I Ching for Beginners: A Modern Interpretation of the Ancient Oracle

by Mark McElroy

Book Overview

For more than three thousand years, the I Ching has offered guidance to emperors, generals, and philosophers. Amazingly accurate, this ancient oracle anticipates change and recommends timely action in all the important areas of your life.

With clear summaries of each of the I Ching's sixty-four passages, this friendly divination book makes it fun and easy to consult the beloved classic--and all you need is pocket change or a deck of cards...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0738707449
• ISBN13: 9780738707440
• Release Date: November 2005
• Publisher: Llewellyn Publications
• Length: 312 Pages
• Weight: 0.78 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Best of the Fast, Modern Interpretations.

I own many translations of the I Ching. Of all of them, I would have to say that this book represents the best interpretation of the oracle into modern English, followed closely by the translations by Mondo Sector and Sam Reifler's work as well as the exhaustive "The Laws of Change" by Jack M. Balkin. Everything from the names of the individual "gua" to the judgements and lines are re-interpreted into modern English in this book, so don't expect to win any arguments with someone who owns the Legge edition or the Wilhelm/Baynes text. Still, this book is direct, to the point and impressively accurate in capturing the spirit of the individual hexagrams if what you're trying to do is understand how the hexagrams relate to modern life. Cross referenced with "The I Ching Handbook" by Mondo Sector, you can see how each individual moving line leads to a transitional hexagram for a complete analysis of whatever hexagram you come up with and its moving lines. Buy it! Hide the title with a book jacket if you want to impress people, but buy it and you will not regret the purchase.

A friend's advice

My life is a bit of a roller coaster these days... and this book is exactly what I need. It is a great tool to help understand the message that is addressed to me. Comforting words of a friend that provide a gentle guidance.

Great for practical uses!

If you're looking for a book that discusses the I Ching as a philosophy or metaphysics or meditation tool, this book isn't what you're looking for. However, if you want an I Ching that can give insight and solutions into your life, this book is nothing short of spooky. I made a quick and cheap set of index cards as he describes (if I flipped coins around here, my cats'd make sure I spent all day looking for coins) and for the first month that I owned this book I did a reading every morning. Unlike Tarot, where sometimes you and a deck have to take some time getting to know each other (tarot people know what I mean), this worked right off the page from day one. He offers wonderful blurbs on each of the trigrams, and I was so impressed at how spot on they were at predicting what I needed to look out for that day (my general question) that I started analyzing the book for 'cheats'. You know, generic stuff that could fit anybody "you have a friend named Joe? John?" "You feel as if no one understands you?" That sort of ultrageneric stuff that the Rube desperately clings onto. Nope. Not here. The trigrams are widely different in meaning, with very little overlap. If you want a practical I Ching tool, and something that you will turn to day after day with confidence, THIS is the book to get.

The ideal book for everyone.

I wanted to buy a book on I-Ching that was easy to read and understand even though I've been learning for 2 years now.This book is ideal.The author writes in simple terms that will appeal to everyone not just beginners.No technical explanations.It covers advice on relationships,work matters and more.I found this book to be unusual compared to other I-Ching books because of its simple explanations and it is written in simple English.For the price alone this book is great value.For what this book has to offer its even better value.Its a great book to start with even if you purchase another beginners book with it. Great value book suitable for anyone interested in I-Ching.

Accessible, Modern Interpretation of an Ancient Chinese Oracle

"Enough tire-kicking! It's time to get under the hood of the Book of Changes and get a peek at its thirty-five hundred year-old Wisdom Engine: a ingenious problem-solving computer built back when the Silicon Valley was just the Silicon Gully." - From the book The I Ching (pronounced eee ching or yee jing) is a profound Chinese oracle that speaks to the complex and changing nature of life. Centered on the Tao-the Truth or master pattern of the universe-the I Ching blends the Yin (feminine principle) and the yang (male principle) to address virtually every type of situation. Originally consulted using yarrow sticks, this ancient oracle comprises 64 hexagrams consisting of six lines. Each hexagram is like a "chapter" of the Book of Changes (another name for the I Ching). Solid lines are yang and broken lines are yin; both are considered stable. Then there are changing lines that are yang turning yin or yin about to become yang. Although diviners generated these hexagrams with yarrow sticks in the past, modern methods have incorporated coins or even special I Ching cards. In his new book I Ching for Beginners, Mark McElroy makes this often-ponderous oracle accessible to a new generation. He admits that this book is not a translation nor is it a traditional or scholarly exposition. Nevertheless, I Ching for Beginners provides everything you need to quickly consult-and apply-the wisdom found in the Book of Changes. Even if you're not into divination, Mark makes the case that the I Ching provides opportunity for reflection, enhances our perception, encourages awareness of impact, and moderates our responses. Often leading individuals by the hand to the "middle way", the I Ching dispenses wise advice for those seeking insight. Mark explains the nature of trigrams and hexagrams and shows readers how to prepare for a reading and easily generate a hexagram. In fact, he's come up with an ingenious way of generating lines using a handmade deck of sixteen "consultation cards" that are quick and easy to make. Of course, you can also generate hexagrams using three coins (which is what I do). If all the lines are stable, then you just consult the corresponding chapter in the book. (There's an easy-to-read Hexagram Chart in the Appendix). If the hexagram contains changing lines, then you need to create a Primary Hexagram and a Secondary Hexagram-reflecting how a situation is currently and how it's likely to evolve. Then, consult the chapters correlating with the Primary and Secondary Hexagrams. Each chapter offers a sage observation about the Hexagram and what it encourages and cautions against, as well as keywords, thought questions, and a commentary. Comments on both love and relationships and work and projects are also provided, in addition to comments about the changing lines (stable or Primary Hexagrams only). I've consulted the I Ching for Beginners three different times, and each of the readings have been incredibly spot on. One night, I was at my