No Gravatar

I’ve been working and re-working my personal Interpretation of  I Ching in various forms for what feels like forever. Recently I started to post I Ching Meditations on a Blogger hosted site and got sidetracked when I began to learn how to do a self-hosted Blog on WordPress for my Yoga Babe Cafe. So now I will transfer what I have on Blogger to here and change my form of presentation somewhat by adding more posts about my creative process, dreams and stuff I’m not thinking about as I write this.

I want the reader to have some understanding of my purpose and goals for this I Ching blog. I first became obsessed with I Ching in 1970. This interest coincided with the feminist movement where I was frequently asked, “Why are you interested in that sexist book that talks about the superior man all the time?” I Ching developed as the Chinese language developed over three thousands years ago so that question was not something I could respond to in a sound bite.

While there are many interpretations of I Ching, they are from the perspective of the traditional Eastern masculine view. So partly in response to those early days of that repeated question, and partly because I love to write and make pictures, I decided that I needed to create my own version of what I Ching means to me. I Ching Meditations is expressed in imagery and words. So this is a Western Woman’s perspective on that most valuable ancient Eastern archetypal work. As I look back, deciding to do this was an act of hubris on one hand and also a path of optimism on the other. I did not take into account that just living my life with endless major interruptions would cause me to take a very long time to complete this work. Another problem that I encounter is that I often come up with different meanings for the same Hexagram. This is one aspect of I Ching that is magical and what hooks so many of us into repeatedly consulting this book of wisdom. I’m talking about subtle nuances depending on the situation. A third issue that I have added to my list of deterrents for getting on with it is my continual change of mediums that evolved over time. I have more to say about that in another Page.

My goal is to be able to finish my interpretation of all sixty-four Hexagrams and eventually publish them in print form. Consulting I Ching for wisdom or advice is always a subjective experience. My I Ching Meditations are personal and my hope is that I will generate some dialogue from other I Ching devotees – or perhaps inspire others to learn more about this great work.

There are many sites and books that tell what I Ching is, giving historical facts and instructions on how to use it. I don’t aim to repeat much of that information here but will add some links to sites of interest.

For anyone new to I Ching I recommend reading Carl Jung’s forward to the now classic Wilhelm-Baynes, Princeton University Press edition of The I Ching. This interpretation is my I Ching bible.

15 Comments on A Western Woman’s Perspective on the oldest Eastern Philosophy

  1. FrancescaNo Gravatar says:

    What’s up mates, how is all, and what you wish for
    to say about this piece of writing, in my view its actually amazing designed for me.

  2. To me too … C.G. JUNG and Richard Wilhelm Interpretations .

    I go intuitivelly in this Direction .

    I GING is SelfKnowledge …

    … and a X_Ray of Situations , sometimes un_see_able to Us .

    But … this Book is not open to all …

    Thank You , dear Adele … for Your Work . It helps mine , see ?

    LOVELIGHTSHADES

    TeresaLace ***

  3. amanda boldenNo Gravatar says:

    Hi Adele,
    I was looking up I Ching in the hope of finding others to talk and share with. I came across this site from Facebook and am so glad i did, i have much enjoyed your beautiful coloured image work, and how you have expressed inner dimentions of the I Chings messages. I feel so blessed to have found such a connection, thank you for your gift. Amanda

  4. CharleenNo Gravatar says:

    Beloved, I love your work. Please I respect you, yet the reference to the man thing is about complemenary energies, i am sure you have found that harmony, my love it talking about the God Man and God Woman in us all. If you read the work of ra Un Nefer Amen, he shows a really powerful interpretation of how male and female energies complement and are expressions of God not as competition but love. I love your visuals for 11……..i am meditating on hexagram 11 and found your work just what i needed to also explore healing a romance, focusing on harmony, union, co operation beginnings and women on top!

  5. Glen, Much thanks for your comments – looking forward to meeting.

  6. Glenroy WolfsenNo Gravatar says:

    I will bring my book with me when I come to Princeton. That way you can get some idea of what I have been doing. I have three of Jose’s books here. “The Transformative Vision,” “The Mayan Factor,” and “Earth Ascending.” I am also recently studying the works of Christopher Hills. I find the I Ching to have been very important to his work and see in his work new ways of understanding and applying the I-Ching.

    I look forward to visiting.

    Glen

  7. Hi Glen,

    Thanks for your response. That’s wonderful that you are using my I Ching Record Book for teaching. Keep in mind that the PDF version – see my link on http://www.ichingshop.com – is the same book with an added chapter and can be printed to keep. I use this now myself and have filled a note book already.

    I look forward to seeing your book.

    Adele

  8. Glenroy WolfsenNo Gravatar says:

    Thank you for this: I have the earlier edition and most recent of the I-Ching from Rowena Pattee – the illustrations are very good but they are not in color. I also have two of Jose’s books – it must have been remarkable working with him. The best book for an overview of all of Rowena’s work and her life is: “The Golden Echo – The Life and Art of Rowena Pattee Kryder, 1935 to 2007” I have recieved your “I Ching Record Book” today and will begin using it myself and also introduce it to my classes in the upcoming sessions. The book I am working on now is tentatively called: “The House of Opposites” and is a study of the idea and inplications of opposites in the I-Ching. It is takimg me lots of time – but I am enjoying it. (It is also helping me heal from Lyme Disease – where much of the damage was in the area of pattern recognition – and this book I am writing is all about pattern recognition!!).

  9. Glenroy WolfsenNo Gravatar says:

    Art work is a womderful way for exploring and representing the I Ching. I love the things that you have done.

    Have you ever heard of Rowena Pattee Kryder and her work with the I Ching. The second edition of her I Ching book is called “Tiger and Dragon I Ching” and contains her illustrations for each of the 64 hexagrams.

    – Be well:

    – Glen

    • AdeleNo Gravatar says:

      Thanks for the comment Glen,

      I haven’t seen Rowena’s book but know of her. I was living in Marin Country for 23 years and constantly came across her name but unfortunately we never met. I looked up her book on Amazon and while it has a “Look inside this book” I wasn’t able to see her illustrations. On that subject – I have taken on a task of hubris in my graphic interpretation because I am making a picture for each “Image” and one for each of the six lines for all the hexagrams. I have had to start from scratch several times for various reasons so this is taking me FOREVER to complete.

      I see that José Argüelles wrote Rowen’as forward. I worked with him on getting my PhD (1981) when I was also creating images for my I Ching Meditations. José also wrote a lovely forward for me for my first 16 Hexagrams which I published in a very limited edition which was all pen and ink drawings.

      I just finished my I Ching Record book. Check it out on Amazon or a PDF version just posted on my new I Ching Shop. I have to post something about that today.

      To be continued.
      Wishing you the best in “changes.”

      Adele

  10. The I Ching comes alive with each artist’s exploration of the hexagrams. For you, Adele, to create an image for every single line is a wonderful gift for yourself and anyone who witnesses the process. Bravo.

    For ten years I painted the I Ching hexagrams on doors (36×80). On one side of the door I would explore the interaction of the elements (earth over heaven) and on the other side I would paint a personal experience of the hexagram. I chose the large surface because I needed a format that literally had me on my toes to reach the top and on my knees to work with the bottom. It took another ten years for me to process the material and to be able to articulate my experience.

    I invite you to take a look at some of the I Ching doors on my website artempowerment.com or to see a sample of the book that I published. Go to Blurb.com and look for “Visual Framework for Change”. Adele, when you are ready to publish your images the Blurb (publish on demand) approach may be a place to start. The publications are true to the original colors.

    • AdeleNo Gravatar says:

      Hello Kendra,

      Thanks so much for finding and commenting here. I took a look at your web page and your images. How I wish I could see your I Ching panels “in the flesh!” Wonderful! I also looked at your bio and have so more to discuss with you – will do in an email. We have much in common.
      Love, Adele

  11. AlanaNo Gravatar says:

    Hello,
    Adele, are you based in Brisbane?
    IF so, we have another coincidence or synchronicity; I am situated on the Coast and work with someone who has been attending your book making workshops … if you are indeed in Brisbane. Robyn is using her skills to work with our Year 9 students on their own book-making in a unit called ‘my little book of me’.

    I found your link via a search for information on John Cage and the I Ching as part of my own blogging exercise – an online visual diary of sorts at the above address and I love your breadth of definition of the book very much. I hope it is ok to link to your site from mine – you can see the connections @ navigating chance tides.

    sincerely,
    in peace
    Alana

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Spam prevention powered by Akismet

Verified by MonsterInsights