I Ching Oracle: A 64-Card Illustrated Deck and Guidebook

Tarot-card consultation has long been liberated from dusty backroom parlors and seedy storefronts and, with it, the reliance on the classic 78-card Rider-Waite deck. These days, pulling cards is ubiquitous as checking the weather, and there are countless types to choose from. For those seeking an authoritative deck based on ancient Chinese divination, Catherine Pilfrey's I Ching Oracle: A 64-Card Illustrated Deck and Guidebook is the auspicious choice. 

Pilfrey, a meditation teacher and graphic designer who has consulted the I Ching for the past 25 years, offers an easier entry into the esoteric text. As she puts it, translating the I Ching into cards means: "No coins to throw. No difficult translations to navigate. That way everyone can benefit from these amazing teachings."

The 64 vibrant, jewel-toned cards correspond to the 64 hexagrams that comprise the I Ching. The backs display a gold-and-white pattern symbolizing eight natural elements: heaven, thunder, earth, water, fire, mountain, wind, and lake. Each card has a number, title, and list of declaratives and imperatives. For example, card 46, "Pushing Upward," states: "Nothing is standing in your way. Move toward your goals diligently. Be flexible. Persevere. You can do it."

To use the deck, Pilfrey suggests thinking of a question, shuffling, pulling a card, and reading what it says. For insight into the future or for a deeper aspect of the current situation, she directs users to reshuffle and pull an additional card. The guidebook provides further context, with a page-long explanation per card. --Nina Semczuk, writer, editor, and illustrator

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