Interpreting an hexagram without the book

[Tarkus]

I've read that when consulting the I Ching it's possible to interpret the hexagram you got by analyzing the trigrams, their lines and their relation to each other without (necessarily) having to look up in the book to read the corresponding judgements and images.

Does anyone know how can this be done and what are some sources to learn more?

 

[Gmulii]

I've read that when consulting the I Ching it's possible to interpret the hexagram you got by analyzing the trigrams, their lines and their relation to each other without (necessarily) having to look up in the book to read the corresponding judgements and images.

Does anyone know how can this be done and what are some sources to learn more?

Yea... For the line relation to each other you need Liu Yao/WWG. I was thinking of posting a topic about it with general info, but can't get to that, as a lot going on lately. Will post later today or in the near future with some explanation and links to places where we have listed popular sources in English. Check in this same subdivision of the forum(Exploring Divination) in the near future. : )

 

[Freedda]

I have not read it yet (so I can neither recommend or not), but there's a book on Amazon titled
'Seeking the Spirit of The Book of Change: 8 Days to Mastering a Shamanic Yijing (I Ching) Prediction System by Wu, Zhongxian which I believe teaches the I Ching through trigrams (at least that's what I read so far). Again, I don't know how good this one is.

If you look here under I Ching News, you'll see that I posted two workshop with Harmen Mesker in March in San Diego, Calif (USA). Harmen makes use of the trigrams in his Yi teachings. Under one of the links you can see the details of each day of the workshop, and maybe get a sense of the material he'll be covering.

Best, d.

 

[moss elk]

I've read that when consulting the I Ching it's possible to interpret the hexagram you got by analyzing the trigrams, their lines and their relation to each other without (necessarily) having to look up in the book to read the corresponding judgements and images.

Over the years here, a small number of people responded in shared readings, giving an interpretation using just the trigrams.
What those people had in common was a vivid imagination to make things up, that had nothing to do with the reading.
Just some food for thought.

 

[Freedda]

Over the years here, a small number of people responded in shared readings, giving an interpretation using just the trigrams. What those people had in common was a vivid imagination to make things up, that had nothing to do with the reading.
Just some food for thought.

As someone who uses my imagination and uses trigrams, I think that's a bit harsh. Over the years I've seen people 'make stuff up' without using trigams - so I don't think you can draw such a straight cause-effect line between made-up stuff and trigrams.

I see using the trigrams as a valid way of approaching the Yi, but that approach can certainly be misused or maybe more often, not used in an intelligent way. But that just means the user is faulty, not the tool. Just more food for thought.

 

[moss elk]

I never said or implied that "the overly-imaginative-trigram-makers-of-stuffs-up" held the monopoly on error.

I just chimed in because I believe comprehension of the text is vital to comprehending Yi, and therefore try to dissuade people from what I see as error.
If someone doesn't understand their readings, and thinks well maybe I can understand with the trigrams, I think they need to try harder.
Or take up a hobby.

 

[Liselle]

The aforementioned Harmen Mesker has a YouTube playlist I found highly worthwhile.

 

[Gmulii]

I liked Harmens videos as well.

On reading the lines...
How accurate we are with using the lines instead of the text... that is easy to see, we read cases every few days in the Five Arts forums, was just replying to one some hours ago based on the lines. There are links around here, people interested in that can see how it works in the context where professional practitioners and enthusiasts are using the lines and the other relations. Can also see other systems applied, like QMDJ and often Bazi and ZWDS, even a little Da Liu Ren, although stuff like that would be rare...

At the end of the day most practitioners from the East that I know doesn't use the book. At all. They don't mention it either, for countless topics related to different aspects of the divination process, the only topic where we talked about the book in any of the CM forums that I can remember was posted by me. And it was asking why no one mentions the book.

There were probably more, but in general it isn't mention a lot and when I Ching/Yi Jing is viewed, it isn't in that specific context, as its viewed as the changes that happen, not as a book.
And I remember more then one time when the idea the west is still using the book so much, to be considered silly, somewhat like using the same cooking book for decades, while it may be very good cooking book, most people would be interested if there is more then that out there. : )

 

[hilary]

I have not read it yet (so I can neither recommend or not), but there's a book on Amazon titled
'Seeking the Spirit of The Book of Change: 8 Days to Mastering a Shamanic Yijing (I Ching) Prediction System by Wu, Zhongxian which I believe teaches the I Ching through trigrams (at least that's what I read so far). Again, I don't know how good this one is.

Here's a review:

Yijing Dao - 'Seeking the Spirit of the Book of Change: 8 Days to Mastering a Shamanic Yijing (I Ching) Prediction System' by Master Zhongxian Wu

Yijing Dao - Calling Crane in the Shade: A website dedicated to reviews of books on the Yijing or I Ching, the ancient Chinese oracle known as the Book of Changes, but also containing a complete 'Introduction to Yijing' for beginners, an accurate transcription of the 1935 Harvard-Yenching...

www.biroco.com

 

[Freedda]

I never said or implied that "the overly-imaginative-trigram-makers-of-stuffs-up" held the monopoly on error. I just chimed in because I believe comprehension of the text is vital to comprehending Yi, and therefore try to dissuade people from what I see as error.

Thanks for clarification. I was just thinking this morning, are there any artists or craftspeople who use just one tool! Could not think of any.

The aforementioned Harmen Mesker has a YouTube playlist I found highly worthwhile.

Thanks. I think Harmen's videos are a good source of understanding the trigrams - among other things Yi.

Here's a review:

Yijing Dao - 'Seeking the Spirit of the Book of Change: 8 Days to Mastering a Shamanic Yijing (I Ching) Prediction System' by Master Zhongxian Wu

Yijing Dao - Calling Crane in the Shade: A website dedicated to reviews of books on the Yijing or I Ching, the ancient Chinese oracle known as the Book of Changes, but also containing a complete 'Introduction to Yijing' for beginners, an accurate transcription of the 1935 Harvard-Yenching...

www.biroco.com

Thanks Hilary. Joel's review is rather scathing, which might serve as a good caution - don't believe everything you read - or hear or see! Having just started into the book, I don't have as strong a reaction to Wu's chatty, 'let's have a cup of tea together' style, nor his 'Master' title. But I suspect if you got rid of all the trappings, he'd end up with a short pamphlet instead of a book.

Best, D.