This book presents a broad-based transpersonally oriented theory and perspective called Tao of Onliness, or just Onliness. Its content is based upon an elaboration, integration and revision of Onliness theory and perspective as originally presented in Fires of Consciousness: The Tao of Onliness I Ching (1996) and The Tao of Onliness: An I Ching Cosmology - The Awakening Years (1989). This book describes a post-metaphysical transcendental communication theory by way of introduction and initial formulation of a post-metaphysical integral transpersonal communicology.

Part I describes this evolutionary-developmental Onliness theory, which includes aspects of pre-modern, modern, and post-modern knowledge, insight and wisdom. However, it also includes important metaphysical assertions and assumptions as, I would claim, do all theories, implicitly and/or explicitly.

Part II presents the 64 Tao of Onliness I Ching commentaries which derive from the Onliness sub-realm-wave of universive Subtle Prim-istence Consciousness which, in turn, occurs within the broad realm-wave of Subtle Prim-istence (Figures 3, 4 and 5), both of which are described in Part I. In Onliness, these are the 64 holon-polar "Faces" or Expressions of Spirit (of no-self Self) that are co-enacted at the developmental-evolutionary worldspace of universive Subtle Prim-istence. These 64 sub-realm-wave transcendent Consciousness expressions are symbolized by the 64 I Ching hexagrams.

Each of the 64 commentaries is a supplement to (and integration of) its corresponding photo image, wisdom text quotation and Onliness content expression which are described in Fires of Consciousness and The Tao of Onliness. In this way, each Onliness I Ching commentary is intended to be understood and used in conjunction with its corresponding photo image, text quotation and Onliness theory expression in the course of Onliness I Ching consultation. And which consultation, in turn, is intended to be used in conjunction with traditional I Ching consultation.

From Onliness perspective, I Ching and supplemental Tao of Onliness I Ching consultation is intended to be used as an early stage form of meditation toward transcendental Awakening and Realization. As discussed in Fires of Consciousness, such consultation is not a “magic” fortune-teller game, but rather a quiet and mindful preliminary form of meditation; an opportunity to more deeply and intuitively See into one’s own Self-nature. There is nothing magical about it. In this way, these commentaries are intended to further facilitate inquiry and insight into the nature of ultimate Self through such meditative consultation of Onliness I Ching in conjunction with I Ching itself.

Here again, it is important to note Ken Wilber’s (1995) pre/trans fallacy warnings, but in this instance in relation to I Ching consultation since it has historically often been seen and used in magic and mythic “fortune-teller” terms and context. That is, one must carefully avoid confusing and confounding pre-rational and pre-personal consciousness levels of human development-evolution (e.g., archaic, magic, mythic levels of consciousness) with transcendent trans-rational and trans-personal levels by misinterpreting and mistaking the former for the latter, with disastrous results.

As others have noted (Wilber, 2007), Realization of Enlightenment involves Nondual Spirit-as-Spirit Awakening to the union and identity of the Fullness of created and manifest ever-evolving Form, and the Freedom of uncreated and unmanifest changeless Emptiness (i.e., “Form is Emptiness, Emptiness is Form”). Onliness theory agrees with this insight and understanding. This ever-evolving progressive Fullness (progressive complexity) of manifest reality’s Form, which evolves over billions of years of time, needs to be cognitively recognized, included and accounted for as an important context and dimension of Enlightenment Realization. In Buddhism, this is the first step on the Noble Eight-Fold Path of Enlightenment (Lama Surya Das, 1997): Right (cognitive-mental) View. And contributing to this cognitive understanding is a fundamental intention and purpose of this book.