The I Ching has evolved over millennia from its roots in early shamanic and oracular practices on to our modern versions of The Book of Changes by way of hundreds, if not thousands, of interpretations, translations, commentaries, and commentaries on commentaries. My efforts in The Small World I Ching have been directed towards shaping my commentaries and interpretations in such a way that they are recognisable to 21st century individuals who seek a deeper level of understanding of the dynamics of the choices and challenges that confront them.
The traditional I Ching consists of 64 six-line figures ('hexagrams') constituted of solid ('yang') or broken ('yin') lines. The lines and their movements ('Changes') represent the energies and dynamics of all of life, human and non-human, universal and personal. Commentaries on these figures – or 'Images' – are traditionally accompanied by comments on each of the six lines. A particular Image is accessed by the individual when they consult the book through a process of throwing six coins or manipulating 50 plant stalks.
In this version I have introduced several different ways of accessing the hexagrams and their Commentaries without the use of coins or other objects. In addition, I have eliminated comments on the individual lines and sought to reflect their various possibilities within the main Commentary.
The I Ching is a text to be consulted, not a book to be read. Each consultation is a one-off and, at its best, represents an engagement between a source of deep wisdom and an individual who brings curiosity, honesty, and openness to the encounter. (Scepticism and a closed mind will ensure that no encounter takes place at all.)