The I Ching is a book. To use it, you write down a question, from your life. Then you take three coins and toss them six times, and write down the results in a specific way. Then you look up the result in your book. This tells you the answer to your question, in symbolic form. You write down the parts that feel important to you and use the wisdom you have received.
Traditionally, Chinese coins with square holes in them are used. But you can use any kind of coins.
An I Ching answer is written down as six lines, one for each toss of the coins. Each coin is given a value as follows:
Heads (the side with more writing) = 2
Tails (the side with less writing) = 3
For each toss of 3 coins, you add together the value of the coins, and get a total of 6, 7, 8 or 9.
These values are written as shown. So if your first value is a 7, that is written as a solid horizontal line.
You write the lines from bottom to top. In other words, the line for the first roll is written on the bottom, then the line for the next roll above it, and so on, for the whole six lines. While you're getting started, you may find it easier to write the number totals for each roll from bottom to top, then add the lines.
An entire answer from the I Ching consists of six lines, called a hexagram. Each set of three lines is called a trigram. The i ching consists of 64 hexagrams, plus change lines for each one.
Change Lines
A 9 or a 6 is considered a change line. These are lines that are in the process of changing from one state to another. A 9 is a solid line that is developing a hole in it, in other words, it is turning into a broken line. A 6 is the opposite - a broken line that is in the process of firming up, turning into a solid line. The central idea of the I Ching is that we are always in the middle of changes. For the purpose of looking up the hexagrams, a 6 is considered a broken line and a 9 is considered a solid line.
Change lines in a fortune give you extra information about your situation, and how this change is occurring. Where change lines are in a fortune can tell you more about where you are in the situation you are asking about. The earlier in the fortune change lines occur, the earlier in the situation you are. So a change line in the bottom position (line 1) indicates you are early in the process. A change line at the top indicates you are almost done.
The interpretation of each change line is generally listed in the book, after each Hexagram. Change lines give you extra information on how the situation is manifesting and what you may be able to do about it.
The interpretation of each change line is generally listed in the book, after each Hexagram. Change lines give you extra information on how the situation is manifesting and what you may be able to do about it.
Looking Up Your Answer
Once you have the lines written down, the next step is to look up your hexagram on a table like the one above. Every I Ching book has a version of this table included in it, and there is also one on the Wilhelm online I Ching site. Cross reference the top and bottom trigrams, and you will find a number. This is the number of your answer. Go to that number in your I Ching book, and read your answer.
Write down the number next to where you wrote down the lines from your coin throws. As you read your answer the first time, just let the words flow over you. If parts of the answer seem particularly to resonate, write them down. Then read the explanations for your change lines, if any and write a little bit down about them as well. I find Wilhelm a little cryptic for interpreting change lines, and prefer to use Karcher for this, if you have his book available.
If there are any change lines, you should also record what number of answer your answer is "turning into". To do this, simply turn any change lines into the trigram they would be after they change... turn 6's into full solid lines. Turn 9's into broken lines, and then look up what fortune you would have. The premise is that these lines are changing, so your fortune is changing too. It gives you just a little more information to see what it is changing into. I usually write this as something like:
56. Inspiring Force ==> 13. Harmonizing People.
Each person develops their own way of interpreting and recording their i ching work, but generally, it's a good idea to make sure you include the following:
- The date
- The question you asked
- The number of the answer you got, and whatever parts of it seem important to you
- The number of the answer your fortune is changing to (after change lines)
- Your thoughts about it at the time. It's easy to forget later, what seemed very clear at the time you initially got the answer.
