I CHING The I Ching is an ancient Chinese oracle that provides an Oriental philosophical perspective to give insight on situations and problems. "I" means change. "Ching" means book. Therefore I Ching means 'The Book Of Changes'. The I Ching is both a book and a method of divination that represents one of the first efforts of humans to grasp their relationship to nature and society. The I Ching is a book of wisdom that illustrates correct and balanced action in a multitude of situations. It is a chart of changes. The basis of the I Ching philosophy is that nothing is static and that our task is to adjust to the ebbs and flows of change. The I Ching has evolved over the centuries and is a mix of Taoist and Confucian philosophy. It is possibly the oldest book in existence. Its origins date back about 5000 years to the time of the ruler Fu Hsi. Fu Hsi was said to have found the eight trigrams that form the sixty-four hexagrams on the shell of a tortoise. Fu Hsi is credited as being the first person to give some order to what was, at that time, an uncivilized culture. were not written until much later. The meanings evolved from then on but the book was used mostly for predicting natural events until King Wen wrote the first expositions on the sixty-four hexagrams about 3000 years ago. He wrote them while in prison from a vision on the prison wall. These were the first comments that included social and political connotations. Many renowned Chinese philosophers such as Lao Tzu and Confucius have influenced the I Ching through the centuries. Confucius was particularly dedicated to the study and application of the ideas in the I Ching. Each inquiry to the oracle will result in a hexagram reading and possibly additional line readings. A hexagram is made up of two trigrams. There are eight possible trigrams: Ch'ien (Cosmos), Chen (Thunder), K'an (Water), Ken (Mountain), K'un (Earth), Sun (Wind/Wood), Li (Fire), and Tui (Lake). Each trigram is made up of three lines. Each line is either broken or solid, corresponding to the complementary forces Yin (negative) and Yang (positive). Every time a coin is thrown, one line of the hexagram is determined, thus, six throws decide a hexagram. There are sixty-four different hexagrams, and each hexagram has six changing lines, any one of which may or may not apply for any particular reading. One method for casting the oracle is to use three Chinese coins for the throws. Each throw creates one line of the hexagram. One side of the coin represents a two and the other a three. These numbers are added to determine the result of the throw. Changing lines are created if there are any three-of-a-kind throws (a total of six or nine). The secondary reading can be thought of as changing from the primary reading and is only created if there are changing lines in the primary reading. Solid line are (Yang) masculine. Broken Lines are (Yin) feminine.
TRIGRAMS KHWAN CONCEPT: Docility / Submissive / Earth QUALITIES: Passive - Earth - Female - Receptive - Weak - Responsive - Yielding - Devoted - Flexible - Soft - Calm - Wife - Patient - Moderate - Empty - Cowardly - Maternal - Docile - Capaciousness - Submissiveness - Subordination - Compliant - Caldron - Obscure - Sustaining Power FAMILY: Mother PART OF THE BODY: Stomach SEASON: Late Summer - Early Autumn
K AN (CHEN) CONCEPT: Thunder / Exciting Power QUALITIES:Thunder - Movement - Active - Moving - Arousing - Excited - Diligent - Angry - Nervous - Threatening - Anxious - Successful - Flying - Shocking - Motion - Growth - Vehemence - Forceful FAMILY: Eldest Son PART OF THE BODY: Feet SEASON: Spring
KHAN (K'AN) CONCEPT: Peril / Difficulty / Dangerous QUALITIES: Peril - Difficulty - Moon - Enveloping - Dangerous - Cunning - Deceitful - Aimless - Clever - Wise - Sad - Harmless - Melancholy - Depressed - Rain - Disturbing - Hidden - Concealed - Anxiety - Distress of the Mind - Abysmal FAMILY: Second Son PART OF THE BODY: Ears SEASON: Winter
TUI CONCEPT: Joyful / Marsh / Complacent QUALITIES: Happy - Gossipy - Slanderous - Joy - Critical - Quarrelsome - Laughing - Smiling - Harmonious - Pleasurable - Contentment - Low Lying Water - Marsh - Soft - Sorceress FAMILY: Youngest Daughter PART OF THE BODY: Mouth/Tongue SEASON: Fall
KAN (KEN) CONCEPT: Arresting / Immovable / Mountain QUALITIES: Quiet - Slow - Indecisive - Tough - Secretive - Contradictory - Independent - Hard - Mountain - Obstinate - Perverse - Stubborn - Immovable - Standstill - Resting - Stopping FAMILY: Youngest Son PART OF THE BODY: Hand SEASON: Late Winter - Early Spring
LI CONCEPT: Brightness / Elegance / Clinging QUALITIES: Light Giving - Hot - Agitated - Fire - Brilliance - Beauty - Beautiful - Depending - Dedicated - Elegance - Enlightened - Clinging - Intelligence - Dryness FAMILY: Second Daughter PART OF THE BODY: Eyes SEASON: Summer
SUN CONCEPT: Penetrating / Flexibility QUALITIES: Yielding - Gentle - Indecisive - Weak - Fragrant - Neat - Obedient - Restless - Excitable - Bland - Mild - Wood - Wind - Close Pursuit of Gain - Flexible - Pliancy FAMILY: Eldest Daughter PART OF THE BODY: Thigh SEASON: Late Spring - Early Summer
KHEIN (CH'IEN) CONCEPT: Creative / Movement QUALITIES: Strong - Clever - Brave - Active - Solid - Decisive - Moving - Vital - Powerful - Untiring Strength - Ruler - Takes the Initiative FAMILY: Father PART OF THE BODY: Head SEASON: Late Fall - Early Winter
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