When you set out to consult the I Ching oracle, just pause briefly and recall the problem or situation in question that you are inquiring about as precisely as possible. Visualize the whole case as vividly as possible and focus only on that what actually IS – and not on assumptions or possible solutions. The answer to every problem usually is already within the overall situation and the I Ching oracle just helps you to discover interconnections that you previously might not have noted.
(Sometimes it is helpful to do this part in writing.)
The divination itself can be carried out in different ways: traditionally with yarrow stalks, or – somehow simpler – with coins, or online at www.no2do.com.
These divination methods result in Yin (dashed line; value 6 or 8) and Yang (solid line; value 7 or 9) lines, discerning not-changing (value 7 or 8) or changing (value 6 or 9) lines. The divination is repeated six times, building the hexagram from bottom to top.
I explicitly do not include the latter detail – changing lines – in my research, even though purists may criticize that this way information is being lost. In my experience each hexagram – if properly read – provides a mass of information already, even if omitting changing lines.
Please note: There are – in fact – differences in the numeric values that result from the different divination methods. You can find further explanation and also an example in the article on divination.
Read more
- I Ching Study Guide – Table of Content
- Using the I Ching for Divination
- Structure of a Hexagram
- Trigrams and their Meaning
