Old yin
A broken line changes into yang.
The traditional way to consult the oracle
The I Ching Three-Coin Method
Six successive casts create a hexagram from the bottom upward. Each cast reveals yin or yang and whether the line remains stable or is ready to change into its opposite.
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How a line value is created
For each cast, one side of a coin is counted as 2 and the other as 3. Adding the three coins produces one of four values. Reflecta models this traditional process and preserves the same result when the same request is safely repeated.
Young yang
A solid line remains.
Young yin
A broken line remains.
Old yang
A solid line changes into yin.
How to build the hexagram
- Hold one question. Do not change the subject between casts.
- Make six casts. The first result becomes the bottom line and the sixth becomes the top line.
- Build the primary image. Values 7 and 9 are yang; 6 and 8 are yin.
- Mark movement. A 6 changes from yin to yang; a 9 changes from yang to yin.
- Build the resulting image. Stable lines remain; changing lines transform into their opposite.
Why the lines are built upward
A hexagram is read as an unfolding process. The bottom line shows the foundation and first impulse, the middle lines show interaction and development, and the top line shows the completion of the phase. The order of casts should therefore never be reversed.
Frequently asked questions
Which coin side is worth 2 or 3?
You may choose either consistent convention before beginning. What matters is that one side always counts as 2 and the other always counts as 3.
Which line is cast first?
The bottom line. The first cast creates line one at the base; the sixth cast creates the top line.
Which line values change?
Value 6 is old yin changing into yang. Value 9 is old yang changing into yin.
Consult the I Ching
Open the interactive I Ching in Reflecta: ask a focused question and receive six lines, a primary hexagram, changing lines, and the resulting image.