The I Ching

The original ‘prima materia’ of the Gene Keys, the I Ching is a sacred Chinese text dating from around the 4th century BC. Many commentaries and versions of the I Ching exist and it is perhaps best known as a popular oracle. The Gene Keys are a natural culmination of all previous incarnations of the i Ching. They ultimately point to the truth that all sacred texts have their source inside us. The same truths intuitively grasped by the ancient sages can now be proven by modern genetics – that the universe is built upon natural codes and these codes can be deciphered and unlocked. The original I Ching was held in the highest esteem as a sacred text with the capacity to mirror living wisdom in every moment. Likewise the Gene Keys point us inwardly to seek the source of our suffering in our Shadows and guide us in transforming that suffering into creativity and freedom.

I Ching Attributes in the Living Library

  • Name of the Hexagram

  • Relationship between the two trigram elements

  • Ba Gua Poetry relating the Shadow, Gift, & Siddhi of the Gene Key and its composite trigram elements

  • Color Harmonic Keynotes & Merkaba Image by Adam Apollo

  • Excerpt from Wilhelm I Ching translations of the hexagram commentary

The 64 Hexagrams

The I Ching and the Gene Keys are both based on the same 64 Hexagrams. A hexagram is a binary symbol made up of six lines, either broken (yin, receptive) or unbroken (yang, creative). There are 64 different possible combinations of yin and yang, distributed across the 6 lines. This same binary code can be found in the core genetic structure of our DNA and the underlying patterns of the universe itself.

At its heart, the I Ching is telling the elemental story of ‘Returning to Unity’ and ‘Balance of the Tao’. It is not a system to be understood solely with the mind, but lived fully through the human experience. Relaxing deeply into the current of natural wisdom, the Book of Changes describes the eternal dance of cycles occurring in our life. For thousands of years sages and mystics have used the binary code of this system to unlock deeper layers of profound wisdom. The Gene Keys Transmission breathes life into this ancient text, inviting each of us into a “Contemporary I Ching” for our generation.

The 8 Elemental Trigrams (Ba Gua)

The I Ching is an intricate expression of the fundamental patterns of the universe, based on the principles of yin (receptive) and yang (active) energy. This binary pattern forms 8 Elemental Trigrams, the Ba Gua. An Elemental Trigram expresses a specific primary energy, such as the rising energy of passionate fire or the restraining energy of keeping still mountain.

A Hexagram is formed by combining two elemental trigrams, thus revealing the 64 possible combinations of yin and yang. Each Hexagram is a pictographic binary expression of two elements interacting with one another, the basis of all the phenomena of life.

Decoding the Ba Gua Poetry

The Ba Gua are the eight primary elemental forces (trigrams) that make up all 64 possible hexagrams. They represent movement of energy through life, through the seasons of the Earth and through the organ systems of our body. They also touch upon spiritual, emotional, and mental energy as it influences our actions, thoughts, and experience of life. Each Gene Key is thus a dance of combining two elemental trigrams.

You will see that 8 Gene Keys are composed of the element twice, such as Gene Key 30 – Fire over Fire. In your contemplation, you may discover how the feeling of “Desire – Lightness – Rapture” is hidden with all Gene Keys that contain the Fire Element. This fire element may also feel differently whether it is located on the lower or higher part of the hexagram.

This is the core contemplation behind the I Ching attributes of the Living Library, and the Ba Gua poetry composed within. Below you will see a table of contents for each of the elements and their associated energies within the synthesis.

Using this table, you can see how the Ba Gua poetry was created for each Gene Key. Take for example Gene Key 64 – Fire over Water.

Confusion is Desiring Half-heartedness

Imagination is Lightness with Commitment

Illumination is Rapturous Devotion

Gene Key 64 ignites Passionate Communication