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I Ching

Bradford Hatcher

Bradford Hatcher

I learned this morning that Bradford Hatcher has died. The Yijing world has lost a treasure, and many of us have lost a good friend. Brad was ridiculously generous with his knowledge. His epic, two-volume Yijing is available from his site, for free. (He’s made arrangements to ensure it’ll stay… Read more »Bradford Hatcher

Two birds on a branch, one with a backpack. Caption: 'Let's try it once without the parachute.'

Trusting your reading

This entry is part 4 of 4 in the series Part of the furniture

It’s one thing to consult the Yijing; finding the confidence to act on what it says is something else. (What if I’ve got this wrong?) Yet readings without this, without change, are theoretical at best, and at worst… maybe something more serious than a mere waste of time. We need… Read more »Trusting your reading

The king’s presence

This entry is part 3 of 4 in the series Part of the furniture

(The story so far: I asked what to write about, and Yi’s response – 37.1.2.5.6 to 46 – gave me the idea of writing about what makes for a friendly, domestic, quotidien, integrated relationship with the Oracle. I’ve written about lines 1 and 2; here’s line 5.) What makes for… Read more »The king’s presence

slice of bread with butter

Bread and butter readings

This entry is part 2 of 4 in the series Part of the furniture

The second line of Hexagram 37 (and the second thing Yi suggested I write about) says, ‘No direction to pursue,Stay in the centre and cook.Constancy, good fortune.’ Hexagram 37, line 2 This line places us, and our readings, firmly at the foundations of Maslow’s pyramid: There’s no call to charge… Read more »Bread and butter readings

Readings within walls

This entry is part 1 of 4 in the series Part of the furniture

A while ago – as participants in our weekly Well Gatherings will know – I asked Yi what to write about on this blog, and received Hexagram 37, People in the Home, changing at lines 1, 2, 5 and 6 to 46, Pushing Upward. It’s a rich reading that works… Read more »Readings within walls

mountaineer's rope hammered into the rock face

Readings for ‘uncertain times’

Every article and every commercial email nowadays says something about ‘these challenging times’ or ‘these uncertain times’. And of course, we know an oracle for that: Yi is made for challenging, uncertain, bewildering times when none of our normal responses or resources is helping. Talking with Yi lately, and seeing… Read more »Readings for ‘uncertain times’

woodland with sapling in the shade of great trees

The need for Hexagram 12

Hexagram 12 is called Pi 否 – Blocked, Standstill, Stasis, Negation. It encapsulates the experience of being denied and stymied. The noble one’s constancy bears no fruit: despite your best, most creative efforts, it just isn’t happening. The Sequence into this one is (as so often) quite enigmatic: ‘Things cannot… Read more »The need for Hexagram 12