Bob Schwartz

On the plate I saw my usual desert of four Oreos, two chocolate, two golden.

Binary, I thought. Dark and light. The digital universe is binary: zero and one. Morse code is binary: dot and dash.

The I Ching is binary: broken line (yin, dark) and solid line (yang, light). Six lines stacked, sixty-four combinations (hexagrams).

Instead of broken and solid lines, what if we stack six chocolate and golden Oreos? Oreo I Ching.

Which I did. The above picture represents Hexagram 27, Nourishing.

27
Yi • Nourishing

DECISION

Nourishing.
Being steadfast and upright: good fortune.
Watch your nourishment;
Pay attention to what is in your mouth.

SIGNIFICANCE

This gua outlines the principle of nourishing. In ancient times, the Chinese concept of nourishing included nurturing, especially nurturing one’s virtue. To the ancient Chinese, nourishing without nurturing was the way of animals. The revered sage Mencius says,

Filling with food,
Warming with clothes,
Living leisurely without learning,
It is little short of animals.

If you consult the I Ching, occasionally or regularly, consider using Oreos, or the cookies of your choice, to represent your hexagram. When you are done, you can enjoy a sweet treat along with the valuable advice.

© 2025 by Bob Schwartz