my translation, and when that is done, and I have the copyright in my hand, I'll be willing to tell you everything. Before that I might be willing to help you with some minor points. OK?

[~ Monk ~]

I've just started to dive into the I-Ching myself. I thought I would recommend James Legge's translation.

jcl, I look forward to seeing your translation.