I-Ching Information

About the I-Ching

The I-Ching (which means 'change'), a book as well as a method of predicting the future, is a mix of Taoist and Confucian philosophies. It originally dates back about 5000 years, but was heavily influenced by the followers of Lao Tzu.

Lao Tzu founded Taoism (also called Daoism and pronounced 'dow-ism') about 600 BC with. Nothing for certain is known about Tzu; he is a mosaic of legends and tales. We do know, however, that he wrote a short book of his beliefs called Tao Te Ching (meaning The Way and Its Power), which became the basic text of Taoist thought.

It is believed that the I Ching was created by a legendary individual named Fu Xi, who is credited with creating the yin/yang system and the eight trigrams (or Gua) which form the basis of the I Ching. The lines which make up the trigrams were taken from tortoise shells, which were used for divination.

Chinese philosophy advocates the belief that mankind is part of the Universe and that what happens in the near future can be predicted by what is currently in one's mind. Using the Text of the I Ching these outcomes can be interpreted to predict the outcomes of various actions.

There are two basic methods of casting the I Ching. The use of yarrow stalks predates the use of coins. The coin method was devised to make it easier for people to use the I Ching whenever they wanted. It was much easier for a nobleman or soldier on the road to use three coins than to carry fifty yarrow stalks.

A Quick Reading

Take three coins,3 nickels or dimes will do, but you may want I-Ching coins like the one above. Concentrate on your question of interest. For example, you may want to know whether you will be successful in an interview next week. Transfer your thought to the coins and throw them on the table. Record the result. It will be one of the four:

Heads, Heads, Heads		Moving/Changing line
Heads, Heads, Tails
Heads, Tails, Tails
Tails, Tails, Tails		Moving/Changing line

Repeat the toss six times and record the results. When the coins have been cast and the resulting hexagram determined, the hexagram is looked up in the I Ching. If there are no moving lines in the hexagram, read the text for the entire hexagram. In one method, the text for the individual lines are not strictly needed, however the individual lines can be seen to provide additional information. The text for each of the six lines gives different aspects of or perspectives on the main text, and is also interpreted as a progression over time related to the question.

More about Taoism
Taoism is tied in with the traditional Chinese yin/yang symbol, a circle depicting life's opposites (good and evil, day and night, life and death, male and female, etc.). The black (Yin, negative) and white (Yang, positive) halves of the circle flow into each other and each includes a spot of the opposite in its soul.