The I Ching and Janet

By Janet Morrow

In 1970, I agreed to become the Volunteer Chairman of the Books and Literature Committee for The First National Congress on Optimum Population and Environment, based in Chicago, where I was living with my husband and two children, at the time. Despite the fact that I knew virtually nothing about population and environmental issues when I volunteered for the job, I got a crash course in both subjects and soon found myself passionately invested in FNCOPE's vision for a better world. As a result, my life took a sudden and dramatic turn. Within months, I had accepted the position of Executive Director for the organization and found myself running the entire show. I'd recently completed a three year term as President of the Junior League of Northern Westchester, N.Y. but that had not involved grant-writing and fund-raising so I had a considerable learning curve still ahead of me.

Those early days with FNCOPE were very difficult. We were deeply in debt, the Board had become factionalized and the thrust of its mission had become obscured. I was at sea without a compass, and the only thing that was clear to me was that in accepting this job I had just won the booby prize. So, when my very able assistant, Hunter Leggitt, introduced me to the I Ching, I soon recognized its usefulness, particularly when the environment around me seemed murky and I was unclear as to how to relate to the situation. How or why the I Ching seemed to work was of little interest to me in those days. I was looking for insight and direction, pure and simple, but almost exclusively concerning my work. And, gratefully, I received both in spades, though not always in words and images that were easily comprehensible.

I found the I Ching extremely comforting and reassuring, for it always seemed to accurately reflect what I was experiencing at the time, while pointing out how I might best relate to any given situation. I'd learned early in life that the only constant is change and that resistance to change is not only futile but a waste of time and energy. The I Ching helped me ride the often turbulent waves of change and keep my head above water during those times I feared I was going to drown – and there were many during those challenging yet exhilarating years.

In '85 I retired to remarry and my I Ching book went on the shelf, as that chapter of my life came to a close. About ten years later, after many fruitless trips to doctors, I was finally diagnosed with fibromyalgia, one of many auto-immune system disorders. A turning point in my recovery came several years later when I realized that I wasn't just having a medical crisis, I was experiencing a profound spiritual crisis! This led me to The Sevenoaks Pathwork Center for Personal Transformation outside of Charlottesville, Virginia, where I began my spiritual journey in earnest through their unique, five-year process of deep emotional release and introspection concerning one's life and its design.

After graduation from Pathwork, I became involved with the Jwalan Muktika School of Illumination in Whitefish, Montana, where I met Tara and Doug who were each on their own spiritual paths, as well. Tara's path had drawn her deeply into a comparative study of the world's mystical traditions, along with an exploration of Vedic Astrology, while Doug, our computer genius, had a long time interest in the Tarot and Runes. As we each continued to grow and reach out to one another for support, we became more and more impressed with the value of the I Ching in guiding us on our respective journeys

Soon, we began to sense that the three of us might bring a fresh, new perspective on the use of ancient divination systems. This compelled us to begin collaborating around the possibility of blending the esoteric tools of the distant past with the best of modern technology. Since they'd been so helpful to us, we decided to find a way to make them readily available to other seekers. In particular, we began delving more deeply into the historical significance and deeper meaning of the I Ching, as well as it's relevance to our lives at this point in history.

I have gradually come full circle in my own spiraling dance with the I Ching. In the past year or so, it has returned as an even more valued companion in my life, for, with Tara's elegant hexagram interpretations, I now see its profound depth as well as its greater implications and applications to my life. This project has helped reveal profound answers for me around omnipresent human questions like: "What am I here for?" or "Why is this such a challenging time?" Through this ten plus years process, I have not only totally altered the lens through which I look at my life and the world around me, but have found answers that finally make sense in the broader, deeper scheme of things.

What began as a personal interest has evolved into a project with much larger societal implications. As a result of our interactions and Tara's wonderfully curious mind and extensive research, we have also discovered some obscure but remarkable ancient connections that tell a very different story about human and planetary history. This has made our project a truly exciting adventure which we're delighted to share with other equally curious voyagers on their own paths.

We've thoroughly loved and each grown through our collaboration on this project and trust that our joy and energy will come through as you use our iChing2GO application on your iPhone or iPod Touch. (BTW, You might also consider one of Tara's Vedic Astrology readings, which is available through this website!) Remember: The spiritual path is the hero's journey and not for those who are feint of heart. But, rest assured, the payoff will be worth every bit of effort you put into it. Blessings on your way!