There is no established scientific explanation why the I Ching works as an intuitive tool. The fact that intuition and precognition exist suggests that the deepest part of the human mind has access to a quantum level that is beyond space and time. Anyone doing a reading is enabling the coins (and possibly the surrounding environment) to convey meaningful information from that level. Perhaps someday Quantum Theory will explain this fact as an extension of the observer effect, the fact that the act of observing a particle affects its behavior, which reveals the role consciousness plays in the physical world.
I Ching Interpretation 
I have been consulting the I-Ching since 1976, while working on my art degree at Cal State Hayward (now called East Bay). A friend turned me onto it. My initial throwing of the coins gave me 6 changing lines resulting in Hexagram 1 (Creative Power), changing to Hexagram 2 (Natural Response). The R. L. Wing interpretation in the I-Ching Workbook, is the only interpretation that I’ve ever found that clearly indicates ruling lines and gives a special indication when all lines are changing. Here he states, “When all the lines are changing, the augury is indeed profound. Your character is thoroughly defined and balanced. You may now have a prominent and valuable effect upon the world.” At the time, this was true. Long story.
I find that the Whilhelm interpretation, having gone from Chinese to German to French to English is a bit too convoluted for me. Brian Browne Walker, and Hillary Barrett both have good, clear interpretations that I use along with the R. L. Wing book (my 3rd copy at this writing).
At Cal State, just after being turned on to the I-Ching, I was working on 2 separate papers, one for a class on Karl Jung and his book “Synchronicity,” and another on the artist Hans Arp for an art history class. I found out, in researching these 2 subjects, that both of them regularly consulted the I-Ching. Hans Arp, inspired by the I-Ching, did paper sculpture by dropping torn pieces of colored paper on the floor in a synchronistic fashion.
After many years of interacting with the I-Ching, I’m convinced that what is happening when one throws the coins, or picks up yarrow sticks, is that this process essentially freezes time so that we can clearly see what is right in front of our faces. Each toss of the coins is a frozen moment in time and all of it’s related connections. My experience is that it tells me exactly what I already know, but because I’m unable to make all the connections because I’m not paying 100% attention 100% of the time, but the I-Ching is able to do so. I don’t have a scientific explanation. I’m an artist and trust my intuition; it is the only thing that I know to be correct, always, and speaking with the I-Ching, is like speaking to a friend who will tell you the unvarnished truth without tip toeing around your feelings.
Sometimes the I-Ching will admonish me for not listening. Sometimes it will say something like it did recently while I was waiting a very long time to hear the results of a job interview, that things will happen in time, but perhaps not in the time I wanted it to happen (don’t push the river).
I’m looking forward to reading the newest edition of your book. Seems the “purchase” link is broken. Sorry I missed your talk at East West in Mt. View. I would have liked to hear your take on this great book. Thanks for this blog!
I have been rolling the I Ching for some years now and have always marvelled at its ability to reflect deep part of my consciousness that I would not have been able to express, but am able to recognise when pointed out by the selected haxagrams. So it seems to me that there are two possible explainations for this.
(1) The I Ching is a process that is somehow linked to natural higher functions of nature and its human branch, allowing one to contact the other in some strange invisible and otherwise currently incoherent way. ie. The I Ching works because all things are trully one.
(2) The masters of the I Ching saw that there were two basic states of mind – one is the illumined state in which all things are knowable, and the other is the ignorant state in which all things remain unknown. In this ignorant state of mind, certain qualities of life are common amongst all ignorant minds and can be expressed and recognised by ignorant minds are being part of their world. ie. Assume that an ignorant mind believes that up is down, left is right and front is back. When an ignorant mind receives a response from the I Ching, it receives a confirmation of one of these misunderstandings that it recognises as part of their awareness. So one might be told that ‘up is down’ and the receiver recognises that this is their truth. On another roll, they are told that ‘front is back’ and the receiver recognises that this is also etc. This would mean that the 64 Hexagrams are 64 ‘misundrstandings’ that help to confirm an ignorant minds’ position should they consult the I Ching oracle, with a 100% chance of being told something accurate since all the answers are part of that ignorant state. If this is the case, then the information contained in the I Ching might be small and gradual solutions that assist an ignorant mind to come to some realisation of illumination. At the same time, it could also be a simple tool used to engage and deceive its users into a ‘mystical’ approach to life.
I of course, prefer to relate to possibilty #1, but perhaps that is because I am still outside of illumination.
Just a thought.
Hi Alberto, I’m enjoying reading your books. I just want to make a general comment here about my experiences using interpretations from your book. I have been using the I Ching, off & on, for over 25 years. I find your Cross Checking category especially useful. It brings more clarity to some of the issue I’m researching.The cubes I use make the I Ching easier to use for interpretation,and a few other areas in your book also make it easier to understand the immense depth of the I Ching. I am also a Numerologist and a Dowser for many,many year. Thank you again for your gift of this reference book; I consulted it almost every time I throw the cubes. Don Ellison, MA
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