he I Ching, or Book of Changes, is an ancient Chinese book of wisdom and divination. Rather than foretelling the future, however, the I Ching instead tells us what we should do if our lives are to be in harmony with the forces of the universe that determine the future. In this respect, the knowledge it imparts is far better than a mere foreseeing of future events, for it tells us those actions we might take that are most beneficial for our life on this planet as we face the future. Divination using the I Ching is a fairly simple process of finding an answer that is applicable to a particular personal problem. Most readers of the book find it has far more significance if it is applied in this way to a real-life situation. Indeed, much of the book seems to consist of simple-minded truisms. But when a person is in the midst of a difficult and perplexing situation, even a simple but appropriate truism can be an enormous help.
This edition of the I Ching emphasizes the wisdom of the book and omits most of the esoteric symbolic images, save as occasional metaphors and illustrations. Thus, it serves as an easily understood introduction to the I Ching and a preparation for more intensive study, if that is desired. An Appendix is in preparation and will contain instructions for using the book for divination, which, of course, requires access to all 64 of the hexagrams. Until the entire work is completed, however, it can still be read for an understanding of this profound example of ancient Chinese philosophy.
