I Ching — The Book of Changes

For countless centuries emperor and peasant, scholar and unlearned alike have sought to understand the timeless wisdom and eerie divinations of the I Ching, translated, the Book of Changes. Using the simple tools of three coins, one can seek insight from the I Chlng regarding whatever question is on one's heart.

Using the I Ching — The Question

There is a question burning in your heart and mind. Think about it and then write it down, privately, on a piece of paper. Writing the question down helps you to focus on the precise subject being asked about, thereby avoiding ambiguity. Be sure to word your question so that it requires a commentary type of answer — do not ask a question that requires a “yes” or “no” answer. For example, ask “What if…?” or “What is this all about…?”

Casting the Coins

With your mind focused on the question you've written down, gather three coins of the same size into your hands, shake them until they are randomly arranged in your hand, then cast them gently upon the table in front of you. Notice how the coins have landed with either heads or tails facing up.

Building a Trigram

Match the heads or tails pattern of the cast coins with one of the four patterns in the table. Note the associated line form and write it down. (If you cast three-of-a-kind, the line form will have a dot after it.) Repeat 2 more times, each time placing the next line on top of the previous one. You now have a 3-line figure known as a trigram.

Building a Hexagram

Create a second trigram using the same process. The first trigram is the lower trigram; the second is the upper trigram. Together they form the hexagram.

Finding the Hexagram

Cross-reference the lower trigram with the upper trigram using the standard chart. Ignore any dots for now. Note the hexagram number, then look up its page.

Interpreting the Hexagram

The hexagram contains words of insight for your question. Apply them sincerely and with an open mind. Your intuition will confirm resonance. Sometimes the meaning arrives later — ensure the question cast was truly the one most on your mind. Since the fall of the coins is influenced in part by the mind’s subtle impulses, the I Ching may answer the question truly on your heart even if different from what you wrote.

If Your Hexagram Contains Any “Dotted” Lines

Three-of-a-kind casts create dotted (changing) lines. Convert each dotted line to its opposite (solid ↔ dashed) to reveal the future or tendency hexagram. Read that entry as a likely condition regarding your question.