The I Ching—Invaluable Tool for the Individuation Journey

When people ask how I went from insect pathology (microbial control of insect pests) to becoming a Jungian analyst, I say, “By being in Berkeley in the late 60s.” Jung was “in the air” and I was so taken with his comprehensive world view. Nine months after discovering Jung and intensive reading I applied to train at the original Jung institute in Zurich. My training overlapped with Marion Woodman and James Hollis. It was through Jung that I heard about the I Ching and started using it in 1975. I couldn’t believe that I had gone to two of the best graduate schools in America and never heard of Jung or the I Ching! 

Jung’s psychology seems totally compatible with the wisdom embodied in the I Ching: Jung could have written the I Ching—that’s how I feel. Indeed, Jung said that the I Ching was a book of archetypes. This ancient book dates to the beginnings of Chinese civilization and incorporates Confucian and Taoist thought. 

That alone makes it one of the most important books of wisdom on the planet, but even more amazing and beyond any Western explanation is what Jung called synchronicity. One can put an important question to the book and by a totally random process like tossing coins, we are being told which of 4096 answers to read. It is like getting guidance from Chinese sages. The Jing as the Chinese call it can be an incredible guide for the most difficult life situations—if one knows how to use it properly. And that is what I will convey in the course including the books to use that have worked for me for 50 years.

Using the I Ching is an experience of what Jung called the “eternal realm”—a dimension outside time and space which is what synchronicity demonstrates. Consulting the Jing is like calling forth a synchronicity. The metaphoric link between dreams and hexagram answers from the Jing lead me to postulate that they share the same source—what may be called the Tao.

In the course The I-ching as Self-Help Tool, Jungian Analyst Dennis Merritt teaches how to consult the I Ching effectively. You will learn how to ask meaningful questions, interpret answers, and apply its wisdom for personal development and guidance.To learn more and sign up click HERE.