Book Recommendations: I Ching for the Spiritual Journey

[ninagr]

Hello, does anyone have recommendations for an I Ching translation oriented toward the spiritual seeker and the inner journey? I have a dozen translations, the top "standard" books (Wilhelm, Huang, Balkin, and our very own Hilary Barrett), but none of them scratch this particular itch. Thank you!

 

[IrfanK]

Hmmm. I'm tempted to say that you've already got what you need. It's a rough map, after that, it's up to you to take the journey. There are some versions, like Carol Anthony's I Ching, The Oracle of the Cosmic Way, that could be plausibly argued to be "orientated toward the spiritual seeker." But, being charitable, that kind of book is basically a description of what the I Ching means to the author. Fine, but should you accept it as something that means the same thing to you? I got hold of a copy of that one for about a dollar and read it enthralled for about half an hour, and I haven't picked it up again since.

You've got Stephen Karcher? He has a great background in depth psychology, he's often able to draw links between the prosaic Confucianist interpretations of people like Wilhelm and much deeper ideas. I remember sitting there are frowning at his idea of 17. Following as being in accordance with the Dao, flipping back and forwards between him and Wilhelm and then having a little "Aha!" moment when I read the lines in Wilhelm's translation of the Image:

Thus the superior man at nightfall
Goes indoors for rest and recuperation.

Yes, that looks like being in accord with the Dao to me.

Karcher is also great for presenting "unfavorable" prognostications as opportunities for growth. Him and Wilhelm are enough for me.

 

[dfreed]

... an I Ching translation oriented toward the spiritual seeker and the inner journey ...

I think that's a pretty broad category.

First, I find myself asking: what do you mean by spirituality? After all, some people who followed Jim Jones and Charile Manson thought of themselves as on a 'spiritual journey' - and I know that many Trump followers think of him as a spiritual leader.

So, are you looking for the Charlie Manson I Ching, or the Donald Trump Yijing? - if so, you may have to write them yourself!

Otherwise, I think of the Yi as a oracle that we use in divination, and it gives us responses and answers to queries and questions we put to it - so one answer to your question is: if you want the Yijing to be 'spiritual' then asked it about spiritual things.

What makes this approach so wonderful is you don't have to define ahead of time what 'spiritual' means, nor do you have to rely on other people's interpretation of what the Yi and what spiritually mean: for example, I can ask it such 'spiritual' questions as:

* What is the most important factor in the Buddha's Eight-fold Path? or ...

* What was Jesus really like? or ...

* Tell me what I can learn from the Blue heron sitting at the water's edge. (and I posed this query to the Yi) ...

And in all cases it will give you (and us) a response.

So if that method works for you, I'd say you need to look for a 'good' translation - one that at least tries to transcribe the original words of the Yi. And, I'd also recommend that you look for a translation that you resonant with.

For the last year or so I've been hanging with Richard Rutt's translation, Zhouyi: the book of changes. His translation is - for some - a bit quirky (thought it is well-researched and well thought-of), but it works for me, and I like the rhythm and imagery of his translation.

When in doubt, Richard Wilhelm's translation is good to be with. And if you're looking for a Jungian or 'deep psychology' approach, I don't think you can go wrong with a translation that was used by Carl Jung! (He wrote the introduction too.)

On the other hand, if you're looking for other peoples' interpretations of what the Yi is saying, than other versions may be a better fit.

I think of the Yi as a book about myth, and about deep psychology, and that it itself is spiritual (and it might also be a guide to fine dining and offer relationship advice). And while other people may appreciate different authors' 'spins' on the mythology, or deep psychology, or spirituality of the Yi, I find their words often turn the Yi into something else, some 'other' sort of book that doesn't really appeal to me.

For example - and as an answer to the questions I posed above - Line 61.2 reads:

A crane calls on the shaded slope, it's chick call in reply.
Here we have a brimming cup: together we'll drink it dry. (translation: R. Rutt)

I like to delve into that, explore that imagery on my own (at least to beginning with) - ex. the 'call and response' of trigrams Wind and Lake - instead of someone telling me the mythical, psychological, or spiritual meaning of these words.

But it really depends on what you're looking for, and how you want to work with the Yi and have it speak to you.

Regards, D

 

[IrfanK]

@dfreed, pretty much agree. On the other hand, there's nothing wrong with reading other people's interpretations in their commentaries, so long as you keep it firmly in mind that you're listening to someone tell you what they think the I Ching means, not listening to the I Ching. A bit like asking someone to give you their take on your reading. Fine, but you don't have to agree.

 

[dfreed]

On the other hand, there's nothing wrong with reading other people's interpretations in their commentaries, so long as you keep it firmly in mind that you're listening to someone tell you what they think the I Ching means ....

I don't disagree; however, it seems way too easy to mistake people's interpretations for the actual words / images of the Yi: to make people's words / comments / interpretation BECOME the Yi. And often looking at too many interpretations becomes a fishing expedition: that you're looking for the answer/response that you want to have, instead of the one you got.

 

[ninagr]

Thank you both for your thoughtful replies.

Irfan, the Carol Anthony style of books don't do it for me, either. I do refer to Karcher often as well for his insights and the way he links the hexagrams and lines together. Sometimes he is a little too positive for the situation, but Wilhelm balances that right out. I like Karcher's richness of imagery and myth and find it helpful.

Dfreed, I mean the inner journey towards enlightenment by means of being a better person, as well as increased awareness of and attunement to the truth, wherever we find it. I like your idea about asking the Yi about "spiritual" things. My approach tends to be more applied than theoretical, but I take your point -- one needs to engage with the imagery personally than through the intermediary of an interpretive text. Incidentally, 61.2 was my weekly guidance last week, when you and Irfan replied to my question.

 

[IrfanK]

I don't disagree; however, it seems way too easy to mistake people's interpretations for the actual words / images of the Yi: to make people's words / comments / interpretation BECOME the Yi. And often looking at too many interpretations becomes a fishing expedition: that you're looking for the answer/response that you want to have, instead of the one you got.

Yaaaaaaaa, true. But I think it's something people do before they get confidence in their own interpretation. Trainer wheels. I joked with Hilary a while back that anyone who says you shouldn't read the commentaries, you should just look at the text, probably has already read the commentaries and absorbed them, so they don't need to look at them anymore.

Look at something like 18. Gu. The judgement text is pretty sparse. If you know that the character means the three worms or maggots in the rotting flesh, if you know the tradition that it refers to bad air trapped below the mountain, it sure adds a lot to your understanding of 18UC. If you know that stuff, you can get a lot more out of the text.

 

[dfreed]

But I think it's something people do before they get confidence in their own interpretation. Trainer wheels.

My caution about too many interpretations and too many commentaries still holds true. Just as the Yi's meanings might be understood - in different ways - via other people's words, I believe it is more true that too much of this can lead to confusion, or confirmation bias: where people look for the answer they want, instead of the one they get - and looking at many commentaries / interpretations is an excellent way to do this.

And I see this very often with people's readings: they hunt and peck through various commentaries: DeKorne's, LiSe's, Wilhelm's, Karcher's, etc. until they hit upon a few words or meanings that match what they wanted the Yi to tell them in the first place.

So perhaps the issue isn't just about too many or too few interpretations, but is also about how we make use of them.

Consider, Hex. 18, Mildew. One of the first 'commentaries' I read about this is from Bradford Hatcher: 'things being fixed, arrested, stuck or stagnant in pathological patterns and thus decaying for the lack of refreshing movement and vitality' - and I found this helpful.

But I can very easily see this in Gua 18, and conclude 'oh no, I really am stuck in a can o' worms here' - and get stuck on this meaning (this interpretation), and fail to heed his further words, "Gu is a Janus word in this context, meaning both toxins and the recovery from toxins."

So, knowing this, I'm tempted to look at Hexagram 18 from some new points of view: to consider the hexagram statement (a.k.a. Judgement): Supreme offering. Favorable for fording a big river, three days before a jia day and three days after a jia day ...

... and consider this along with the image of Wind held for a time within Mountain, so I might consider: this is a time when Mountain is holding Wind in place, and here I'm being offered a pause (a supreme offering) that if considered in an appropriate way and within a reasonable time, will allow me to move ahead and 'ford a big river'. And the lines offer some ideas about what sort of mildew or corruption we should be looking at - and perhaps healing from.

I am the only living member of my immediate family - my mom, dad and older brother have all passed on, so I take the words of the lines about 'mildew' (or corruption or decay) for a deceased male or female ancestor to heart. But I prefer to explore this within the framework of my own personal history and family dynamics. So far, I haven't looked at other's words (commentaries) about what these lines might mean, and I consider this an appropriate and fruitful approach.

Regards, D