Magick, Shamanism and Taoism: The I Ching in Ritual & Meditation by Richard Herne
The Book of Changes (I Ching) is more than just an oracle--it is
also an incredibly powerful tool for theoretical and practical magick
and meditation. With this book, the magician can learn to use the primal
elemental forces of the universe as they are revealed in the ancient
Hexagrams.
For the first time in a study of esoteric
practices, Magick, Shamanism & Taoism provides the regular Chinese
word-characters for the Hexagrams as well as representations of their
archaic antecedents, based on the earliest known examples of Chinese
calligraphy. This opens up the potential for creating interesting and
authentic variants for talismanic magick.
The I Ching is
comparable to the well-known Qabalistic Tree of Life. Like the Qabalah,
it comprises a "cosmic map" that seeks to define categories for all the
possible permutations of elements and circumstances existing in the
universal cycle of creation and destruction. Those familiar with the
Qabalah will find this to be a perfect complementary system of universal
symbols.
This book is primarily concerned with the Book of Changes
and
its links to Taoism, the magickal practices of the Chinese Wu, and
related schools of thought. My ambition has been to open up the I Ching
so that it can be approached on several levels, all of which are
important aspects of the overall whole.
Whereas most books
on the I Ching focus on the system's oracles as a means to divination,
my work builds on that important base to include the potential for
magickal rites and meditations, blending traditional ideas with
contemporary experimentation. In this way, it allows for a greater
personal appreciation and assimilation of the primal elemental forces
that underpin the Trigrams and Hexagrams. In doing so, it not only
describes the basic tools appropriate for Chinese-style magick, but also
explains the symbolism and esoteric theory behind their use.
Parallels
that I have drawn between Taoism and other worldviews such as
shamanism, Ninjutsu, Shinto, Thelema, and Tantra help to broaden and
explain fundamental occult concepts. Hexagram correspondences bring
together interpretations of the figures with related symbols, gods,
ritual instruments, and appropriate magickal workings in a way never
before attempted in a work on the I Ching.