Disclaimer: I am not a professional diviner nor an expert on the I Ching, Kenpo Gokui, or any other of the ancient Chinese Classics. This is my current understanding and subject to revision as I continue my studies.
A basic understanding of the I Ching is necessary so one does not mistake its purpose and what is required of the person making use of it. This excerpt is from the I Ching as translated by Wilhelm into German and further translated into English by Baynes.
Of all the copies I have in my collection I find that the issue that best provides results from the I Ching is this copy with its three books and full explanations, etc. I have added the ISBN to ensure that if you decide to get a copy you get the one with all the data since there are several issues available that may not be as complete as this particular copy.
This copy defines the concept of why the I Ching came into being from its definition of coincidence of events, i.e.
"Synchronicity take the coincidence of events in space and time as meaning something more that mere chance, namely, a peculiar interdependence of objective events among themselves as well as with the subjective (psychic) states of the observer or observers." - Wilhelm/Baynes
One who wishes to divine or receive divination from the I Ching has to seek out either within themselves or one who is well established as an I Ching person the traits necessary to connect to the I Ching and through it to the Tao or Universe.
To understand the true meaning with depth and breadth requires study, contemplation and meditation. One person said they could throw the three coins and come up with a hexagram easily while my thought on this is they are not in full understanding of how the I Ching is meant to work which is why one should use the yarrow stalks and follow the advice that has one meditating on the person seeking the oracles advice and the situation that person seeks answers to.
This is the premise to the I Ching for we can only divine answers from its study if we spend the proper time to learn the basics and then meditate and study for a period of time for each person and each divination of said person. This takes time, patience and open mind-ness with out clouding of the personal egotistic influences.
One must take a serious and dedicated stance as to the use of the I Ching as an Oracle to life. Anything less would result in a misreading and create a dangerous situation with unpredictable results.
When one takes up the study and use of the I Ching they must, "Carefully scrutinize their own character, attitude, and motives." Since everything and all things of both spiritual and physical are connected with Tao all things have influence on the reading and the results. This is why the three coins, in my view, are great for the fun of it but to seriously gain knowledge from the Oracle it must be done with utmost seriousness and intent.
As Wilhelm/Baynes indicate in the introduction, "One's own personality is very often implicated in the answer of the oracle."
Wilhelm and Baynes go on to provide some very basic knowledge of how the I Ching works. The following are my notes on this to help readers come to understand a bit more about how it works.
Initially when the great Tai-chi or what I refer to as the "big bang" there came about a division represented by Yin and Yang and symbolized by a solid broken line and a solid line. The solid line is like the "one" character in a computer which in this sense means, "yes." The broken line means, "no."
In order to reach more detailed divination the two lines were combined into pairs. These pairs become the four, i.e. greater yin, lesser yang, lesser yin, and greater yang.
----- -----
----- ----- greater yin
-----------
----- ----- lesser yang
----- -----
----------- lesser yin
------------
------------ greater yang
Then the ancients then decided to add a third line to create the eight "gua" or tri-grams. They are Qiuan, Zhen, Kan, Gen, Dui, Li, Xun, and Kun.
These eight are images that represent or symbolize all the myriad things that happen in Heaven and on Earth. These are interpreted from the standpoint that they are all in a state of continual transition.
The eight also represent functions as symbolized by their representations of the father, mother, three sons and three daughters. They tell us that all things have the tendency to move.
In that light it is also taught that the positive lines that move are represented by the number 9 and the negative lines that also move are represented by the number 6. Any non-moving lines that represent its property of no real meaning are 7 if positive and 8 if negative.
When a line is represented by a 7 it is disregarded in the interpretation of the oracle. Also keep in mind that solid lines can be positive while broken lines can be negative.
When viewing the symbols as if they were sons there are various stages where the principal movement is in regard to the beginning of the movement, danger in the movement, and rest/completion in the movement of the line.
When viewing the symbols as if they were daughters there are various stages where the principal of movement is in regard to the devotion where there is gentle penetration, clarity and adaptability and joyous tranquility.
If we see the possibilities when there are both involved then the balance or equilibrium we can achieve provides both the hard and the soft for a totality of "one" as a human being between heaven and earth.
When they combine the eight gua into duality where there are now six lines which can be both positive and negative. These lines are inherently capable of continual change and do change depending on the situation at the present moment of the oracle reading.
We have to look at the character of the line to determine if it changes or remains steady as it is. A line that is increasing in it positive nature has the ability to change while a line that is decreasing in its positive nature remains unchanged.
Again numbers are involved as moving positive lines are represented by 9 while negative moving lines by 6. The non-moving lines can be represented by either 7 or 8.
When you begin it is important that you meditate for a period of time and keep a clean and tranquil mind; the mind is to be receptive to the cosmic influences and the intent of the nature of the requested divination narrows the focus.
This only touches the very surface of the possibilities within the pages of the I Ching. Read it, look within the writings for those things that touch you personally and finally go back and begin to study it in depth. Maybe, like practicing the martial art of Okinawa karate-do, in ten, twenty or thirty years you may actually begin to divine.
One of the most important aspects of the study of the Oracle is the realization that like the art of karate-do you can't just learn a few techniques and know karate much like just learning to throw the three coins does not make you an expert in the I Ching just like it takes a lifetime to become enlightened, and that is an If at that as well. It all depends on your intent.
Bibliography:
Wilhelm, Richard and Baynes, Cary F. "The I Ching or Book of Changes." New Jersey: Princeton University Press; 3rd edition. October 1, 1967. ISBN-10: 069109750X
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