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I Ching As A Creative Tool
You can’t force creativity. You might want to write your novel in a week, but it may take a year. The I Ching can help you appreciate your creative process because the IChing teaches respect for the cycles of existence. The deepest dark will always turn into light because that is the Tao way. Let us see how to use the I Ching as a creative tool.
I’ve been interested in the I Ching, known as the Book of Change, for around 15 years. However, I couldn’t achieve a personal relationship with this great book until I started practicing Chi Kung, a meditation in movement. The Chi Kung exercises helped me to feel chi (life) energy, and suddenly I Ching became more open to my understanding.
This does not suggest that you must practice Chi Kung to appreciate the I Ching, but a meditative practice does help. The I Ching is arguably the oldest divination system in everyday use because it’s up to 5,000 years old. You’ll find many books on the I Ching at your library and bookshop.
How To Use IChing For a Reading?
Your first I Ching reading is useful if: * you’re blocked on a creative project, or * you want to know whether the time is right to start a specific project, or * you want a fresh viewpoint of something you’re working on.
When you consult the I Ching, approach the process as if you were asking a question of a sage, that is, a very wise person. Ask only one question at each session. It’s best to ask for advice rather than asking for predictions. That is, ask, “How can I improve my novel?” rather than asking: “Will my novel sell to a publisher?” or “Will my book be a bestseller?”
The most common methods of consulting the I Ching are using either three coins or bundles of yarrow stalks to discover the hexagram, which is the oracle’s answer. I’ve never used yarrow stalks but used three coins until I found The Bamboo Oracle.
Bamboo I Ching Oracle
The Bamboo Oracle is a boxed set of a book, 64 cards, and 12 bamboo sticks. The book has beautiful calligraphy, but I love the cards to find the hexagram, which answers my question. I use The Bamboo Oracle’s cards with Master Huang’s book. Each of the 64 cards is a painting of bamboo.
To find my hexagram, I look through the cards in a meditative way and select six cards, placing them in a pile face up to one side. When I’ve found six cards, I turn the pile over. A yin (broken) or yang (unbroken) line is on the back of each card. These lines build the hexagram, working from the bottom up.
I find using The Bamboo Oracle cards far more gratifying than cash. The energy of the cards is constant and tranquil. You can use any approach that appeals to you to find your hexagram. I’ve seen techniques that use cards with each hexagram written on them, which you then shuffle like a tarot deck, techniques that use jewels, and many more.
Making 40 little cards by cutting 10 index cards into quarters is a simple DIY approach. Mark 20 cards with a broken yin line and 20 with an unbroken yang line. Place the cards in a large dish. After thinking about your question momentarily, draw six cards from the bowl while keeping your eyes closed. Make your hexagram with the six cards, working from the bottom up.