Operational Mechanics for the Book of Changes
Feature require: 'IChing'.
(HexagramDisplayPanel forHexagram: (HexaGram cast)) openInWorld.
"OR WorldMenu -> New Morph.. --> --> HexagramDisplayPanel"The Book of Changes (I Ching or Chou I) is an ancient Chinese oracle. There were earlier precursors, but came into use in something like its current form circa 1000 BCE.
The basic idea is that one has a significant question or problem, asks the question, performs a casting/divination (divides bundle of yarrow stalks or casts coins by formula) and builds up from the bottom a series of 6 broken or whole lines (a hexagram) which comments on the current condition and also yields zero or more "changing lines" which give a new hexagram prognosticating tendency for the future.
Where am I? What can I do about it?
Many views of this. Just a bit of (serious) fun.
One usually starts being agitated/concerned about something.
- Posing a terse question requires some focus.
- Dividing bundles of Yarrow sticks or casting coins is a calming ritual.
- Contemplating the resulting images leads to lateral thinking and widens one's point of view.
So you really don't have to have a specific set of beliefs about doing this to derive the benefit: more flexible thinking and calming effect similar to Japanese tea ceremony.
There is no interpretation here.
The "Virtual Yarrow Stalks" web page (below) is probably more practical, but I could not resist doing a bit of Cuis code. And as long as I did this, why not share it?
The Wilhelm Baynes translation is probably the best known: http://www.akirarabelais.com/i/i.html hardcover: https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/069109750X/qid%3D996565491/sr%3D2-1/102-1791842-4862542
There are many useful references on the Web: https://www.biroco.com/yijing/links.htm
There is a great intro to usage at https://www.biroco.com/yijing/index.htm
I particularly like a recent reinterpretation: https://www.biroco.com/yijing/Language_of_the_Lines.pdf
Four translations are available at http://www.russellcottrell.com/VirtualYarrowStalks/
Chinese characters require Unicode to display, note another translation in EnhancedText/Unicode/utf8.txt
A very interesting observation of hexagram structure is at https://www.yijing.nl/structures/Gritter.html
Enjoy!