Love & Life, Sorted

How I Ching Can Change Your Life | Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times with Eric Tang: 14-Year Disciple of Master Michael So

• Dr. Sandy To • Episode 31

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Are you looking for better decision-making, clarity in uncertain times, and a deeper way to navigate life’s changes? In this inspiring episode of Love & Life Sorted, Dr. Sandy To sits down with Eric Tang, a longtime friend who has been deeply practicing and studying the ancient Chinese philosophy of the I Ching (also known as the Yi Jing or Book of Change) for 14 years.

Eric shares how this 5,000-year-old Chinese wisdom has completely transformed the way he approaches daily life, business decisions, relationships, and personal growth. Trained under Master Michael So, Eric reveals how the I Ching is far more than superstition or simple divination — it is a practical, holistic system that helps you make wiser choices by considering the three essential pillars: Person, Place, and Time.

Discover how to move beyond emotional, reactive decision-making and instead align your actions with the natural cycles of change. Eric explains how decoding the Chinese calendar, understanding the Bagua, and balancing positive and negative energies can lead to dramatically better outcomes — turning what used to feel like 50/50 gambling into much higher success rates.

Whether you’re interested in Chinese philosophy, personal development, spirituality, or practical life tools, this conversation offers timeless wisdom that bridges Eastern and Western thinking. 

If you want to improve your decision-making and live with greater flow and alignment, this episode is for you.

🎧 Tune in to discover how the I Ching can help you change your life for the better — one wise decision at a time.

#IChing #BookOfChange #YiJing #AncientChineseWisdom #DecisionMaking #PersonalGrowth #LifeAdvice #MindsetShift #EmbraceChange #ChinesePhilosophy #MasterMichaelSo #PositiveVSNegative #SelfImprovement #HolisticLiving #EasternWisdom #BetterDecisions #SpiritualGrowth #FengShui #Bagua #Qigong #KungFu #IChingDailyLife #LifeFulfillmentMethods 

 

🔑 Key Topics 

  • What is the I Ching (Yi Jing) and why it’s called the Book of Change
  • How the I Ching serves as a practical guide for everyday decision-making
  • The three pillars: Person, Place, and Time for making aligned decisions
  • Bridging Western education and ancient Chinese philosophy
  • Making objective, less emotional decisions
  • Real-life applications: planning events, choosing venues, and selecting people
  • Embracing change, cycles, and the interplay between positive and negative energy
  • Using setbacks and “negative” situations to bounce back stronger
  • Practical mindset shifts: Right time, right place, right people; relaxing to absorb more; minimizing damage from mistakes
  • Transforming life outcomes through aligned action and risk management

✨Let’s sort life, one chat at a time! Wanna chat more? SUBSCRIBE to my FREE NEWSLETTER 👉🏻 https://www.sandyto.com/subscribe 

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SPEAKER_00

Hi everyone! Welcome back to Love and Life Started. I'm Dr. Sandy To, and I've always wanted to learn about the ancient Chinese philosophy of Yi Ching, the Book of Change. How can we use this 5,000 years of Chinese wisdom, culture, and way of life to change our own life for the better? And today I'm so glad to have a special guest with us who has been practicing and learning the Yi Ching for 14 years. And he's very well versed in it. He is a friend of mine and a longtime friend of my husband, Eric Tang.

SPEAKER_02

Thank you, Sati. It's my great pleasure to be here today. Wow, let me introduce myself a little bit. Wow, it's such an honor to be here to talk about Yi Qing. Actually, it's my first time to use English to talk about it. Really seriously. So if I didn't manage to explain it clearly, please let me know.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah, no worries, no worries.

SPEAKER_02

Well, basically, yeah, I said I have been learning and practicing Yi Qing for 14 years. Um it changed, it's really changing my life. All my Yi Qing knowledge is coming from one teacher, one and the only. Um Mr. Michael Soul. Uh one most important thing uh is that uh he really tried to approach Yiqing in a modern way. Um my teacher Michael also, well, important thing I need to say three times. My teacher is Michael Soul. My teacher is Michael Soul, my teacher is Michael Soul. Master soul, master so um so um but anyway, um Iching originally, a lot of people think um is something really superstitious. Um, something is destiny, always talk about about yourself, how you how you think about yourself, how to change your life by yourself. But where after I learn and practice this is for different dimensions, I would say. You are approached different dimensions from it. Well, but we can discuss it out a little bit more later on.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, so Eric, I want to ask you, so I Ching uh means the book of change in English, right? Yes. So um uh how did how does it go like this book? What does it encompass? Like this 5,000 years of uh Chinese culture, as you put it, like what does it encompass in the books?

SPEAKER_02

Basically, in in real um in daily life, um I Ching is the only book that can tell true exactly how to approach everyday life, how to make decisions based on what had happened uh before, on a specific time, specific place. Ichin has clearly tells you what happened before. And and no one, no historic data can tell to uh why what and when it happened, but Ichin, based on its methodologies, based on its statistics as uh as well. Uh so we based on that, we can and we use and know when will what will when and what will happen based on the cycle.

SPEAKER_00

Right, right, right. So uh it's based on like the three pillars, uh person, place, and time.

SPEAKER_01

That's right.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, and I also want to ask, like, uh, is it actually like um like um like uh a whole philosophy or is it divination or psychology or what what is it actually?

SPEAKER_02

It's it's on the whole, it's on the whole. Um you need to approach everything, basically. Yeah, it's not a theory, it's practical. It can more you learn, you you know, it's more practical you can do. It's not only talking about how inference you to make decisions, it also inferences on after you make decisions, if you do that, you will have a specific result. So it's a a total solution. Yeah, yeah, yeah. In better language, it is a total solution from start on how you think, on what you do, and at the end of the and what results you are expecting.

SPEAKER_00

Right, a holistic approach. Right, holistic approach. So you mean it's uh is it about like uh finding a better way of life, improving your life, like using each thing to improve your life?

SPEAKER_02

Yes, more like um making this decision making is completely different from what I have been doing before 35 years, I would say. Yeah, it's completely different. Yeah, uh because from my I I'm coming from a Western background. Um I have been in UK for for for more than four 13 years, 40, almost 14 years. Including working and and and studying. Right, right, right. So the way we approach it is like the more Western way to approach the problem. Right, right, right. When I start using Ichi in knowledge, uh when I come back to Hong Kong to take over from this business, um, a lot of things need to adjust to different ways. Yeah, so uh when I try to uh defink of that, and I think, oh, I always like to, because I of course I'm Chinese, uh I need to think away on what what Chinese means really at the at the end of the day. Um and I I'm very lucky to uh have my friends introduce uh my master, uh Michael Souls, to me, so I I can have a chance to get in touch with each knowledge.

SPEAKER_00

Right. So you mean you you were struggling to find like your Chinese sign because you've been away for so long. And uh yeah, I think I think by fate that you found like the best way toward like towards that, you know, towards it is like the ancient Chinese culture of 5,000 years, the the book of change, right? I Ching. So yeah, so after uh practicing for 14 years, uh what's the biggest thing you have gotten out of it?

SPEAKER_02

It's a good practice. Uh I always tell my friends, uh, after I learned Yi Qing for my master so um he teaches us how to make decisions not based on the favor of myself. Make decisions on more passive ways. Um well in Western approach, all also have similar things like the we do the right things at the right time, make the right decision meet the right people. So right place, right time, right people to make things moving. There's no books in the world tell you that apart from each. Which kind of people can be approached at a specific time.

SPEAKER_00

Oh right. So the three the three pillars, it's like uh uh person, place, and time, is it?

SPEAKER_02

Exactly, yeah, exactly. So um when we always think in this way, or I would say not only think, make it happen, uh your life definitely changes because of that, because you always have actions. You always have not only about our thinking, or that's not good, always have the negative energy behind, and and then you you you you rule out the original idea. But as we go along the line, we always make decisions after thinking. You you can say that, right? And after but always when we do things, we all at the end of the day, the first ideas come up in your mind is the best idea, always. Yeah, I think everyone has experienced that. Yeah, that the first idea come up is always the best idea, but all the all the uh ideas coming after is to emotions, too many other things affect you.

SPEAKER_01

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_02

So based on this knowledge, so when you know it is the right place, right time, the right people to approach your your idea, you don't need to think that much.

unknown

Okay.

SPEAKER_02

Go immediately with the decisions. And this is one of the things that uh Yi Ching will always encourage you to do.

SPEAKER_00

So do you mean like to make decisions more objectively uh with a given set of data?

SPEAKER_02

That's right.

SPEAKER_00

Right, right. So you're not as affected by your subjectivity or your emotions when making decisions.

SPEAKER_02

Exactly. Not make well, emotions is an enemy from yourself. Well, from both Eastern and Western knowledge, I believe. Always say when you are emotional, always make bad decisions. Right? But yeah, well, but but each in your talk, telling you giving you more data, telling you when is the best when is the best time to do things. How good is this? Right, right, right. Well, apart from parents, no one tells you what's the best time to do the things right in the world. But now you have a knowledge that lasts that long, that has been inherited in our culture for so long, tells you exactly what way can do the right thing. Why why we will think it is uh superstitious? What it is already like um a metrible that that that tells you to open the door for you.

SPEAKER_00

Right, right, right, right. Yeah, um, so there's one part that's about divination, right?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, yeah. But uh how is this based? Like you said, oh it's not superstition, but uh how are these methods, like what are these mess methods based on? Um like how uh how do you find the answers? Yeah, that that's my question. Like how do you find the answers to when's the best place or something?

SPEAKER_02

Well, of course, well, a lot of people already are aware that we have tonsing. It's actually a calendar. More like a calendar.

SPEAKER_00

A calendar.

SPEAKER_02

But how do you decode a calendar? You will wow in in uh well, of course, in Western knowledge, we also decode the calendar because the calendar are based on the sun, are based on the stars, the universe, right?

SPEAKER_00

Oh, astrology?

SPEAKER_02

Astrology, right? That the follows, yeah, right? Yeah, yeah. In each change, they are matching up to different stars, uh, to different uh dimensions. Uh I would say how you decode the talent that inherited from our ancestors. Yeah, yeah. This is how how how how it uh approaches time for it for each is like uh a cycle. Yeah, it's always coming, something always coming back, but they just interpret it or present it in different ways. Yeah. So we can based on that, we can always look at the calendar, uh, try to try to uh decode the old wisdom and also apply the modern days knowledge to decode the calendar when uh what is the best time to do the right things or some bad things will happen.

SPEAKER_01

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_02

So it cannot, I will not say it's only a for for uh future taler. It will also is like really can see how the cycle and the period come back on a specific time.

SPEAKER_00

Does it make sense? Yes, yeah, it's called the Book of Change because it's like about uh how the like the different cycles. Yes, yeah. Uh of life is like a cycle, right? Yeah, yeah. Uh it it can help you in your uh decision making.

SPEAKER_02

Yes. Help me on the decision making. Also, uh wow, you never know where's the right place to to to approach things sometimes. Yeah. We talk about the time. Now we talk about how what's the right place. If you have the correct calendar, uh also tells you the directions. In the ancient time, we in China we don't use east, west, northwest, northeast, southwest, southeast. We don't use this kind of directions as symbols. We use ba gua. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Uh this is our direction, this is our dimensions.

SPEAKER_00

It's like the you mean the black and white.

SPEAKER_02

That's right.

SPEAKER_00

The black and white.

SPEAKER_02

It represents, it represents, it can represent time, it can represent the uh uh directions, it also uh represents dimensions. Oh yeah, so so so the imperial palace, I would say, is based on that. Based on the itching knowledge to build the whole palace. We don't have Western knowledge back to that time, right? How can we build uh Imperial Palace? We have some ground. And then itching is something that can based on, and of course, it evolved a lot to become different knowledge, like Lopan, that kind of knowledge, and then to build the palace. Yeah, not only Feng Zoe, it's how it built from the ground. Also, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, um, I know this is like quite theoretical, it sounds easier said than done. Okay, so but but in like uh in practice, have you put this into practice? Like, can you give us like a very concrete example where you can put this into practice? Like this theory of the three pillars.

SPEAKER_02

Yes. Uh for example, uh when I try to organize an event, uh where we well, some important people uh will attend to it. Um the first thing I I would look at at each change calendar and see uh which days that match up uh on that specific person, also yourself, of course. Yeah, that's the decision. So we match up the time and people. Yeah, first thing, and then and then I will also look at the uh look at the field on uh what's the best place that's good for those people, including yourself.

SPEAKER_00

Right, right.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, so it matches up the people and the time and the place already.

SPEAKER_00

Right, right. So event menu, you know.

SPEAKER_02

And uh and and finally, then in order to make this happen, I get I approach them at the right time, I have the venue at the right place, and finally I I gather those good people that can fulfill this in order to make it uh happen.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, right, right. So for the people, like there are certain individuals that would be conducive to this event that you would invite them.

SPEAKER_02

That's right, yeah, exactly. Yeah, yeah. So uh so we we also know which people is good for the event, which people is best for the event as well, if we really want to approach it this way. So, how many uh venue is good for the event, uh, how many days uh is good for the event, also.

SPEAKER_00

So uh like these answers you can find in the I Ching. Like the calendar, the Chinese calendar, right? Uh as you said, like decoding the calendar, you need to know how to decode it.

SPEAKER_02

That's right.

SPEAKER_00

By by learning, you need to learn how.

SPEAKER_02

You learn and also use try to try try try try to apply the just like you know a theory, how how to apply the theory. Similar concept, but you really need to apply every day. In order to because every day is different, the cycle is different, yeah. It has a small cycle, it has a big cycle. How you approach the small cycle in order to fulfill the big cycles. So you need to do it every day.

SPEAKER_00

Right, right. You need to practice every day so that when the occasion comes, you like you're you're you you have the knowledge to make that decision.

SPEAKER_02

That's right, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, so yeah, you've been practicing for 14 years.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, you're really good at it. Well, I'm I will not say I'm very good, I'm still uh learning from it. Yeah, yeah. Um I'm well I'm still taking lessons from my master and my cousin. So which I'm still learning, but uh after 14 years, I will say uh I have practiced a bit and know quite a few decisions on based on teaching how to make it make my life more easy, I would say.

SPEAKER_00

Right, right, right. So you found that your decision making uh has been more accurate for this. Yes. And like the outcomes have been good.

SPEAKER_02

That's right.

SPEAKER_00

So your desired outcomes.

SPEAKER_02

Yes. Yeah, so it's mostly um a decision making, and from the last 14 years, based on the results, is more or less it is changing my life. I will say, well, well in the old days, every time I make a decision, it's like a gambling 50%, uh 50% good, 50% bad. I don't know because I have no ground. I would say no ground, but now I have some ground to build it up. So we will know what happened and how to approach the problem.

SPEAKER_00

Right, right. So I want to ask you, so knowing like having all this data at hand that you can uh tap into, uh, is it like a hundred percent surefire outcome? Like the decisions?

SPEAKER_02

Well, more you practice, well, like like or everything, more you practice, more uh chance you you you get into it. But for me, uh I would say if I use the wrong time to make the decision, the failure rate is almost 100%. But the successful rate, I would say uh it's more as like 70, 80%, to be very honest, but it's a lot better than before.

SPEAKER_01

Right, right.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, yeah, but in in other words, I know the 100% failure rate. So I try to avoid it. So it improves the percentage of successful rate already.

SPEAKER_00

So by knowing all this, can you like really evade uh like mistakes? I mean, is uh is it all under your control? Yeah. Even if you do know the three pillars, is it completely under control? Or are there things outside of your no?

SPEAKER_02

It's not well again, it's because time you found a right time, right place. Uh using back to the example, you you you know when's the best time to do an event and which which venue is best for you. You you that's always something to stop you. Because, for example, oh, that menu is fully booked.

SPEAKER_00

Right, right.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, but so so of course that's contagious. Yeah, yeah. You can find a second best one or third best one. Uh, but yes, if you choose the other, not the best one, then you will have some consequence, and the book will tell you what's the consequence. Then you you you you can have a risk control on can you uh effort the consequence yourself or your group of people can uh can handle the consequence? Something like that.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, okay, okay. Yeah, so uh there are, you know, even if you have that knowledge at hand, there are also some things that could go wrong that that you you can't completely control. Yeah. So is this like within like the the philosophy of the i Ching as well? Like there's no like 100% foolproof because it's like it's it's about change, like embracing the change and and everything.

SPEAKER_02

Change is definitely because i ching, the the the name of i Qing is telling you change already in Chinese. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Uh in Yi Qing, there's no right or wrong. Right or wrong is based on how you evaluate. Does it make sense? I think it makes sense. Right. Like it's not always bad and white. It's not bad and right. In English, always have gray area, but we can define the gray area in very specific sections. We we are not only three colors, we maybe have five colors, we have eight colors. So we we can define those colors to uh to approach problems. So that's no right or wrong. It's which we only have which one is better decision, which one is the worst decision, or a worse third decision.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, okay, okay. I see, I see. Like uh in the middle of the black and white bagwa, like the the S shape, right? Yeah, like there's some white in the black compartment, and there's some black in the white compartment, right? So it's like a mixture.

SPEAKER_02

A mixture, and it's moving definite.

SPEAKER_00

It's moving, right? Right. It's also moving and flowing, yeah, yeah. Interchanging, right? So it just teaches us that like uh what's on top now might be on the bottom later, and vice versa.

SPEAKER_02

Like it's a cycle, yes. If you you you don't have the top, you never have a problem. You if you never have a bottom, you never have you never know what's the top.

SPEAKER_00

Yes, yes, yes, yes.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. So in in theory, uh in resident knowledge, we're always encouraging people. Uh we're always talking about positive energy. That's true. We also have that in Iching as well. But we we we also need to uh face the fact that that negative energy exists in the world. You need to how to confront it, how to approach it, how to make the bounce when you face the most negative energy in life that happened at that specific time. Um it gives you the tools to bounce.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, okay, okay.

SPEAKER_02

Yes, um well, we talk about the the positive energy and the negative energies. Uh from the rest of knowledge, we always thought we need to always positive uh energy and try to avoid the negative energy. But from iting, it's like uh we'll not totally avoid the negative energies. Sometimes when the negative energy approach, uh you rather confront it or rather than ignore it, you try to absorb it. Oh, oh how how? Yeah, for example, when you're playing basketball, I would say very bit, um, you play with your best friends. Yeah, but you make some of the uh easy shots or some of the decisive shots, and your friends get angry and keep foul mouth you. Yeah, you know. Uh but if you suck. Yeah, you suck, you're bad, you know. Yeah, yeah, exactly. But when when if you well think, oh, they're pulling me, try to avoid that, you the whole conversation is useless. Become negative energy. And you you in at the bottom of your heart, you will think, ah, they are like that, you know. Um, next time I I play better, but you only think in one direction. Better directions will be we don't confront them, just listen on what they say. Sometimes in the in the in the context, they will tell you if you don't shoot at specific locations, which is your uh weak point, which where your failure most you shoot at an other place that you are good at in the court, you will play better. And you the people will drain more trust on you. So based on that, the negative energy makes you bounce back to be to to become positive energy because the negative energy gives you the information on how to bounce back.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, right, right, right. You've learned from that.

SPEAKER_02

You learn from it, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

You don't avoid.

SPEAKER_00

Right, right, right, right. So is it a bit like seeing the the positive and the negative?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, yeah, at the same time.

SPEAKER_00

Right, right, right.

SPEAKER_02

Positive in Ichi, negative and positive are happen exactly at the same time. It's just like the shadow and light.

SPEAKER_01

Right, right, right, right, right.

SPEAKER_02

It happens at the same time. You can never separate them.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, oh, oh.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, yeah. So even the negative energy we think uh is always positive energy inside, whether you can find it or not. It's very difficult. But based on the practice. But I would say the easiest way to do that is your best friend or maybe even parents is a bit difficult because they are parents. Yeah, your best friend. They bully you, they foul mouth you, but from you keep practicing on listening to what they say, you they you will find something that they can they are actually helping you from those foul mouth.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, okay, I I get it, I get it. Yeah, yeah. So they're like the same thing. It's like a parallel dimension, right? Right. So even within the positive, there's also seeds of negative.

SPEAKER_02

Yes. Yeah, yeah, exactly. So in I Ching, there's no right or wrong. Right or wrong is based on the situation. It's not based on what we call the fact. It's not. It's based on the situation. What's the best approach? Maybe the best approach will make you injury, but you if you don't injury, you will die. Yeah, thinking that way. Right, right, right. So from from some decisions is for I always make this example. Um, well, of course, my my teacher will have better examples, but I always make an example is you know the bus is approaching when you cross the zebra crossing and they won't he won't stop. But if someone stopped you, or someone help you to cross the zebra crossing faster or slower by half a second, then you a fatal accident can be able. But you may injure it, but a fatal accident will be able.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, at least you're you're not dead.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, that yeah, yeah. Or or if someone can help you to cross the zebra crossing one second later, then you have no exactly, yeah. So you say you're safe.

SPEAKER_00

Right, right, right, right, right.

SPEAKER_02

So it's this is how we approach the time and the place.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. Okay, okay. Yeah, yeah, it's it makes a lot of sense. Like, because uh as you said, like we're we're always trying to like um find the positivity. We're always trying to focus on the positivity uh and like ward off negative thoughts. But I I guess like in this approach, it's uh you know, negativity is unavoidable, but how to make the most of it, like the best of it. Uh try to find the positive within that. I think that's a better way than like uh evading it.

SPEAKER_02

Yes.

SPEAKER_00

Or blocking it or repressing it or something.

SPEAKER_02

That's right. Well or use an analogy is sometimes a ball fall down, it's not hard enough to bounce back. You Yi Chin tells you a weight to make it worse than you think, but it bounced back faster than you think.

SPEAKER_00

Right, right. So the lower you get, the higher it bounces back, right?

SPEAKER_02

Exactly. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, okay, that's physics.

SPEAKER_02

That's physics, yeah. But but in the daily life, not normally you won't know, or you may think I'm already at the bottom of the thing. But actually, Yi Ching will tell you not yet. If you do that, you will get even a lower point, but you have a very better chance to get it back up on.

SPEAKER_00

So right, right, right, right. Yeah, totally, totally.

SPEAKER_02

So Yi Ching is not telling you to bounce back immediately. Sometimes it will tell you to get even worse before bouncing back.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, okay, okay. Yeah, in Chinese we have that proverb.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, yeah. Take a philo.

SPEAKER_00

Hey, take a philo. You need to reach the bottom to bounce back up.

SPEAKER_02

Exactly, yeah. The more, so we will say you the more you relax, the more you can bounce back. My teachers always tell tell us that. So uh my teachers will also teach us how uh like uh like the gong fu how to relax. The more you relax, more things you can uh confront, more things you can absorb in order to bounce back.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, oh right, right, right. So you mean that's why you're also learning Kung Fu?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, that's right, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Right, right. So it's too much.

SPEAKER_02

Not exactly qi gong, but yeah, similar to thing, that thing, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, okay. So that that's like all within this I Ching philosophy. That's right, right? So in order to relax, like you're trying to relax yourself so you can absorb more, yeah. More like uh to to release the blockage. That's right, yeah. Yeah, okay. That that that's great. So there's like a uh a component of exercise, a component of divination, yes, a component of philosophy. Yeah, like that's everything, right?

SPEAKER_02

That's everything. Well, your daily life it affects your daily life. So you need to do it because if you don't start, uh you will never able to feel. Not understand. Understand is it's like something from your brain. You need to feel it. You need to to to to to absorb it more so uh it's not only understanding. You at some point, my teacher always says, your body will do it yourself. You don't need to think that what you think is is toxic. You know what? Yeah, you always you when you keep thinking, you always overthink it. You always think it's the negative way more than the the the positive way. You you when you do it, you will do a better thing if you get used to the philosophy, we'll put it that way. So not not try to understand it, try to feel it, try to use it, try to apply it.

SPEAKER_00

Right, right, yeah, yeah, totally, totally, totally. Uh incorporate it like as a natural way of life. That's right. So that's that's why like uh I've heard like people say meditation as a way of life. Like you don't need to overthink it, but like everything you do, you're self-reflecting. Yes. Like in every moment, like you're you're very aware of self-awareness of what you're doing.

SPEAKER_01

Yes.

SPEAKER_00

And that will help you avoid mistakes. I think making mistakes that are irrational or something.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. Uh yes. Well, we are not avoiding mistakes. No, no one can. Uh, even we can predict the mistake. Oh we are not trying to avoid it. We are just trying to make a decision that have less damage. Of course, no damage is the best decision, but we can have an approach with less damage. It's already changing our life. Every if what we will learn from every mistake, we also can try to minimize the damage for every mistake. This is how how our life means, right? Whereas and each is teaching you how to do that.

SPEAKER_00

Right, right, right. All right. So, like Eric, if if we have all this data at hand, like as you said, like the three pillars and the Chinese calendar, and you know, we we can uh know the right place, right time, right person to make certain decisions in our life that will sort of uh I can't say guarantee, but will which will lead to a good outcome. So, so do how do we like have access to this knowledge? Can we just buy a book and read it ourselves?

SPEAKER_02

Of course, a book will help, yeah, to have the knowledge, but I would say 90% of the times when I ask people to just read a book first, they will fall asleep first. Yeah, because I know it's some Asian language, even you go to the university, you can learn the literature from it. Yeah, a lot of good teachers will uh good lecturers have very deep knowledge of the literature of science, but it's not a whole picture of I Ching, I would say. Um, well, you can even get a diploma in in Taiwan, you can get a degree from it as well. Yeah, but they that is not the whole, if you want to apply a lifestyle, you need to learn from a good teacher. Yeah, of course, my my uh uh my teacher, Martha, so all is very good at it because he knows uh the theory part, the the literature teacher part, and also the uh the daily life part. So he applied uh how to use it and show us. Uh but if you go out to find a teacher to learn, just be aware, I will say, uh, very, very high chance you will learn, like become a fortune teller rather than lifestyle. So uh you yes, at the end of the day, you need to find a good teachers to help you to line up everything. Right, right. It can be done, it can, it's achievable, I would say.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, okay. Yeah, well, I'm glad you you found your right teacher. Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I'm very pleased and very thankful to have a chance to learn from uh my master, Michael. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, okay. So thank you so much for sharing with us today.

SPEAKER_02

Thank you, Sandy. Yeah, it's my pleasure and honor.

SPEAKER_00

Right, right. Okay, so yeah, I hope that like listeners, uh, you can try to uh apply some of these concepts in like our daily life, even if we don't know the mechanics of it, like we we don't know how to read the calendars or anything, but at least like the the very basic stuff, I think it's it's very useful about positive, negative, about like uh utilizing change and you know how to like uh make better decisions or lead a better life. Like the whole concept is is very fulfilling, enriching.

SPEAKER_02

Yes. Well, it's not very some I would not say it's like rocket science, something need to in-depth uh knowledge on it. You can apply every day, even some lead to things that can practice the decisions, it already changed your lives.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

So uh just keep doing it. Just thinking, oh, what is the right place, right time, and the right people. Always think it that way, then already change your life.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, okay. Yeah, okay, yeah, thank you so much for your wisdom and knowledge.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, thank you very much. Yeah, okay. I hope it's not too boring, but yeah.

SPEAKER_00

No, I'm sure it was very fruitful. It was very engaging. Okay, thank you so much. Thank you, bye bye. Thank you so much for being here. If you want to learn more about the I Ching and see more fun stuff, hop onto our IG page and remember to subscribe to Love and Life Sorted so you don't miss an episode. Okay, see you again next week. Bye.