How to Read I Ching Hexagrams
A hexagram has six lines, built from two trigrams. Once you can see that structure, most translations start making considerably more sense.
Questions people ask
- What does it mean when a line is moving?
- How do the upper and lower trigrams relate?
- Why do I get two hexagrams in one reading?
Hexagrams that often come up
The Creative
Pure creative force, ceaseless and unyielding.
The Receptive
Pure receptivity that supports and carries all things.
Difficulty at the Beginning
Birth pangs: gather allies and wait for the right moment.
Peace
Heaven and earth in communion: everything flows.
The Abysmal
Danger upon danger: sincerity and repetition carry you through.
After Completion
Completion is the easy part; holding it is the work.
Common questions
What is a moving line?
A line that is changing from one state to the other. Readings use it to point at which part of the situation is in transition.
Do I need the changed hexagram?
It shows the direction the situation is trending. Not a prediction — closer to a description of momentum.