I Ching for Beginners: How to Cast and Read Hexagrams

The I Ching — the Book of Changes — is one of the oldest divination systems in human history, with roots stretching back more than three thousand years to ancient China. It maps the fundamental patterns of change that govern all things: the dance between yin and yang, stillness and motion, shadow and light. In Chaos Tarot, the I Ching's 64 hexagrams have been rendered as glowing digital sigils — ancient wisdom encoded in neon circuitry.

What Is a Hexagram?

A hexagram is a figure composed of six horizontal lines, stacked from bottom to top. Each line is either solid (yang ———) or broken (yin — —). With six lines and two possibilities per line, there are exactly 64 unique hexagrams, each representing a distinct archetypal situation or pattern of change.

Every hexagram is also composed of two trigrams — three-line figures that represent fundamental natural forces:

• ☰ Heaven (Qian) — Creative force, strength, the father
• ☷ Earth (Kun) — Receptive force, devotion, the mother
• ☳ Thunder (Zhen) — Arousing, shock, initiative
• ☵ Water (Kan) — The abysmal, danger, flowing
• ☶ Mountain (Gen) — Keeping still, meditation, boundaries
• ☴ Wind (Xun) — The gentle, penetrating, gradual influence
• ☲ Fire (Li) — The clinging, clarity, illumination
• ☱ Lake (Dui) — The joyous, openness, reflection

The lower trigram represents the inner world or the foundation of the situation. The upper trigram represents the outer world or the visible manifestation. Together, they paint a complete picture.

The Three-Coin Method

The most accessible way to cast a hexagram is the three-coin method. Here is how it works:

1. Gather three coins. Any coins will do. Assign heads a value of 3 and tails a value of 2.
2. Focus your question. The I Ching responds best to open-ended questions about situations, not yes-or-no queries.
3. Toss all three coins. Add up the values. The total determines the type of line:
   • 6 — Old Yin (changing broken line ⚋ → transforms to yang)
   • 7 — Young Yang (stable solid line ⚊)
   • 8 — Young Yin (stable broken line ⚋)
   • 9 — Old Yang (changing solid line ⚊ → transforms to yin)
4. Record the line. This is your first (bottom) line.
5. Repeat five more times. Build the hexagram from bottom to top.

Changing Lines: The Key to Depth

When you roll a 6 or 9, that line is changing — it carries extra significance and will transform into its opposite, creating a second hexagram. Your reading then spans two hexagrams: the present situation and the situation it is evolving toward. Changing lines are where the I Ching delivers its most pointed and specific guidance.

In Chaos Tarot, changing lines are marked with a pulsing glow — a visual reminder that these lines are in flux, carrying the energy of transformation.

Reading Your Hexagram

Once you have your hexagram, the interpretation unfolds in layers:

1. The hexagram as a whole — Read the overall judgment and image. This is the macro view of your situation.
2. The component trigrams — Consider the interplay between the upper and lower trigrams. Are they in harmony or tension?
3. The changing lines — If any lines are changing, read their specific commentaries. These are the most personally relevant parts of the reading.
4. The transformed hexagram — If you have changing lines, construct the second hexagram. This shows where the situation is heading.

Core Philosophy: Change Is the Only Constant

The I Ching does not predict a fixed future. It reveals the patterns of change at work in your life and suggests how to align yourself with those patterns. The hexagrams are not fortunes — they are mirrors reflecting the dynamic interplay of forces around you.

This is why the I Ching pairs so well with the Chaos Tarot philosophy: both systems recognize that the universe is not static but perpetually transforming. Every moment of stability contains the seed of change. Every crisis carries the embryo of resolution.

Getting Started with the I Ching on Chaos Tarot

You can explore all 64 hexagrams in our I Ching guide, complete with traditional names, modern interpretations, and the procedurally rendered hexagram glyphs that make each figure unmistakable. Cast your first hexagram today — the Book of Changes has been waiting three millennia for this conversation with you.