Lloyd, Creativity – I Ching studies/consults
Becoming a watchman in Auroville forests, in 1988, I found more time to read and write than I had asked for. So I set out on studies of poetry and also Taoism, which had always had my interest; meanwhile living the Dream of Auroville.
I discoverd that the Book of Changes is the oldest surviving classic of Taoist China.
I was lucky. I had a friend in my native Holland, Han Boering; reknown scholar of Taoism and master of the I Ching. He generously sent books and much of his study material. Eventually I found my own way into Taoism, with Han's extremely valuable advice to remain true to authentic texts. This helped me to keep with the major translations of important I Chings, such as the version by Richard John Lynn.
I came to see the answers by I Ching as short poems, singled out from the epic that is the I Ching as a whole. I saw that the answers by I Ching emerge from a tapestry of poetic meaning, as well as from a Taoist background that is extremely useful to know.
Tracing the I Ching images back to metaphorical meanings proved complementary to poetry composition, which deals instead with the assembly of meaning. I see in both poetry and I Ching syudies valuable tools of expression and self study. Having read I Ching for many years I decided to write an introduction, which will contain informative chapters on:
- reality and the imagination in East and West
- similarities between I Ching symbols and poetic metaphor or image
- formulation of apt questions and interpreting of answers.
True to the spirit of old Taoist schools, I add very little of myself, while “translating” ancient metaphors into something that is poetically meaningful for contemporary people. I teach and give consults since 2003.
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If things go well
observe them with me,
If things go bad
ask me,
Consult me for
what lies in between.
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Links
The I Ching on the Net; bit outdated but still the best portal.
Good I Ching study site by Steve Marshall
Excellent I Ching forum and study site
Etimological I Ching study site
Han Boering I Ching site (Dutch).
auroville wiki on my editing service Avipro
contact: avipro at auroville.org.in; or call 2622 805