Divination is the reading of signs or symbols in order to obtain guidance about
current situations and future events. Many different methods of divination were
used in the ancient and medieval worlds, including the observation of animal behaviour,
the movements of stars and planets, the casting of lots, and inspired oracular utterances.
These methods were understood as ways of communicating with the world of spirits
and unseen powers. From a modern psychological perspective, divination represents
a subtle means of tapping the wisdom of the unconscious mind.
An ancient Chinese system of divination, the origins of the Book of Changes (I Ching)
are steeped in myth and legend. The book is certainly one of the oldest in the world,
dating back to about 1000 BCE. It is based on an even older shamanistic oral tradition.
The book was used for divinatory purposes for hundreds of years before it was finally
codified during the Han dynasty (206 BCE - 220 CE). At the same time, various commentaries
were added to the basic text. The I Ching has been in continuous use up to the present
day. Its intelligent, profound, sophisticated and often uncannily accurate readings
have recommended this system of divination to many westerners, including the psychologist
C.G. Jung, the physicist Wolfgang Pauli, and the writer Hermann Hesse.
Philosophy of the I Ching
The central idea behind the I Ching is that of flux or change. All things, including
human affairs, are understood to change through time - they are born, develop, decay,
die and are reborn in some new form. By studying these changes, we can recognise
significant patterns of change (e.g., night and day, the phases of the moon, the
seasons of the year, the stages of human life). Change also involves relationships
between opposites. The two most basic opposites are the principles of Yang
and Yin.
Yang corresponds to active, creative, expansive force.
Yin corresponds to receptive, mutable, contracting form.
All change can be understood in terms of the relationship between
Yang and Yin.When Yin and Yang are in balanced relationship, then life is harmonious.
When we follow a harmonious and connected path through life, then we are said to
live in accordance with the Tao. There is also a reality beyond Yin
and Yang. This is T'ai Chi (The Absolute).
T'ai Chi
Structure of the I Ching
Yang and Yin are represented in the I Ching by unbroken and broken lines.
Yang
Yin
Example hexagram
Lines
When using the I Ching oracle, these lines are used to create Hexagrams
(figures made up of six lines). Hexagrams are always constructed and read from the
bottom to the top. Each line in a hexagram can be either Yang or Yin. The various
combinations give rise to 64 different hexagrams. For the purposes of the divination,
each different hexagram (and every line in a hexagram) has its own particular oracular
meaning.
6*
5
4
3
2*
1
22: Adornment
Each hexagram is also understood as composed of two Trigrams (figures
of three lines).
A hexagram's two component trigrams (known as "Above"
and "Below" are made up of the top three lines and the bottom three lines
of the hexagram. These indicate the outer (above) and inner (below) aspects of the
situation described in the hexagram.
There are 8 possible trigrams. Each of these also has a traditional meaning.
Hexagram 22 (shown above) is made up of Mountain (above), and Fire (below).
Additional trigrams, made up of lines 2,3,4 and 3,4,5 of a hexagram, are also understood
to form a Nuclear Hexagram that gives further insight into the meaning
of each reading.
The nuclear hexagram for Hexagram 22 (Adornment) is therefore made up of Thunder
(above) and Water (below).
The nuclear hexagram is believed to indicate something of the original hexagram's
latent or hidden potentials.
The nuclear hexagram of 22 (Adornment) is 40 ( Liberation). The interpretation of
nuclear hexagrams will become much clearer when you use the Advanced I Ching Oracle.
Each hexagram also has one or two governing or Ruling Lines. These
are pivotal in the structure and dynamics of the hexagram and generally represent
auspicious qualities. Most commonly, line 5 is a ruler but sometimes other lines
take precedence. For Hexagram 22 (Adornment), the ruling lines are 2 and 6 (indicated
by asterisks above).
You begin your consultation by formulating a question. You can ask questions about
situations in your own life, or about general situations, such as social, business
or political events.hould NOT use the I Ching to ask questions on behalf of another
person (although, of course, you can consult the oracle about your own relationship
with other individuals).
You should spend some time reflecting on your thoughts and feelings about the situation,
before formulating your question. Your question should be clear and precise. Do
not assume that the oracle knows what you have in mind. Vague or ambiguous questions
will get confusing answers.
Do not ask whether specific events will occur (the I Ching is not intended for fortune
telling!), but focus instead on how things will affect you, on how you should behave
in the situation, or on what aspects are operating in events.
If you do not get a clear answer to your initial question, then more focussed follow-up
questions are advised.
Most importantly, you should approach the I Ching with an attitude of openness,
honesty and respect. The I Ching has a very definite "personality" of
its own, as you will soon learn. If you use the I Ching in a trivial or inappropriate
way, you are not only wasting your own time but you risk being wound up or perhaps
reprimanded by the responses you receive from the oracle.
Examples of BAD questions are:
Hey, this is cool! (not a question)
What's up? (unfocussed, ambiguous and supercilious)
How do I improve things? (imprecise)
Who will win the Mexican Grand Prix? (specific prediction)
What should Mary do about her cheating husband? (this is Mary's question, not
yours!)
Examples of GOOD questions are:
How can I learn from the events of today?
Should I consider psychotherapy at this time?
How should I respond to John's invitation to spend the weekend with him?
How will moving to Chicago affect the family?
What are the prospects for my business partnership with Susan?
What is the best way to ask for a raise in my salary?
How can I improve my relationship with my daughter?
How will the planned surgery affect the way I feel about myself?
How is my spiritual development progressing?
How will political negotiations proceed at the forthcoming summit?
If you wish, you can type in your question (this is not sent to us and remains completely
private). You can also choose your area of inquiry, although this is also optional
(it does not affect the reading given).
2. Cast the Hexagrams
Traditionally, the I Ching hexagrams are constructed by throwing three coins
six times, or by following a complicated procedure that uses 50 yarrow stalks.
Both methods are based on the assumption that the "random" fall of the
coins or division of the sticks in some way reflects the nature of the inquiry.
From the perspective of Jungian Psychology this happens synchronistically,
(i.e., due to meaningful coincidence, or the operation of an acausal connecting
principle known as synchronicity ) .
The coin oracle is the most commonly used, simply because it is quicker. However,
the yarrow stalk procedure is the more ancient, and is considered by many people
to be more authentic. This is because the mathematical odds involved using the yarrow
stalk procedure are more consistent with the underlying theory of the I Ching.
With the advent of personal computers, software is increasingly used to simulate
the traditional methods of casting hexagrams. This has the advantage of convenience,
speed and computational accuracy. It may seem odd to use a computer for this purpose,
but in principle there is every reason to suppose that synchronicity operates just
as readily in this way.
Many people's experience is that computerised I Ching readings are just as valid
and useful as those made using more traditional methods.
Quick I Ching Oracleuses a simulation of the coin method to generate a basic
reading.
Advanced I Ching Oracle gives the choice of Coin, Yarrow Stalk, or "Plum
Blossom" methods. The Plum Blossom method uses your computer's current
date and time to generate a reading (this changes every minute). You may prefer
to use the Plum Blossom method if it seems that the present moment is somehow significant
to your inquiry. Advanced I Ching Oracle also gives an analysis based on both original
hexagrams (manifest circumstances) and nuclear hexagrams (latent potentials).
To cast the oracle (all methods), hold your question clearly in your mind. When
you feel the time is right, click the GO button to cast the hexagram(s). You may
have your own way of getting into the right frame of mind for the divination. Some
people like to use a simple meditation or some kind of personal ritual.
3. Interpret the Reading
The Coin and Yarrow Stalk methods give 64 x 64 = 4096 possible readings. In contrast,
the Plum Blossom method gives only 64 x 6 = 384 different readings (because, with
this method, there will always be exactly ONE changing line).
A reading is generally made up of three main parts:
1. The First Hexagram.
2. The Changing Lines
3. The Second Hexagram
The reading for the first hexagram indicates the basic current situation and
immediate advice.
In many readings (but not all), the first hexagram changes into a second hexagram,
due to the fact that one or more of the lines may change from a Yang to a Yin (or
vice versa). If this is the case, you next interpret the reading for the changing
lines. These give an indication of the dynamic or changing features in the situation.
The changing lines should be read in sequence from bottom to top. If a line appears
to contradict the advice in the basic reading, the changing line takes priority.
When the various lines give different advice, these may refer to a sequence of events,
or may indicate genuine tensions in the dynamics of the situation. If a line is
marked with an asterisk ( * ), this shows a ruling line which should be given particular
emphasis.
Finally, you read the second hexagram. This indicates the way in which the situation
may develop, or advice for the future. If the reading has no changing lines, you
will have no second hexagram. This implies a situation that is fixed or static.
In order to get full value from the reading, you should play with the ideas that
are suggested, relating them to your situation and considering various interpretations.
This should be done lightly and intuitively, allowing your unconscious mind to suggest
connections, associations and possible meanings. If you wish, you can also consult
various books on the I Ching that give more detailed readings of the hexagrams (see
Bibliography).
With the Advanced I Ching Oracle, the original reading (which indicates the manifest
circumstances relating to the question) is supplemented with an analysis
of the nuclear hexagrams. The reading for these is approached in the same way as
before, but this time the indications refer to latent potentials in the situation.
These should be considered alongside the manifest circumstances to add depth and
subtlety to the interpretation.
I Ching Viewer
I Ching Viewer is a sophisticated learning and research tool that enables you to
examine various hexagram combinations and their associated readings. Simply click
on the trigrams, hexagrams, hexagram lines, or changing lines to view the various
readings that are possible. Analyses of the nuclear hexagrams (to four levels) are
also provided (click on the >> button when this is showing). When viewing
nuclear analyses, changes cannot be made to the hexagrams. To enable changes, go
back (<<) to the original hexagrams, or click Clear All.
Video Tutorial
About the Texts
The Quick Oracleuses a modern text written by Michael Daniels PhD, based on a reading of several English
translations and interpretations of the I Ching, and on more than 40 years personal
experience with the oracle. The text is not itself a direct translation from the
Chinese. It represents an attempt to encapsulate the basic psychological ideas behind
the hexagrams and changing lines, while avoiding the archaic and often confusing
imagery found in many books. This text attempts to be accurate and faithful to the
spirit and personality of the I Ching, but has been creatively adapted. It is written
in a modern idiom, and in such a way that it will offer clear guidance for people
who wish to use the oracle to answer questions relating to personal situations (hence
the references to "You" in many readings). As a result, interpretations
may need to be adjusted when consulting on wider social or political issues.
In addition to the modern text described above, the Advanced Oracle and I
Ching Viewer give you the choice of three other interpretive texts. These
are:
The classic scholarly English translation by the sinologist James Legge. This
was originally published in 1882 and is now in the public domain.
