How to Consult the I Ching

Divination is the art of seeing and interpreting signs in everything around us. The goal of divination is to encourage well-being by helping a person live in harmony with the universe around them. One of the best known systems of divination is the I Ching, or Book of Changes. For some 3,000 years, people have turned to the I Ching to help them uncover the meaning of their experience and to bring their actions into harmony with their underlying purpose. The I Ching consists of 64 hexagrams or six-line diagrams. Each hexagram is accompanied by a text containing folk poetry, historical tales, and commentary. These ancient texts describe the conditions associated with the 64 archetypal patterns of change. They convey the laws and principles pertaining to time and change. The hexagram images reveal the patterns through which change manifests itself in the ebb and flow of time. 

 

The underlying premise of the I Ching is that all events--past, present, and future are interconnected. The future develops out of the present according to a set of fixed laws. To know the present, then, is to know the future. The I Ching counsels timely action in the moment for a given set of circumstances. Each moment has a pattern to it and everything that happens in that moment is interconnected. As a system of divination, the I Ching reflects your current connection with the Tao, or Universe. It serves to freeze the present moment at the time of your inquiry, responding in the form of a hexagram. By evaluating the hexagram that describes your current pattern of relationship, you can divine the outcome and act accordingly.

 

The I Ching is a microcosm of all possible human situations. It serves as a dynamic map, whose function is to reveal one's relative position in the cosmos of events. The hexagram texts address the sixty-four archetypal human situations. The commentary of each hexagram reveals the optimal strategy for integrating or harmonizing with the inevitable for a given condition. It provides the appropriate response to your inquiry. It affords a holistic perspective of your current condition and discusses the proper or correct way to address the situation.
 

The Inquiry
 

To consult the I Ching, one must first frame an inquiry. Formulating an appropriate question and writing it down is a key element in the process of divination. Focusing on a question develops a receptive state of mind and helps you clarify what it is you are truly seeking. It is important to word your inquiry in a concise and clear-cut manner. A vague question will elicit an ambiguous or misleading response. Be specific about your intent, the circumstances, and the scope or nature of the response you desire.
 

Avoid the tendency to ask yes/no or either/or types of questions. A simple yes or no question leaves no room for elaboration and the either/or inquiry is actually two questions. Inquire instead about the nature of the situation, the appropriate attitude and strategy, the outcome of a particular course of action, and so forth. If time is a factor, include this element in your inquiry as well. Appropriate inquiries might be worded as follows:
 

How would it benefit me to pursue a career in _____?
What aspect of my character or attitude is hindering my progress?
Which hexagram best describes my present situation?

I would like the I Ching to comment on my intent to travel to _____ in three months.

 

Casting a Hexagram
 

Once you have formulated an appropriate inquiry, you are ready to "cast a hexagram." Casting a hexagram is the term used to describe the method for generating the six lines of the hexagram. Casting was devised in ancient China as a mechanism for reflecting or mirroring what the subconscious or inner self already knows. The subconscious mind, or right hemisphere of the brain, knows which hexagram best describes your current situation or condition. It knows because it accesses the invisible sea of information that we bathe in daily--the all-pervading frequencies of consciousness immanent in all phenomena. The subconscious has the capacity to analyze or devour information all at once while the conscious mind, or left cerebral, analyzes information one bit at a time. The conscious mind allows us to see only the surface of things. Accessing the all knowing of the subconscious is difficult since there is usually little or no communication between the left and right cerebrals.
 

Various casting methods were devised to resolve this predicament. The subconscious mind is able to gather the information desired and influence the casting, regardless of the method, to indicate the most appropriate hexagram. The original method for casting a hexagram is known as the "yarrow oracle." This method involves the manipulation of fifty yarrow stalks in an elaborate procedure that is repeated six times in order to determine the six lines of the hexagram. A simple "coin oracle" was devised by Chinese philosopher Kuei Kuo Tze some 2500 years ago to replace the complex yarrow stalk method. The coin method requires tossing three coins six times to generate each line of the hexagram. Like a building, the hexagram is assembled from the ground up--the bottom line being considered the first line in the text interpretations.
 

The easiest way of casting a hexagram is to use my online hexagram generator which is based on the yarrow stalk method. The result is the immediacy of the coin tossing method with the reliability of the yarrow stalk method. For a reading, click on the "Cast a Hexagram" button. A small window will appear. Click the "Create Hexagram(s)" button to generate the hexagrams. Red indicates a changing line. A hexagram with one or more changing lines indicates that the situation related to your inquiry will soon be changing. The changing lines will turn into their counterparts, transforming the initial hexagram into a changed hexagram. As a result, you will read two hexagrams. The initial hexagram corresponding to your present situation is read first, followed by the changed hexagram relating to the eventual development. Changing lines usually address the future implications of a particular course of action. They may describe the changes you are likely to experience and how to deal with them.
 

Interpreting the Message
 

The I Ching does not answer a question in a direct, logical manner. It responds in the form of a hexagram, which serves as a model or paradigm of appropriate behavior. It provides the framework within which to perceive and comprehend the archetypal condition related to your query. It provides a holistic perspective and comments on the situation or condition. It offers suggestions on the best way to approach this condition. It presents advice for what to do to act in accord with or avoid a particular prediction. You must then interpret the message and determine for yourself the most appropriate course of action with regard to your inquiry. This process engages and accesses the subjective mind and intuitive awareness.
 

When your interpretation differs from the eventual outcome, then reevaluate the commentary in light of what actually transpired. In this way, you develop proficiency in your ability to interpret the I Ching's sometimes paradoxical and enigmatic aphorisms. At times, the oracle will provide an incomprehensible response that does not seem to fit the question posed. When this occurs, the I Ching may be overriding your stated inquiry in order to address a more significant issue, an unstated concern, or unconscious projection. The oracle may also be alerting you to an impending crisis or significant change. Keep in mind, too, that all conditions are transitory. Nothing is permanently fixed or static, so whether you like or dislike the response, conditions will eventually change with regard to your inquiry. Consult the I Ching.

Honoring the Ancestors on Samhain

Samhain, or Halloween as it is now called, is a celebration observed in many countries on October 31, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observance of Allhallowtide, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed. The origins of Halloween customs are typically linked to the Gaelic festival Samhain. Samhain is one of the four cross-quarter days (the midpoint between two seasons) in the medieval Gaelic calendar. Samhain marked the end of the harvest season and beginning of winter or the 'darker half' of the year. It was seen as a liminal (or threshold) time, when the "veil" or boundary between the world of the living and the world of the dead is at its thinnest, making it easier to communicate with those who have left this world. It is also the season of divination, using the connection across the thin veil to ask the spirits for answers. 

According to Irish mythology, Samhain (like Beltane) was a time when the 'doorways' to the Otherworld opened, allowing supernatural beings and the souls of the dead to come into our world. Samhain was essentially a festival for the dead. Samhain was marked by great gatherings and feasts and was when the ancient burial mounds were open, which were seen as portals to the Otherworld. Some Neolithic passage tombs in Ireland are aligned with the sunrise at the time of Samhain. The souls of dead kin were also thought to revisit their homes seeking hospitality, and a place was set at the table for them during a meal. Mumming and guising were part of the festival from at least the early modern era, whereby people went door-to-door in costume reciting verses in exchange for food.
 

Honoring and Connecting with the Ancestors
 

To honor your forebears, create an ancestor altar with a cloth, a candle and photos of those loved ones who have passed, whether that be ancestors of blood or kin. Include memorabilia and other items that you connect with the departed, and light the candle. You can spend some time with each picture and with each item, connecting with those, or name those ancestors whose names you know followed by "may they be remembered." Dedicate a round of drumming to your ancestors and their memory. When you have finished, put out the candle. You may want to leave the altar in place for the rest of Samhain, or until it feels right to take it down.
 

You can connect with your benevolent ancestors by taking a shamanic journey to the Lower World -- the realm to which departed souls travel upon physical death. The desire to communicate with our ancestors is an innate part of the human experience. Benevolent ancestral spirits can guide, protect and heal the living. Your ancestors and the collective spiritual power of all those who went before you reside in the Lower World. When your own time comes to pass on, you will become part of this vast collective unconscious. If you embark on a journey with the intention of connecting with those who have passed, they may come to meet you. Keep in mind that spirits choose to come into relationship with the person seeking. You can seek ancestral spirits, but the spirits must choose. Have a happy and soulful Samhain!

What is Taoism?

Taoism originated in China between 600 and 500 BC, but the roots of Taoism can be traced back to shamanic practices from the earliest tribal communities. The Chinese word for shaman (wu) was first recorded during the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC), but it is believed that these traditions date back to the very origins of Chinese culture. In fact, many of the stories surrounding Fu Hsi (or Fu Xi), the mythological founder of Chinese civilization are very shamanic. For example, Fu Hsi is considered the originator of the I Ching, an ancient Chinese divination text and the basis of Chinese thought. According to legend, he discovered the symbols of the I Ching in the pattern of markings on the back of a turtle that emerged from a river. This is a classic shamanic tale that combines nature and divination, resulting in the attainment of profound knowledge.

Philosophical Taoism, often represented by the yin-yang symbol, emphasizes living in harmony with the Tao (the Way), or Ultimate Reality, a presence that existed before the universe was formed and which continues to guide the natural world and everything in it. Tao is the ultimate source and way (or process) of nature and the universe. To live in harmony with the Tao is to go with the flow of life rather than against it. It is a way to conserve life's vitality by not expending it in the useless ways of friction and conflict. Early Taoists perceived that the ultimate nature of this mysterious force was beyond intellectual comprehension but could be discerned by the intuitive mind. The sages observed that through meditation, one could attain Tao or communion with the way of the universe itself.

Through meditation and other devotional activities, Taoists seek to bring their lives into accord with the Tao. They believe that by abiding in the Tao, or in harmony with the Cosmos, one may attain a state of such inner clarity and insight that all actions become synchronous and spontaneously correct. They refer to this state of harmony with nature and the universe as wu wei, or "non-doing." Non-doing is not a withdrawal from action, but rather the achievement of a higher kind of action: action in accord with the natural order. The concept of wu wei more closely suggests a way of existing without conscious effort, as nature does. Such a person knows what to do by abiding in a state of quietism, by letting go of all worldly thought so that the creative force of the Tao may enter their minds and bodies. Such accord with the Tao allows one to accomplish things without effort in a way that benefits everyone.

Taoism is an inner way as well as an outward path. One should outwardly "go with the flow" while inwardly adhering to one's true nature. Taoists seek to integrate inner and outer experiences while uniting body, mind and spirit into a harmonious whole. Taoism views humanity as a  microcosm of the macrocosm we call the universe. Each human being is a hologram of the Cosmos, a weaving together of universal information from a particular point of view. Essentially, we are the universe experiencing itself in human form.

Taoists equate the body with the earthly realm, the mind with the human realm, and the spirit with the heavenly realm. By bringing the body, mind and spirit into accord, one transforms personal experience and influences the interactions of the three cosmic realms. Following the Tao is a journey requiring simplicity, balance and introspection. The lifelong quest of the Taoist is to identify their innermost purpose in life, and then use every means at their disposal to achieve it.

Conflict and Unity: An I Ching Perspective

Russia's barbaric invasion of Ukraine is a nightmare turned into reality. I feel compelled to write a post about it as my personal reflection, but also as my small contribution to the joint learning process. The ancient time-tested wisdom of the I Ching could perhaps help us to understand and resolve the complex issues and conflicts that lead to violence and war. The I Ching is an ancient Chinese text and divination system which counsels appropriate action in the moment for a given set of circumstances. For 5000 years, people have turned to the I Ching to help them uncover the meaning of their experience and to bring their actions into harmony with the interests of society and the cosmos as a whole.

 

In the I Ching, there are several hexagrams that offer insight into war. One is Hexagram 6: Conflict, and another is Hexagram 8: Unity. Hexagram 6 describes a tense situation with a high level of contention and strife. Conflict develops when one feels himself to be in the right and runs into opposition. Escalating conflict is a no-win situation, therefore the hexagram counsels compromise and resolution. To carry on the conflict to the bitter end has exceedingly harmful effects even when one is in the right. Conflicts in which one party is not sincere inevitably lead to subterfuge and distortions. Conflicting parties can profit from the advice of a truly wise mediator. Clarification will bring about understanding and resolution. There is little chance of success without a unity of forces.

 

Conflict, in essence, is the absence of unity. We live in a conflicted world and very often we experience conflict ourselves. In fact, conflict is so pervasive in our polarized world that we take it for granted and deem it to be an inevitable part of life. This perspective has significant consequences; among them is the fact that by taking conflict for granted, our efforts to resolve it often fail and conflict turns into violence.

 

Hexagram 8 essentially describes unity as the binding force within society. It represents the idea of union between the different members and classes of a state and how it can be secured. Unity is a conscious and purposeful convergence of two or more diverse entities in a state of harmony, integration, and cooperation to create a new and evolving entity or entities. The hexagram portends that a leader with a strong and guiding personality will be the center of union. It emphasizes that joining people and things through recognizing their essential qualities is the adequate way to handle it. It counsels that those who do not seek to promote and enjoy union until it is too late will be left out in the cold. Conflict within weakens the power to conquer danger without.

 

Unity is the fundamental law of existence. Life takes place in the context of unity, and when the law of unity is violated, conflict and violence is the outcome. Everything that exists is the outcome of the law of unity. At the physical level, the law of unity ensures order and stability in the way subatomic particles, atoms, molecules, stars, and galaxies cohere and operate in a harmonious and integrated manner. At the biological level, the very process of formation and continuation of life is dependent on the proper operation of the law of unity. The same is true at the social level. Families are happy, healthy, and stable when unity exists between all its members. Communities prosper and are safe in the context of unity, and nations advance in every area when peace is present. At all levels of human life, unity, rather than conflict, is the fundamental operative and creative force.

Drum Divination

The drum can be utilized as a divination tool. The Sami peoples of northern Scandinavia and the Kola Peninsula in Russia were renowned for their drum divination skills. They used divination to determine the future, luck or misfortune, location of game, diagnosis, and remedies. The Sami practiced an indigenous form of shamanism until the religious repression of shamanic practices in the mid-seventeenth century. The runebomme, an oval frame or bowl drum, was an important trance and divination tool of the noaidi, or Sami shaman. The reindeer, which was central to Sami culture and livelihood, provided the hide for the drumhead, the sinew to lace it together, and the antler bone for the drumstick or hammer. The Sami believed that the reindeer’s antlers were conduits to the Upper World.

Sami drumheads are decorated with cosmological rune symbols and drawings of heavenly bodies, plants, animals, humans, and human habitations, sometimes divided into separate regions by horizontal or vertical lines. Sami drums are characterized by a central sun cross with arms protruding in the four cardinal directions. The cross symbolized the sun--the source of life. The terminal of the lower arm is often embellished, in many cases with a sort of (cave?) opening. This is, according to old descriptions, the starting position for the brass ring or antler piece placed on the drumskin when used for divination. The only other figures commonly found on this arm are the holy day men. These three figures (sometimes just one or two) are usually the most simplified of all human figures, frequently represented by simple crosses.

For divination, the drum is held horizontally with the drum face or table parallel to the floor. A metal ring or other kind of pointer is centered on the top of the drumhead. The drum is gently played with the drumstick so that the pointer moves across the drumhead, but does not fall to the floor. The diviner observes the movement of the pointer in relation to the symbols on the drum to interpret the answer. Detailed instructions on how to make and use divination drums can be found in Richard Webster’s book Omens, Oghams & Oracles: Divination in the Druidic Tradition.

The Rhythm Archetypes

The I Ching is an ancient Chinese book of divination, in which 64 pairs of trigrams are shown with various interpretations. Otherwise known as the Book of Changes, this archaic and enigmatic text is the culmination of Chinese thought regarding the nature of reality. The fountainhead of Taoist and Confucian thought, it is a philosophical system of primal insights into the workings and destiny of the Universe. Philosophically it describes the Tao or Universe as a single, flowing, rhythmic being, and all things in it in constant cyclical change. The eternal Tao continuously gives birth to the one universal energy, which expresses itself as two polar but co-creative aspects--yin and yang.
 

The sages of ancient China revealed the most profound secret of the Universe--that yin and yang pulsate within all things and in unison, they are the moving force of Nature and all its manifestations. All things contain varying degrees of yin and yang. The white vibration of yang is light, active, masculine, creative, expansive, and corresponds to Heaven or spirit. The black vibration of yin is dark, passive, feminine, nurturing, intuitive, and corresponds to Earth or matter. The power of yin as a calm, receptive, female energy is the key to bringing balance to the world's excessively yang state--in other words, aggressive, male, extroverted, loud, superficial, materialistic, ego-driven culture.
 

By contemplating Nature, the wise sages perceived all of the rhythms and energy patterns that arise from the interaction of yin and yang. By observing patterns of events arising in the natural world, the social world and the inner world of the psyche, they deciphered Nature's rhythmic code. They then coded these rhythmic patterns into a "book of life." The I Ching's 64 hexagrams represent a code or program of the operating principle of life itself. Each six-lined symbol is the visual representation of a rhythm archetype. The rhythm archetypes are the "sonic seeds" of all that exists.
 

The entire Universe is created through vibration and can be influenced through vibration. T'an Ch'iao, a Taoist adept of the tenth century, expressed this potential when he wrote, "When energy moves, sound is emitted; when sound comes forth, energy vibrates. When energy vibrates, influences are activated and things change. Therefore it is possible thereby to command wind and clouds, produce frost and hail, cause phoenixes to sing, get bears to dance, make friends with spiritual luminescences."
 

The Hexagram Rhythms
 

Moreover, each six-lined symbol depicts a particular drum pattern, which renders the essence of each hexagram into sound. A solid yang line _____ represents one whole beat, while a broken yin line __  __ represents two half beats or a heartbeat. For example, the rhythmic pattern of Hexagram 58, "The Joyous," resembles the opening beats of the familiar processional "The Wedding March." This simple drum pattern is depicted below. Remember, hexagrams are read from bottom to top.

             Line 6        __  __        drum—drum         in white
             Line 5        _____              drum               dressed
             Line 4        _____              drum                   all
             Line 3        __  __        drum—drum        the bride
             Line 2        _____              drum                comes
             Line 1        _____              drum                 Here

Drumming is an innovative way to engage with an I Ching reading. It is a type of focus meditation, requiring total concentration. Drum meditation is a way to access the archetypal wisdom contained in each hexagram. As a form of meditation, drumming activates perceptions that can be attained by no other means. By drumming the hexagrams, one can achieve a level of intuitive understanding beyond linguistic interpretations. Archetypal knowledge is symbolic and non-linear. It does not lend itself readily to logical or verbal expression. It is wisdom that can only be experienced intuitively. The process is an effective meditative technique for self-exploration.

Great Power

In order to gain some insight into the chaotic events of our world, I consulted the I Ching. The I Ching is an ancient Chinese text and divination system which counsels appropriate action in the moment for a given set of circumstances. Each moment has a pattern to it and everything that happens in that moment is interconnected. Based on the synchronicity of the universe and the laws of probability, the I Ching responds to an inquiry in the form of a hexagram. By evaluating the hexagram that describes your current pattern of relationship, you can divine the outcome and act accordingly.

When I consulted the I Ching regarding the state of our world today, I received Hexagram 34: Great Power. This hexagram symbolizes the truly great power of movement that is in accord with what is right and virtuous. It indicates that we must concern ourselves with correctness, for our character, attitude, and actions have a significant influence on others. The vital energy needed to accomplish great aims infuses the situation. Our influence at this time is significant and far-reaching. We must pay special attention to propriety and goodness, for any abuse of power can lead to downfall and chaos. We should pause before taking action and evaluate the appropriateness of our objectives. We would be wise to focus our attention on benevolent endeavors, for the power of our influence is directly proportionate to the merits of our efforts. Our success is directly proportionate to how persons we affect are benefited, or otherwise enhanced.

With such great power at our disposal, we must wait for the right time to speak or act -- when we are free of the pressures of the ego -- when we are in full possession of the inner truth of the matter. Everything we say or do proceeds from a sense of what is fair, just, and essential, and we rely on the power of good in others, trusting that their sense of truth will emerge to support what is right. We must be willing to trust that if we are sincere in trying to find the correct way, the power of good will come to our aid.

To help us find the correct way, it helps if we get to know our body better. Our body is our compass in the physical world. Both physical and emotional feelings are registered in the body. There is wholeness and grounding in this way of perceiving that is more reliable than the mind. The mind does not really produce any feelings. It chatters incessantly and shows images, but there is no true feeling in it. We feel the truth in our body. If we listen to the body's messages, it can guide us toward creating sustainable and lasting change.

When we perceive the correct way to go, we must not become obsessively lost in the forward thrust so that we lose our inner composure, for our ego waits for just such an opportunity. The ego can interject itself only if we become so absorbed in what we are doing that we lose touch with our inner being. Our true self is always objective, reticent and reserved. Awareness of this danger protects us from losing our inner balance, and from forgetting that right and justice must be accompanied by moderate thoughts and actions. Obstinately pressing for results creates more rather than less resistance. True greatness is the ability to possess power and not use it.

According to the I Ching, success is assured if we allow the clarity and strength of higher truth to guide our actions. As responsible human beings, let us affirm a world of peace, harmony and balance. Let us cultivate care for life and one another. See things as they are, in process of change, without fixation on imbalance; see the potential and call it forth.

Divination and Adapting to an Evolutionary Pandemic

Divination is the art of gaining insight into a question or situation by the interpretation of signs or omens. The goal of shamanic divination is to encourage well-being by helping a person live in harmony with the universe around them. One of the best known systems of divination is the I Ching, or Book of Changes. For some 3,000 years, people have turned to the I Ching to help them uncover the meaning of their experience and to bring their actions into harmony with their underlying purpose. Consulting the I Ching is one of the best ways I know of to restore harmony wherever there is disharmony.

I consulted the I Ching today in order to gain some insight into the coronavirus pandemic that is spreading rapidly through much of the world. When I consulted the I Ching regarding the hexagram that best describes the pandemic, I received Hexagram 51, "The Arousing (Quickening, Shock, Thunder)." This hexagram consists of a doubling of the trigram Chen (the Arousing Thunder). Thunder rolls over Thunder, forming a state of Quickening. This hexagram symbolizes the unsettling events of fate that arouse us when we cling to belief or behavioral patterns that no longer support our growth. According to the I Ching, "Thunder repeated is the image of Shock. Thus in fear and trembling, the superior man sets his life in order and examines himself." The first thunder denotes fear and trembling, the second denotes shaping and exploring.

Just as the deep, reverberating sound of rolling thunder jolts the senses, so the universe may use a shocking turn of events to arouse us when we have gone astray. To weather the storm, we must retain our inner balance and utilize available energy in a sincere effort to set our life in order. Success depends on our willingness to plow old habits into the soil in order to cultivate new patterns that enhance our natural growth. If we disregard this imperative and persist in outmoded ways, we will experience repeated shock. Innovative change, on the other hand, will revitalize our life and precipitate renewed growth and creativity.

The process of adapting to COVID-19 is just beginning. Over time, the impact of the novel coronavirus may be so sweeping that it alters human rituals and behaviors that have evolved over millennia. This could change everything from the way we conduct our economy to our greeting and grieving rituals. Our earthly reality is in a state of Quickening that demands that the human species build our evolutionary powers of adapting on a scale equal to the magnitude we've seen in the coronavirus pandemic. As humans, we are being asked to go within and search our hearts in order to change those patterns of thought and behavior that work against us. It is necessary to still the mind and quiet the emotions so that inner knowing and intuition can emerge into our consciousness. Personal isolation and contemplation help us gain deeper insight and clarity of mind.

The shock waves that we are feeling indicate that usable energy is now available to change those patterns that inhibit our growth and create disharmony. When mankind chooses to live out of harmony with nature, nature too becomes inharmonious. That is what has happened in this case, and when this lack of harmony takes place, everything falls out of balance. This virus is the most recent example of this lack of balance. Global upheaval occurs when imbalances need to be corrected.

A global crisis often spawns innovation and cooperation. One of the wonderful things that happens during a natural disaster is that people cooperate with each other. That's how humans have always evolved in harsh conditions. This is a moment for us to prove our humanity, not run away from it. So, let us open our hearts to one another and let this be our finest hour. This turning point in human evolution still has much more to come. To gain insight into your path ahead, consult the I Ching.

Soul Flight: A Spiritual Prescription for Coronavirus

I am not a medical professional or an expert on epidemics. I leave the critical information in those important fields for the experts who have the appropriate training to help us get through the coronavirus pandemic. Even though I do not possess medical knowledge, as a shamanic practitioner, I believe I can try to humbly prescribe a vaccine that can heal the spirit -- the soul flight or shamanic journey. In the shamanic world, all healing begins with the spirit.

Shamanism is based on the principle that innate wisdom and guidance can be accessed through the inner senses in ecstatic trance. Basically, shamanic journeying is a way of communicating with your inner or true self and retrieving information. Your inner self is in constant communication with all aspects of your environment, seen and unseen. You need only journey within to find answers to your questions. You should have a question or objective in mind from the start. Shamanic journeying may be undertaken for purposes of divination, for personal healing, or for any number of other reasons. After the journey, you must then interpret the meaning of your trance experience.

Drumming (or listening to a shamanic drumming recording) is a simple and effective way to induce this ecstatic trance state. When a drum is played at an even tempo of three to four beats per second for at least fifteen minutes, most novices report that they can journey successfully even on their first attempt. Transported by the driving beat of the drum; the shamanic traveler journeys to the inner planes of consciousness: the Upper, Middle, and Lower Worlds. You should always journey with a purpose, question or intention. Some good reasons to take a shamanic journey at this challenging time are….

1. To reconnect with your inner or spirit self: Shamanic journeying heightens the ability of perception and enables you to see into the deeper realms of the self. The moment you bond with your spirit is the moment your heart opens. The first time you glimpse your spirit self, you gasp and cry. You know who you are. That is the moment you begin to heal. Journey work reconnects us to our core, enhancing our sense of empowerment and stimulating our creative expression.

2. To clarify life purpose: When we are unaware of our soul's true purpose or simply not aligned in our actions, we often experience a malaise of the spirit. We can engage the blueprint of our soul path through the vehicle of journeying. Shamanic journeying is a time-tested medium for individual self-realization. We can journey within to access wisdom and energies that can help awaken our soul calling and restore us to wholeness. Journey work reconnects us with our deepest core values and our highest vision of who we are and why we are here. It heightens our sense of mission and purpose, empowering our personal evolution.

3. To access a higher power: Shamanism provides a secular approach to accessing a higher power. Shamanic methodology directly supports the introduction of spiritual factors found significant in the healing process. According to the American Journal of Public Health, "Shamanic activities bring people efficiently and directly into immediate encounters with spiritual forces, focusing the client on the whole body and integrating healing at physical and spiritual levels. This process allows them to connect with the power of the universe, to externalize their own knowledge, and to internalize their answers; it also enhances their sense of empowerment and responsibility. These experiences are healing, bringing the restorative powers of nature to clinical settings."

4. To divine information: You can journey within to obtain information about personal and community issues. Your helping spirits are a good resource when it comes to answering questions pertaining to relationships, health issues, or any issue. To divine information in a journey, begin with a clear question that you would like to ask of your helping spirits. Decide which of your helping spirits you would like to answer your question, and then journey to the place where you normally meet them in non-ordinary reality. Of course you can ask your question to as many of your helping spirits as you wish. When divining or healing on behalf of others, it is vital that you have their permission.

5. To develop relationships with the helping spirits who dwell in the three inner planes of consciousness -- the Upper, Middle, and Lower Worlds: Shamanism is a sacred call to build relationship with the caretakers in the unseen world who want to support the earth and her inhabitants at this time. These helping spirits might be the spirits of nature, animals, plants, the elements, or ancestors. The reason for developing personal relationships with spirit helpers is to gain wisdom, healing techniques, and other vital information that can benefit the community. Similar to the way friendships develop gradually, our relationships with spirits grow and deepen based on repeated interaction and building trust over time.

6. To reconnect with benevolent ancestors: Your ancestors and the collective spiritual power of all those who went before you reside in the spirit world. When your own time comes to pass on, you will become part of this vast collective unconscious. If you embark on a journey with the intention of connecting with those who have passed, they may come to meet you. Keep in mind that spirits choose to come into relationship with the person seeking. You can seek ancestral spirits, but the spirits must choose.

7. To prepare for death: Shamans believe that learning to leave the physical body is important, for without this experience, the soul may become confused after death and remain stuck in the Middle World. When a person dies, there is usually a smooth transition into the afterlife, but when a person suffers a traumatic death, they may not have an awareness of who and where they are. This makes it difficult for them to make their journey to the afterlife. Other souls linger in the space between life and the afterlife for fear of going to hell. Sadly, most of the psychopomp rites of passage that once helped prepare a person for death have disappeared. Hence, journeying is one of the most important shamanic skills that we can develop. By journeying to the Lower World, the place to which human souls travel upon physical death, we can prepare for our own death. That said, perhaps the most compelling reason to journey is...

8. To find ways to restore balance in the world: As anthropologist and author Felicitas Goodman points out, "One of the most pervasive traditions of shamanic cultures is the insight that there exists a patterned cosmological order, which can be disturbed by human activity." When harmony between the human realm and the original intended pattern is disturbed, the shaman makes a spirit journey to the Upper World to bring back the balance. Shamans also go there to acquire archetypal knowledge, to bring a vision into being, or to influence events in the material world. By interacting with the archetypes, the shaman interacts with their counterparts in the outer world.

Try a Shamanic Journey

To enter a trance state and support your journey, click here to listen to a track from my CD "Shamanic Journey Drumming." Reflect for a moment on the purpose of your journey, and then close your eyes. Focus your attention on the sound of the drum and feel yourself being carried away by the sound. If for any reason you want to return, just retrace your steps back. You will hear a call back signal near the end of the video, followed by a short period of slow heartbeat drumming to assist you in refocusing your awareness back to your physical body. Sit quietly for a few moments, and then open your eyes.

After the journey, you must then interpret the meaning of your trance experience.  In some cases, your journey experiences will be clear and easy to understand. At other times, your journey may be dreamlike and full of symbolism. Interpret such journeys as you would any dream. Look for possible associations related to each symbol or image. The key is to observe whatever happens without trying to analyze the experience. Like developing any skill, journeying takes practice. Nothing may happen on your first journeys. You may only experience darkness. When this happens, simply try again at a different time. To learn more, read my article Shamanic Journeying.

Divining the Way to Harmony

To know harmony is to know the eternal. To know the eternal is to know enlightenment.
--Lao Tzu, author of the Tao Te Ching and founder of Taoism

Divination is the art of gaining insight into a question or situation by the interpretation of signs or omens. The goal of divination is to encourage well-being by helping a person live in harmony with the universe around them. One of the best known systems of divination is the I Ching. For some 3,000 years, people have turned to the I Ching to help them uncover the meaning of their experience and to bring their actions into harmony with their underlying purpose. The central idea of the I Ching is that divination is a means of coming into harmony with the ultimate reality of the universe. We can use the oracle to divine the way to harmony with the Tao (the absolute principle underlying the universe). It is a pathway to the infinite Tao, the unknowable force that guides the universe and everything in it.

The I Ching emerged in China as a fortune-telling guide. According to legend, it was Fu Hsi, the first emperor of China, who originated the linear yin/yang system of the I Ching. He discovered the symbols in the pattern of markings on the shell of a turtle that emerged from a river. It began with eight three-lined symbols called trigrams, which represented all of the fundamental phenomena in the universe. When doubled, the eight trigrams became sixty-four six-lined hexagrams. This doubling process produced trigram relationships, such as "Heaven and Earth unite," the symbolic elements of the hexagram for "Peace." The underlying premise of the I Ching is that the sixty-four hexagrams represent the basic circumstances of change in the universe. When you consult the I Ching, it responds in the form of a hexagram (or hexagrams if there are changing lines) that provides guidance for your specific circumstance at the moment.

Otherwise known as the Book of Changes, this archaic and enigmatic text was the fountainhead of Taoist and Confucian thought. Its philosophy encompasses such issues as ethics, social values and personal responsibility. It conveys archetypal paradigms and perspectives that serve as models of ethical and harmonious living. Over time, the symbolism of the I Ching was interpreted in commentaries by thousands of Confucian, Taoist, and Buddhist adepts, inspiring a renaissance in philosophy, religion, art, literature, science and medicine throughout East Asia, and eventually the West. In short, the I Ching became, in the words of a nineteenth-century Chinese commentator, "the mirror of men's minds."

The wisdom unveiled in the I Ching is simple and consistent: if we relate correctly, keeping ourselves in harmony with the universe, all things work out beneficially for all concerned. The I Ching reflects the philosophy that all events (past, present and future) are part of a single, interrelated whole. It describes the universe as a vast, singular entity in which all things are in continuous cyclical change. The central theme is that all things move in predictable patterns or cycles, therefore no situation is static or immutable.

The original text of the I Ching was organized by King Wen of Zhou around 1150 BC and remains virtually unchanged to the present. It consists of sixty-four hexagrams or six-line symbols which consist of upper and lower trigrams. King Wen is credited with having stacked the eight trigrams in their various permutations to create the sixty-four hexagrams. He is also said to have written the judgments which are appended to each hexagram. Each hexagram is accompanied by a text containing folk poetry, historical tales and commentary. These ancient writings describe the conditions associated with the sixty-four archetypal patterns of cyclical change. They convey the laws and principles pertaining to time and change. The hexagram symbols reveal the patterns through which change manifests itself in the ebb and flow of time. According to renowned I Ching scholar Richard Wilhelm, "The hexagrams and lines in their movements and changes mysteriously reproduced the movements and changes of the macrocosm."

The I Ching is a codebook of archetypal patterns in which the hexagrams counsel appropriate action in the moment for a given set of circumstances. Each moment has a pattern to it, and everything that happens in that moment is interconnected. Based on the synchronicity of the universe and the laws of probability, the I Ching responds to an inquiry in the form of a hexagram. By evaluating the hexagram that describes your current pattern of relationship, you can divine the outcome and act accordingly. The oracle serves as a gauge -- a precise means for placing oneself in relation to the pattern or way of cyclical change, and that way is known as Tao.

The I Ching is a microcosm of all possible human situations. It serves as a dynamic map, whose function is to reveal one's relative position in the cosmos of events. The hexagram texts address the sixty-four archetypal human situations. The commentary of each hexagram reveals the optimal strategy for integrating or harmonizing with the inevitable for a given condition. It provides the appropriate response to your inquiry. It affords a holistic perspective of your current condition and discusses the proper or correct way to address the situation. To align yourself with the universe, consult the I Ching.

Five Books for Connecting With Power Animals

Shamanism is the endeavor to cultivate ongoing relationships with power animals to gain insight, healing methods, and other vital information that can benefit the community. Power animals are also called guardian spirits, spirit allies, totem animals, and tutelary animals. A power animal is the archetypal oversoul that represents the entire species of that animal. It is actually the spirit of one of the First People, as they are called, who at the end of mythic times turned into the animals as we know them today. The following books will help connect you with the collective strength and wisdom of power animals:

1. Medicine Cards: The Discovery of Power Through the Ways of Animals by Jamie Sams: Jamie Sams is a best-selling author and medicine teacher of Iroquois and Cherokee descent. I have used her unique and innovative divination tool since its publication in 1988 for guidance, insight, and help in finding answers to life's questions. The messages always clearly reflect whatever life situation I am going through at the time. This card-based divination system draws upon ancient wisdom and tradition to teach the healing medicine of animals. The deck of cards and book connect the natural attributes and behaviors of the animal with the native lore relating to each creature in a way that is both sensible and spiritual. The suggestions for introspection are evocative, and I find myself returning to them again and again.

2. Animal-Speak: The Spiritual & Magical Powers of Creatures Great & Small by Ted Andrews: Easy-to-read and understand, Ted Andrews's bestselling Animal Speak shows readers how to identify his or her animal totem and learn how to invoke its energy and use it for personal growth and inner discovery. Nature lovers will love this insightful compendium filled with touching stories about animals, natural history, and animal folklore. Readers will also learn magical animal rites and how to read omens of nature. Animal Speak includes a dictionary of bird, animal, reptile, and insect totems, which describe each creature's meaning. This bestselling guide has become a classic reference for anyone wishing to forge a spiritual connection with the power and wisdom of the animal world. 

3. Bird Medicine: The Sacred Power of Bird Shamanism by Evan T. Pritchard: Evan T. Pritchard is a descendant of the Mi'kmaq people (part of the Algonquin nation) and the founder of The Center for Algonquin Culture. Pritchard's scholarly and illuminating book is based on his field interviews with people in the Native community on birds as teachers, guardians, role models, counselors, healers, clowns, peacemakers, and meteorologists. They carry messages and warnings from loved ones and the spirit world, report deaths and injuries, and channel divine intelligence to answer our questions. Bird Medicine is a treasure trove of ornithological insight and indigenous wisdom. It provides numerous examples of everyday bird sign interpretations that can be applied in your own encounters with birds as well as ways we can help protect birds and encourage them to communicate with us.

4. Power Animals: How to Connect with Your Animal Spirit Guide by Steven D Farmer: Dr. Steven Farmer is a psychotherapist, shamanic healer, and the author of several best-selling books. In Power Animals, Dr. Farmer guides you through a journey on the accompanying audio download to connect with your power animal. Once you meet your power animal, you can refer to the text to learn what this says about you and read a channeled message for you from that animal spirit. This is an easy-to-read introduction to the concept of power animals, and provides descriptions on 40 different animals. It's clear, insightful, fully developed but not overly wordy, and all of it is helpful.

5. Animal Spirit Guides: An Easy-to-Use Handbook for Identifying and Understanding Your Power Animals and Animal Spirit Helpers by Steven D Farmer: After the publication of his book Power Animals, many readers inquired about the meaning of power animals that were not contained in that work. In Animal Spirit Guides, Dr. Farmer provides concise, relevant details about the significance of more than 200 animals that may come to you in physical or symbolic form as guides and teachers. He lists three things for each animal: 1) if the animal shows up, what does it mean, 2) when you should call on the particular animal that you are reading about, and 3) if the animal is your power animal what does it mean. This makes the information very concise and easy to find and understand. It is an excellent reference book to have on the shelf.

The Tao of Drumming

Tao is the most inclusive concept in Chinese culture, the center of all philosophical and spiritual belief. It may be defined as a path, a way, a doctrine, or the natural process of the universe itself. Every art and science is called a Tao or a way.

From a rhythmic perspective, the I Ching offers and represents a "Tao of Drumming." The I Ching is an ancient Chinese text and divination system. It is the wellspring of Chinese thought, stressing the connection between humanity's destiny and the natural world. Philosophically, it describes the universe as a single, flowing, rhythmic being, and all things in it in constant cyclical change. Everything is t'ai chi -- one universal energy, which expresses itself as two polarized yet complementary aspects, yin and yang. Yin and yang ebb and flow, creating the cycles and rhythms of life.

By observing nature, the sages perceived all of the rhythms and energy patterns that arise from the interaction of yin and yang. They then coded these rhythmic patterns into a "book of life." The I Ching's sixty-four hexagrams represent a code or program of the operating principle of life itself. Each six-line configuration is the visual representation of a rhythm archetype. The image pattern of each hexagram generates a particular drum pattern based on the sequence of the yin and yang lines. Each rhythmic pattern pulsates a particular resonance, which stimulates, works with, and informs the body, mind, and spirit in the most optimal manner for effecting change or harmonizing with change.

The drummer may then utilize the I Ching as a gauge, a precise means for placing oneself in relation to the pattern or way of cyclical change, and that way is known as Tao. It is a guide to harmony and balance and the drum is the instrument of attunement. It is a pathway to the "infinite Tao," the unknowable force that guides the universe and everything in it. Through the beat of the drum, anyone can resonate in harmony with the eternal rhythm of Tao. To learn more, look inside my book I Ching: The Tao of Drumming.

Before the End

Hexagram 64

In order to gain some insight into the chaotic events of our world, I consulted the I Ching. The I Ching is an ancient Chinese text and divination system which counsels appropriate action in the moment for a given set of circumstances. Each moment has a pattern to it and everything that happens in that moment is interconnected. Based on the synchronicity of the universe and the laws of probability, the I Ching responds to an inquiry in the form of a hexagram. By evaluating the hexagram that describes your current pattern of relationship, you can divine the outcome and act accordingly.

When I consulted the I Ching regarding the state of our world today, I received Hexagram 64: Incompletion (a.k.a. "Before the End" and "Before Completion"). This hexagram represents the time before the climax of a cycle. The present situation is one in which order is arising out of chaos. Everything is changing and seeking equilibrium. The conditions are nothing short of a rebirth. The I Ching counsels that this is not the time to force the completion of a long-standing objective or to rush headlong into a new project, for you are entering uncharted waters. The matter at hand is unlike any that you have experienced.

This hexagram symbolizes fire over water, illustrating how the two principles cannot act in accord. The ascending fire diverges from the descending water, forming a state of dissonance. Dissonance is nature's way of breaking down the patterns of an old cycle in preparation for a new cycle. Divergent polar forces pull apart obsolete patterns, allowing new patterns to form. This represents the turbulent state of affairs around the world. We must learn to deal with this dissonant energy. We cannot make sense of it because it is entirely destructive.

Instead, we must hold steady within ourselves and observe its chaotic behavior from a place of power. Our inner calm and stability will help contain its devastating energy and it will be unable to do as much damage as it would otherwise. Make a conscious choice not to be swept along by unfavorable circumstances or permit your steadfastness to be shaken. See things as they are, in process of change, without fixation on imbalance; see the potential and call it forth.

Chaos brings about disorder but then that disorder leads to order. Perhaps that is why everything always seems to work itself out, whether we choose to fret about it or not. Like most organisms observed in nature, human beings are self-organizing systems. We are constantly trying to make sense out of chaos. We tend to classify what we see in terms of the past and this inclination can lead to a rude awakening.

Learn to Live With Your Heart, Not Your Mind

In a rapidly changing world, we won't be able to figure things out mentally, so it's best to go back to our heart and be there whenever possible. If we are able to get in touch with our hearts, we will be able to connect with the guidance of our own intuitive knowing. Intuition reveals appropriate action in the moment for a given set of circumstances. Take the time to quiet the mind, whether in meditation or prayer, and ask to be taken into your heart's sacred space. While you are there, practice seeing the world from that point of view. The energy that comes in from the Source is directed through our hearts. When we are in sync with the heart, we are in sync with the Cosmos. As we learn to live from the heart we are able to move with the ebb and flow of change with grace and ease.

In this disorganized situation, the I Ching counsels non-attachment. We are being asked to flow the way nature wants us to flow -- without expectations and without the need to classify or think of completion. We must be empty of questions, for questions confine answers. This is a time for introspection. Clarity of mind must precede effort. We must pause and tune into our inner voice to gain a balanced and ordered perspective. Only then can we attain the clarity needed to meet the challenge facing us. Once we gain the correct perspective, we must suspend all disbelief and trust in our ability to meet the challenge presented to us. With steadiness, deliberation and effort, we can clear away the confusion and restore order to the situation. Thus, the cycle of hexagrams ends with a new beginning.

Darkening of the Light

Total Solar Eclipse

In order to gain some insight into the dire situation of our planet, I consulted the I Ching. The I Ching is an ancient Chinese text and divination system which counsels appropriate action in the moment for a given set of circumstances. Each moment has a pattern to it and everything that happens in that moment is interconnected. Based on the synchronicity of the universe and the laws of probability, the I Ching responds to an inquiry in the form of a hexagram. By evaluating the hexagram that describes your current pattern of relationship, you can divine the outcome and act accordingly.

When I consulted the I Ching regarding our current situation on the planet, I received Hexagram 36: Darkening of the Light. This hexagram symbolizes the sun sinking into the earth and is often associated with the "dark night of the soul." It denotes a time of darkness when oppressive forces obscure the beauty and clarity of light. As stated in the I Ching, "Here a man of dark nature is in a position of authority and brings harm to the wise and able man." It is a time of maximum darkness and ignorance; a time when the dark forces of the unconscious are at their peak. It isn't hard to see that even though we live on a planet that surrounds us with beauty, that there is a lot of darkness manifesting within humanity.

According to the I Ching, when the darkness of stupidity reigns in human affairs, it is best that you keep your brilliance "hidden under a bushel basket." The oracle counsels us to show our intelligence by concealing it. Lao Tse, the reputed author of the Tao Te Ching and the founder of philosophical Taoism, gives us the best paraphrase of the idea in his famous proverb: "He who knows does not speak; He who speaks does not know." In dealing with the masses, true leaders act unobtrusively while in fact being illuminated. What sages learn is to become daily more illuminated unbeknownst to others.

For the time being, it is in our best interests to accept the situation. Like the time of winter, the situation requires that we turn within to stoke our inner fire with spiritual practice. A spiritual practice is something you do every single day that grounds you in your own truth by connecting you with your essential self. So we must tend to our inner light and maintain a low profile. So long as we conceal our inner glow, it cannot be extinguished. Until conditions are more favorable, remain yielding and compliant externally, while maintaining your inner vision, convictions, and principles. Such an attitude will sustain your inner light in even the darkest of times. Try not to become too depressed or anxious; this period will pass. The darkness that is now showing itself everywhere will eventually consume itself and perish, for it has no inner light to sustain it. The sun will rise again.

Shamanic Divination

Shamanic divination is the art of seeing and interpreting signs in everything around us. Divination can give you answers to all the questions that you have in your life. Shamanic practitioners use three primary divination techniques: journeying, spirit embodiment, or divination tools. In journeying, the practitioner enters the spirit world to access information directly from the source. Basically, shamanic journeying is a way of communicating with your inner or spirit self and retrieving information. Your inner self is in constant communication with all aspects of your environment, seen and unseen. You need only journey within to find answers to your questions. After the journey, you must then interpret the meaning of your trance experience. 

Divination can also be performed using embodiment trance to bring a helping spirit into the practitioner's body. In an embodiment trance, the practitioner asks the spirit helpers to come into ordinary reality, enter the practitioner's body, and impart information through them. The idea is to become like a hollow bone, a conduit for spirit. By becoming an empty vessel for spirit, we can access the invisible sea of information that we bathe in daily, the all-pervading frequencies of consciousness immanent in all phenomena. Drumming is an excellent way to induce divination trance, allowing the practitioner to perceive energetic frequencies in a unique way. The practitioner experiences energies and then interprets them through his or her own symbolic language.

When using a divination tool, the practitioner enters an altered state and allows the patterns in the tool to determine the message from spirit. One of the best known divination tools is the I Ching. The I Ching is a microcosm of all possible human situations. It serves as a dynamic map, whose function is to reveal one's relative position in the cosmos of events. The hexagram texts address the sixty-four archetypal human situations. The commentary of each hexagram reveals the optimal strategy for integrating or harmonizing with the inevitable for a given condition. It provides the appropriate response to your inquiry. It affords a holistic perspective of your current condition and discusses the proper or correct way to address the situation. Consult the I Ching.

Free Online I Ching Reading

Divination is the art of seeing and interpreting signs in everything around us. The goal of shamanic divination is to encourage well-being by helping a person live in harmony with the universe around them. One of the best known systems of divination is the I Ching, or Book of Changes. For some 3,000 years, people have turned to the I Ching to help them uncover the meaning of their experience and to bring their actions into harmony with their underlying purpose. The I Ching is an invaluable divination tool in the shamanic art of restoring harmony and balance. Consult the I Ching online using a javascript hexagram generator based on the yarrow stalk method. The result is the immediacy of the coin tossing method with the reliability of the yarrow stalk method.

 

The program is based on my book I Ching: The Tao of Drumming -- the only shamanic interpretation of the I Ching from a rhythmic perspective. A synthesis of shamanic drum ways and Taoist philosophy, The Tao of Drumming provides for the first time the rhythmic structure of the 64 hexagrams or potential human situations. Drum patterns derived from the hexagram images render the essence of each archetype of experience into sound, giving it physical, mental, and spiritual impulse. Through the natural law of resonance, the drummer then embodies the qualities and attributes necessary to effect change or harmonize with change in any given situation.

More than an oracle, the I Ching is a keyboard or periodic table of rhythm archetypes. The key to understanding the I Ching and its place in your life is to realize that the universe is made of vibrational energy; that it is a single, flowing, rhythmic being. According to quantum physics, everything in the universe, from the smallest subatomic particle to the largest star, has an inherent vibrational pattern. The entire universe is created through vibration and can be influenced through the vibrations of drumming. The Tao of Drumming is a shamanic tool for altering or harmonizing the vibrational state of the drummer or a particular situation in the community. With clear and practical explanations of each of the 64 hexagrams along with useful exercises and illustrations, this innovative handbook demonstrates how drumming these simple rhythm archetypes brings the essential self into accord with the pattern or way of cyclical change, and that way is known as Tao. Find an I Ching Rhythm for your need of the moment.

 

Shamanic Drum Divination

Divination is the art of seeing and interpreting signs in everything around us and the drum is a powerful divination tool. The Sámi shamans of northern Scandinavia were renowned for their drum divination skills. They used drum divination to determine the future, location of game, diagnosis and remedies. Sámi drumheads are decorated with cosmological rune symbols and drawings of heavenly bodies, plants, animals, humans and human habitations; sometimes divided into separate regions by horizontal or vertical lines. For divination, the drum is held horizontally with the drum face parallel to the floor. A metal ring or other kind of pointer is centered on the top of the drumhead. The drum is gently played with the drumstick so that the pointer moves across the drumhead. The diviner observes the movement of the pointer in relation to the symbols on the drum to interpret the answer. Detailed instructions on how to make and use divination drums can be found in the book Oghams & Oracles: Divination in the Druidic Tradition.

Drumming the I Ching

by Hilary Barrett

For some 3,000 years, people have turned to the I Ching, the Book of Changes, to help them uncover the meaning of their experience, to bring their actions into harmony with their underlying purpose, and above all to build a foundation of confident awareness for their choices.

Down the millennia, as the I Ching tradition has grown richer and deeper, the things we consult about may have changed a little. But the moment of consultation is much the same. These are the times when you're turning in circles, hemmed in and frustrated by all the things you can't see or don't understand. You can think it over (and over, and over); you can 'journal' it; you can gather opinions. But how can you have confidence in choosing a way to go, if you can't quite be sure of seeing where you are? 

Only understand where you are now, and you rediscover your power to make changes. This is the heart of I Ching divination. Once you can really see into the present moment, all its possibilities open out before you - and you are free to create your future.

What is the I Ching?

The I Ching (or Yijing) is an oracle book: it answers the question you ask. You can call on it to help with any question you have: issues with relationships of all kinds, ways to attain your personal goals, the outcomes of different choices for a key decision. It grounds you in present reality, encourages you to grow, and nurtures your self-knowledge. When things aren't working, it opens up a space for you to get 'off the ride', out of the rut, and choose your own direction. And above all, it's a wide-open, free-flowing channel for truth.

I Ching Drumming

For some years, I’ve been ‘drumming’ the I Ching from time to time. Not properly or skillfully, generally just on the nearest tabletop. I take a yang line as a single beat, and a yin line as two half beats, and set out through the Sequence in compound duple (six eight) time.

It turns out I’m not the only one. I came across a whole site dedicated to drumming I Ching patterns. It seems that the drumming becomes a kind of divination in itself - where do you stumble as you drum through the sequence? - and a kind of healing. 

I drum my way through the Sequence from memory. It creates a particular quality of concentration, way beyond an intellectual ‘memory exercise’: if I try consciously to remember each hexagram pair while I stay in rhythm, rather than simply allowing the next one to come to mind, it all comes apart. And travelling right through the Sequence is… well, something you need to experience for yourself. If you don’t want to do this from memory, there’s a chart of the hexagrams in order, with the trigrams helpfully colour-coded, at the drumming site above.

Drumming is also another way to engage with a reading. You can remember your hexagram as rhythm as well as words, and carry it in your awareness through the day. It’s a completely different way of remembering and being aware: words and images are always flowing into our minds; rhythm’s always being created within our bodies. So an I Ching reading doesn’t only give particular words and images from that constant inundation an added glow of meaning; it’s something we can walk and breathe.

About the Author 

Hilary Barrett is an I Ching diviner from Oxfordshire, England. You are warmly invited to browse the wealth of free information at her I Ching website, http://www.onlineClarity.co.uk, and to sign up for the free I Ching course to learn to divine for yourself at: http://www.onlineClarity.co.uk/join

Copyright 2000 - 2011 Clarity I Ching Readings 

I Ching Resources:
I Ching Reading 
I Ching : The Tao of Drumming