Also known as the Book of Changes, the I Ching is considered a great legacy of Chinese citizens. It is a writing used over the centuries as an oracle and means “change” or “mutation”.
It works like a book for anyone who wants to read and become a wiser person, thus, through the ages it has become very well known.
Emergence
The I Ching arose before the Chou dynasty (1150–249 BC). The I-Ching was conceived by a legendary emperor of China, named Fu Hsi, as a book containing numerous symbols, without text. These symbols represent the so-called “stage of mutation”, which are elucidated as phases of life and the cycles of the nature of beings.
From 1150 BC, Duke Chou and his father, King WĂŞn, added texts to the symbols, as they considered them very difficult to understand, and writing would be the solution for this case. Explanatory appendices were also added by the Chinese philosopher Confucius.
How to use
The person focuses on a very precise question, about something he would like to know or to get some clarification on his life. After that, coins are tossed for the achievement of that answer. These coins are grouped six times, thus forming lines, also known as hexagrams, which can be firm or changeable.
If the lines fall on the same side (due to the coins falling on different sides), then the result of the mutable line is created, representing what may happen in the future regarding the question asked by the person who asked it.
Each drawn line elucidates the principle of Ying and Yang, understanding that there is no good or evil, but that both complement each other and form the existing life.
Important
The more direct the question is, the greater the chance of getting the I Ching right. If you need to ask more than one question, it is important to split it up and ask only one question at a time. The oracle is infallible, according to Eastern philosophy, so who is susceptible to failure is the person who consults him, due to lack of clarity in what to ask. Eastern philosophy holds that only those who know what they are looking for will get their answers.
Conclusion
The main purpose of the I Ching is to elucidate the meaning of what is asked, rather than simply generating answers for those who consult it. In order to obtain the true answers, the person who consults the oracle must deconstruct and get rid of prejudices and open his mind to absorb all knowledge at the time of consultation by the oracle. Thus, it will be possible to obtain the realization of the total response by the I Ching.
Text written by Bruno da Silva Melo from the Eu Sem Fronteiras Team.
