易經 (YI JING OR I Ching) SITUATIONS

Listed below are the 64 hexagrams or base situations in life described in the Book of Changes, the 易經 (Yi Jing often translated as I Ching).  The 易經 is a wise, ancient, 5,000+ year old book from 道 (Daoist or Taoist) 中国 (Zhonghua or China).  In the Easy Rider (1969) movie when the heroes are visiting the commune and a woman asks, "what does this mean?  Starting brings misfortune, perseverance brings danger."  She's reading from the 易經.

Using the 易經 as an oracle can help one learn to distinguish between, at least it brings to one's attention, the differences of the vibe of the moment, historic and potential future events.

The prime, binary state of reality is viewed in terms of 阳 (yang) & 阴 (yin).  阳 is the masculine, realm of the gods, the penetrating, the solid, unbroken line.  阴 is the feminine, earth, the receptive, the broken line.

A 易經 hexagram is, as its name says, a pictogram made up of six lines.  When consulting the 易經 as an oracle the hexagram is formed from the bottom up.  Each of the six lines is either a 阳 or 阴 line and each line can be in a state of flux; changing to its opposite.  If this is the case this gives the significance of the initial hexagram plus the significance of each of the changing lines, incorporating the resulting hexagram after the line changes, plus the resulting hexagram from all the changing lines.

  1      The Creative (Male, 阳)

  2      The Receptive (Female, 阴)

  3      Difficulty at the Beginning

  4      Youthful Folly

  5      Waiting (Nourishment)

  6      Conflict

  7      The Army

  8      Holding Together (Union)

  9     The Taming Power of the Small

10      Treading (Conduct)

11      Peace

12      Standstill (Stagnation)

13      Fellowship with Men

14     Possession in Great Measure

15      Modesty

16      Enthusiasm

17      Following

18     Work on What Has Been Spoiled (Decay)

19      Approach

20      Contemplation (View)

21      Biting Through

22      Grace

23      Splitting Apart

24     Return (The Turning Point)

25     Innocence (The Unexpected)

26     The Taming Power of the Great

27     The Corners of the Mouth (Providing Nourishment)

28     Preponderance of the Great

29      The Abysmal (Water)

30      The Clinging, Fire

31      Influence (Wooing)

32      Duration

33      Retreat

34      The Power of the Great

35      Progress

36      Darkening of the Light

37      The Family (The Clan)

38      Opposition

39      Obstruction

40      Deliverance

41      Decrease

42      Increase

43     Breakthrough (Resoluteness)

44      Coming to Meet

45     Gathering Together (Massing)

46      Pushing Upward

47      Oppression (Exhaustion)

48      The Well

49      Revolution (Molting)

50      The Cauldron

51     The Arousing (Shock, Thunder)

52      Keeping Still, Mountain

53     Development (Gradual Progress)

54      The Marrying Maiden

55      Abundance (Fullness)

56      The Wanderer

57     The Gentle (The Penetrating, Wind)

58      The Joyous, Lake

59      Dispersion (Dissolution)

60      Limitation

61      Inner Truth

62     Preponderance of the Small

63      After Completion

64      Before Completion