Jack Balkin (The Laws of Change) and Richard Rutt (Zhouyi) both explain the distinction between two kinds of oracle: impetrative and oblative. Since they give subtly different definitions, I’ll content myself with sharing what I’ve understood from them both. An oblative oracle is one that’s given to you: an omen… Read more »The trouble with impetration
If you’re a Change Circle member, or if you’ve clicked the ‘Readings’ tab of this site lately, you’ll already know this: I’ve stopped giving I Ching readings. The I Ching Community remains – definitely no plans to close that – as do the various downloads and the full I Ching… Read more »Quick update
I’ve been reading Multiplicity: the new science of personality by Rita Carter. I’m only part way through, so this isn’t a good representation of the book, just half an idea that struck as I was reading. The basic thesis of the book is this: your character as an individual is… Read more »An oracle for multiplicity?
Here – http://i-ching-news.blogspot.com/2011/06/two-different-approaches.html – is a lovely post from Cesca, talking about hexagrams 5 and 6, Waiting and Arguing, as a pair. She describes them succinctly as ‘two very different ways of dealing with a situation that isn’t going in the way you would prefer.’ This – at least for… Read more »Wait or Argue?
Why would someone ignore the relating hexagram? A few people have told me lately that they don’t tend to look at the relating hexagram – the second one, the one found by changing any changing lines in your cast hexagram – as they don’t really find anything in it. They’re… Read more »Why look at the relating hexagram?
In the past I’ve done a lot of readings, for myself and other people, seeking advice about what to do and how to do things. I expect I’ll do a lot more of them, too, because they are direct, clear, straightforward and massively useful. ‘How can I do this?’ ‘What’s… Read more »Asking for awareness
Most people seem to get started with the Yijing by asking about a relationship. It’s a good way to start: it’s present, immediate and something you care about – when you ask these questions, you’re really asking them. It’s also potentially tricky, that mix of getting started with overwhelming emotion.… Read more »Advice for relationship readings
