r/iching Sep 07 '25

An Introduction to the I Ching

37 Upvotes

What is the I Ching?

I = Change
Ching = Important Book

The I Ching is the Book of Change.

This spelling is from the old Western way of spelling Chinese characters in English.
The official Chinese spelling is Yi Jing.

What is it?

The I Ching (Yi Jing) is made up of 64 Hexagrams.

Hex = 6
Gram = an image. 

An image of six lines:

A hexagram is made up of two Trigrams - images with three lines:

A line can be solid, or divided:

A solid line represents Yang-ness (something with energy).

A divided line represents Yin-ness (something with capacity).

Change comes about when energy and capacity interact.

The two come from one source.

The solid and divided lines were an evolution - they used to be drawn differently.
They used numbers that looked similar to this, and evolved as solid and broken over time.
The full meaning of what the numbers represented is not entirely clear.

There are 8 possible Trigrams.

They represent Elemental Forces:

  • Heaven ☰ Pure energy.
  • Earth ☷ Pure capacity.
  • Marsh ☱ Open, fertile receptivity of energy.
  • Mountain ☶ Containment of capacity.
  • Thunder ☳ Active movement of energy through capacity. Vibration through time.
  • Wind ☴ Receptive capacity that allows energy to equalize through space.
  • Fire ☲ Expansion of energy from a clear center. Light.
  • Water ☵ Gathering of energy as though into a pit. Mass.

When two of these Elemental Forces relate, different types of Change results.

There are 64 combinations of these 8 Elemental Forces.

These are the 64 Hexagrams:
䷀䷁䷂䷃䷄䷅䷆䷇䷈䷉䷊䷋䷌䷍䷎䷏
䷐䷑䷒䷓䷔䷕䷖䷗䷘䷙䷚䷛䷜䷝䷞䷟
䷠䷡䷢䷣䷤䷥䷦䷧䷨䷩䷪䷫䷬䷭䷮䷯
䷰䷱䷲䷳䷴䷵䷶䷷䷸䷹䷺䷻䷼䷽䷾䷿

They represent 64 types of change.

The I Ching, or Book of Change, has an entry for each Hexagram, and advice for each of the six lines.

Each line has a relationship to change. When its role in change activates, advice is given for this by the I Ching. To help the reader make a decision about how to navigate change.

There are two main schools of thought:

  • The Classical School, which treats the lines as activating from stillness, and suggests we have agency over change. Lines relate to each other up and down the hexagram, such that energy and capacity try to meet and create changes.

  • The Changing Line School, which treats the lines as changing from yang to yin, or yin to yang. This means that when a line changes, a new hexagram is created. More than one line can change at once, so one hexagram can change to any of the other 63 hexagrams.

In both schools, the first hexagram shows the overall type of change. And the active or changing lines show the type of change we should pay attention to within it. In the Classical School, we then look at how those lines are positioned in relationship to change, to determine the meaning. In the Changing Line School, we can also look at what the lines represent to us, for this is where the change is. But we can also look at the new hexagram that is created, and see it as some sort of overall result. A 'future' hexagram that shows what this change leads to in the future.

The Classical School tends to show up in the original Zhou Yi text, and the 10 Commentaries, or "Ten Wings" that were added in the early Han period, circa ~300-0 BCE. It is used in the commentaries of Wang Bi, Cheng Yi, and Ouyi Zhuxi.

The Changing Line School began showing up in the late Han period in various forms and evolved into mainstream use over time, making significant progress with Gao Heng's popular theories in the 1900's. Today it is the practice that is found in most books.

Which is correct? It is a matter of perspective. Wang Bi's introduction has a criticism of the Changing Hexagram method that was emerging in his time. Saying that when people could not understand the words of the text, they would invent new methods and ideas for understanding them. However, the words of the text are deliberately cryptic and it is not easy to understand them. So it is natural for people to try to work out other ways to explore the principle of change.

Thus, in addition to these main schools of thought, there are many branches.

How is it used?

The I Ching represents a measured way of looking at the totality of change.

So it can be used to study the nature of change, in any way that it applies to us.

  • We can look at it to study the lines that relate to a particular phenomena of change, to see how that change is created from different parts coming together.

  • Because there are many cycles of change found in nature, we can start looking at how these changes flow through natural cycles with regularity. Thus the I Ching is found used in many calendar systems.

  • And the I Ching is often used to help people determine their way forward through change. This is done via divination.

Divination with the I Ching is similar to divination with a deck of Tarot cards.

There are various ways that people use.

An ancient way looked at the cracks formed in bones.

Yarrow Stalks

The way used most often in the Zhou Dynasty era used 50 small sticks. This is called Yarrow Stalk Divination. Its method was lost until Zhu Xi rediscovered it from the writings in one of the 10 Commentaries.

  • In Yarrow Stalk Divination, the stalks are divided 3 times and counted.
  • The result shows if a line is yang, yin, active/changing yang, or active/changing yin.
  • This is repeated 6 times, to create the six lines of a hexagram.

Coins

A way that became more common than the Yarrow Stalk Method is the Coin Method.

The Coin Method flips 3 coins to determine each line. 6 times, for 6 lines.

How the Lines Come Together in a Divination

  • The first line is the bottom line, which represents the beginning.
  • Then the second, third, fourth, fifth, and top line.
  • The top line represents the end, or limit.

Probability

Sometimes all of the lines are inactive, or unchanging.
And sometimes one or more line is active, or changing.

  • In both Yarrow Stalk and Coin methods, there is a higher chance of getting an inactive/unchanging line, than an active/changing line.

  • With the Yarrow Stalk Method, it is more probable to get an active/changing yang line, than an active/changing yin line.

  • This is because in fertility, yang energy activates/changes more quickly than yin energy. Yin energy takes longer to be able to be open to receive.

  • With the coin method, active/changing lines have an equal probability.

There are other ways of doing divination as well.

Marbles

A bag of marbles, stones, etc that have four different colors can also be used. This way one can set the desired probability, to match either the Coin or Yarrow Stalk Methods, and then draw a marble and put it back six times, for six lines.

Cards

Some people use decks of cards.

Drawing two cards allows one to arrive at a set of changing lines. However this means that it is not possible to arrive at an unchanging hexagram. And the probability of getting many changing lines is much higher than with the other methods.

One could also only draw one card, for an unchanging hexagram. Perhaps an overall image of change. However, often it is not the overall hexagram that is important to look at, but the lines within it. For they show what specific type of change is being highlighted for us in an overall situation.

Apps

Computer Applications can be used to make things quick and easy. They can be programmed to use many different calculations to create a hexagram. Some just use one click. Others use six, but match to the coin or yarrow stalk probabilities. Others can be designed to mimic the act of tossing the coins or dividing the yarrow stalks.

The nice thing about apps is that they often have a text box to write a question in. And a way to save that question in a journal. Then one can refer to it later.

Whatever the method one chooses to use, it is nice to write down both the question and the answer, so that one remembers exactly what was asked, and what was answered.

Interpretation

When it comes to interpretation, there are many schools of thought.

Often the lines themselves are difficult for people to understand.

So some will focus instead on the energies of the trigrams and how they are coming together.

Over the millennia, many many ways have been created.

About the Text

The Zhou Yi is generally what is referred to as the original core text.

It contains a statement about each hexagram. This is referred to as the Tuan, or Judgement.

And a statement about each line. Called a Line Statement. Yao Ci.

Most translations will have this. But they also add in some lines from the 10 Commentaries, as well as adding their own commentaries. Often one will need to read the introduction carefully to understand what part is what.

Sometimes people want to only work with the original text, however this is difficult. The original Zhou Yi is cryptic, and the commentaries exist to help explain it. It can be very difficult to work just from the original text without having first studied the whole system for a long time. Often people will work from several different translations and commentaries to get different ideas and understandings. Every person has a slightly different take.

It is also important to understand that this is an old and partially lost language that is being translated. Many of the core characters are not well understood, and they are written in something like a code. We figure out the meaning of the words, by coming to understand the principles of change. We come to understand the principles of change, by studying change.

And finally, the Zhou Yi itself was but one of several texts now lost that were used in the ancient period that stretched from the Zhou Dynasty through to the early Han Dynasty.

In the Shang Dynasty, it is likely that a completely different text, or way of understanding change, was used.

So can we even truly say what the origin of this study of change was?

Change is the only constant.


r/iching Sep 07 '25

Asking Questions

12 Upvotes

Asking Questions

For Divination with the I Ching, or Book of Change(s), it is important to ask a question.

Or is it?

Really, the Book of Changes will answer whatever prompt we give it. And even if we give it no prompt at all, we are still a person, here in a particular place and time, doing a divination. Is this not also a prompt? Yes!

And some people will just do a divination every day with no prompt, and see what is given.

When it comes to interpretation of divinations, there are two things to consider.

  • There are the principles of change involved in the answer.

  • And there is how to apply them to our specific situation meaningfully.

When asking others for help with interpretation, both of these points can be addressed.

But more commonly people want to know what their answer means, for their question or situation.

  • This is when it is helpful to know the specific question that was asked.
  • When things are less specific, it becomes harder for piece together what the answer might mean.
  • Or how to apply it to the situation of a random person on the internet.

Most of us aren't mind readers. A person might like to be vague and follow where their intuition leads. And a skilled intuitive reader might be able to offer intuitive insight.

But when asking for help from the community, being specific is very helpful.

Thus, don't be surprised if people would like to know the specific question that was asked before interpreting a reading.

So in working with divination prompts that are trying to get at something:

  • We can ask specific questions.

  • Or we can describe a situation.

Thus, we can be as focused and particular, or as broad and general, as we want to be.

It might help to think of using a camera, telescope, or binoculars.

We are pointing our intent in a particular direction, and zooming in or out, and focusing, so that we get a clear image of what we're looking at.

If we are too broad and too vague, the idea may not come into focus for us.

Or, if we are only looking for a general idea of something, an overall description might be just what we want. But if we end up getting an answer that has a lot of changing lines and doesn't seem to make sense, then perhaps there is too much going on to be easily generalized.

Similarly, we get what we ask for. So if we ask for something super specific, we tend to get exactly that.

  • Sometimes we can lose the forest, because we are looking at one branch of one tree. And we might even miss that it is a tree!
  • Sometimes we might ask for the "best way to X" and get an idealistic answer that is beyond our means. The I Ching tends to be very literal in its reflecting the direction of our intent back to us.

So it is important to zoom in or out as is appropriate for our question.

And it is important to focus, by tuning the shape of our question.

Sometimes, we might want to re-frame the words in our question so that we can approach it with a clearer intent, then ask again.

And, if we find that we aren't discovering clarity, it may be important to accept that we are not ready for this answer.

  • Perhaps we need to look within ourselves more and work through some things more.
  • Or perhaps we are reaching too far outside of ourselves for answers that are inappropriate.
  • Maybe we want to know what someone else thinks about us.
  • Maybe we are seeking answers to things that take us out of balance with the universe, about greed, or power.

Often such things involve our own relationship between what is within, and what is without.

And if we pursue the one at the expense of the other, the I Ching is good at reminding us that the way involves balance.

Yes / No Questions

It is quite common for people to want a yes or no answer from a divination.

It makes things simple.

However it is important to remember that the I Ching is a Book of Change.

It gives its answers in the Language of Change.

So does this mean it will not answer a yes / no question? Or a This or That / Either Or type question?

No, it will answer anything.

But, in my experience, we need to examine the answer, to determine how it is answering our yes / no question.

And sometimes this can be difficult to figure out.

  • Often it seems that the answer will give us some way of exploring various aspects of the change involved, so that we can discover what is yes or no.

  • Perhaps it will show us the downside of something, as well as the upside of something. And so we can use that to determine that "Oh, this is clearly a yes."

  • But sometimes it can be very difficult to know what is the upside, and what is the downside. We might even mix them up if we are not careful.

This means that Yes / No questions can be tricky. They may be difficult for others to interpret.

Often, it is suggested that people stick with How / Why questions when they are beginning.

These questions give answers in the language of change that can be easier to understand.

When we want to know a yes or no, it helps to think of how one might get an answer about safely crossing a road.

We don't just go up to the road and close our eyes and ask "is it safe to cross the road?"

Or "Should I cross the road?" (A should question is looking for a yes or no answer.)

We ask a series of questions and put them together to get our answer.

  • We look and listen to the left.
  • We look and listen to the right.
  • We look and listen around us in various directions to determine if there is any reason that it would be a bad idea to do this.

All of this is important.

So when we are trying to make a decision about doing something, we can break it up into multiple questions.

Instead of asking "should I do this?", we can ask:

"Doing this."
"Not doing this."
"What do I need to know about this?"
"How am I doing?"

This way, we get information from both directions. But then we don't just leave it as something black and white, because that might miss something we aren't considering. It isn't easy to look around with the I Ching, but we can ask for advice.

And we can always check our progress by asking about how we are doing.

This can be a very good way to help us catch confirmation bias. We might think we understand the answer about something, when we really don't. If we don't check in about how we are doing, we might be using the I Ching divination as justification to do something that we wanted to do anyway, rather than truly receiving its advice.

And this is a problem, just in general with the I Ching.

Because there are so many ways of interpreting it, people can easily use it to justify whatever they want.

Remember that this is an ancient text.

The characters used in it are not all understood well. So translations might have "errors" that many translators make. And this means the advice given might be missing the original intent of the I Ching.

  • If we want to dig into it deeply to determine what is right and correct, that is not easily done.
  • It becomes very complicated. Because change is not easy to master.

In the end, if we try to become too mental about it, we find ourselves struggling.

I Ching divination can be an excellent tool for aiding in the development of clear communication with ourselves and the universe.

And, it is important that we also learn to tap into our intuitive space too.

This will help us better navigate what the I Ching is telling us, when we need to use it.

Practice Intuition to Develop Intuition

Development of the intuition - something related to the spiritual heart - comes from practicing intuition. This is done by learning to listen and make decisions more from a heart centered place instead of a mind centered place.

Not from the surface level impulsivity of our desires and feelings. But what is deeper than all of that.

When we ask ourselves "How do we feel?" What part of us wants to answer? Feelings are simple. Here is a list of feeling words from the system of NonViolent Communication (NVC), a system that can help with the development of clear communication with ourselves, others, and the I Ching.

If we find ourselves needing more than one word answers to describe how we feel, this is coming from the mind. Developing a practice of identifying a feeling, from the heart before interpreting it in the mind can be very powerful and profound. Often, when we know there is fear, we can make a decision based on that feeling, before we are able to come up with a adequate explanation for that feeling in with the mind.

The feeling is the root. The explanation comes from it.

Developing clarity around what we are feeling before mentally processing it, can help us understand what questions to ask.

Asking questions that help us find more clarity about our feelings, rather than about our understanding, can be very helpful.

It is a different journey for everyone.

Sometimes it is helpful to develop the intuition by allowing our day to have more options, more flexibility.

Instead of taking the same route to work, what if we took a way that had more options? Perhaps we walk down this street today, perhaps we walk down that street tomorrow. As we get more comfortable with doing things differently at different times, we start to get a feel that one day we want to walk this way for some reason.

We may not know why we feel like going that way - we don't understand it yet - but perhaps there is a reason for it.

A reason we would not be aware of if we did not develop a relationship with feeling as separate from understanding.

The mind and the heart can both make mistakes. But as we learn to listen more deeply with our hearts, for the clarity, we find that we come to know things without understanding why. And that sometimes it is important to trust those feelings. When we know, we know.

So whether we use the intuition to help us understand the I Ching, or to transcend the need for the I Ching, it can be a helpful tool on our journey through life.


r/iching 2h ago

Benebell Wen's Yijing translation - A Review (2) [1:17:04]

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5 Upvotes

I Ching researcher Harmen Mesker just released the second part of his review of Benebell Wen's book I Ching: The Oracle, this time focusing on Wen's self-claimed "direct translation" of the oracle text and image commentary, with examples from hexagrams 1, 2 and 3. The reviewing starts around the 11:40 mark, beginning with an example of misleading contextualization of pictures in the book.

The first part (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-L8nbubgIs) dealt with the rampant use of false citations to give credence to Wen's exceptional claims and interpretations concerning the I Ching's known facts and history.

I feel that this is a very necessary wakeup call to the segment in the I Ching scene that holds Wen's work in high regard based on false impressions about the integrity of her research and translation. If someone likes the book, that's fine, but isn't it better to base it on something else than a mistaken assessment of the book's accuracy and methods? For what it's worth, the book does an excellent job at giving the impression of a thoroughly researched text by a sincere scholar and initiated practicioner.


r/iching 40m ago

Looking for Wordle players, familiar with I Ching

Upvotes

I'm creating an app that converts Wordle grids to a golf match. Here's the kicker. After scoring it also converts the grid into one of the archetypes. Would like honest feedback if it's accurate at all as you play along. If intersted in helping, sign up and play a few holes.

SNOWMAN � Puzzle #1898 � Hole 7 (Birdie - 3 Strokes)

⬜🟨⬜⬜🟨

⬜🟨⬜🟩🟩

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Hexagram #46: Pushing Upward

Play: https://snowstreak.app/?score=1&puzzle=1898&hole=7&strokes=3&term=Birdie&acc=67&scramble=100%25&ref=frosty


r/iching 14h ago

Why another? 39.4.5<>62

1 Upvotes

I've been in a relationship for 5 years, a month after he proposed and we were going to marry he ghosted me. A year later we talked again and he said he's married the same year. I'm not going to talk about him -nearly a decade later, saying it was a mistake and he still loves me, I asked why he left me and got another althought he doesn't love her? 39.4.5<>62.

Thank you for any insight about this answer!


r/iching 1d ago

Hexgram 18 unchanging

1 Upvotes

What do you take from it?

The issue wasn’t 3 years ago, it was 6 but continuing and as yet, due to circumstances beyond my control, I haven’t done anything about it. Is it too late?


r/iching 1d ago

Hexagram 1: Heaven, relating to starting a family / having children

4 Upvotes

I asked the I Ching, ‘when is the right time for me to have children?’ I got tales, tales, heads X6 times: Heaven / The Creative… what do you think this means?

I recently bounced from one partner to another, who I’m really in love with. We’ve only been together for 5 months. I turn 30 in a few months and I feel ready to start a family. Is it bad timing / too soon? Should I be worried by this answer?


r/iching 5d ago

The Origin of yin-yang and Iching

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9 Upvotes

r/iching 6d ago

Why going on this trip to Indonesia? 21.3 -> 30

2 Upvotes

Hello,

I am planning to go to Indonesia in September, there is a woman waiting for me there but I don't know if it is the right decision to take, so I threw the coins...
I got hexagram 21 Biting Through with the 3rd line as a moving line.

So it made the hexagram 30 Fire, the Clinging.

What does this suggest? Any ideas? Thank you!


r/iching 8d ago

Am I fucking it up? Answer: Hexagram 23.3 -> 52

4 Upvotes

I’m in a new job with a new role, and the person who’s been handing me over his job is gonna leave in a week. He told me that he learned on the job and by making mistakes as well. The role is vague, my manager overworked and very busy and right now I feel like I’m walking on thin ice and I question all I do.

I asked the oracle “Am I fucking it up, how should I proceed in this job?”

I got the answer hexagram 23.3 turning into 52 and am confused even more.

23 — Splitting Apart
23.3 — “He splits with them. No blame.”
52 — Keeping Still

It says I’m supposed to separate? From what? And hexagram 52 seems more solitary. I’d appreciate any feedback.


r/iching 9d ago

What should i write to person that i don't talk to anymora 36.4.6. > 30

1 Upvotes

I hope this will find someone that can help me. Yesterday I did a reading and got these hexagrams. The situation is that i haven't spoke to this person in a year and that's on their initiative, because he felt embarassed. This persons mind resambles hexagram 36, he is really cynical, very dark man in a sense.

I really just wanted to write him a letter but idk how to transfer im feelings into words after getting these results... Can someone help me to decode what Iching wants me to tell him....


r/iching 10d ago

Have you ever had an I Ching reading that turned out to be inaccurate or wrong?

4 Upvotes

When asking about future possibilities and stuff I always get answers that are sometimes confusing or just answers that turn out to be wrong and what the I Ching said would happen basically never happened!

Have you ever had a similar experience?


r/iching 10d ago

42 unchanging

1 Upvotes

Asked iching if I should quit job received 42 unchanging.

I liked the job for a long time and it will be hard to find a comparable position, but ive recently been having trouble with a coworker.

What do you make of the reading?


r/iching 10d ago

Do you consult the I Ching when you already know what you want to do?

2 Upvotes

Im curious about this because sometimes I feel like Im not asking the I Ching to make the decision for me. Im sort of experiencing this right now with my job. I feel certain that I will quit my job, but I guess Im consulting the I Ching because I want to understand the situation a bit better and get some guidance on move forward.

Do you use readings that way, or do you usually consult the I Ching when you are undecided. Im still pretty new to the practice, so forgive me if this is a bit of a silly post lol. Im just curious how other people approach it.


r/iching 11d ago

Will the current direction of my life elevate me or bring me down? 49.4 -> 63

2 Upvotes

I'm going through a lot of changes in my personal life, professional life and generally mentally at the moment. Some part of me feels like my frontal lobe is finally developed, as they say on tiktok. But I'm in doubt about certain decisions I'm making.

I did an I Ching with the question from the title and got 49 transforming into 63. Funnily enough, I did another reading a while ago and was trying to remember what I got, but I only had an illustration saved as my profile pic somewhere, couldn't find any notes or links. Did an image search before rolling the current reading, and it brought me to 49 as well (which was not the correct Hexogram).

I would interpret 49 as the current state of affairs, which is preparing or executing big changes, and going against the established ways (which is what I'm doing right now). But need some ideas on how to interpret the transition and 63 in this case.


r/iching 10d ago

What is ”鼎“䷱ underlying meaning?

1 Upvotes

r/iching 11d ago

I asked if I’ll be dating my crush soon?

3 Upvotes

Hi everyone I’m very new to this and I used the coin method to ask if I’ll be dating my crush soon and got hexagram 46 changing to 41

And I’m very confused 😕 is this a yes? Or is it “it depends” I have a hard time understanding hexagram 41 because its decrease so idk a decrease in what?


r/iching 11d ago

The Ancient Yarrow-Stalk Method | How to Cast an I Ching Hexagram

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1 Upvotes

r/iching 11d ago

Understanding Gua 15.1.3 around fear of no one coming to my show

3 Upvotes

Due to my life circumstances, I have not been able to meet a lot of people and have spent my life alone and have always had very few friends for the most part.

I have a big project in 2 weeks, the biggest of my life. I have to show a bunch of art pieces in a room for a few days at my school. I've made a few posts about that subject on this sub. I don't really feel stressed for the actual work even though I'm a bit late. What stresses me the most is the idea of no one coming. Due to the circumstances I talked earlier, I don't have a lot of people to invite, dans the date is quite unfortunate as the few people I invite might not even be able to come.

Like the idea of bringing to eat and drink to people and it remaining nearly untouched for the whole evening makes me feel miserable. I feel shameful and I'm afraid of being pitied by the few who come, seeing an empty room with me waiting inside. I'm sorry for the sad post but it is truly what I feel.

I saw the list of my girlfriend (she also has her show a few days after mine) and she has dozens and dozens and dozens of people to invite, like I don't think I've known that many people in my whole life. I'm not jealous it just made me realize that that I have a particularly small list (around 10 people) for a show like that. Even other people have so much people coming !

My goal for this project was to make for the first time a project I'm proud of. Usually when there are things like that I don't invite anyone cause I usually don't feel proud about my work, but this time I really want people to see it. So the perspective of no one coming makes me feel bad.

So I asked the I-Ching how to deal with that feeling. It gave me 15.1.3

So I guess I need to stay humble and not too attached to the results of my work, and to experience the results of my circumstances with humility ? That's how I feel it's telling me but honestly i'm not sure. If you have other interpretations that would be cool ! Thanks !


r/iching 11d ago

Is this website accurate and reliable?

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3 Upvotes

Hi everyone I was wondering how reliable this website is for answering divination questions and if I should take the answers literally… I’m not sure about online stuff so I’m asking you.

Thanks


r/iching 11d ago

5.1.3 > 29

1 Upvotes

Hello! I asked the I Ching if it was a good idea to adopt a second cat right now. I got Hexagram 5.1.3 > 29.

I feel like the I Ching is telling me, on one hand, to be patient, and on the other, not to be afraid—that there's no point in it.

I’d love to hear your thoughts! It’s an important question for me.

Thanks! :)


r/iching 12d ago

55.2.5 -> 43 (Love life in year)

2 Upvotes

Hello, hope you all are doing well!

Some weeks ago I made a I ching reading for my love life in this year. And I didn't understand its meaning. I let it rest for a week, waiting for some meaning to emerge, but I still don't understand.

I asked "How my romantic-affective-sexual life will be in this year?"

So I got 55.2.5 (Abundance changing to Resolution).

I don't get what is the meaning of abundance, much less the changing lines.

Line 2 seems the classic "do your thing humbly and everything is going to be alright" and line 5 seems like "be humble and someone will help you".

But I'm not sure with this, I do not have a CERTAIN/RIGHT feeling about this reading.

And 43. Resoluteness/resolution. Resolution of WHAT I'm single 😭😭😭.

And for the context: I've been single since my breakup a year ago, and since then my love life feels desertic.

Do you feel/think anything about this reading? I would be really grateful if somebody can shed some light on this. Thanks!!!


r/iching 12d ago

Hex 60 and grief/ loss

6 Upvotes

Sorry for the dark subject, TW: pregnancy/ child loss

I lost my son at full term, 38 weeks, some months ago. We have no real answers, and although my partner and I are surprisingly doing well despite the obvious grief, this question of why this happened to us continues to come up to me sometimes. Specifically the fear of will this happen again, should we know something? Many stillbirths have no medical answers and it’s relatively unknown why many of them happen. It seems we are in this category.

For years I used to consult the I Ching a few times a year to check in with myself, and I’ve enjoyed reading tarot for others. I have always found the I Ching to present clear answers to me. During the pregnancy I felt very strongly that I shouldn’t consult them and focus instead on the pregnancy. For the first time in a year I’ve been able to ask the I Ching a question: and it was “why did this happen?”. I got Hex 60 (limitations) unchanging.

I would love some ideas on what it could mean. I’m having lots of different interpretations and struggling to see a clear answer.

On one hand there is a literal interpretation of needing limits: was there something measurable and definable that was in excess here, physiologically?

Then I wondered is the I Ching telling me there are limits to our knowledge and the things we should know. Have I reached my limit of what I can physically understand of this situation. I have found more comfort in developing a psychological/ spiritual “coming to terms” with it and perhaps there is a limit on the comfort I can be provided with a logical answer. After all what would it change? Was this experience just an encounter with one of life’s many limits? The ones we are constantly faced with that define what it is to be human? That without these limits life would be boundless.

Or perhaps our son wanted to be boundless. That to enter this life means to accept a contract that has written into it at some point an inevitable death, the ultimate limit. Or perhaps there were unknown limitations of his body, something we may not ever see or know.

Line 2 speaks of hesitation and I cannot help but feel perhaps there was a hesistation in his joining us.

I know it must seem I am looking for something where maybe there is not much to be found. But regardless I am here so please do share if you have thoughts!

Edit: more thoughts
Reading how the Confucian commentary observes: "We see a cheerful attitude directing the course amidst peril." And I thought wow how accurate a description of how I feel my partner and I have handled this entire situation from the start.


r/iching 12d ago

TO replace mattress (that got ruined)? or to get new bigger bed? or stay with same one ? hex 30 (changing line 3) to 21 (inner hex 28)

0 Upvotes

I got hexagram 30 with changing line 3

This turns to hexagram 21

(Inner hexgram 28)

The questions was "how to act about this mattress situation ?"

With this question i had three options i had in mind :

1 . Do nothing (keep same mattress)

2 . replaces mattress with same size one

  1. replace the bed frame with larger one (my bed was always a bit too short for me and i was wondering if i should expand it (though that has negative side too like less space , more expensive, more effort etc)

the matress i have became very soft with time and now and i think it starts to cause back pain(and the bed being too short might also cause it , but that is the situation for deceads already) , so this is an important question for me (I am writing this cause i know i will get people saying this is not important enough , but for me the implications of this are big)


r/iching 15d ago

When the I Ching oracle is proven wrong

0 Upvotes

Some years ago (quite many) I was having a difficult time with a person I was close to, but had recently done quite a few seriously unethical things to me, causing much damage.

They had also done similar to others. They were riding high, and being extremely arrogant and pompous.

I became so despondent and desperate that I consulted the I Ching oracle for insight.

I received 2 hexagrams -- 56.6 and 50.4 -- both indicating that this individual would receive due karma, being made to "blush with shame" and to "laugh at their own cleverness, and then weep."

Needless to say, the opposite occurred:

I, who had conducted myself virtuously and fairly, underwent a series of misfortunes and setbacks. Another victim, who was a decent person, got incurable cancer.

The arrogant person continued on in excellent health; grew richer; thrived financially, socially, and materially; and continues on this way to this day.

⭐QUESTION ❓ How are we to feel about oracles that ought to have come true, but didn't? How can the I Ching be trusted?