Reddit reviews The I Ching, or, Book of Changes (Bollingen Series XIX) (Bollingen Series (General) (170))
We found 7 Reddit comments about The I Ching, or, Book of Changes (Bollingen Series XIX) (Bollingen Series (General) (170)). Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
The I Ching: Or, Book of Changes (Bollingen Series)
Just a bit of background on the Wilhelm translation:
Richard Wilhelm is the translator you want. He travelled to China at the end of the Imperial period, before the Xinhai revolution in China severed the last link of an unbroken tradition reaching back for millenia.
He found himself a teacher named Lao Nai-hsuan who was pretty much the last in a long line of traditional I Ching scholars, and learned everything he could from him. Then Wilhelm spent a decade translating the I Ching into German, consulting his teacher at every stage, and making sure he conveyed the authentic, traditional interpretation as faithfully as possible to Western audiences. A scholar named Cary Baynes then later translated the German into English.
The Wilhelm version you're looking at is a translation of a translation, but it's still regarded as unique and unsurpassed in terms of authenticity. Wilhelm learned from an actual imperial Chinese scholar who was well-versed in the ancient tradition of interpretation of the I Ching, a text that is renowned for being obscure even by ancient standards. As Jung later said, it is as if this book "delivered the last message of the old, dying China to Europe." Wilhelm was the right man in the right place at the right time. This is not something which can be repeated.
If you want an "accurate" translation--as in true to the way the book has been traditionally viewed by the people from whom it originated--the Richard Wilhelm translation is really the only place to start. Once you've gotten comfortable with that, then it's worth moving on to others.
The Richard Wilhelm translation (with a forward by Carl Jung), is widely acclaimed. It's very comprehensive, containing the text itself, explanations on how it was/is used, and exhaustive ancient commentaries on the text.
Thank you so much for your reply. Do you mean Richard Wilhelm or Hellmut Wilhelm, or both?
I found this online: http://www2.unipr.it/~deyoung/I_Ching_Wilhelm_Translation.html
And I found this on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Ching-Book-Changes-Bollingen-General/dp/069109750X/ref=mt_hardcover?_encoding=UTF8&me=
I know I am being picky, but I would like a book copy. Don't get me wrong, that online version would be a valuable resource, but having a book allows me to highlight and write notes in the margins.
I have a few recommendations for you.
Astro.com is good for astrology. Put your chart information in, study your Planets and what house they lie in. I really recommend learning a basic understanding of astrology, it will quickly help you tune into your strengths and overcome your weaknesses.
KRS (youtube) does good with astrology too.
My favorite astrologer is Linda Goodman. Her Sun Signs book and Star Signs book are very very good, especially Star Signs. I will say some of the health stuff she teaches should probably be overlooked (color diet) but everything else is very good.'
Astrology-numerology.com is another good resource.
For Tarot readings I recommend buying a deck of Universal Waite Tarot Deck cards. These days you can google what each card means but what I'd recommend is understanding each of the symbols (Wands, Swords, pentacles, Cups) and each element (Fire, Water, Air, Earth). Understand what each thing means, study what they mean online and then use you own intuition as well to connect with the card meaning. The Tarot truly is one part study, one part personal intuition. Learn one card, three card, and the Celtic Spread. There are some other advance ones you can learn but those are my favorite. You'll even learn your own personal ways to display the cards in your own way, again one part learning, one part intuition. I recommend the Waite deck over other decks out the as a beginner deck. Some decks completely lose symbolism and intuition requirements and while that might sound like a perk, it really works against you because the goal it to connect to the subconscious.
https://www.salemtarot.com/ is good for learning each card as a start but you'll want to continue looking up other perspectives on google as well.
The I-ching or Book of Changes is something I would say you can do every day. You can even mix it with the tarot to get more clarity sometimes. The most important thing with I-ching is that no matter the question, you must contemplate the answer and really think about it. The Iching is usually pretty clear about the question though. What I'd recommend is that you buy two books on it.
The I-ching Workbook is great for beginners but after awhile you'll really want to get deeper into it and learn more to better unstand.
https://www.amazon.com/I-Ching-Workbook-R-L-Wing/dp/038512838X
That's where This book comes into play. It's much better but the reading is a little more in depth.
https://www.amazon.com/Ching-Book-Changes-Bollingen-General/dp/069109750X/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_img_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=6AXP0JKYR7W71AP5YQPA
There is a good website too, https://cafeausoul.com/
Part of my wants to not recommend this site because I worry people over doing the questions and not contemplating enough, and the descriptions are no as good as the second book I recommended but for a website it's pretty good. I don't particularly like the Tarot card descriptions though.
Don't over do any of the tarot or iching readings. You can, but the message will become less clear and your connection may become more distant as you give up understanding the primary message. If you don't understand it, stop; give it time, and come back to it.
Understand astrology and you'll really understand everything around you and yourself. Understand the I-ching and you'll understand change and how to adapt to it for best success and following your truth and the Tarot will help you understand you subconscious.
Finally just get your diet in order and meditate. You'll get far with all this but diet and meditation will really help you excel. Cut processed sugar and carbohydrates from your diet that isn't natural fruit. Meat is ok but limiting is probably best, especially red meat (though I enjoy hamburgers on occasion)
Simple divination is the easiest introduction. It's Taoist/ Confucianist, but I can highly recommend the Richard Wilhelm translation of The Book of Changes. Early versions of The Book of Changes (or I Ching) were written thousands of years ago, and it remains one of the most popular methods of divination today.
http://www.amazon.com/Ching-Changes-Bollingen-Series-General/dp/069109750X
I believe the above should contain a preface that lays out the proper steps for its use. But by far the simplest is the coin method:
http://www.onlineclarity.co.uk/learn/consult/casting.php
When asking a question, avoid simple yes/no questions, and perhaps instead ask the proper way to achieve a certain outcome.
Well there's classic English language Wilhelm version, which has been around since 1950 and is the backbone of later translations. For the English language user, this book is a must-have.
http://www.amazon.com/Ching-Changes-Bollingen-Series-General/dp/069109750X
There are many later versions which are easier to use and whittle down the philosophy to something easier to decipher and those are good too, when used in conjunction with the Wilhelm.
Edit: I just found another version I had and really liked "The I Ching Workbook", very straightforward text, great in conjunction with the Wilhelm -
http://www.amazon.com/R.L.-Wing/e/B000APCECW/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1
The divination method using sticks is quite difficult. Just as good a result can be had with the 3 coin method. Believe it or not, I had 3 Chinese coins I carried around with me in a little pouch for 30 years. Old Chinese coins have no significant value and can be easily bought in many places, import shops, Chinatown type neighborhoods, and sometimes even bookstores. I always liked the thin worn ones....
I like this book, it contains a re-arranged TTC and excerpts from the Liezi and Zhuangzi:
Also, don't forget the I Ching. It's not just a fortune-telling thing, it's an attempt to categorize all things in the universe. Mainly a Confucian work but integrates into Daoism. For that I recommend the Wilhelm/Baynes translation, with the Huang translation acting more as a commentary to Wilhelm/Baynes discussing the historical and mythological background to the hexagrams and lines.
You can read the Wilhelm/Baynes translation here (except for the Ten Wings of Confucius and the more detailed re-translation, all three available in the book):