| 87 | 88 | 89 | 90 | 91 |
| 1 | 46 | 93 | 139 | 185 |
|
the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram).
Interpretation
Carefully read the text of the hexagram impartially without in any way relating the text to your
original question. At this stage it is important not to bias the reading with your own conception of the
range of possible answers, in fact keep rational criticism or correlation suspended. Bear in mind that
the I Ching has a surprising facility for giving answers that cut across the possibilities that had
presented themselves to your mind already, and turning up a new and unique solution. There is a
curious parallel between the I Ching's answers and Edward de Bono's concept of lateral thinking.
Returning to the practice, the next step is to re-read the text to see if any phrase stands out, usually for
no apparent reason: one magician whose facility with the I Ching was considerable, found that
important phrases actually appeared to be printed in heavier type (for the duration of the divination).
Write these important phrases down, one under another. Look again, this time slowly through the text
for any important phrase which may have been missed.
Then consider the relevance of these phrases to the question: if connections arise also write these
down on the same piece of paper. Now go back to the text consciously looking for an answer to your
question. Conclude by writing your interpretation of the text, in the light of the question, out in full.
Then consider the moving lines as indications of developments: the interpretation of these should be
fairly obvious if the meaning of the hexagram itself has been well established already. In the Chinese
texts the ritual number nine refers to a moving line going from Yang to Yin, whilst the ritual number
six, refers to a Yin moving to a Yang. Remember that the lines of the hexagram are counted from the
bottom line up, so that a 'nine for the second place' means that the line second from the bottom is a
Yang line moving to a Yin.
Re-draw the hexagram with the moving lines changed to their opposites and using the Table (page
1
03), determine the number of the new hexagram, which represents the outcome or end result.
Interpret its text in the same manner as is outlined above.
If there are no moving lines then the initial hexagram contains the complete answer to your question.
The wording of the texts at first appears to be very oriental, until familiarity confers the ability to
interpret apparently military terms like advance and retreat in a more universal manner, as indicating
perseverance or abandonment of a particular course of action. References to what the Superior Man
would do, indicate the course of action which would be most noble or benevolent under the
circumstances. 'Rebels' indicate those who would undermine your plans. 'No error' or 'no blame'
means that if things do not go according to plan, it is not the enquirer's fault. The intuition should be
able to apply these principles to the interpretation of other I Ching terminology in the light of the
question asked.
Lastly, remember that the divination should be 'without lust of result' as Aleister Crowley so aptly put
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