Good Fortune: and how to attract it [Hardcover]

Titania Hardie (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2008

Good Fortune and how to attract it offers more than forecasts and predictions; it's an interactive, personalized oracle to guide you in making important life decisions about love, career, friendships, business, or more.  Based on Hardie's contemporary understanding of the ancient I Ching, the book includes 64 forecasts. They'll help you attract good fortune by explaining your personality’s connection to the natural world and advising you to make decisions based on that relationship.  

Which nature symbol best describes your personality - Sky, Earth, Thunder, Wind, Fire, Water, Lake or Mountain? Hardie, a third-generation white witch strongly connected to nature, writes that symbols from the natural world are indoctrinated into your personality. Whether you're comparable to Sky, Earth, Fire or more depends on three conditions: your birth order, whether you’re a mother or father, and the season in which you were born.

For example, first daughters born in January share qualities of Winter Wind - they're strong, selfless and determined. Mothers, nurturing, sheltering and encouraging, invoke the qualities of the Earth in all its seasons.

After you identify and learn about the nature symbols that inform your Personality Profile, you can consult the oracle in a few fun, simple steps:


-First, think of a question about your future

-With that question in mind, throw the three sun/moon coins (included in book) six times

-Record the pattern of how they land

-Finally, consult with Titania Hardie's chart to find out your forecast number

-Look up your forecast number to read your forecast

-Apply the reading to your own question and make a decision based on Hardie's insights

http://attractgoodfortune.blogspot.com

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book/oracle risks offering us a modern interpretation of the Chinese Book of Changes, commonly known as the I Ching. The metaphors used in the original Book of Changes reflect social norms (and limitations) that have changed dramatically. Titania Hardie brings those metaphors into the 21st century with respect for the fluidity and wisdom of the ancient oracle. In doing so, she offers us traditional wisdom but also leaves plenty of room for personal judgement and responsibility."
-New Age Retailer, June 2008

 

"What an imposing, attractive package this is! A squarish book with good, earthy heft to it. A handsome royal purple, metallic cover with golden lettering. Three golden coins, 1-3/4" in diameter–one side for the sun, the other representing the crescent moon–set into plastic windows in the front cover. And when you open the book–ooo-la-la!–be prepared for rich color. Each page has a delicious color or two, and some have illustrations that look as if they’ve been snipped from dreams."
-Eva Yaa Asantewaa, a social activist, spiritworker, poet, dance journalist, and blogger who reviews spitirual and new age books

"The basic concept of THIS book is simple – update the 3,000 year old classic – the I Ching (Book of Changes).  After all, that is the foundation of the original work – change.  Ms. Hardie has eliminated many of the assumptions inherent in ancient Chinese life.  The author has included three uniquely designed coins to be used with the book.  She has taken a classic method of providing insight into one’s life and made it more appealing to the modern reader.

 

This book is filled with color.  Each page is vibrant and eye-catching. 

 

Overall, I was impressed by the quality of this book on multiple levels.  In terms of the format – it is easy to use and understand the layout.  In terms of its appearance – it is a convenient size, nicely bound and (with its distinctive plum-colored cover, easy to spot.  In terms of its content – it captures the wisdom of its ancient predecessor while taking into account the necessary evolution caused by changing cultures (ancient Chinese thought is very different from modern Western thinking), our understanding of familial relationships, and other varying factors.

 

If you have never used the I Ching system before this is an excellent introduction to it.  If you have used the original system, this may help you expand your understanding.  In either case, I strongly recommend this book.  It offers new insights coupled with advice which has stood the tests of time."

-Mike Gleason, an independent reviewer who sends his reviews to over 15,000 pagans active in online communities

 

"It gives you the tools including the coins to do some amazingly detailed readings in a short amount of time.  When I picked it up I was concerned about how thick it was but with 64 readings and additional information for each the reading and understanding of the process is quick to learn and can be described as somewhat addictive.  All you need is included in the book and it is both fun and enlightning." - Reiki Master/Teacher Katie Kelley

 

 

"Titania Hardie's Oracle of Good Fortune is one of the best that I've consulted in a long time. Based on the ancient I Ching, also known as the Chinese Book of Changes, this little book is a treasure trove of ancient knowledge, adapted by Hardie to modern use.

 

My favorite thing about the oracle was that the book is compact and portable with three little cubby holes for the coins in the front cover. The pages are accompanied by pretty illustrations, and the book feels friendly in the hand. Easy enough to be tucked in one's bag while traveling for a quick consultation of pressing matters, if one doesn't have time or room to do a tarot spread.

     This is a great oracle for anyone who wants to attract good fortune and success in their lives, young and old alike. They can also learn a great deal about themselves in the process. Highly recommended!"

-Karolina Blaha-Black, who has reviewed for SageWoman and the Beltane Papers and has a feature in Crone magazine's September 08 issue.

 

Book Description

Good Fortune offers more than forecasts and prediction--it’s an interactive, personalized oracle to guide you in making important life decisions about love, career, friendships, business, or more. Which nature symbol best describes your personalit--Sky, Earth, Thunder, Wind, Fire, Water, Lake or Mountain? Hardie writes that these symbols from nature shape your personality depending on your birth order, whether you’re a parent, and the season in which you were born. For example, first daughters born in January share qualities of Winter Wind--they’re strong, selfless and determined. Mothers, nurturing, sheltering and encouraging, invoke the qualities of the Earth in all its seasons. After you identify and learn about the nature symbols that inform your Personality Profile, ask a question about your future, throw the three sun/moon coins six times, and record the pattern of how they land. Then consult with Good Fortune’s chart to find out how you should proceed with making a decision. Based on Hardie’s contemporary understanding of the ancient I Ching, the book includes 64 forecasts. They’ll help you attract good fortune by explaining your personality’s connection to the natural world and advising you to make decisions based on that relationship.  

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Quadrille Publishing (March 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1844005771
• ISBN-13: 978-1844005772
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,746,894 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born and educated in Sydney, Australia, Titania Hardie is the highly successful author of a range of distinctive books published in the UK on folklore, magic, and divination, and recently a new series of children's books, The Frangipani Fairies. She has first-class honors degrees in psychology and English and was awarded the prestigious Chatterton scholarship for post-graduate study at Bristol University, where she is currently completing her M.A. on the Romantic poets. The Rose Labyrinth is her first novel. Titania lives in Somerset with her husband and two daughters.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Four and a half, and an awesome tool!, April 7, 2008

By 

Lupa (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Good Fortune: and how to attract it (Hardcover)

like creative reworkings of old systems (at least as long as they don't claim to be the original!). Good Fortune is just such a book. Titania Hardie offers her own modernization of the I Ching; she argues that as the original was created in an entirely different culture, including one in which women weren't even allowed to use it, a form friendly to both men and women was in order. I am pleased by this.

The first section of the book describes what the basic concept is, how to throw and read the coins, and the different personality types that affect the outcome of the reading. There's also some interesting elemental correspondence worked in there as well. It was a bit complex to understand at first, but a little closer study made it make sense. The readings rely on a grid with numbers on it; the way the coins fall in six throws, and the lines created on the grid by recording these throws, determines what the answer is. With a little practice, it's a wonderfully effective divination system.

I'm a bit on the fence about the personality types, specifically the element of birth order which is used to help determine what the dominant aspects of your personality are. According to The Birth Order Book by Dr. Kevin Leman, one's sex isn't as important as Hardie makes it out to be; it's more about the interactions of the family members. Hardie covers that too, though, so it's a more thorough view. I'm not a big fan of rigid gender/sex dichotomy, and occasionally a bit of "female-nurturing, male-doing" sentiment got to me a bit, especially with the "Mother always equals Earth and Father always equals Sky" aspect. Overall, though, personal biases aside, it adds a useful dimension to one's reading and understanding of how who you are affects what may occur and how you react to it.

Quibbles and bits aside, I did thoroughly enjoy this book. It's quite possibly one of the prettiest books, with some spectacular layout and design work. Don't let the loveliness fool you, though-this is an effective system of divination suitable for anyone who resonates with it. Don't expect classic I Ching; you'll be disappointed. Instead, open yourself up to a new derivation that goes in some creative directions.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well Worth Owning, April 13, 2008

By 

bunnyrabbit4 (New Orleans, LA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Good Fortune: and how to attract it (Hardcover)

I just bought this and agree with much of what the reveiwer above has to say. I think there was a time when men and women were as different as cats and dogs and I can't think of one major school of philosophy that was written by a woman or man who had primary responsibility for children. That said it is easy to see why many spiritual philosophies see such divergence in the energy patterns of the sexes. Male is about reason and might and female is about emotion and submission. In a world where fighting was the norm, survival depended on everyone clinging to their role.

The old Iching was about winning, whether through holding back until the time was right, combing forces or using leadership as a tool. It did not offer much to a mother seeking to control her teenager or someone looking for a better love life. This version uses terms such as lonliness, and talks about what is "dearest" to you. It speaks to the emotions in a way that the old version did not. What is perhaps the best thing about this version is that it lives up to its title and tells you how to use each combination to create good fortune by structuring your response in a positive way. Most of the updated versions I've seen stress caution over joy, especially with the more negative combination. Here she tells us how to turn even lemons into ...Good Fortune!

The only criticism I have is that the nice heavy coins (displayed in cutouts on the front of the book) which are about an inch and a quarter across, are too large for small hands like mine to throw properly. This is easily remedied by substituting three coins of any denomination for the ones provided.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A MUST KEEP, December 28, 2009

By 

Mystickal Skyies "Alexsandria" (Cleveland, Ohio) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Good Fortune: and how to attract it (Hardcover)

Thsi fun book follows IChing, but in its own personal flavor of thsi particular author/artist. This is something that I liove to pull out for parties and even for a personal consultation. It carries words of wisdom that is unique, yet there are many common themes in the readings. I like this book and find it a personal favorite within my collection.