Book of Changes

Karen's poems has opened the door to more understanding of each I Ching hexagram for me. Each poem stands on its own and I often read them to my students. She gives powerful images and emotions to the meaning of each hexagram. I have consulted the I Ching since I was 16 years old (over 30 years now) and her book sings to me. One of her poems will be in my upcoming book: I Ching For Teens (Fall 2001, Inner Traditons & Bear and Co.,). Her book could accompany any I Ching consultation.This book of poems shows that there are many ways to convey, read and translate the I Ching while still holding on to its message of hope, compassion, personal integrity and cosmic truth.Thank you Karen for adding to the meaning of the I Ching with your poetry...

My first contact with Karen Holden was through seeing her visual art. Upon first seeing those paintings, I was struck by the intensity of feeling that she could express with brush and canvas. Wanting to live with some of her artwork, I arranged to meet with her. My first few meetings with her were as artist and client. Over time we became friends, and through that friendship, I came to realize how much Karen put her soul into her art.In her BOOK OF CHANGES, I can see that same deep personal interaction between Karen and her poetry as I saw between Karen and her art. Poetry, in all its forms, is, arguably, the most personal way of expression possible. When a poet shares his or her poetry with us, he or she is sharing something of the self. This is certainly true here.In Karen's introduction she quotes Lao Tzu as follows: "A good artist lets his intuition lead him wherever he wants." She goes on to state: This is my goal -- to be led into this work and be enriched by it." I think that she has not only enriched herself, she has enriched all of us.Each verse of Karen's poetry is paired with one of the sixty-four hexagrams of the "I Ching." The "I Ching" can be read as a philosophical text, or one can consult it much as the ancient Greeks consulted the Oracle. Karen's poems have sprung from her years of interaction with the "I Ching" and, in their own way, have added another dimension. I think that we can see this from the following short poem from the book:I CHING #55: FENG: "Abundance" -- "If Clarity is within, and Movement without, one has greatness and abundance."Karen's poetic pairing with #55" "IS ENOUGH" "birds sit on the tree -----outside my windowlike the last persimmons ----- of winter ----- beautiful fruit"Quoting one poem (and one of the shortest at that) out of sixty-four is, of course, unfair to the book. After all, things taken out of context lose something that can be achieved only by putting them back into context. To do this one must read the entire book, including the Introduction. Read, contemplate, and meditate if you want the full impact.

Karen Holden's poetry is a treasure of insight and courage. Her imagery lingers in the mind, and every page makes life seem richer.

Karen Holden uses the 64 hexagrams of the I Ching as a springboard to self examination. Her languages is concise and engages the reader with its revealing, truthful voice. The poetry shows a serious effort in their crafting, a sincerity of expression, based on real struggle. I appreciate her reflection of the I Ching, showing its simple, direct insight into human experience without the esoteric smoke and mirrors overlaid by overzealous commentators. The Book of Changes blends streams of exertion, ecstacy, anger, exhiliration, persimmons and enlightenment, drafting a mixture balanced in its rhythm, correct within lifes cycle