The i Ching
Getting to know the i Ching a little better over the years has been a really wonderful experience. Working with it regularly now, as part of Chapter & Feather is a quiet joy.
There is so very much that could be said about the i Ching, & countless volumes of books & pages on the internet are dedicated to it… but this doesn’t feel like the space for anything more than an introduction if you’re not already acquainted.
I was lucky enough to find a beautiful set of cards for i Ching divination with marvellous natural images created by a wonderful artist based in Scotland. This set came into my life just when I needed it & has been a constant companion since; I feel very fortunate to have found it. Shen has very kindly given me permission to link to her wonderful website here (& also to include her cards in my photos on the website – they are always on the table when I am working, so I’m relieved as well as delighted as they were always very hard to avoid in any photos!):
Zhouyi Oracle | About the I Ching | Shen
&
I Ching oracle | Zhouyi oracle | free I Ching reading | Shen
As well as getting to see & enjoy the beautiful images, there is a wealth of information about the i Ching itself & it is a wonderful place to begin. There is even an elegant way of doing an i Ching reading online – something I would never have expected to belong online or to work with grace & balance… yet it does.
I will say only a little here, but would urge anyone who feels their interest has been piqued to find out a little more. The i Ching is a beautiful & ancient thing, profoundly wise & incredibly supportive & full of potential to be the beginning of a conversation with the universe.
–
It all begins with asking an earnest question & building a hexagram – six lines that hold so much
Making sure that you are asking sincerely is very important.
Then framing or wording your question is the next step – trying out different wording in a notebook or journal can help it become really lucid.
Writing the question out clearly is an important step.
Next is the divination, & for me over time that has worked in different ways:
- using Shen’s website tool initially
- using a set of divination cards & porcelain sticks (to find the changing line)
- building a hexagram upwards, line by line for 6 lines with each of those lines being broken or unbroken – I have only ever used 4 sided sticks designed for i Ching divination for this
If you’d like to find out more about the traditional ways of divining using coins or yarrow stalks then there is a lot of useful information out there.
–
The trigrams that make the hexagrams (very much in brief)
The 6 line hexagrams are made of one 3 line trigram on top of another. The 8 trigrams are as follows:
__ __
__ __
__ __ Earth
–
__ __
__ __
_____ Thunder
–
__ __
_____
__ __ Water
–
_____
__ __
__ __ Mountain
–
_____
__ __
_____ Fire
–
__ __
_____
_____ Lake
–
_____
_____
__ __ Wood / Wind
–
_____
_____
_____ Heaven
–
As you build a hexagram of 6 lines you will find that you have one trigram on top of the other, for example:
_________
_________
_________
____ ____
____ ____
_________
Above we have Heaven over Thunder.
Using each of the various methods you will find that one, some or none of the lines are changing… this will lead you to a second hexagram.
With Heaven over Thunder above, if we had the 4th line changing then there would be a new hexagram resulting from that process:
_________
_________
_________ (to change)
____ ____
____ ____
_________
becomes
_________
_________
____ ____ (now changed)
____ ____
____ ____
_________
Here Heaven over Thunder becomes Wood / Wind over Thunder.
–
What happens when a line changes?
There are other places dedicated to this & so much more about interpretation of divinations, so I would always recommend looking elsewhere for really solid explanations.
As I have come to understand it the answers & guidance provided by the i Ching work very much around the shifts & flows of energy – movements & exchanges or stability.
The initially divined hexagram in short represents the current situation, & the changed hexagram the trajectory for the future for it. The line or lines that are changing offer very specific insight about getting from one state to the other.
–
To use the example of a change, as in the example from earlier (above):
_________
_________
_________ (to change)
____ ____
____ ____
_________
Heaven over Thunder. Hexagram 25: Integrity, moving with the flow, innocence.
When the 4th line is changing the thrust of the insight from the i Ching could be interpreted as: Be consistent & cautious. Make a prayer not a wish. Go with the flow (as I read it at least).
With the changed 4th line the hexagram now becomes as follows:
_________
_________
____ ____ (now changed)
____ ____
____ ____
_________
Wood / Wind over Thunder. Hexagram 42: Blessing, increase
–
As mentioned elsewhere in this website, I do keep a record of the fuller divination for each Chapter & Feather journal set that I create; so please get in touch if you want to know which line was changing for a set (hello@chapter@feather.co.uk) & what the resulting changed hexagram is.
–
The 64 hexagrams (with the most fleeting of interpreations)
With the 8 different trigrams it is possible to build 64 different hexagrams. That is a lot of hexagrams – & when you think that in every one of them any, all or no lines could change, that is 512 pretty specific ‘answers’, as it were, before you even delve deeper into the symbolism & the meaning – the story as it were – of the hexagrams.
There is a whole world of information available about the trigrams & other formations within the hexagrams including mirrors, compliments & reverses. I never found that just reading the i Ching works for me – I had to use it to start to build further understanding. Chapter & Feather has been the most wonderful opportunity to make learning more about the trigrams & hexagrams part of everyday life.
Below is a very simple list of all 64 of the i Ching hexagrams with the two or three names or meanings of each that I most frequently refer to (from Shen’s website, another detailed website linked from hers & a book I find helpful). There certainly isn’t any need to sit & look through them all – but they are here for completeness.
When divining for the journals I will often just include one or two of the meanings below to keep things simple & avoid confusion. I have never found the i Ching to be negative – far from it, even when addressing monumental challenges & difficulties in queries… but I am aware of the power of words & the potential negative connotations some will hold.
–
Hexagram 1: Heaven over Heaven. Creation, pure yang, creative energy
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
–
Hexagram 2: Earth over Earth. Response, pure yin, restrained energy
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
–
Hexagram 3: Water over Thunder. First birth, accumulating, confusion
____ ____
_________
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
_________
–
Hexagram 4: Mountain over water. Beginner’s mind, not knowing, youthful innocence
_________
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
_________
____ ____
–
Hexagram 5: Water over Heaven. Gathering strength, waiting or needing, biding one’s time
____ ____
_________
____ ____
_________
_________
_________
–
Hexagram 6: Heaven over Water. Resolving conflict, contention, tension
_________
_________
_________
____ ____
_________
____ ____
–
Hexagram 7: Earth over Water. Disciplined unification, leading, the army
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
_________
____ ____
–
Hexagram 8: Water over Earth. Union, stand by
____ ____
_________
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
–
Hexagram 9: Wood / Wind over Heaven. Clarifying one’s truth, cultivating the small, the restrained power of strength
_________
_________
____ ____
_________
_________
_________
–
Hexagram 10: Heaven over Lake. Gathering strength, waiting or needing, on the road with cheerful courage
_________
_________
_________
____ ____
_________
_________
–
Hexagram 11: Earth over Heaven. Enlightenment, eminence, preparation
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
_________
_________
_________
–
Hexagram 12: Heaven over Earth. Incubation, oppose, inner calm
_________
_________
_________
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
–
Hexagram 13: Heaven over Fire. Kinship with all life, mankind, unanimous purpose
_________
_________
_________
_________
____ ____
_________
–
Hexagram 14: Fire over Heaven. Shining spirit, great assets, profound insight & great possession
_________
____ ____
_________
_________
_________
_________
–
Hexagram 15: Earth over Mountain. Humility, balancing, respect
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
_________
____ ____
____ ____
–
Hexagram 16: Thunder over Earth. Spontaneous inspiration, weaving images, balanced motion
____ ____
____ ____
_________
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
–
Hexagram 17: Lake over Thunder. Following one’s heart, following & hunting, cheerful & willing
____ ____
_________
_________
____ ____
____ ____
_________
–
Hexagram 18: Mountain over Wood / Wind. Healing, decay, putting an end to compulsive behaviour
_________
____ ____
____ ____
_________
_________
____ ____
–
Hexagram 19: Earth over Lake. Approaching the light, approaching & overseeing, attraction
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
_________
_________
–
Hexagram 20: Wood / Wind over Earth. Expansive view, observing, contemplating
_________
_________
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
–
Hexagram 21: Fire over Thunder. Eradicating disharmony, biting through
_________
____ ____
_________
____ ____
____ ____
_________
–
Hexagram 22: Mountain over Fire. Harmony, adornment or beauty, adorable enchantment
_________
____ ____
____ ____
_________
____ ____
_________
–
Hexagram 23: Mountain over Earth. Stripping away, the destruction of the past
_________
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
–
Hexagram 24: Earth over Thunder. The return of the light, recover, winter solstice & awakening
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
_________
–
Hexagram 25: Heaven over Thunder. Integrity, moving with the flow, innocence
_________
_________
_________
____ ____
____ ____
_________
–
Hexagram 26: Mountain over Heaven. Accumulating integrity, cultivating the great, the power of strength
_________
____ ____
____ ____
_________
_________
_________
–
Hexagram 27: Mountain over Thunder. Nurturing the world, jaws, nourishment
_________
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
_________
–
Hexagram 28: Lake over Wood / Wind. Becoming balanced, excessive, vigorous mind
____ ____
_________
_________
_________
_________
____ ____
–
Hexagram 29: Water over Water. Flowing through darkness, the sound of danger, water the giver of life
____ ____
_________
____ ____
____ ____
_________
____ ____
–
Hexagram 30: Fire over Fire. Radiance, catching the bird of brightness, fire the transforming element
_________
____ ____
_________
_________
____ ____
_________
–
Hexagram 31: Lake over Mountain. Resonance, completeness, the game of love
____ ____
_________
_________
_________
____ ____
____ ____
–
Hexagram 32: Thunder over Wood / Wind. Constancy through change, persevering, continuity & balanced movement
____ ____
____ ____
_________
_________
_________
____ ____
–
Hexagram 33: Heaven over Mountain. Detachment, withdrawal
_________
_________
_________
_________
____ ____
____ ____
–
Hexagram 34: Thunder over Heaven. Powerful expansion, great vigour, vital energy
____ ____
____ ____
_________
_________
_________
_________
–
Hexagram 35: Fire over Earth. Illumination, gift, advancing
_________
____ ____
_________
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
–
Hexagram 36: Earth over Fire. Hidden light, brightness wounded, hidden insight
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
_________
____ ____
_________
–
Hexagram 37: Wood / Wind over Fire. Loving family, management of the inner being
_________
_________
____ ____
_________
____ ____
_________
–
Hexagram 38: Fire over Lake. Polarity, squinting, duality
_________
____ ____
_________
____ ____
_________
_________
–
Hexagram 39: Water over Mountain: Overcoming obstructions, limping, initial difficulty
____ ____
_________
____ ____
_________
____ ____
____ ____
–
Hexagram 40: Thunder over Water. Liberation, release, cutting the knot
____ ____
____ ____
_________
____ ____
_________
____ ____
–
Hexagram 41: Mountain over Lake. Simplicity, the empty cauldron & diminishing, relaxation
_________
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
_________
_________
–
Hexagram 42: Wood / Wind over Thunder. Blessing, increase
_________
_________
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
_________
–
Hexagram 43: Lake over Heaven. Resolution, authority, fulfilment
____ ____
_________
_________
_________
_________
_________
–
Hexagram 44: Heaven over Wood / Wind. Encounter, birthing, mature relationship
_________
_________
_________
_________
_________
____ ____
–
Hexagram 45: Lake over Earth. Communion, gathering, unity of body & soul
____ ____
_________
_________
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
–
Hexagram 46: Earth over Wood / Wind. Rising, ascending, flowering
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
_________
_________
____ ____
–
Hexagram 47: Lake over Water. Growing through adversity, enclosed tree, dying off
____ ____
_________
_________
____ ____
_________
____ ____
–
Hexagram 48: Water over Wood / Wind. Replenishment, the well, inner growth & sublimation
____ ____
_________
____ ____
_________
_________
____ ____
–
Hexagram 49: Lake over Fire. Metamorphosis, revolution, inner change & distillation
____ ____
_________
_________
_________
____ ____
_________
–
Hexagram 50: Fire over Wood / Wind. Transformation, the ritual cauldron, dissolving & solution
_________
____ ____
_________
_________
_________
____ ____
–
Hexagram 51: Thunder over Thunder. Actualising potential, shock, confirmation & coagulation
____ ____
____ ____
_________
____ ____
____ ____
_________
–
Hexagram 52: Mountain over Mountain. Tranquility, individuality & warding off, at rest & impassive
_________
____ ____
____ ____
_________
____ ____
____ ____
–
Hexagram 53: Wood / Wind over Mountain. Gradual flight, the big river, the blessed marriage
_________
_________
____ ____
_________
____ ____
____ ____
–
Hexagram 54: Thunder over Lake. Adapting to a paradigm shift, marrying, fertility
____ ____
____ ____
_________
____ ____
_________
_________
–
Hexagram 55: Thunder over Fire. Abundance, completion
____ ____
____ ____
_________
_________
____ ____
_________
–
Hexagram 56: Fire over Mountain. Travelling through life, travelling, the wise man
_________
____ ____
_________
_________
____ ____
____ ____
–
Hexagram 57: Wood / Wind over Wood / Wind. Gentle insight, weighing your words
_________
_________
____ ____
_________
_________
____ ____
–
Hexagram 58: Lake over Lake. Joy, interaction, placid satisfaction
____ ____
_________
_________
____ ____
_________
_________
–
Hexagram 59: Wood / Wind over Water. Dispersing darkness, the flood, redemption
_________
_________
____ ____
____ ____
_________
____ ____
–
Hexagram 60: Water over Lake. Setting limits, restraint, measures
____ ____
_________
____ ____
____ ____
_________
_________
–
Hexagram 61: Wood / Wind over Lake. Inner truth, sincerity
_________
_________
____ ____
____ ____
_________
_________
–
Hexagram 62: Thunder over Mountain. Being grounded, small exceeding, repression
____ ____
____ ____
_________
_________
____ ____
____ ____
–
Hexagram 63: Water over Fire. Fulfilment, already across, successful movement
____ ____
_________
____ ____
_________
____ ____
_________
–
Hexagram 64: Fire over Water. Not yet fulfilled, not yet across, restricted movement
_________
____ ____
_________
____ ____
_________
____ ____
–