As Western knowledge of ancient Chinese literature has grown, the I Ching or ‘Book Of Changes’ has been recognised as a fundamental text in the fields of both traditional Chinese martial arts and traditional Chinese Medicine.
All of us know the name Carl Jung. That he was seen as being an in-depth and original thinker, as well as being a hugely successful psycho-therapist is well known. However, less well known, is Jung’s contention that several of his most effective treatments and cures were those where he had brought the ancient Confucian classic – the I Ching – into his therapeutic treatment dynamic. Since those days, students of the I Ching have become aware of the many connections between Jungian psychology and their ancient texts.
The book, as it appears today, is a resource that compiles over 2,500 years of wisdom and experience from sages and diviners, as well as ineffably ancient traditions.
Al Huang, the Tai Chi master, has commented that “The literature of Tai Chi is the I Ching full stop.” The Book of Changes informs many practices and practitioners. It’s potential to offer deeper insight to those who engage with it has been a crucial aspect of Brian Fleming’s work.
Brian Fleming has studied this area for over forty years. In the 1970s, he taught a regular six week evening class on the I Ching and in the 1980s, along with the late Ronnie Robinson the Scottish Tai Chi teacher, they ran joint workshops on martial arts and the I Ching. Brian also uses his knowledge of this subject in his work as a homoeopath and psychotherapist when the situation warrants it.
As Carl Jung once said: “For lovers of self-knowledge of wisdom, The I Ching seems to be the right book.” 1
Or, from the viewpoint of Dr. Miki Shima; “If you do not study the I Ching, you cannot understand medicine at all.” 2
As a scholar of this particular school of thought, Brian Fleming is well placed to answer any questions you have about the I Ching and how it could be useful to you. Get in touch with Brian at The Complementary Medicine Centre today.
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- Dr. Miki Shima I Ching Or Book of Changes. Richard Wilhelm translation, Foreword by C. D. Jung