I Ching (pronounced ee ching) and its interpretation manual known as the Book of Changes were first used as an oral tradition long before it was ever written down in a text format. Today, the I Ching has been translated hundreds if not thousands of times, and it has multiple uses in feng shui and other practices. The I Ching is an art form of divination that is over 5,000 years old and still widely practiced in China. It wasn't until the emperor, Fu Hsi (Fu Xi), created the written language that it was finally written down in text form. As a result, Fu Hsi is often mistakenly credited with creating the I Ching.
Using I Ching in Feng Shui
Feng shui practitioners around the world utilize it to assist in ferreting out difficult to identify negative chi (shar) energy areas. The divination interpretations further assist the feng shui master in deciphering a remedy.
How to Cast The Coins
To conduct a reading, you need three coins.
- Toss the coins six different times and record the number of heads and tails per toss.
- After you've completed your coin toss sessions, convert the heads and tails combinations into two different types of lines by using the oracle guide. The guide will instruct you when to use solid lines and when to use broken lines.
- Stack these lines on top of each other to form what's known as a hexagram. There are 64 possible combinations and interpretations of the hexagrams.
Yin and Yang Lines
The lines of the hexagram represent yin and yang energies, which are the female and male energies of chi.
Use the I Ching Oracle to Interpret Readings
When you use the oracle to interpret a reading, you will need to contemplate on the interpretation since it's written in prose. The interpretations are written to intentionally force you to seek beyond the words to find the true meaning of your reading.
How to Use I Ching Interpretations
The I Ching is a complex study of human life and the various changes everyone inevitably must go through as part of the aging process. This process is comprised of changes and transformations. The human condition is like that of the earth and is a composite of changes and those patterns that can be used to predict the future and explain the present.
How I Ching Divinations Can Assist You
Like Western astrology, it's believed that you can use the I Ching to assist you in making the correct decisions in life, and it also serves as a roadmap to future events and challenges. In theory, if you're prepared by using the I Ching, then you can affect change and become the master of your destiny instead of being a victim of it.
Use the I Ching Oracle With Feng Shui
Occasionally, some of the best feng shui cures cannot correct shar (negative) or misalignment of chi energies in a feng shui project. This is when the practitioner will break out her coins and conduct an I Ching reading on the troublesome area of your home.
Ask Specific Questions
Whenever you or a feng shui practitioner conducts a reading, there must be a specific question asked of the oracle. This question must be formed correctly to avoid a yes or no response. You need information that a simple yes or no question cannot address.
Things to Keep in Mind When Consulting I Ching
The natural world has a predetermined order that strives to remain in a set pattern that's made up of yin (female) and yang (male) energies. These opposite energies come together to create chi energy that is the life form of all living matter, including you. At times, the yin and yang energies become unbalanced, and this can also happen in your home. A feng shui practitioner uses various tools and science to assess those energies in your home. Typically, this is how a feng shui expert identifies anything that may be out of balance. She will then recommend what's often called cures to remedy the energies and help to bring them back into balance once more. This balance is what creates harmony in nature.
I Ching Use in Feng Shui
On occasion, your feng shui expert may refer to an I Ching reading to help her further identify problem areas in your home. If she conducts a reading and then interprets the oracle specific to your situation, you should make sure to follow her instructions for a feng shui cure.
