Customer Reviews

The Toltec I Ching: 64 Keys to Inspired Action in the New World

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There is an ancient Eastern curse that says "May you live in interesting times." A quick glance at the daily headlines tells us that, a decade or so into the twenty-first century, these times certainly fit the bill.

The authors of The Toltec I Ching, Martha Ramirez-Oropeza and William Douglas Horden, have made the often difficult to use I Ching accessible with this brand new book. I found their text both enlightening and easy to follow, and their approach of marrying a Chinese system with a Mesoamerican one yields abundant fruit. Ramirez-Oropeza, according to the dust cover, is "a mural painter, a performer in popular theatre, and a researcher/lecturer of the Nahuatl pre-Hispanic codices of Mexico." Horden "has researched indigenous divinatory systems of ancient China and Mexico with passion and independence since 1969. He is steeped in the shamanic world view."

What is new and key to this book is the focus on Balance. East and West, Masculine and Feminine, the 64 hexagram paintings and descriptions move away from the male, aristocratic biases that have mired the I Ching in the past, and call strongly upon the feminine creative principle in providing much-needed guidance.

The book, with its Mesoamerican influences, also situates its contents in the coming of December 21, 2012, when the Mayan calendar ends one age in anticipation of another.

The opening material is clear, concise, and uplifting. The "Introduction" details all of the aspects of the authors' process and rationale for combining the two systems that I have thus far mentioned. The "Casting and Interpreting the Oracle" section takes the reader through the process from casting the coins to producing the hexagrams that will guide the reading. As I mentioned, there is no complicated language or convoluted steps as one often finds in previous I Ching manuals. I was casting my first coins not very long after cracking the spine.

The hexagram paintings are, in a word, beautiful. For me, this is important, as I use half a dozen different decks of tarot for inspiration and creation, all chosen for the meditative and conscious dreaming potential of their artwork. The paintings translate the Toltec tenets, symbols, and ways of living into spiritually stimulating visuals that merge with the prose explanations on several levels of resonation. The text explanations are broken into sections that will be familiar to users of the tarot. They are Image, Interpretation, Action, Intent, and Summary. I have found, after multiple readings, that the Line Change explanations that follow these sections, which have confused me in past experiences with the I Ching, offer action-oriented guidance for bridging the present and future aspects of each reading.

I have used The Toltec I Ching to gain clarity and direction for several important aspects of my life. I have come away from a reading feeling empowered, with a heart full of guiding principles to apply as I navigate my way through the personal, professional, global, and universal changes at work in my life.

I heart-fully recommend this book to users of divinatory tools, those interested in the symbol systems of the Toltecs, Aztecs, and Mayans, and those who see or wish to see 2012 and the twenty-first century as a time, not of curses and apocalypse, but of great opportunity for humanity to enter a new and blessed phase of existence.

Once in a while a book appears that is exactly what the spirit of the times cries out for. The Toltec I Ching is one of those books. At the beginning of the 20th century Carl Jung said we each have a masculine and feminine side and repressing either creates psychological, cultural, and spiritual imbalance. Is there anything new about this message? No, spirit persons from every culture have always understood this truth and devised wonderful teachings to convey it, but advancing civilization keeps forgetting and digging itself into ever-deeper holes. So just when we are waking up to the frightening darkness and depth of our current hole -- featuring, among other things, genocidal wars, economic crises, and environmental disasters on a global scale -- along comes the Toltec I Ching.

The main character in this brilliant and beautiful oracle -- which combines the ancient wisdom of the Chinese and Toltecs with the sensibility of a modern-day spirit person in a series of 64 brief chapters that reads almost like a novel -- is the authentic Spirit Warrior.

The setting is the dual inner and outer worlds of the awakening soul.

The plot describes the journey of Everyperson through a series of psycho-spiritual tests which develop his/her masculine and feminine sides, strengthen intention, motivate action, guide direction, and create growing awareness.

The theme is how to free oneself from ignorance and transcend duality to become a conscious, responsible, enlightened being capable of making healing choices of benefit to the world.

William Douglas Horden's writing style is clear and masterfully organized logos artfully combined with imaginative, symbolic mythos.

And the format? Simply gorgeous! Martha Ramirez-Oropeza has painted 64 extraordinary full-color illustrations in a style as simple as it is profound; the print is plenty large for aging eyes; each page has a sense-satisfying heft; and the cover is as sturdy as a non-hardback book could possibly be.

In short, the team of writer, painter, and Larson Publications has created a work of art worthy to sit on the shelf with the world's spiritual classics. The only books I've underlined more are my King James Bible and the complete works of Carl Jung. If you have not yet added The Toltec I Ching to your spiritual library you're missing a key to the mystery, and mastery, of your soul.

It is great to read such articulate thoughts. William, Mary, thanks. So often I find in the world of the oracular, a kind of fuzziness that I am told is supposed to be closer to the intuitions. Thinking is said to be a distraction. I appreciate your capacity to navigate the world of words and offer them to us clearly.
I was skeptical of this text at first. Although I am open minded, the idea of mixing these powerful traditions seemed like it would have produced a weak bastard of both. I have been surprised by what I am finding in this text that so skillfully combines the wisdom of these two ancient traditions. I am particularly happy to see the I-Ching in particular updated from a historic context that is long gone.
I have seen that if someone is open to the moment, the oracular nature of life itself will speak to them, no need for a book or sticks or coins. Life is the open book to be read. Having said that, I am grateful for your efforts and feel as if I am holding a newly forged tool by artists who have seen in a fresh way. I look forward to a developing relationship with the text, thanks again.

I was very excited to get my hands on this new book, the Toltec I Ching ([...]). I am a long time user of the I Ching and my life has been deeply effected by what people call the "Toltec" teachings. I was so curious to see how someone might fuse the two. My only reference for such a fusion was a very old web site I Ching called the Warrior's I Ching ([...], click on "Nagual" then click on "Warrior's I Ching" - this site is NOT associated with the Toltec I Ching Book I am reviewing here). I have really enjoyed that tool over the years, so I was happy to hear someone else was putting some energy into a similar idea.

As it turns out my expectations were completely surpassed with the Toltec I Ching! The book goes into vast symbolic detail for each hexagram. The symbolism is narrative driven which is one of the main things I look for in an oracular reference. The entries are creative, insightful and come at the focus from many angles. The book paints a rich tapestry of myth and energy and has taken me on powerful journeys of self reflection and contemplation.

I met one of the authors, William Horden when he gave an evening talk at East West Books in Seattle this last fall. He walked us through some I Ching basics and then helped us to understand the relevance of the mythologies and imagery they use in the book. He was a very kind, gentle and sincere speaker and I could tell a lot of heart has gone into his work.

For a very direct idea of what the book is about and where the people behind it are coming from please check out their sample chapter, their blog and their radio show on their site. Groovy stuff.

This review originally appeared on my blog: [...]

Buy this book. Buy it now, or be sorry forever.

Horden and Ramirez-Oropeza have tied it All together in a workable tool. If you have been
searching for a doorway. This is the door. Reach over and grab the handle,
turn the knob, open the door and you will know with absolute certainty who
you are and what to do.

Horden and Ramirez-Oropeza have reminded us that we are an unlimited creative energy
field capable of great happiness and joy, that we are a source of great
happiness and joy for all being. All that is necessary for that to happen is
for us to remember and to be it. So by their saying the Word in the Toltec I
Ching, it is, and everyone who touches this book is touched by great
happiness and all of existence is shifted to a vibration of joy, wonder,
beauty, peace, and happiness.

This is a vision of the world reborn, reconnected. This is a vision so powerful that
it creates a new reality, a new world order. This is a vision so beautiful
and so wonderful that all of the old vision of separation, scarcity, fear,
anger, and loneliness is forgotten in a flash of great abundance, joy, and
unconditional love for all beings. This vision is experienced in the moment,
every time we open the book and throw the coins. Each time we throw the
coins, we are reminded who we are, what we are, why we are, and how we want
to be. We know great joy and peace. This is the doorway. This is the Word
spoken that creates the new world.

The Toltec I Ching is our memory of the future. It is our connection, our
life line to paradise.

When you use this book the dark foundations of this earth will shake and the
heavenly skies will open and divine light and wonder will shine into your
being and you will remember who you are and you will remember your divine
creative potential for wonder and joy, and all life will be blessed.

Buy the book. Make magic happen.

Blaze.

Ramirez-Oropeza and Horden have produced an altogether unique and intricate
system of divination. The system will be very familiar to anyone who has used the I-Ching but re-introduced to the us in new and intricate modern revelation. In addition this new I Ching is combined with the New World teachings and art of the Toltec culture and divinatory system. The strength of this blending of cultural teachings is drawn elegantly in the book's introduction and with the interpretation of each hexagram with the very first use of the Oracle. The user is further assisted with a very well drawn out index and glossary of terms which only enhances the value of the system. The illustrations are beautifully drawn and provide artistic revelation to the hexagram, expanding the user's experience and understanding.
The system is obviously the result of the years the authors have devoted to their individual journeys into the two ancient cultures represented in this work. They have put together their experiences and studies to make this new revelation of wisdom teaching an experience one into balance and depth in life and living in this rapidly changing world. The teaching comes at an opportune moment to help us navigate our lives and greet our world with steady personal energy and equilibrium for the changes that are upon us.

In these times of cross-cultural convergence, it is most timely that we have books such as Toltec I-Ching. It plumbs the wisdom traditions of diverse cultures, in this case Meso-American shamanic paths with classic Chinese sages, to reveal that in our essence, we are all humans who suffer the same, heal and rejoice the same.

But to have this as more than just an idealistic concept, but a living experience, books like Toltec I-Ching are a great, practical guidebook that throw light on how to live in our daily life. We are all going through extraordinary times with fundamental changes that shake the very foundation of our lives, our country, and our planet. As Toltec I-Ching reminds us, everything changes, nothing stays the same. With this volume, we will have time-tested criteria by which to live at new levels of peace and harmony.

Complementing the text are paintings in the Mural tradition of Mexico that speak directly to our holistic perception. Appealing to our right side of the brain as well as the left, we can easily assimilate the cross-cultural wisdom contained in these pages.

"...the underlying theme of The Toltec I Ching addresses the strategies by which individuals might thrive in the midst of injustice without becoming unjust and, ultimately, effect changes that establish a 'dynasty' in which the promise of humanity living in harmony with nature, spirit, and itself is fulfilled."

The I Ching is an essential Oracle. William Horden has made this ancient wisdom accessible. For those of us living in this fast paced, materialistic world that mistakenly refers to people at the front of a classroom as teachers, and people with the best marketing campaigns as leaders, The Toltec I Ching stands as a beacon calling us home to our better selves.

This superfluous volume pretends to be a derivative of the Chinese Book of Changes but completely rerranges and rewrites it. The result has no connection with the I Ching except the title. I found the writting to be tedious. The I Ching has been in continuous use for nearly 3,000 years and has developed a rich interpretive tradition, in the West as well as East Asia. The Toltec I Ching has no connection to Toltec culture but is entirely made up.

If are interested in the real I Ching (Yijing) start with one of the authentic translations: Richard Wilhelm, Lynn, or Rutt.