The Common Sense Book of Change

The Common Sense Book of Change is an easy-to-read version of the Chinese I Ching, complete with clear user instructions. Use it first to increase self-understanding, then to create harmony between the inner world of self and outer world of others. The text maps the natural patterns of change which trigger predictable passages from one stage to another in our lives. Its simple observations are a treasure of enduring practical wisdom. Its purpose is to maintain poise and stability in the midst of change. Using the interactive Book of Change is a powerful way to get in touch with the native common sense we are all born with, but too often forget under the pressures of hectic daily life. Work with this time-tested tool to slow down, observe what you are doing and why. Over time, this fascinating mindfulness practice will heighten your self-awareness, improve the quality of decision-making, and lead to better results in all areas of life. Based on the same dynamics of energy conversion taught by ancient yogis and rediscovered by Einstein in the 20th century, it gives new meaning to the Natural Law Tom Paine invoked in his appeal to Common Sense.

Pat West combines a rare blend of education, travel, work experience and introspection to produce a work uniquely her own. She balances an array of traditional credentials with non-traditional schooling in music, yoga, world scriptures and on-the-job training in a host of work settings. West attended Oberlin College, where she took a B.A. in history and philosophy, while performing in the conservatory orchestra and string ensembles as an ＂amateur.＂ Her M.A. in English and Ph.D. in Educational Administration are from the UW-Madison. At the Robert Schumann Konservatorium in Düsseldorf, Germany, West participated in Sandor Vegh’s master violin class, at the same time teaching English-as-a-Second-Language at the state Volkshochschule. Later, she worked as a confidential administrative secretary at the UW, while also training along-side pioneers of the holistic health movement. She spent personal time in Spring Green, enjoying the hospitality of an extended family of Frank Lloyd Wright apprentices. For over 35 years, West has immersed herself in the I Ching, the ancient Chinese compendium of natural law. She’s applied the principals of change mapped in this perennial leadership manual to the organizations she’s moved through, observing the dynamics of work-place relationships in hospitals, law firms, corporations, small businesses and schools. As the owner of a small business, +A Positive Action Press, Dr. West has published a user-friendly version of the I Ching called The Common Sense Book of Change and The Ultimate Personal Survival Guide: 64 Essays on the Book of Change. In addition, she’s produced a version of the world-loved Tao Te Ching which illumines its I Ching and yogic underpinnings, Two Sides of a Coin: Lao Tze’s Common Sense Way of Change. A very private person, Pat West is currently retired and lives quietly in rural Wisconsin, USA. For more information and updates visit www.RethinkingSurvival.com.