Okay, so today I decided to mess around with the I Ching, specifically hexagram 16. It’s called “Yu” which some folks translate as “Enthusiasm” or “Providing-For.” I’ve dabbled in the I Ching before, but never really systematically, you know?
So, first thing, I grabbed my three coins. I don’t have any fancy yarrow stalks, so coins it is! I’ve designated heads as 3 and tails as 2. Pretty standard stuff.
Getting Down to Business (The Coin Tosses)
I focused on my question. It wasn’t anything super specific, more like, “What’s the energy around my creative projects right now?” I wanted something broad, something the I Ching could really sink its teeth into.
Then I started tossing. Here’s how it went down:
- Toss 1: Heads, Heads, Tails. That’s 3 + 3 + 2 = 8. An 8 is an earth line, which is a broken line ( — — ).
- Toss 2: Tails, Tails, Tails. That’s 2 + 2 + 2 = 6. Another earth line, and because it’s a 6, it’s a moving earth line. I marked it with an “x”.
- Toss 3: Heads, Tails, Tails. That’s 3 + 2 + 2 = 7. A yang, solid line (—–).
- Toss 4: Heads, Tails, Heads. That’s 3+2+3=8, Another earth line, a broken line(– –).
- Toss 5: Tails, Tails, Tails. That’s 2 + 2 + 2 = 6. Another earth line, and because it’s a 6, it’s a moving earth line. I marked it with an “x”.
- Toss 6: Heads, Tails, Heads. That’s 3+2+3=8, Another earth line, a broken line(– –).
I built the hexagram from the bottom up, just like you’re supposed to. So, I ended up with a broken line, a moving broken line, a solid line, a broken line, a moving broken line, and a broken line on top.
Making The Hexagrams
The moving lines, the sixes, are a big deal. They mean the hexagram is in flux, transforming into another one. It’s all the same as it was built before, except to change the moving lines from broken to solid, or solid to broken.
My second Hexagram is made all of solid lines!
The Reveal: Hexagram 16 and 1!
The first Hexagram is two broken lines, a solid, and three broken on top. I looked it up, and bam, Hexagram 16. The second is all solid, which is Hexagram 1.
Hexagram 16.I did some more digging. “Enthusiasm,” “Providing-For,” even “Harmony.” It’s all about gathering energy, preparing, and being ready to move forward, but not forcing *’s a sense of anticipation, like something good is about to happen. It’s very grounded, too.
Hexagram 1.I also did some more digging. “The Creative, Force”. It’s all about original impulse, strong, active, and persistent.
So, my takeaway? My creative projects are in a good place. There’s a lot of potential energy building, and I need to keep gathering resources and preparing. But I also shouldn’t push too hard. Let things unfold naturally. The moving line suggests that this energy is going to shift into a more grounded and harmonious state, which feels pretty accurate to what I’m hoping *’s going to be all about creativity!
It’s not a perfect science, obviously. But it’s a fun way to get some perspective and tap into some, shall we say, alternative wisdom. I might try this again next week and see what changes!
