DIVINATION

As noted in the introduction to THOU DEI JINN, there are two traditional ways of asking this JINN a question: one uses 50 yarrow reeds, divided and then counted-out in a time-honored fashion; one uses three coins (such as pennies) tossed a total of six times. Those who wish to learn the yarrow-reed method I refer to the JAMES LEGGE or WILHELM/BAYNES versions of I CHING, where it is explained fully. While it is considered essential to many traditionalists.. especially of Chinese culture.. I early-on set it aside in favor of the more convenient and easily-learned coin-method, which follows.

Get a notepad, pen and three pennies, and sit down at a large table or on a comfortable floor.

Drop three pennies on the table or floor (from about six inches from surface.)

Now count-up the 'values' of the toss, using the following formula:

Now repeat this Step 1 until you have a total of SIX numbers, each written ABOVE the preceding one (this is VERY IMPORTANT!..) always write the next number directly ABOVE the one before it.. stacking them into a column looking something like this..

Now, use the following system for turning your numerical 'answer' into a Hexagram (or "picture of six lines:)

9 = ----0---- (a SOLID LINE with an 0 through it)

8 = ---- ---- (a BROKEN LINE)

7 = --------- (a SOLID LINE)

6 = --- X --- (a BROKEN LINE with an X inside it)

What you will have is a stack of numbers with their corresponding lines, looking something like this:

NOW..

you need to 'translate' this into Hexagram form. IF YOUR ANSWER HAD NO 6's or 9's, YOU ALREADY HAVE YOUR COMPLETE ANSWER. But if you DID have 6's or 9's in your numerical response, YOUR ANSWER HAS TWO HEXAGRAMS built into it. Now here is how to 'seperate' them into useable form:

Above your response, draw on your notepad TWO new figures:

1:

one, Titled "PARENT HEXAGRAM".. composed of your original BROKEN or SOLID LINES (leaving-out any 0's or X's.) AND..

2:

another, titled "PRODUCT HEXAGRAM".. REPLACING ONLY THOSE LINES WHICH HAD AN 0 OR AN X.. like this:

Every 6 = --- X --- BECOMES a 7 = --------- in the product hexagram.

Every 9 = ----0---- BECOMES a 8 = ---- ---- in the product hexagram.

What you will have will then be TWO Hexagrams (or columns of lines).. in our Example, those would be:

If you will look them up on the following page (HEXAGRAM INDEX PAGE) you will find that the Parent Hexagram in our Example is #48, while the Product Hexagram is #60. SIMPLE, REALLY!

FIRST.. find and select your PARENT HEXAGRAM on the next page. READ THE TEXT (but NOT the parts about '1st - 6th 2 months') as part of the Oracle's answer.

SECOND.. if your Answer had any 6's or 9's, READ ONLY THE 'months' WHERE A 6 or a 9 occurred in your answer. EXAMPLE: if your BOTTOM LINE (first coin-toss) were a 6 or 9, read 'the 1st 2 months.' ALWAYS PROGRESS FROM BOTTOM (first toss) TO TOP (sixth toss;) and read the Month Line of '6 or 9' lines ONLY, in proper sequence. You may want to write down every part of the answer, for future reference. DISREGARD THE WORD "MONTHS" IN USING THE YE JINN FOR DIVINATION.. it does NOT pertain to your answer (the 2-month periods are ONLY part of the Kuei-Shan Life Calendar.)

LASTLY.. return to Index Page and click-on the number of your PRODUCT HEXAGRAM. READ THE TEXT ONLY.. but NONE of the 'month lines.' This completes the Answer the Oracle gave to your question!