{"id":2814,"date":"2020-10-21T11:30:46","date_gmt":"2020-10-21T16:30:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jungchicago.org\/blog\/?p=2814"},"modified":"2020-10-21T14:08:03","modified_gmt":"2020-10-21T19:08:03","slug":"dennis-merritt-use-of-the-i-ching-in-the-analytic-setting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jungchicago.org\/blog\/dennis-merritt-use-of-the-i-ching-in-the-analytic-setting\/","title":{"rendered":"Dennis Merritt | Use of the I Ching in the Analytic Setting"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The First International Conference on Jungian Psychology and Chinese Culture was held in Guangzhou, China in December, 1998. My paper was among the conference papers translated into Chinese and later published in English in Quadrant<\/a><\/em> XXXI (2) Summer 2001. An abridged and slightly revised version is presented here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hexagram 42, Increase<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

For many Westerners an introduction to Chinese culture comes through the use of the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>. This profound book, a compendium of wisdom extending back to the roots of one of the planet\u2019s most ancient cultures, has become an important companion for many in the West, including myself. Use of the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0challenges the reigning scientific paradigms in Western culture and brings a dimension to the Jungian psychoanalytic process that is sympathetic to the deepest and truest spirit of Jungian psychology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In Jungian terms, one could say the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0is a book that emerged out of the archetypal depths of the human psyche and the psychoid dimensions of the Self. The origins of dreams and the genesis of hexagrams in response to questions addressed to the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0are grounded in the same source. The Chinese ideogram for the sage, \u201cthe ear listening to the Inner King,\u201d describes the process and goal of Jungian psychology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Scientists are giving ecological perspectives more credibility, where patterns of relationships are central. Psychoneuroimmunology research and the statistical verifications of the power of prayer and belief blur the distinctions between mind and matter. Our outlook on life, the way we perceive the world, and our ability to reflect and see meaning in experiences have been shown to affect our health and physical well-being. Dreams, particular psychological approaches, certain spiritual practices, and the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0address these issues at deep and subtle psychogenic levels where mind and matter meet (1).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Analysts are in a good position to notice synchronistic events because we work with dreams at an archetypal level. Synchronistic events are usually related to archetypal events like birth, death, strong love relationships, and jealousy. Circumstantial evidence that synchronicities occur prompted me to develop an experiment to statistically test the possibility. This was part of my thesis (1983) at the Jung Institute in Zurich entitled \u201cSynchronicity Experiments with the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0and Their Relevance to the Theory of Evolution.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Synchronicity convinced Jung there was an element of the psyche outside time and space:\u00a0space and time are relative to the psyche (3). Incorporating the concept of synchronicity into his theoretical system late in his life led Jung to substantially reformulate his concepts of archetypes and the collective unconscious, putting them on a transcendent basis. Jung thought of archetypes as forms of existence without time and space, with the\u00a0archetype per se<\/strong>\u00a0being a “just so” ordering principle, an imperceptible structural element giving order to ideas\u00a0and<\/strong>\u00a0completely integrated with physical reality (4). Archetypes have a psychoid nature, meaning they have both a psychic and a physical dimension:\u00a0psychic and physical are two sides of the same coin (5). An analogy in physics would be light, which behaves as a particle and a wave; matter (particles) and field somehow being two sides of the same phenomena\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u2026The Chinese philosopher Wang Fu Ch\u2019i (l6l9-l692) hypothesized an imperceptible, all embracing, psychophysical continuum similar to Jung’s concept of the psychoid archetype and the\u00a0unus mundus<\/strong>\u00a0of the alchemists (11). This is an essential element of an indigenous world view (12) and is integral to Chinese Taoism and Buddhist philosophy where \u201call things stand in immediate relationship with each other and with the whole\u201d (13). Nuclear physicist David Bohm describes the world as unfolding \u201cin a flowing stream of manifestation from a deeper holographic process, the implicate order…[which] itself is whole, and the cosmos as it unfolds is whole\u2026in the sense that each part is connected with each other part, indeed each part enfolds, or implicitly contains each other part\u201d (14)\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u2026Let us examine the appropriateness and manner of using the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0in a psychoanalytic setting. Jung became so experienced at using the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0personally and with analysands that he could predict what hexagrams he would get (15)…Given the criticism of people like Richard Noll and his dismissive association of the I Ching with \u201cNew Age fluff,\u201d (16) a careful examination of the topic is in order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I have a Ph.D. in the sciences (Entomology, U.C. Berkeley) and I am a licensed mental health worker, yet I am completely comfortable with telling people that I use the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0in my analytic practice. It is not my belief, but my experience, that it works in a profound and helpful manner. I use it in two ways.\u00a0 The first in an intensive, three-hour consultation with someone who comes for one session with a particular problem. I spend an hour trying to discern what the issue is and attempt to get to the most basic, appropriate question to put to the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>. Knowing what question to ask is an important part of the therapeutic process\u2014it is half the battle as some say. If I feel the person wants to use the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0to short circuit a thoughtful, soul-searching wrestling with an issue, or has not gathered enough information, I discourage consulting the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>. This process of formulating the question reduces an issue to a manageable size. Phrasing the question in eight words or less forces one to be clear and succinct about the real issue.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 To help the person link the answer from the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0to particulars in his or her life and to know more precisely how the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0is addressing a situation, I must get a sense of the issues and circumstances involved. This process is similar to linking dream images to waking life situations, and I always ask for recent dreams that may be relevant to the issue. Hopefully, the analyst has the advantage of some objectivity in the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I then show the person how to use the yarrow stalk method of consulting the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>, and he or she proceeds to cast a hexagram. This takes about an hour. The yarrow stalk method is therapeutic in and of itself:\u00a0it involves a sense of ritual and reassuring repetition, of participating in something very ancient. It is a hands-on process accompanied by the gentle sound of rustling sticks. The process requires just enough concentration to inhibit too intense a concentration on one\u2019s question–a little like focusing on breathing during meditation. Once one is familiar with using the yarrow, it takes about fifteen minutes to cast a hexagram. During this time, one should focus on the question or clear one’s mind to be open to the answer. If you don\u2019t have fifteen minutes to cast a hexagram, you shouldn\u2019t be asking a question: either your question is too trivial, you haven\u2019t wrestled with the question long enough, or you\u2019re not centered enough to be receptive to the answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I spend the third hour going through the answer with the person. I use three translations that I find to be a good working combination. I begin with the most difficult, the Wilhelm\/Baynes translation<\/a>. It uses many symbols and images (17). As an analyst, I appreciate that a message conveyed in this manner has great impact, but it takes some explaining to the uninitiated.\u00a0 Wilhelm uses many metaphors, symbols and analogies associated with weather, seasons, agricultural practices and other natural phenomena. This important ecopsychological dimension of the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0helps cultivate a symbolic manner of relating to the natural environment (18).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 As one becomes more familiar with the structural elements within the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u2014how comments are based on a line\u2019s position in the hexagram, within a trigram, its correspondences with other lines, etc.–one gets closer to describing interactions of the basic energies of life and the natural world. In certain situations, the only connection I can make between the person\u2019s question and the answer from the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0is at the purely structural level as described in part III of Wilhelm. In such cases, every verbal description has a metaphoric base that cannot be related to the issue being addressed. Only by going close to the most basic level of the hexagram, like the numerical base of computers and not the words used to program computers, can one \u201cfeel\u201d an individual\u2019s situation being adequately described. The connection of lines to the \u201creal world\u201d is hinted at by a dream I had. As I looked at different elements in the environment in my dream, particular combinations of yin and yang lines would form and blend into that element, hinting that there are given, “just so\u201d\u00a0 metaphoric and symbolic connections between totally abstract yin and yang combinations and objects in the “real” world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The second text I use is the\u00a0I Ching Workbook<\/a><\/em>\u00a0by R. L. Wing (19). Most people find Wing easier to work with: he is more direct than Wilhelm and uses few metaphoric and symbolic references. In a different description of the same material,\u00a0certain aspects may be brought to the fore that are only hinted at in other translations, aspects that make an answer come alive for the questioner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The third translation is Carol Anthony\u2019s\u00a0A Guide to the I Ching<\/a><\/em>\u00a0third edition (20). This book is intended to compliment Wilhelm, though many use only her text. She is more psychological in her descriptions, talking about “anxieties” and “fears” instead of “inferior people” for example. But sometimes I feel she is trying to be too Eastern; too opposed to any type of action or disinclined to attribute a problem to anything outside of one\u2019s own psyche.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Since only very important issues should be addressed to the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>, and then only after one has wrestled with the issue for some time, I treat an answer as if it were a Big Dream. I photocopy\u00a0 answers from the three texts so the person can re-read them and underline parts that are particularly relevant. I encourage the person to re-visit the answer at various intervals of time and to journal and perhaps meditate or do an active imagination. Also consider if dreams relate to the answer\u2014both past dreams and dreams received after the consultation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I use the same basic approach when I\u2019m working with an analysand. Once the person knows how to consult the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>, we may discuss a question to ask between sessions. Usually the person will review the answer with me at our next meeting. Generally, if the analytic process is proceeding well with dreams showing an evolution in the analysand\u2019s psyche, there is no need to consult the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>. There are situations, however, where using the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0can become an important aspect of the analytic work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0can be helpful in choosing an analyst to work with. When I was choosing an analyst in Zurich, I got names from several people and learned as much as I could about each. I then asked the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0about working with each analyst. The lower trigram was the same in all three answers, while the upper trigrams varied, hinting that the lower trigram represented me and the upper trigram the analyst in question. The particularly positive hexagram I got about one analyst and the positive dreams I had about her helped me decide to work with her, which turned out to be a good choice. Now, when a person consults the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0about a relationship issue, I consider how the trigrams may represent each partner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 As an analyst, I have used the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0to help decide whether to take on an analysand I have doubts about. On occasion, when I\u2019m in a particularly difficult situation with an analysand, I have even suggested the analysand ask a question about our therapeutic relationship. The answer becomes good material to work with.\u00a0 The\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0should not replace analytic work, but supplement and augment it.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Because Jungians work so intensively with symbolism and imagery, we may notice strong correlations between dream imagery associated with a particular problem and images in the answers from the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>. A clear example that also illustrates how the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0can facilitate a good start is the case of a male in his early 30s who was just beginning analysis. He smoked marijuana, getting stoned every two or three weeks, believing this facilitated psychological insight and personal development. He dreamt before his fourth session of a doctor his age and a nurse involved with the delivery of a baby on the top floor of a high-rise hospital building. The baby was born dead. The doctor told the nurse he suspected this happened because he was stoned during the delivery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The dream was easy to interpret and the message was clear. “Getting high” is a term used for smoking marijuana, which produces a soaring feeling. The high-rise hospital building and the doctor\u2019s confession represent the effects of marijuana. Symbolic of new beginnings, babies represent potential development.\u00a0 People often dream of having babies or getting pregnant at the beginning of the analytic process, or when it really starts to move. The dream clearly indicated that smoking marijuana was counter-productive to this man’s\u00a0 development. Still, it was difficult for him to give up smoking because he enjoyed it immensely. I suggested he consult the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0and ask about smoking marijuana. He got hexagram l2, Standstill (Stagnation), with no changing lines. In this hexagram, the three upper yang lines move upward while three lower yin lines move downward. Wilhelm’s commentary says, “Heaven and earth are out of communion and all things are benumbed. What is above has no relation to what is below\u201d (p. 52). “Getting high” clearly relates to the upper trigram:\u00a0 people may “get high” to soar above depressive feelings, here represented by the lower “heavy” trigram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The analysand understood the connection between the hexagram and the dream. He got enough of a jolt to believe that smoking marijuana was harmful to the analytic work. He decided to stop smoking for four months, saying “four months” rather than “forever” which seemed more possible to accomplish. He succeeded in breaking a habit that is more seductive and psychologically damaging than many realize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It is a powerful experience when such synchronistic events happen; when the outer seems to reflect in a meaningful way our psychological situation. One feels “seen” by something much bigger than oneself, an experience not to be overlooked by those interested in object relations and self-psychology theories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Time is often spent in analytic hours discussing relationship issues at work, with a spouse, a family member, or a close friend. These provide excellent questions to put to the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0after they have been thoroughly discussed and analyzed. The analyst is disadvantaged in hearing only one side of a relationship story. The\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0may reinforce or contradict the analysand\u2019s perspective. One can often formulate several different hypotheses about a particular issue, so I like to defer to the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0to see which hypothesis it supports. I do not entirely abide by the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u2019s counsel to regard its answers \u201cto be accepted as a key for resolution of doubts and a basis for decision\u201d (hexagram 4, Youthful Folly, p. 21), but I do consider the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u2019s input to be valuable. The\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0usually has the effect of crystallizing disparate elements into a convincing position on an issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 One might be indignant about perceived injuries suffered in a relationship and want to force a showdown. It would give one pause to get hexagram 34, The Power of the Great, with a changing line in the third place:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Making a boast of power leads to entanglements, just as a goat entangles its horns when it butts against a hedge\u2026an inferior man revels in power when he comes in possession of it\u2026The superior man\u2026is conscious at all times of the danger of pushing ahead regardless of circumstances, and therefore renounces in good time the empty display of force. (p. 135)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 One may feel strongly in the right, but getting hexagram 6, Conflict, informs that being right is not sufficient for resolution of a problem:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conflict develops when one feels himself to be in the right and runs into opposition\u2026If a man is entangled in a conflict, his only salvation lies in being so clear-headed and inwardly strong that he is always ready to come to terms by meeting the opponent halfway. To carry on the conflict to the bitter end has evil effects even when one is right, because the enmity is then perpetuated. It is important to see the great man, that is, an impartial man whose authority is great enough to terminate the conflict amicably or assure a just decision. (pp. 28-29)\u00a0<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0often advises one to engage the issue at hand but not say exactly what to do in that process\u2014a task for therapy. It often suggests one \u201csee the great Man,\u201d which in relationship issues can be interpreted as seeing a marriage counselor. The challenge to be “clear minded” is facilitated by therapy, and the therapist may also help bolster the analysand\u2019s “inner strength” to deal with the situation. Two quite different approaches to relationship problems are suggested within hexagram 21, Biting Through. The fourth line says: \u201cThere are great obstacles to overcome, powerful opponents are to be punished. Though this is arduous, the effort succeeds. But it is necessary to be hard as metal and straight as an arrow to surmount the difficulties. If one knows these difficulties and remains persevering, he attains good fortune.\u201d \u00a0Contrast this with a changing top line which refers \u201cto a man who is incorrigible\u2026He is deaf to warnings. This obstinacy leads to misfortune.\u201d (p. 89)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0can facilitate the development of a psychological perspective on relationships. One deeply wounded person usually marries another deeply wounded person and their ways of dealing with the wounds compliments the partner in the early stages of the relationship. As the years go by, the complement of assertiveness, for example, from one partner may become dominance. When working with the dominated spouse, it can be made clear that his partner is the latest example of a dominator in his life: if he divorced he would likely find another partner or life situation to be dominated by. Making it clear that the spouse is not the main source of oppression may overwhelm the analysand. Not every analysis can help a person transform under intense learning situations. I use an analogy from the martial arts: proof that one is centered and grounded (in good relationship with the Self) lies is how well one can battle a deadly opponent.\u00a0 The life-and-death nature of most difficult struggles\u00a0 necessitates being focused and centered. Usually the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0counsels not to disengage. The\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u2019s perspective\u00a0and advice can help maintain an alchemical container in which deep transformation is possible. It can help one persevere long after the ego is ready to jump ship and move on.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0can also be helpful when working with someone feeling lost, confused, depressed or disoriented.\u00a0 Getting hexagrams like 47, Oppression (Exhaustion); 28, Preponderance of the Great; 36, Darkening of the Light or 51, The Arousing (Shock, Thunder) provide a reassuring sense that a difficult situation is acknowledged and understood by a transcendent source. The\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0offers guidance that enables one to learn valuable life and spiritual lessons from every experience. This helps the troubled analysand muster up the the courage to go into the darkness and seriously engage the forces within. It is difficult to accept that some situations cannot be changed, or that nothing can be done right now and one simply has to endure, persevere, survive, and wait for a better time. Ecclesiastes states,\u00a0\u00a0 “For everything there is a season.\u201d\u00a0 The\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0often describes a situation as being a valuable lesson in endurance and perseverance so one feels one is doing something worthwhile just to get through it!\u00a0 Typical is a statement in hexagram 39, Obstruction:\u00a0 \u201cAn obstruction that lasts only for a time is useful for self-development.\u00a0 This is the value of adversity.\u201d (pp. 151-152) When unable to affect an outer situation, the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0often counsels to go into oneself, to examine and strengthen one\u2019s character and abide one\u2019s time–a period of inner refinement.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It is appropriate to use the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0for the major life issues dealt with in analysis\u2014job choices, career changes, moving, spiritual paths, etc.\u00a0 For example, a woman wrestling with a difficult divorce situation was shown how to use the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>. That night she dreamt: \u201cI\u2019m in some village and feeling disoriented. Someone gave me a roadmap.\u201d The\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u2019s answers are like the first crystal to form in a supernatant solution\u2014subsequently everything quickly crystallizes.\u00a0 Even difficult, negative answers are useful as grist for the analytic mill, best illustrated by the title and content of hexagram l8, Work on What has Been Spoiled (Decay).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Psychoanalytic training is a particularly difficult and tricky process and the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0can be helpful. A trainee has to plunge deeply into his or her unconscious, while being exposed to, and evaluated by, others who assess the trainee\u2019s psychological development, stability, and suitability for being an analyst. When I trained in Zurich, a trainee could be asked to leave at any time without explanation.\u00a0 Much is at stake, for a trainee makes a considerable investment of ego and a lot of time and energy to train. Ugly, messy situations can develop and hard feelings may be generated on both sides. It may feel as if one\u2019s very soul and sanity are at stake (21). I have helped several trainees\u00a0use the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0for dealing with these situations, and helped analysts who are at odds with Jungian “institutions.\u201d The\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0can offer insight and moral support which can enable an individual to stand up to an unjust policy or an entire institution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0is invaluable in framing issues and showing what is going on at a deep, holistic level. Its framing and guidance enables one to be fully in the moment\u2014a goal in Eastern religions and in depth psychology.\u00a0 It feels like one is getting advice from a kindly, wise person who has your well-being in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 One\u2019s personal issue is presented in the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0in a metaphoric, symbolic and archetypal framework\u2014a very Jungian process.\u00a0 When one appreciates that the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0has been used by millions of people for millennia for a multitude of situations, one begins to see how personal issues are unique and personal experiences of cosmic themes.\u00a0 A powerful way of doing this is to link dream images to hexagram images, metaphors, and structural descriptions of the hexagrams. A combination of dream work and working with hexagrams gives one a sense of how dream images and associations express archetypal themes. An archetype is like a crystal, each facet illustrating how the archetype would look were it presented here as a political situation, there as a military tactic, elsewhere as a weather formation, etc. Wilhelm’s translation in particular helps to cultivate an archetypal sense.\u00a0 As mentioned earlier, the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u2019s agricultural, weather\u00a0and seasonal analogies can help develop an ecopsychological perspective, a symbolic way of relating to our environment, and the cultivation of a sense of place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Are there reasons for not using the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0in the analytic setting? Naturally, this would be so if the analyst is not familiar with the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0and does not have a personal connection with it. I would hope the analyst would find some other symbolic, oracular system. The\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0may seem too strange for many analysands, thereby undermining their trust in the analyst if its use was suggested. To others it may seem un-Christian. The most common danger is that it is used too soon, and not intelligently. Use of the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0is counterproductive if it short-circuits self-exploration and the development of personally meaningful ways of relating to the unconscious. Jung used the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0less in later life, saying he preferred to walk in the dark and see if the waters of the unconscious would support\u00a0him. Bear in mind the advice given in hexagram 4, Youthful Folly:\u00a0 \u201cIf mistrustful or unintelligent questioning is kept up, it serves only to annoy the teacher.\u00a0 He does well to ignore it in silence, just as the oracle gives one answer only and refuses to be tempted by questions implying doubt.\u201d (p. 21)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 China has given the West has been given a precious gift in the form of the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>. The world view and wisdom of the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0mirrors essential elements of Jungian theory and practice.\u00a0 A fruitful exchange between Jungians and Chinese scholars could serve as a synergistic cross-pollination between two cultures, using the\u00a0I Ching<\/em>\u00a0as the bridge for a mutual consideration of some of humankind\u2019s\u00a0 most profound questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Dennis L. Merritt, PhD, is a Jungian psychoanalyst and ecopsychologist in private practice in Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Dr. Merritt is a diplomate of the C.G. Jung Institute, Zurich and also holds the following degrees: M.A. Humanistic Psychology-Clinical, Sonoma State University, California, Ph.D. Insect Pathology, University of California-Berkeley, M.S. and B.S. Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Over twenty-five years of participation in Lakota Sioux ceremonies have strongly influenced his worldview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Merritt is the author of Jung, Hermes, and Ecopsychology: The Dairy Farmer’s Guide to the Universe Volumes 1 – 4<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"\/<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Links: Dennis Merritt’s Blog<\/a> | Dennis Merritt’s Practice Website<\/a> | Dennis Merritt’s Page on the C. G. Jung Institute of Chicago Website<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014
Notes and References<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1.    Dennis Merritt. 1988. \u201cJungian Psychology and Science: A Strained Relationship.\u201d The Analytic Life<\/em>. Sigo Press: Boston. pp. 11-31.
2.  Dennis Merritt (in preparation).  Synchronicity, the I Ching and the Evolution of  Life<\/em>.
3.  Carl G. Jung. l955. “Synchronicity: An Acausal Connection Principle.” In The Collected Works of C. G. Jung <\/em>(hereafter called CW). Vol. 8. 2nd edition. R. F. C. Hull trans. H. Read, M. Fordham, G. Adler and W. McGuire eds. Bollingen Series XX. Princeton University Press: Princeton, NJ. pp. 417-531.
4.  Liliane Frey-Rohn. 1974. From Freud to Jung<\/em>. F. E. Engreen and E. K. Engreen trans.  Dell Publishing Co: New York. pp. 293-294; CW 8, par. 964
\u2026
11.  Marie-Louise von Franz. 1975. C. G. Jung\u2014His Myth in Our Time<\/em>. William Kennedy trans. Hodder and Stoughton: London. pp. 245-246.
12.  Ralph Metzner. 1993. \u201cThe Split Between Spirit and Nature in Western Consciousness.” Noetic Sciences Review<\/em>. Spring ed. pp. 5-9.
13.  Alan Combs. 1982. \u201cSynchronicity: A Synthesis of Western Theories and Eastern Perspective.\u201d Re-Vision–A Journal of Consciousness and Change<\/em>. Spring l982 (5) 1. p. 20.
14.  Combs 1982, p. 25.
15.  von Franz, 1975,  p. ll7.
16.  Richard Noll. 1994. The Jung Cult\u2014Origins of a Charismatic Movement<\/em>. Princeton University Press: Princeton.

Noll on the Internet asked why Jungian analysts \u201cdon\u2019t speak out in public about the activities of your colleagues that you find so repugnant? You certainly do so in private, and even to me. ‘Well, I don\u2019t do astrology in my practice, it\u2019s THOSE people’\u2014that kind of thing…Are you so ‘tolerant’ of your colleagues\u2019 ‘individuality’ that you allow explicit religious promises, New Age mysticism and divinatory practices (aura reading, I Ching<\/em>, astrology) to be done in the name of ‘Jungian analysis’? And so where does it leave the rest of you\u2014the so-called ‘serious analysts’ with MDs and Ph.D.s in clinical psychology or MSW\u2019s in psychiatric social work, etc.\u2014who wish to maintain a professional identity SEPARATE from your New Age colleagues? It\u2019s about time the public has a clear account of what you all believe, why you believe it, and why you are not a New Age religion.\u201d  Matthew W. Clapp, 06:57 PM ll\/23\/97, JungNet: December.

17.  Richard Wilhelm. 1967. The I Ching or Book of Changes<\/em>. 3rd ed. Cary F. Baynes trans. Bollingen Series XIX. Princeton University Press: Princeton.

All hexagram titles and references used in this article are from the Wilhelm\/Baynes translation. Hereafter only page numbers from this book will be listed in the text.

An ostracized sage from the old school, Lau Nai Suan, introduced Wilhelm to Chinese yoga, philosophy, and the psychology of the I Ching<\/em>. He collaborated with Wilhelm in making his excellent translation.  Jung began using the I Ching<\/em> in l9l9 and met Richard Wilhelm a few years later, who became a friend. He praised Wilhelm\u2019s openness and \u201cmiracle of empathy…which enabled him to make the intellectual treasure of China accessible to Europe.\u201d (C. G. Jung, 1965, Memories, Dreams, Reflections<\/em>, Aniela Jaffe ed., Vintage Books: New York, p. 375)

Jung stated: \u201cOne must have a far-reaching psychological understanding in order to enjoy the I Ching<\/em> to advantage.\u201d (C. G. Jung Letters, Vol. 1, 1906-1950<\/em>, Gerhard A. Adler ed., Princeton University Press: Princeton, NJ, p.139)

18.  Dennis Merritt (in preparation). The Dairy Farmer\u2019s  Guide to the Universe\u2014Jung, Hermes and Ecopsychology, Vol. 4.<\/em>
19.  R. L. Wing. l979. The I Ching Workbook<\/em>. Doubleday and Co: Garden City, NY. 
20.  Carol K. Anthony. 1988. A Guide to the I Ching<\/em>. 3rd ed. Anthony Publishing Co: Stow, MA.
21.  Robert Stein. 1974. Incest and Human Love\u2014the Betrayal of the Soul in Psychotherapy<\/em>. Penguin Books: Baltimore.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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