New Year just around the corner

I was wandering around a second hand bookshop a few weeks ago and found this old Penguin paperback 'The Oracle of Change' by Alfred Douglas. The I Ching book that sat on my own shelf, unread, while I was an editor at Penguin was about six times the size of this little book and had put me off jumping in and discovering more. 'How to Consult the I Ching' is the perfect introduction. Here is just a taste from the first chapter:

The I Ching (pronounced Yee Jing), or Oracle of Change, is one of the oldest books in the world... It's purpose is to reflect the changes that are constantly operating throughout all levels of the universe; the cycles and tides of fortune which we must learn to know and ride if we are to achieve success.

  This ancient Chinese oracle enables us to glimpse something of these mysterious rhythms, and to realign our lives so that we are living more in harmony with the laws of nature...

  The I Ching also has a second function. Designed to throw light on the hidden world behind appearances, it acts as a guide to the mysteries of your own unconscious self...

Using the I Ching takes practice, but the great thing is that it's very easy to get started. There are a number of ways to consult the Oracle and the easiest requires just three identical coins and concentration. It is fascinating. Apparently the I Ching is especially helpful for when you are at the beginning of something new, cue those New Year resolutions.