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How to consult the I Ching

The I Ching (Yijing) has guided decision-making in Chinese culture for over three thousand years. The Book of Changes, as it’s translated, is both a philosophical text and an oracle system. Unlike fortune-telling that claims to predict fixed futures, the I Ching describes the nature of your current situation and the direction it’s moving. Your response to that understanding shapes what actually unfolds.

What you need

Three identical coins. That’s it. Any coins work, though traditional Chinese coins with a square hole are often used for aesthetic reasons. You’ll also need:

Preparing your question

The quality of your reading depends largely on the quality of your question. The I Ching works best with open-ended questions that seek understanding rather than instructions.

Avoid yes/no questions. “Should I take the job?” gives the oracle nothing to work with. The I Ching describes dynamics and patterns, not binary choices.

Ask about the nature of things. Better questions:

Focus on yourself, not others. “Why is my partner acting this way?” puts the oracle’s attention where you have no power. “What do I need to understand about my experience in this relationship?” keeps the focus where you can actually use the insight.

Be specific but not limiting. A question that’s too vague (“What should I know?”) produces vague answers. A question that’s too narrow (“Should I call at 3pm or 4pm?”) trivializes the oracle. Find the middle ground: genuine concerns, real stakes, openness to whatever emerges.

Take a moment to hold your question clearly in mind. Some practitioners write it down. Others simply sit with it until it feels settled. When your attention is gathered and your question is clear, you’re ready to begin.

The three-coin method

You’ll build a hexagram from the bottom up, one line at a time. Six throws produce six lines. Each throw determines whether a line is solid (yang), broken (yin), and whether it’s stable or changing.

Assigning values

Decide which side of your coins represents which number:

Be consistent. Once you decide, stick with it for all your readings.

Making a throw

Shake all three coins and let them fall. Add up the values:

Draw the line:

Mark changing lines (6 or 9) with a small circle or X beside them. These are important.

Building the hexagram

Repeat six times, stacking each line above the previous one:

  1. First throw → bottom line
  2. Second throw → second line from bottom
  3. Third throw → third line
  4. Fourth throw → fourth line
  5. Fifth throw → fifth line
  6. Sixth throw → top line

When you finish, you have a six-line hexagram. There are 64 possible hexagrams, each with its own meaning.

Example reading

Your question: “What do I need to understand about this career transition?”

Your throws:

  1. Two heads, one tail (8) → broken line (— —)
  2. Three heads (9) → solid line, changing (——— ○)
  3. Two tails, one head (7) → solid line (———)
  4. Two heads, one tail (8) → broken line (— —)
  5. Two tails, one head (7) → solid line (———)
  6. Two tails, one head (7) → solid line (———)

Your hexagram, from bottom to top:

——— (line 6)
——— (line 5)
— — (line 4)
——— (line 3)
——— ○ (line 2, changing)
— — (line 1)

This is Hexagram 13, Tong Ren (Fellowship), with a changing line in the second position.

Finding your hexagram

Count the solid and broken lines in the lower three lines (lower trigram) and upper three lines (upper trigram). Use an I Ching table to find the hexagram number, or identify the trigrams:

Lower trigram (lines 1-3):

The same eight trigrams apply to lines 4-6 (upper trigram).

Each hexagram page on this site includes the hexagram number and both trigram names for reference.

Reading changing lines

If you threw any 6s or 9s, you have changing lines. These indicate where the situation is in flux.

Read the main hexagram first. This describes the overall nature of your situation.

Then read the specific changing line texts. Each hexagram has interpretations for what it means when each individual line is changing. In our example, you’d read the second line interpretation of Hexagram 13.

Finally, determine your second hexagram. Change your changing lines to their opposite (solid becomes broken, broken becomes solid). This creates a new hexagram showing where the situation is heading.

In the example:

The first hexagram shows where you are. The second shows the direction of movement.

Interpretation approach

The I Ching speaks in images and metaphors. Don’t expect literal instructions.

Start with the hexagram name and image. “Fellowship with people” (Hexagram 13) evokes community, collaboration, working with others. How does this resonate with your question about career transition?

Read the Judgment. This is the core guidance. Sit with it before reading further commentary.

Consider the Image. This describes how a wise person would act in this situation.

If you have changing lines, study them carefully. They often contain the most specific guidance because they point to exactly where movement is occurring.

Notice your response. The oracle’s power comes partly from how its images interact with your unconscious understanding of your situation. What immediately strikes you? What makes you uncomfortable? Your reactions are data.

Common beginner mistakes

Asking the same question repeatedly. If you don’t like the answer, asking again won’t change the situation. It just muddies your relationship with the oracle. One question, one reading.

Looking for permission. The I Ching describes what is, not what you should do. If you want someone to tell you your decision is correct, ask a friend. The oracle might show you aspects of the situation you’re avoiding.

Taking it too literally. “The wild goose gradually approaches the tree” is not literal advice about geese or trees. It’s an image of gradual, appropriate progress toward your goal.

Ignoring readings that confuse you. Sometimes the most valuable readings are the ones you don’t immediately understand. Write them down. Return to them later. The meaning often clarifies as the situation develops.

Over-consulting. Daily readings dilute the practice. The I Ching is for genuine questions, not entertainment. Save it for decisions and situations that matter.

After the reading

Write down the hexagram(s), changing lines, and your initial thoughts. Many practitioners keep a journal of their readings.

Don’t act immediately. Let the reading settle. Sleep on significant guidance before making major decisions.

Return to the reading as the situation develops. Often, the meaning deepens as you see how things unfold.

Going deeper

The three-coin method is authentic and sufficient for most practitioners. For those who want more traditional approaches:

The yarrow stalk method uses 50 yarrow stalks (or sticks) divided repeatedly to generate lines. It’s more time-consuming but produces different probabilities for changing lines and connects you to the oracle’s earliest form.

Commentaries by scholars like Richard Wilhelm or Alfred Huang add philosophical depth to the basic hexagram texts.

The trigram relationships reveal deeper patterns. Each hexagram is built from two three-line trigrams, and understanding how Heaven, Earth, Thunder, Water, Mountain, Wind, Fire, and Lake interact adds layers of meaning.

The I Ching rewards sustained engagement. What begins as divination often becomes philosophy, psychology, and a lifelong conversation with the nature of change itself.

To explore individual hexagram meanings, visit the hexagram pages for detailed interpretations. For other divination traditions, see How to cast runes or How to do a three-card tarot spread. The I Ching’s philosophy of change connects to similar concepts in Vedic thought through the understanding that all things arise, transform, and pass away in natural rhythm.

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