You know, life throws curveballs, right? We all hit those spots where you just don’t know which way is up, or what move to make next. A few years back, I was stuck in one of those ruts, feeling a bit lost, just spinning my wheels. I tried everything – talking to folks, reading self-help books, you name it. Nothing really clicked. That’s when I vaguely remembered someone talking about the I Ching, this ancient Chinese thing. Sounded super mystical and a bit out there, to be honest. But hey, I was desperate enough to try anything.
My first thought was, “This looks like a whole lot of weird symbols and old-timey philosophy.” I mean, seriously, pages and pages of explanations, hexagrams, changing lines. It felt like trying to read a textbook written in another language. I almost gave up right then and there. But something kept nagging at me. I figured, if people have been using this for thousands of years, there must be something to it. So, I grabbed an old, dusty translation I found lying around – no fancy apps, just a solid book and some coins.
I started super basic. Just three coins. You toss them, write down the result, toss again, six times total. That gives you a hexagram. The book explained how to read the lines, and if some were “changing,” they’d point to another hexagram. It was slow going. I’d ask a question, toss the coins, then spend forever flipping pages, trying to connect the dots. Most of the time, the answer felt vague, or I just didn’t get it. I’d think, “Is this supposed to be profound, or am I just missing something obvious?”
For a while, it felt like a chore. Like homework. But I kept at it, mostly out of stubbornness. What changed was when I started to simplify things. I stopped trying to unlock every single hidden meaning and focused on the core message. I realized I wasn’t looking for a prophecy, but more like a perspective shift, or a gentle nudge in a direction. That’s when my “9 I Ching” approach started to form, which is just my quirky name for it, honestly.
My “9 I Ching” method became about getting a quick, practical daily answer. Forget the deep philosophical dives for a moment. I stripped it down. First, I’d focus on one, clear question for the day. Something immediate and actionable. Not “What’s my life’s purpose?” but more like “What should I focus on today to make progress on X?” or “How can I approach this specific challenge at work today?”
Then, the casting. I’d still use my three coins, six tosses, get my main hexagram. The key difference was in the interpretation. Instead of reading every single line commentary and secondary hexagram right away, I focused on these things:
- The Core Idea: What’s the general vibe of the main hexagram? Is it about progress, caution, withdrawal, struggle, clarity?
- The Changing Lines: Are there any “old” lines (represented by a 9 in some systems, which is where my “9” came from, as a reminder to look for strong signals of change)? If so, what do those specific lines say? I’d read just those line interpretations first. These often gave the most direct, actionable advice.
- The Resulting Hexagram (If Applicable): If there were changing lines, they’d point to a new hexagram. I’d then quickly look at the overall meaning of that second hexagram. This often showed me the “where it’s going” aspect.
It was like getting a quick summary, a daily headline. I wasn’t looking for a novel, just a concise briefing. For example, if I got something like “Waiting” with a changing line about “persisting patiently,” I’d take that as a cue to not push too hard on a particular project that day, but instead, just maintain my position and keep things steady. Or if I got “Enthusiasm” with a line about “gathering allies,” I’d know it was a good day to reach out to collaborators.
I started doing this almost every morning. Like having a little chat with an old, wise friend. It wasn’t about being told exactly what would happen, but more about gaining a fresh perspective, a different way to look at my current situation. It helped me step back and think, “Okay, maybe I need to be more patient here,” or “Perhaps I should be more assertive there.” It wasn’t magic, it was just a tool to help me organize my thoughts and feelings, and sometimes, it pointed out something I was completely overlooking.
Over time, I got better at connecting the I Ching’s sometimes cryptic language to my real-world problems. It became less about decoding secrets and more about intuitive understanding. It brought a certain calm to my daily routine, a sense that even if I didn’t have all the answers, I had a way to seek a little bit of guidance. It’s not for everyone, I get that. But for me, figuring out my simple “9 I Ching” way to get those daily nudges made a real difference. It just helps you tune into your own intuition, you know?
