The I-Ching is an ancient Chinese manual of divination. In its simplest form, I-Ching means ‘Book of Changes’ and is believed to be the world’s oldest oracle. It works on a basis of eight symbolic trigrams and sixty-four hexagrams that are interpreted in terms of the Chinese principles of yin and yang. The purpose of I-Ching is to offer clarity to all whom seek it, and it is built upon simple principles so that anyone can understand the interpretations without being taught the techniques of its divination.
I-Ching, as it is known today, is a collection of text that consists of 64 hexagrams and their meanings. A hexagram is a “pile” of six lines that are either broken or solid and the pattern in which they are “built” is unique to the divination itself. When you use the I-Ching, you build up the hexagram line by line and each line is drawn according to the outcomes of tossing two or three coins. In more traditional methods, the lines are drawn by sorting out yarrow stalks or pulling marbles from a concealed bag. Once you compile your hexagram, you look up the particular text that pertains to it.
The foundation for the hexagram arises simply from the Chinese belief of the universe’s most basic structuring principle, the axiom of yin (which is interpreted by the broken lines) and yang (which is interpreted by the solid lines). A hexagram follows the same stark juxtaposition of activity and rest, good and evil, stimulus and response, light and darkness etc as yin and yang does.
What can an I-Ching Reading offer me?
The I-Ching aims to reveal present truths. It doesn’t predict the future, but aims to help you to make the right decisions for the here and now. It is designed to give personalized and more specific answers that will show you the situation your question refers to and how to best deal with it. Some actions work better when applied to the present time-frame and are more likely to achieve success, so I-Ching tends to be a more go-to form of divination than more complicated methods such as tarot.
It will inform you of any immediate challenges and opportunities that will become available to you based on your current decisions. If you decide to take a particular path, i.e. start a new relationship, it will help you to gauge the possible obstacles you may face. The I-Ching will tell you what effects your choices are likely to have, and then goes on to help you achieve your goals.
Why choose an I Ching Reading?
The I-Ching is an uncomplicated oracle: you ask questions and it answers them. An I-Ching reading will give you straightforward answers that will pertain to your current situation. The I-Ching’s intention is to bring you into contact with outside energies that can help you to shape your decisions without taking the responsibility away from you by offering unrealistic futures. It offers a deeper insight to give you the power to make the right decisions.
I-Ching is often consulted to help with issues such as:
- Relationships: parents and children, soul mates, wives and husbands, business partners, friends…
- Personal growth: realization of the truths about yourself…
- Achieving goals: emotional equilibrium, better sales figures, pay rises…
- Confronting big decisions: such as moving house or changing jobs…
- Anticipating the future: for profound insight into the present
The premise of I-Ching is that the oracle views the universe as a natural, coordinated system within which change never stops. It anticipates destiny based solely on the principles of human nature and order so if you want a frank and easy answer that will help you make the right decisions in life, an I-Ching reading may just be for you.
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