Seeking the Spirit of the Book of Change: 8 Days to Mastering a Shamanic Yijing (I Ching) Prediction System

To many, me included, this book will read as a textbook the first time through, because Master Wu has to explain several unfamiliar concepts as he attempts to translate THE BOOK OF CHANGE. Most of this was new to me and it required a lot of time and a quiet place for me to digest it. Whenever I approach a new subject I do it the way I learned in college. I read straight through without stopping. Then I read it again, looking up and trying to understand everything the writer throws my way. And then on the third or last reading I do for pleasure. I've done this with Master Wu's book and I think I have a pretty good grasp on Yijing (I Ching) now. Whether it will work for me remains to be seen. I am now going to go back through Master Wu's book for a fourth time. I'm going to take the eight days. I'm going to drink Chinese tea made the Chinese way (fortunately I have a very good Chinese friend who can help me with the tea bit) and I'm going to understand more fully. So far, for me, this book has not been an easy experience, but it's been an enlightening one, a rewarding one.

Master Wu has a talent not only for story telling that resonates beyond the words but also for transmitting this vital information in a humble and profound way. I recommend this book with the highest accolades as it not only educates the most practiced i jing devotee, but also will start the beginner on the path to wu wei. this book in combination with his first book "Vital Breath of the Dao" is enough to foster a lifelong cultivation in the dao and will only serve to strengthen and optimize health and well being in the practitioner. Master Wu's daoist shamanic teachings are further proof that he backs up his words with action. this book is equally important for the beginning practitioner as well as the more "experienced" cultivationist. As a long-time student of the Dao and of Chinese Medicine, Tai ji, Qi Gong, Xin Yi and I Jing science, i am profoundly impressed with this work! Master Wu has excited and empassioned an entire generation of Daoists around the world. Here's to the spreading of his love Qi....GAMBEI!!!!

This newest book by Master Zhongxian Wu is clear and concise while tackling the difficult job of bringing the art of Yijing prediction out from within the mystery of Chinese philosophy through a method the Western mind can understand: symbolism and numerology. An excellent book for any student of Asian culture, and, as the book jacket says, for "those who wish to learn how to apply the Yijing for practical purposes".

First, I placed an order for the hard cover copy after I finished the book. That should say something about the book. This was the first time I was exposed to I Ching and it has been a wonderful experience. For someone from the East, I am no stranger to shamanism, foretune teller and guys called themselves masters who claimed that they can accurately predict the future and do things to influence changes and events. However, Master Wu's book presented the prediction system in a whole new way. It is a numerical system that tells a lot about law of nature. Like feng shui, its ultimate goal is help people achieve harmony. After all, if China is full of master shamans who can predict the future, they would still be ruled by emperors and Forbidden City wouldn't be just a tourist attraction. The book is entertaining, beside very informative. Master Wu's narrative, relaxing style makes you want to keep reading. He made I Ching easy to understand, with real life examples that the readers can relate to. An amazing fact: the binary system used in today's computers has its origin in the I Ching system (need to verify this). The Qi Gong exercises at the end of each chapter are priceless. They are very easy to follow. Master Wu even explained each form and how it affected the organs in your body. I recognized the exerise immediately, having exposed to Qi Gong before. It has been a wonderful experience reading the book. While you might not become a shaman after reading the book, it will certainly enrich your knowledge and who knows, even improve your health with the Qi Gong exercises.

Review of Master Wu's "Seeking the Spirit of The Book of Change: 8 Days to Mastering a Shamanic Yijing (I Ching) Prediction System." This book represents a lifelong training program which is closely held in the Daoist Tradition. The I Ching system of prediction is clearly explained in the process and is simply about the fundamental concept of "change" representing a method for tracking the process/activity of change. The nature of "shamanism" as explained discusses the "Wu" culture tradition as possessing mastery over the material and non-material elements of the world. The ancient Wu sages, using oracle bones and other artifacts while in full possession of their mental faculties, climbed the World tree to reach the "Heaven of the Ancestors" or descended to the underworld in search of lost or trapped souls. Their processes are revealed here. Using an eight day system to explain the Eight Trigrams of the I Ching Master Wu shows the reader how to apply that knowledge in daily life by instruction and by contrasting with real life/real world examples where the system of prediction influenced a proper outcome.