The I Ching

Dear Diary,

Mentioning Wu Wei yesterday, I thought I would illustrate another Taoist practice that I use...the I Ching. I first learned about it on my 2002 trip to China when I spend a brief time at a Taoist monastery. These are very ancient oracle cards not to be confused with fortune telling cards like the Tarot. The characters, I Ching, mean Book of Changes. They simply provide a new way of looking at whatever is in your life at the moment...a new perspective if you will.

This is the "Plenty" card I drew this morning. In part it advised:

If your strength is combined with a friend's wisdom you will complement one another to the best advantage. No obstacle is too great for you.

One of the monks said that consulting the I Ching is like asking advice from a wise old uncle who has much greater insight than yourself. I've been using the I Ching ever since and it has been, indeed, a wise old uncle for me

The beautiful ink illustrations on this set of cards is by Marlies Holitzka.