Reading The LINES

[NemeanMagik]

Two confusions.

One is this thing about how to read the lines when they are multiple. I have seen Alfred Huang's way of addressing this issue, and another somewhat different approach. And also the idea that each of the moving lines needs consideration - which makes the most sense so long as they are not obviously contradictory in meaning. I know they also represent moment/periods of time, or even different individuals etc... but even so this can be very confusing..

The first two methods can result in contradictory 'takes' also and seems rather random therefore. But then the 'every one counts' can do your head in.

Anyone got any more to offer in dealing with this challenge?

 

[Trojina]

With changing lines I think looking at the pattern they make is helpful, the change patterns. I think this has been explained elsewhere, and I think there is more to understand from it yet. Any cast with lines 2,3 and 4 for example will have a yang change pattern of 32 and a yin pattern of 42. These indicate the flavour and direction of the reading which can be especially helpful with many change lines.

When I have many change lines I focus less on each line and more on the overall picture the two hexagrams make together. The more lines change the nearer the primary is to turning into the relating hexagram and so the relating hexagram is more prominent.

A helpful way to deal with many change lines is to first look at the sentence the 2 hexagrams make together before looking at individual lines.

 

[NemeanMagik]

With changing lines I think looking at the pattern they make is helpful, the change patterns. I think this has been explained elsewhere, and I think there is more to understand from it yet. Any cast with lines 2,3 and 4 for example will have a yang change pattern of 32 and a yin pattern of 42. These indicate the flavour and direction of the reading which can be especially helpful with many change lines.

When I have many change lines I focus less on each line and more on the overall picture the two hexagrams make together. The more lines change the nearer the primary is to turning into the relating hexagram and so the relating hexagram is more prominent.

A helpful way to deal with many change lines is to first look at the sentence the 2 hexagrams make together before looking at individual lines.

Thanks for this. So, with Hex 46.1.2.3.6 (Pushing Upward) > 27 (Nourishment)

Do you have a link for the exploration of this 'yang change/yin change pattern' thing, Trojina? or am I just dumb to the obvious?...............Ah, got it!

 

[NemeanMagik]

That is Yang pattern for lines 1.2.3.6 is Hexagram 9; Yin pattern is hexagram 45. Ta, Troj!

 

[Trojina]

There is stuff on change patterns in Hilary's Blog which is always worth rifling through IMO

and there are links within the link

http://onlineclarity.co.uk/answers/2010/03/17/unchanging-hexagrams-and-patterns-of-change/

From that

Here’s another angle of approach to unchanging hexagrams that might help with that: the Patterns of Change.

The change patterns (which have almost as many names as there are people who’ve been fascinated by them) are hexagrams that depict only which lines in a hexagram are changing, and which are not. You can think of them as a map of where change is active in the reading, or as a description of the agency at work, acting on the primary hexagram through that particular pattern of changing lines to reveal the relating hexagram.

You can represent the pattern of changing lines in two opposite and complementary ways: by drawing each changing line as yang, and each unchanging line as yin, or vice versa – representing the change as an open space, as yin, and the unchanging lines as yang. The yang pattern (changing lines shown as yang) I find shows the ‘gateway in’ to a reading: it often captures the moment of asking the question in some way. And the yin pattern (changing lines shown as yin) shows the ‘gateway out’ from the reading, the way through and beyond it. It can show a way the reading might be put into action – and as such, it can be a source of advice.

For me using these has bought new dimensions to readings in particular with multiple lines. I think there is still much to explore about them. I don't think we are quite clear, well I am not quite clear, about how they operate in a reading, without using them more and experimenting with our own readings.

 

[Trojina]

That is Yang pattern for lines 1.2.3.6 is Hexagram 9; Yin pattern is hexagram 45. Ta, Troj!

Yay ! You got it. I found it difficult at first and still cannot see the yin pattern without drawing it .

So you might say here you enter into the reading with the overall flavour and atmosphere of hexagram 9, so your 46, pushing upwards, is felt amid the sense of waiting for rain and getting along with things meanwhile. You can see how 46, with these lines, might in that change pattern carry a sense of frustration. Then the yin pattern is 45, the way through being to gather and collect all your resources...IOW 'pull your 'self' together', make self fortified and ready by gathering what you need (hex 27...this is about what you need and how to gather it).

 

[knotxx]

That is Yang pattern for lines 1.2.3.6 is Hexagram 9; Yin pattern is hexagram 45. Ta, Troj!

actually the yang pattern there is hexagram 26. But I second trojina on the change patterns adding a new dimension.

also with multiple lines, I tend to look either for -- these are the steps that will happen in time. Or: these are alternative ways to approach this.

Also looking at how the trigrams change can be helpful.

 

[Trojina]

oh damn well 26 can be mistaken for 9 that's my excuse

 

[NemeanMagik]

Waaaah! So, how did I make such a silly mistake! Yes, it is Hexagram 26!
You lot should have megaphoned me! Spent aeons working it all out, then discovered it was the wrong Yang pattern.....Rather worrying however since it seemed to fit very well...?

 

[heylise]

I see every line as a different part of a question. Line 1 means direct personal action, to take the first step. Line 1 doesn't think. Line 2 is connection and exchange with others, 3 emotions, 4 decisions and thinking about consequences, line 5 about overseeing things and taking responsibility, line 6 about conscience, spiritual views, the intangible part. That makes every line to one advice among others. Even contradictory lines don't clash when they have each their own separate space. An answer can want you to think a lot but postpone your feelings, or to be kind to your neighbor and also fight an enemy.
You'd not want to miss any of these advices. Each one can be important.

 

[mazaru]

I always thought that line 4 was the line of the heart.