Yippee! I Ching!

[Mithrea]

Okay a couple of years ago I checked out a tiny little book of I Ching from the library. I loved it because I found it to be so much more direct and accurate than Tarot (although I loooove my cards!). But I never could find the book to buy for myself. I've never found a book that was anything like it.

Well, I've had a bad week and to cheer myself up I went to the bookstore to find a new Tarot deck and came home with those I Ching Cards. I know there has been discussion of this in the past, I just wanted to share because I'm so happy :boing:

The cards themselves actually look alot like the little book I never found.

Does anyone else have these cards and use them?

[Mnemosyne]

Yes, I have seen the I Ching tarot cards. I have never used them though. When you went to the library, did you check out the actual I Ching book? If you use coins or sticks to help you make the hexagrams, the I Ching book is useful for divination purposes. Also, there are loads of books to help you interpret the I Ching out there. You can usually find these books in the Eastern Philosophy section of the bookstore.

[Flar's Freyja]

Here's an existing thread on I Ching:

http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1928&highlight=I+Ching

[Flar's Freyja]

And another, where Dagda's got some good links on reading the I Ching with tarot cards:

http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2793&highlight=I+Ching

[Theres]

there are two really wonderful books for use with the I Ching. the first is R.L Wing's book, and the other i can't remember right now (wasn't THAT helpful?).
EDIT; "The I Ching (or Book of Changes)" by Wilhelm Baynes, just recently available in paperback.

i like the I Ching, and i usually do it with the coins for a quick reading. i have three Sacajewea dollars that i use only for this purpose.
but i think the sticks are MUCH better, because the process itself is very absorbing and time consuming, and your focus is honed that much more. the counting, manipulating them in your fingers, just the entire 'ritual' of the yarrow sticks is very centering, and i'm sure this was done by the ancients intentionally. i get better readings this way, and feel very different when i'm done.
doing it with the coins (and i imagine) with the cards short-cuts this process and (imo) diminishes the experience.
however, like i said, i do usually use the coins.

[Flar's Freyja]

:boing: I have some Sacajewea dollars!

[Mithrea]

I just last night put my Sacajewea dollars in the box with the cards to use with the books. I used coins when I had the book from the library. I chose them because of their size and color. Is that why you picked them too, Greenman?

Also Mnemnosyne, It seems to me that reading the I Ching is bit like trying to read the Bible, I don't know enough about Ancient Chinese cosmology to make out the original metaphors, allusions and other linguistic devices. The best I can do is search for a reliable translator. I am chatting with my Chinese professor about this now. :)

Freyja, I, of course, read those threads before I posted. I was just excited and wanted to share.

[Mnemosyne]

I agree with Greenman that using the yarrow sticks is more favorable to using the coins. Like him, I use the coins since it is sooooo much quicker.

Mithrea, I think that it is a really good idea to talk to your Chinese professor about translations. My friend's mother is really into the I Ching. One of the first things she told me was to get talk to a Chinese professor about translations of the text. In my opinion, a good translation of the text is essential. I'm sure that you know that though. I found the thread on I Ching interesting, since they were discussing I Ching and poetry. The I Ching is definetely the art of words. I kind of think of using the tarot as interpretting the art of pictures while I Ching is interpretting the art of words. It would be quite interesting to hear how to use both the tarot and i ching turns out.

[Twilight Garden]

Yup I have the cards and the coins. When I have the time, I do the sticks. They take much more time, but are well worth it. I find that they are really great for meditating on the problem or situation and you end up putting more energy into the "reading".

edit: I just read through the responses and well, "What Greenman said!"

[Rick]

Originally posted by Freyja
:boing: I have some Sacajewea dollars!
Yeah, me too... 'cuz vending machines won't take 'em... 8O

[Silver Venus]

I ching I know nothing..
Although Ive been interested, I dont feel its for me.

:) Really glad for you though Mithrea and hope your having loads of fun with your new cards!

[Mnemosyne]

I was reading your posts about coins. Do you use particular coins for divination?

[Mithrea]

I have other divination spells I use coins for and I'll use anything as long as they are very shiny and clean.

[Ptah]

Hail and merry meet,
Sorry, I have never seen the cards you are referring to. I discovered the I ching appx 2 yrs ago. I find the use of the I ching takes the interpertation out of my hands as opposed to the Tarot where I tend to try to personalize the meaning of the cards to what I hope it means.
When I first began to study this art I used bamboo sticks to learn the manipulation and how to decipher the hex's. However because I had no yarrow I searched and found three well worn Chinese coins. My coin readings are eerily accurate, I believe, because so many people have handled the coins. I have tried to use new coins without much success. The years it took to wear my coins almost smooth and the sheer number of people who had to touch them (I believe) contribute to the accuracy of the reading because of the energy of those who have handled them remains within the coins. Sort of a universal energy collector, so to speak.

I am growing my own Yarrow so I may connect more closley with Fu Hsui and the energy associated with the original milfoil treatment of the text. I have several translations of the Text, but the one I use the most is an old hardback copy of I Ching by John Blofeld pub 1963. (same reason as above) I recovered the book (that was in disrepair) with red silk and added gold tassled page markers. I also included three yarrow fronds hidden within the cover page. I keep my coins in a red silk purse in a pocket I included on the cover.

If one uses the Chinese coin method I suggest the coins be activated by passing a red ribbon through the holes and tied with five knots. Set up your altar and consecrate the coins and Book for its purpose. Keep your book and coins above eye level in a venerated place and they will serve you well.

[Mnemosyne]

Thank you so much for that information, Ptah. I learned some news to use the I Ching. I never thought of considering to use old coins for the sake of all the energy that has been passed through them. I will definitely take how you handle the coins and use the I Ching book into consideration. I liked reading how your copy of the I Ching was in need of some repair. Like you, I have an old copy of the book. I got my copy from my friend's mother. Since I knew that she really liked the I Ching, I asked her why she would be giving me a copy. She simply stated that she already had two copies. I know that my older book has had much love, and I am happy that she has passed it to me so I can now learn from it.

[Ptah]

Your welcome.

I particularly like the usages of the different potentials of energies contained within the I Ching. It helped explained the intracate and subtle energies of the universe and the true causation of Magicks. It is a wonderful study that I was delighted to discover.