SKETCHES INSPIRED BY THE BOOK OF CHANGES
RESOURCES
A text as ancient as the I Ching is not easy to understand. It helps to compare several translations and commentaries side by side. In the overview below, I refer to the sometimes differing chapter titles used by the various authors.
AH = Alfred Huang wrote The Complete I Ching, an original translation from Chinese into English. A classic and extremely readable work.
RW = Richard Wilhelm lived in China as a missionary in the early 20th century. He translated the I Ching into German. For a long time, this was regarded as the most authoritative translation in the West.
JB = Jack Balkin wrote The Laws of Change. A book with the clarity of a legal scholar, which he in fact is.
JJ = Julie Tallard Johnson wrote the I Ching for Teens. Unconventional, original, and not only for teens.
DM = Deng Ming-Dao wrote The Living I Ching. Excellent structure and poetic.
RR = Richard Rutt wrote Zhouyi with the subtitle Translation with Commentary of the Book of Changes. Indispensable historical perspective.
SD = Sarah Denig wrote The Everyday I Ching. The influence of Carl Gustav Jung, who wrote the introduction to Richard Wilhelm’s I Ching, shines through.
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LOCATION
In the photo that starts every post, you can see one of the three stamps shown below. They indicate where the photo was taken, and therefore also where the story is set. From left to right: Dalfsen – Nazaré – indoors.
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INTRODUCTION
reading and writing
macro in micro
macro in micro
sitting and reading
chapter 1. INITIATING
Initiating (AH) / The Creative (RW) / The Dynamic (JB) / Initiation (JJ) / Heaven (DM) / Active (RR) / The Creative Force (SD)
chapter 2. RESPONSE
Responding (AH) / The Receptive (RW) / The Receptive (JB) / Mother Earth (JJ) / Earth (DM) / Earth (RR) / Responsiveness (SD)
chapter 1 & 2. Initiating & Response
is being rewritten …
A MOVIE WITHOUT END
is being rewritten …
THE NAVEL OF THE WORLD
is being rewritten
LINES AND ARROWS
chapter 3. BEGINNING
Beginning (AH) / Difficulty at the Beginning (RW) / Difficulty in the Beginning (JB) / Difficulty at First (JJ) / Sprouting (DM) / Massed (RR) / Difficulty In The Beginning (SD)
chapter 4. PLAY
Childhood (AH) / Youthful Folly (RW) / Youthful Inexperience (JB) / Youthful Energy (JJ) / Youth (DM) / Dodder (RR) / Inexperience (SD)
chapter 5. WAITING
Needing (AH) / Waiting - Nourishment (RW) / Waiting (JB) / Waiting (DM) / Waiting (RR) / Waiting (SD)
hoofdstuk 6. CONFLICT
Contention (AH) / Conflict (RW) / Conflict (JB) / Crossroads (JJ) / Dispute (DM) / Dispute (RR) / Conflict (SD)
chapter 7. MULTITUDE
Multitude (AH) / The Army (RW) / The Army (JB) / Spiritual Warriors (JJ) / Armies (DM) / Troops (RR) / The Army (SD)
chapter 8. UNITY
Union (AH) / Holding Together (RW) / Union (JB) / The Sacred Dance of Love (JJ) / Joining (DM) / Joining (RR) / Joining the Right Group (SD)
chapter 9. STARTING SMALL
Little Accumulation (AH) / The Taming Power of the Small (RW) / Small Accumulation (RB) / Starting Small (JJ) / Smallness Tames (DM) / Farming: Minor (RR) / Exercising Restraint (SD)
chapter 10. WALK
Fulfillment (AH) / Treading (RW) / Treading (JB) / Caution (JJ) / Walking (DM) / Stepping (RR) / Treading Carefully (SD)
chapter 11. ADVANCE
Advance (AH) / Peace (RW) / Peace (JB) / Peace of Mind (JJ) / Prospering (DM) / Great (RR) / Overall Harmony
chapter 12. STANDSTIL
Hinderance (AH) / Standstill (RW) / Standstill (JB) / Boredom (JJ) / Clogging (DM) / Bad (RR) / Stagnation (SD)
chapter 13. LIKE-MINDED
Seeking Harmony (AH) / Fellowship with Men (RW) / Fellowship with People (JB) / Lovers, Friends and Like-minded People (JJ) / Kindred (DM) / Mustering (RR) / Cooperating with Others (SD)
chapter 14. GREAT HARVEST
Great Harvest (AH) / Possession In Great Measure (RW) / Great Possession (JB) / Inheritance (JJ) / Great Holdings (DM) / Large (RR) / Outstanding Good Fortune (SD)
chapter 15. MODEST
Humbleness (AH) / Modesty (RW) / Modesty (JB) / Being Grounded (JJ) / Humility (DM) / Rat (RR) / Modesty (SD)
chapter 16. INTENSITY
Delight (AH) / Enthusiasm (RW) / Enthusiasm (JB) / Intensity (JJ) / Delight (DM) / Elephant (RR) / Thinking Ahead (SD)
chapter 17. FOLLOWING
Following (AH) / Following (RW) / Following (JB) / Getting What You Want (JJ) / Following (DM) / Pursuit (RR) / Being Adaptable (SD)
chapter 18. DECAY
Remedying (AH) / Work on what has been Spoiled (RW) / Remedying (JB) / Mend what is Broken (JJ) / Poison (DM) / Mildew (RR) / Dealing with Decay (SD)
chapter 19. APPROACHING
Approaching (AH) / Approaching (RW) / Overseeing (JB) / Something Approaches (JJ) / Arrival (DM) / Keening (RR) / Moving toward your Goal (SD)
chapter 20. OBSERVING
Watching (AH) / Contemplating (RW) / Viewing (JB) / You Really Are what You Think (JJ) / Beholding (DM) / Observing (RR) / Taking an Overview (SD)
chapter 21. BITING THROUGH
Eradicating (AH) / Biting Through (RW) / Biting Through (JB) / Removing Obstacles (JJ) / Biting (DM) / Biting (RR) / Getting Down to Essentials (SD)
chapter 22. BEAUTY
Adorning (AH) / Gratie (RW) / Adornment (JB) / Beauty And The Beast (JJ) / Adornment (DM) / Bedight (RR) / Adornment (SD)
is being rewritten …
chapter 23. SCATTERING
Falling Away (AH) / Splitting Apart (RW) / Splitting Apart (JB) / Falling Apart without Losing It (JJ) / Splitting (DM) / Flaying (RR) / Doing Away with the Old (SD)
chapter 24. RETURNING
Turning Back (AH) / Return (RW) / Return (JB) / A Tuning Point (JJ) / Returning (DM) / Returning (RR) / The Turning Point (SD)
chapter 25 INNOCENCE
Without Falsehood (AH) / Innocence (RW) / Innocence (JB) / Truth (JJ) / Innocence (DM) / Unexpected (RR) / Innocence (SD)
chapter 26. ACCUMULATION
Great Accumulation (AH) / The Taming Power of the Great (RW) / Great Accumulation (JB) / Practice Under Fire (JJ) / Great Restraint (DM) / Farming: Major (RR) / Controlling your Resources (SD)
chapter 27. JAW
Nourishing (AH) / The Corners of the Mouth (RW) / Nourishment (JB) / Food for the Soul (JJ) / Nourishing (DM) / Molars (RR) / Nourishing (SD)
chapter 28. GREAT EXCEEDING
Great Excess (AH) / Preponderance of the Great (RW) / Greatness In Excess (JB) / Extraordinary Times (JJ) / Great Excess (DM) / Passing: Major (RR) / Overload (SD)
chapter 29. DARK
Darkness (AH) / The Abysmal (RW) / The Abyss (JB) / Living the Tao (JJ) / Pit (DM) / Pit (RR) / Danger (SD)
WAKE UP!
Behind you, you hear hurried footsteps. You turn round and get the fright of your life! There he is, running straight towards you. You’d made up your mind to avoid him at all costs today. So you start running. Faster and faster you go. And then you spread your arms and make some sub…
NORTH
Since when did we actually start talking about the Far North and the Deep South? And what’s the connection with the Near East and the Wild West? Without doubt, somewhere in their midst you will find the navel of the world.
chapter 30. LIGHT
Brightness (AH) / The Clinging (RW) / Radiance (JB) / Flaming Rainbow (JJ) / Brilliance (DM) / Oriole (RR) / Shedding Light on Things (SD)
chapter 31. RESONANCE
Mutual Influence (AH) / Influence - Wooing (RW) / Mutual Influence (JB) / Attraction (JJ) / Feeling (DM) / Chopping (RR) / Mutual Attraction (SD)
chapter 32. LONG LASTING
Long Lasting (AH) / Duration (RW) / Enduring (JB) / The Web of Life (JJ) / Constancy (DM) / Fixing (RR) / Perseverance (SD)
chapter 33. WITHDRAWAL
Retreat (AH) / Retreat (RW) / Retreat (JB) / Backing Off (JJ) / Withdrawal (DM) / (RR) / Retreating (SD)
chapter 34. GREAT STRENGTH
Great Strength (AH) / The Powe of the Great (RW) / Great Power (JB) / Authentic Power (JJ) / Great Vigor (DM) / Big Injury (RR) / Great Power (SD)
chapter 35. ADVANCE
Proceeding Forward (AH) / Progress (RW) / Progress (JB) / Improvement (JJ) / Advancing (DM) / Advancing (RR) / Progress (SD)
chapter 35. STRAIGHT AHEAD #1
chapter 36. DARKENING OF THE LIGHT
Brilliance Injured (AH) / Darkening of the Light (RW) / Darkening of the Light (JB) / A Time of Darkness (JJ) / Smothered Light (DM) / Crying Pheasant (RR) / Keeping a Low Profile (SD)
chapter 37. FAMILY
Household (AH) / The Family - The Clan (RW) / The Family (JB) / The Family And The Gang (JJ) / Family (DM) / Household (RR) / The Family (SD)
chapter 38. ESTRANGEMENT
Diversity (AH) / Opposition (RW) / Opposition (JB) / Misunderstandings (JJ) / Estrangement (DM) / Espy (RR) / Opposition (SD)
chapter 39. OBSTACLE
Hardship (AH) / Obstruction (RW) / Obstruction (JB) / Between a Rock and a Hard Place (JJ) / Hindered (DM) / Stumbling (RR) / Facing Obstruction (SD)
chapter 40. LIBERATION
Relief (AH) / Deliverance (RW) / Deliverance (JB) / Freedom (JJ) / Releasing (DM) / Unloosing (RR) / Release From Obstruction (SD)
chapter 41. DECREASE
Decreasing (AH) / Decreasing (RW) / Decrease (JB) / Disappointment (JJ) / Decrease (DM) / Deminishing (RR) / Decrease (SD)
chapter 42. INCREASE
Increasing (AH) / Increasing (RW) / Increase (JB) / Opportunity (JJ) / Increase (DM) / Enriching (RR) / Increase (SD)
chapter 43. BREAK-THROUGH
Eliminating (AH) / Break-Through - Resoluteness (RW) / Resolution (JB) / Breakthrough (JJ) / Decisiveness (DM) / Skipping (RR) / Determination (SD)
chapter 44. ENCOUNTER
Encountering (AH) / Coming to Meet (RW) / Encounter (JB) / Encounters (JJ) / Copulating (DM) / Locking (RR) / A Meeting of Opposites (SD)
chapter 45. GATHERING
Bringing Together (AH) / Gathering Together (RW) / Gathering Together (JB) / Gathering Together (JJ) / Collecting (DM) / Together (RR) / Gathering Together (SD)
chapter 46. GROWING UPWARD
Growing Upward (AH) / Pushing Upward (RW) / Ascending (JB) / Becoming (JJ) / Rising (DM) / Going Up (RR) / Pushing Up (SD)
chapter Exhaustion47. EXHAUSTION
Exhaustion (AH) / Oppression (RW) / Oppression (JB) / Exhaistion (JJ) / Distress (DM) / Beset (RR) / Being Restricted (SD)
chapter 48. REGENERATION
Replenishing (AH) / The Well (RW) / The Well (JB) / Well-Being (JJ) / Well (DM) / Well (RR) / The Wellsprings of Life (S
chapter 49. REVOLUTION
Abolishing the Old (AH) / Revolution (RW) / Revolution (JB) / Coming-of-Age (JJ) / Reform (DM) / Leather (RR) / Total Transformation (SD)
chapter 50. EMBRACING THE NEW
Establishing the New (AH) / The Cauldron (RW) / The Cauldron (JB) / The Cauldron (JJ) / Cauldron (DM) / Cauldron (RR) / The Cauldron (SD)
chapter 51. SHOCK
Taking Action (AH) / The Arousing (RW) / Shock (JB) / The Thunderers (JJ) / Thunder (DM) / Thunder (RR) / Shock (SD)
chapter 52. KEEPING STILL
Keeping Still (AH) / Keeping Still (RW) / Keeping Still (JB) / Being Still (JJ) / Stilling (DM) / Cleaving (RR) / Living in the Present (SD)
coming soon ..
SITTING
Is he a parking warden? Is he keeping an eye on the building site across the street? Every day when I take the short walk to the square, he’s sitting there. Whatever he’s doing, he’s a master at sitting. That much is clear to me. We didn’t exchange a word at first, but later on these days, the image of him sitting came back in my mind
chapter 53. GRADUALLY
Developing Gradually (AH) / Development - Gradual Progress (RW) / Developing Gradually (JB) / What’s the Rush (JJ) / Gradually (DM) / Settling (RR) / Gradual Development (SD)
chapter 54. SUBORDINATE
Marrying Maiden (AH) / Marrying Maiden (RW) / The Marrying Maiden (JB) / Being Undermined (JJ) / Marrying Sister (DM) / Marriage (RR) / Playing a Subordinate Role (SD)
chapter 55. ABUNDANCE
Abundance (AH) / Abundance (RW) / Abundance (JB) / Abundance (JJ) / Plentiful (DM) / Thick (RR) / Abundance (SD)
chapter 56. GUEST
Travelling (AH) / The Wanderer (RW) / The Wanderer (JB) / The Traveler (JJ) / Traveler (DM) / Sojourner (RR) / Stranger in a Strange Land (SD)
chapter 57. PENETRATING
Proceeding Humbly (AH) / The Penetrating (RW) / Gentle Influence (JB) / Running a Marathon (JJ) / Wind (DM) / Food Offerings (RR) / Gentle Influence (SD)
chapter 58. JOY
Joyfull (AH) / The Joyous (RW) / Joy (JB) / The Art of Happiness (JJ) / Exchange (DM) / Satisfaction (RR) / Joy in Communication (SD)
chapter 59. DISPERSING
Dispersing (AH) / Dispersion (RW) / Dispersion (JB) / Forgiveness (JJ) / Spreading (DM) / Gushing (RR) / Obstacles Fade Away (SD)
chapter 60. DISCIPLINE
Restricting (AH) / Limitation (RW) / Limitation (JB) / Reasonable Limits (JJ) / Regulation (DM) / Juncture (RR) / Self-Control (SD)
chapter 61. INNER TRUTH
Innermost Sincerity (AH) / Inner Truth (RW) / Inner Truth (JB) / Trusting your Intuition (JJ) / Confidence Within (DM) / Trying Captive (RR) / The Power of the Inner Truth (SD)
chapter 62. LITTLE EXCEEDING
Little Exceeding (AH) / Preponderance of the Small (RW) / Exceeding Smallness (JB) / Small Steps (JJ) / Small Crossing (DM) / Passing: Minor (RR) / Attention to Detail (SD)
chapter 63. IT’S DONE
Already Fulfilled (AH) / After Completion (RW) / After Completion (JB) / Fulfillment (JJ) / Already Across (DM) / Already Across (RR) / Mission Accomplished (SD)
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chapter 64. BACK TO SQUARE ONE
Not Yet Fulfilled (AH) / Before Completion (RW) / Before Completion (JB) / Change Is the Rule of Life (JJ) / Not Yet Across (DM) / Not Yet Across (RR) / Nearly Home and Dry (SD)
