I just today procured the wilehelm translation from a local bookstore.

What I Know:

1. The Wilhelm translation is perfectly usable with divination albeit with less ease of use than other versions
2. I know for changing lines you make a second hexagram by turning old yang into yin or old yin into yang
3. The coin method is perfectly usable, but it does have different probabilities
4. Don't ask stupid pointless questions

My Questions:

1. How do I read the book? I know cover to cover is not exactly the way to go, but what all do I read before getting started? I know the small text is wilhelm but do I read that fully with the text in one go or just read the original text itself first, then wilhelm?
2. What do I need to read beyond the physical book itself to get started with my first divination?

So I put in my two weeks notice for a job I was not happy at today. I don't have a new job lined up or even really a plan. I have been working in the same field for 14 years and it has taken a toll on me and I know I need something new. But leaving a job without a plan is also not super reassuring. Can anyone give me insight into how they interpret this?

My question was "should we move to X?" which is a new state we have not been to. It would functionally be shifting to a space to promote security for our family out of a more volatile (politically) space.

The hexagram was 33 (retreat) with line 5 changing.
Transformed hex = 56 The Wanderer.

​

My immediate response was "Yes, probably move", which quickly morphed to "wait...should I 'retreat' from this mental perspective entirely?" Thinking perhaps I am approaching the topic incorrectly or inappropriately.

​

Thank you for your feedback.

Hi guys,

I’ve been having real trouble interpreting this hexagram answer. Over the last couple of days I’ve asked ‘what do I need to do in order to meet the right man for me?’ The answer was 40.4 (line 4 changing) background hex is 7.

Liberation. 40.4 “Wilhelm/Baynes: Deliver yourself from your great toe. Then the companion comes, and him you can trust.”

I asked should I date online or would it be better in person? I received the exact same answer 40.4.

I read over interpretations again and again, and mulled it over for a couple of days but I just don’t understand what it’s referring to in my life or in me. So I asked for clarity, I asked what is this 40.4 answer referring to in my life? And I got 38.1 (changing line 1) background hex 64.

38.1 Opposition, in small matters good fortune.

“Wilhelm/Baynes: Remorse disappears. If you lose your horse, do not run after it; it will come back of its own accord. When you see evil people, guard yourself against mistakes.”

“Blofeld: Regret vanishes! Do not follow the straying horse, for it will return of its own accord. Though he allows evil men to visit him, he remains without error.”

The first half of 2024 has been a complete nightmare for me. I’m struggling to study for exams, the most important human bond I had got shattered into pieces, I’ve been also struggling with my mental health and today we had to put down our beloved dog (he was 16, but it still hurts like hell). I asked I Ching for a sparkle of hope to hold on to. I got the hexagrams 27 and 21, with a 9 in 4th position. How can I interpret this message? I just need a bit of hope, please…

Hey all, it's been a while since I've done a reading and after five lines, I realized that I was doing it wrong (top to bottom)

How do I proceed here? I finished the Hexagram and considered just flipping it over. Is that the way to go or is the whole process ruined?

I'd like to finally get around to reading the original I ching, but I'm overwhelmed by all the many translations and versions. Which book do you find is your favorite and why?

Please no book suggestions with excessive included commentary. At this time, I'm not interested in scholarly interpretations and looking for something as close to the original text as possible.

At lease twice now, I have gotten the same answer (same hexagram) for questions on the same topics asked several days apart. It’s a bit uncanny. I throw coins by hand, so it’s not related to a computer program giving repeat readings.

Does that kind of consistent answering happen to anyone else?

I posted a week or so ago as I had been offered a job, but now I've been offered a second job and would love some advice on how to interpret the I ching outcomes for both offers.

I am in a burnout due to extremely toxic top management at my current job.

In my current job I'm Director at a cultural centre and additionally in charge of an events team. After being bullied by the top manager for years I couldn't handle the stress anymore and have been on sick leave for a few months now.

I have been applying for jobs and now have two offers.

Offer 1: Protection Officer at a government agency, working with refugees (a passion of mine). This job pays less than my current job, as it's not a management role, but is more in line with what I enjoy, namely helping refugees, though unfortunately in that job I won't be able to help everyone. Sometimes I'll have to reject people, which I may find tough. Pros: will get thorough education at the start, jobsite is quite easily accessible (15 mins by train), a friend of mine works there already, working with refugees / diversity / immigrants has always been a passion of mine.

Cons: Only 1 day wfh, I can request 2, but it's not a given, pays less than my current job, sometimes I'll have to reject refugees claims, which may be emotionally tough at times.

For this job I got 12.5, so hexagram 12 changing to 35.

The other job offer is a management job, at a call center at a government agency helping unemployed people find work. The job pays a bit better than my current job, but I'm not sure I want to continue in management.

Pros: salary, 3 days wfh (I have to see what the exact arrangement is for the position I'm being offered), continuing down management trajectory is potentially a better move career wise. Cons: Job site is not as easily accessible (15 mins by train + 15 mins by metro), job would require me to speak and write in my 4th language a lot (French, I'm fairly fluent in spoken French, but written French is extremely difficult), I'm not that passionate about working at a call center.

For this job I got 25.6, so hexagram 25 changing to 17.

I would appreciate any help with how to interpret these outcomes as I'm struggling to decide which job to accept.

How are the changing lines read? Do I read the lines in the first hexagram or do I read the changed lines in the second? If at all. Guidance please? Thanks in advance edit: I am doing a search of previous answers. Oops. Thanks

In the last two weeks I have received this hexagram twice. This is one of those hexagrams that I have rarely received before, and I've never truly understood the meaning of this hexagram as an answer.

So I'm looking for some other points of view in this community to help me.

Here's the context:

In December I quit my job in the UK (something I had been moving slowly towards for about 2 years leading up to it). I booked a one-way flight to Thailand, and came here in the first week of January. I have been to Thailand before, so my interest here isn't in travelling around the country. I came here specifically to visit a farmstay that I chanced upon around 7 years ago, run by an ex-Buddhist Abbot who was given permission to leave the temple and find a new path to teach.

I am still here now in April. This place is open to other volunteers, though most of the others stay for one or two weeks before moving on. I have been here for 3.5 months. One slice of this experience has been about observing the others who come here, bringing their personalities, cultures, and viewpoints with them.

At the same time, I have been spending a lot of time studying the Yi. One way I've decided to look at the question/answer dichotomy in action has been by asking about the volunteers on the day they arrive, while they are still strangers to me. As I get to know them, it helps me to see the hexagram or line change more deeply.

Coming back to Hexagram 43-- We received a new volunteer here today. I will call her Volunteer E. As usual, I asked the Yi "what should I know about Volunteer E?" I received hexagram 43 unchanging.

This struck me as odd. About 3 weeks ago I asked the Yi what my main focus should be while here at the farm for the duration of April. I also received hexagram 43, changing at line 1 to hexagram 28.

As far as I know, Volunteer E will be staying until May 1st. So there's a line-up in time for these two answers. I know that doesn't mean they are necessarily connected, but it gives me pause for thought.

To me, hexagram 43 is about making oneself known in the world, about using the inner power, knowledge and certainty of the 5 unbroken lines to push up into the final broken line. That broken top line then acts as a funnel to communicate that inner authority to those in the outer world.

With that said, I don't know how that fits into the two questions I asked. What do you think?

*edit: spelling and grammar

Legge: The sixth line, dynamic, shows its subject disposing of what may be called his bloody wounds, and going to separate himself from his anxious fears. There will be no error.

Wilhelm/Baynes: He dissolves his blood. Departing, keeping at a distance, going out, is without blame.

Blofeld: Dispersing blood (i.e. fending off injury or violence), he keeps it at a distance -- no blame! [The text of the original is so unclear that the additional commentaries all disagree as to the meaning of dispersing blood, but the general idea is perfectly clear from the commentary on the line.]

Liu: Dissolving his (coagulated) blood. Departing to a remote place. No blame.

Ritsema/Karcher: Dispersing one's blood. Departing far-away, issuing-forth. Without fault.

Shaughnessy: Dispersing his blood, he departs, warily exiting.

Cleary (1): Dispersing the blood, going far away, there is no fault.

Wu: At the time of dispersion, he disperses what hurts himand alleviates what worries him. No error.

If you received this line when asking about a plan to move to another place, would you interpret it as:

1. No error - undertaking the move would help fend off injury and violence, or

2. I should remove myself far away from the place I am thinking of moving to in order to disperse blood and violence?

54.1.4.6 was what I actually received. Just simplifying things for this post.

I am new to the I Ching as of a month ago. I asked a question regarding my career: “Is it wise to continue on this career path even though I don’t enjoy it?” It revealed hexagram 50-The Caldron, changing to 38-Opposition. These are my initial impressions that stood out to me, but I’m not sure I’m interpreting it correctly.

“The wood that serves as nourishment for the flame, the spirit” - caldron is the job, the stability afforded to me to support myself. It’s a sacrifice to the greater good, burn time in exchange for money.

“All that is visible must grow beyond itself, extend into the realm of the invisible” - must take a risk to move forward, grow my potential, be recognized for it.

Line 1 “Furthers removal of stagnating stuff, one takes a concubine for sake of her son” - Get rid of old habits, I’ll have to take on stress or a lowly position for the reward of higher wage and responsibility.

Line 3 “Handle is altered, one is impeded in his way of life. The fat of pheasant is not eaten..

• it will be hard at first, I’ll miss out on other good things but eventually feel accomplished. Or alternatively, I’m on the wrong path am missing out on the best parts of my potential.

38 Opposition, I interpret as having a conflict inside me, two polarities, one that wants to bring stability and habitualness; the other wants to roam and explore.

I’m just not sure what my conclusions should be. Perhaps my question having two variables is to blame? Let me know your thoughts if you care to. Many thanks in advance.

What do you think connects each of these trigram pairs and where do they differ? Thank you for sharing your thoughts!

There's a large combination of changing lines that can lead to 23 as the relating Hexagram. Hoping to hear about as many of your experiences as possible to see if there are any commonalities.

Hello, I've just begun consulting the I ching and don't understand many things. I recently asked "what would happen if I leave the relationship now?" I am unhappy but unsure of whether I should give it another shot. Any thoughts or interpretations? 😅

I asked the Yi about a relationship that has suffered a complete collapse and breakdown of communication and received 37 changing to 57. People in the home makes no sense to me as the person does not even talk to me right now so I am at complete loss of what to do. I made the “offering” by attempting to start a conversation and it is not received. Any thoughts?

I started a new diet. I asked "Will this diet help me lose weight, or do I need to tweak it a bit more?" I got 23 unchanging. I am having trouble deciding if it is telling me whether I will strip away what is unnecessary/peel off the weight, or this diet won't help. It says I should not "act," which could mean "I don't need to tweak it" and will lose, don't do anything different, or it could be "don't do this diet." I am unsure how to translate this. How would you/others translate this?

Hello friends,

I was thinking about common phrases that come up when we engage with the I-Ching, and how we likely all tend to read them a little differently. I cannot say that I have fully wrapped my mind around them.

If you have been with the I-Ching for a while, please feel free to contribute your understanding of any the predictions/ phrases below through stories from your life (i.e. things that have transpired after you received the predictions)

1. "there will be good fortune"
2. "there will be evil"
3. "if he/she abides in firmness/ firm correctness"
4. "position is perilous" "perseverance brings danger"
5. "remorse disappears"
6. ""to cross the great stream"
7. "the superior man"/ "inferior men"
8. "he returns to his own course" / "a retreat"

Please feel free to add other terms you would like explored.

A few nights ago, my wife asked me if I would help her consult the I Ching. She had no expectations and she knows very little about the oracle. The one thing she does know is I’m naturally a skeptical person but I respect the I Ching and use it whenever I need advice.

Anyway, she gets hexagram 30 and I give her the little book by Hilary Barrett. The image of a net catching a bird ends up resonating with her and she feels as though some insight is coming through and she recognizes the bird as a messenger. I wasn’t sure why the bird image was the most impactful part of the hexagram, but intuition is hard to put into words and I was just glad she was having a positive experience.

Once we wrapped up the reading, I opened my front door because my Ring doorbell went off and I thought I had received a delivery. Nope. It was a bird setting off the motion detector. As soon as I opened the door, a little swallow flew inside of our home. For nearly 20 minutes we tried to catch or direct the cute little thing to fly outside. It just kept landing on a book shelf and other pieces of furniture. Eventually it flew out the door unharmed but not until it had proved too crafty to force. It only left once we sat down and let to go on its own.

So that’s my story. Both of own minds were kind of blown away. Still are, to be honest. I’m still not even sure what to make of it. Hopefully you all might share some thoughts. Thanks for reading and I hope you all can have a wonderful synchronicity as well!

Hi, first time posting here. Have loved and used the Iching for many years and am having difficulty with a reading I received. I practice in a spiritual tradition where one takes on working with a teacher closely, and I’ve been working with one for about 6 years. Lately I’ve been wondering if I actually feel a heart connection with this person and feel a lot of turmoil around it after having such a long and engaged relationship with this person where they’ve been involved in almost every area of my life. I consulted the Oracle to gain some clarity if it’s just me, or something I’m intuiting is real about my sense of being half-hearted in my commitment to this relationship. I got Hexagram 29 unchanging and it’s been throwing me (no pun intended) through a loop of, “Huh?”, “Oh shit.”, and, “What?”, for about a week now. Any help interpreting this Hexagram in my situation would be very very appreciated and thank you in advance for taking the time.

Hello everyone,

I've been seeing someone named Camilla for about four months now, and I'm looking for some insights into an I Ching reading I received about our relationship. I'm possibly in love, while she likes me but isn't as emotionally involved and is currently focusing on her career in acting. We're both actors. I've shared with her that this situation is beginning to cause me pain, and I'm uncertain how to proceed for my own well-being. Should I continue to wait and see if our relationship develops, or is it healthier for me to step back?

Here's the context and the reading I got:

Question to the I Ching: "What is the most beneficial path for my personal well-being and growth in relation to my situation with Camilla: should I continue to pursue the relationship or accept the emotional discrepancy and distance myself for my own well-being?"

Response: Root hexagram 7 with mutating lines in the first, second, and fifth positions, which then transitions into Hexagram 3.

To me, this response seems to suggest that I should continue to pursue the relationship with Camilla and face the challenges that come wisely. The reading hints that by doing so, there might be a great success and that the initial difficulties of our relationship could be overcome. However, I am open to interpretations and would love to hear your thoughts and advice on this reading. Am I interpreting this correctly? Please share your insights and help me understand what might be the best course of action.

Thank you in advance for your help!

I recently had a series of fights with someone I was on and off with for a few years and was getting really tired of it. I know it’s not the best course of action to ask the Yi yes or no questions but it was what I wanted to know and asking anything else just didn’t feel right to me. I asked if she was ever come to truly love me and I got the hexagram 55 unchanging. I know the name of the hexagram is abundance but i’ve read that it can mean too much of something or be related to some sort of proper management. Any insights will be appreciated

I'm currently in a burnout due to a very toxic situation at my current employer. Even in my burn out they are trying their best to bully me.

After applying for several months and always coming in 2nd I finally got a job offer.

I cast the I ching to ask what the outcome would be if I accepted the job and got 12, changing to 35.

I also asked what would happen if I didn't accept the job and waited for something else and got 19, unchanging.

Both seem auspicious, but I'm no expert. I'm so stressed out due to my current toxic employer that I'm leaning towards taking the job offer just so they can't get to me anymore.

Cam anyone help me interpret what would seem to be the better outcome?