Heart Astrology

Zhaung Zi teaches dharma to a frog

The I Ching is an ancient oracle system that is elemental, shamanistic, mathematical and synchronistic. It is made by combining simple elements of yin and yang represented by broken or whole yao into six lines that make up 64 instructive hexagrams. From this image comes a wealth of information that provides insight into any question that is asked.

The method I use relies not only on translations of the hexagram from the class book of I, but also I rely heavily on the position of the Yao, their appropriate positions and the relationships of the trigrams forming the main, the inner, and the transformed hexagram.

I am a third generation I Ching divination practitioner, starting with my grandfather Richard Daiensai Kirsten, who was the first westerner to be ordained as an I Ching priest in Japan. I cast the hexagram in the exact manner which he taught me in 1994. He also passed the tradition on to my father Nicholas Kirsten Honshin, who taught me to consult the I Ching with coins at the age of 12.

To perform a reading first one must prepare their mind to receive the universal energies that will provide clarity. I meditate, recite the heart sutra mantra, bless the yarrow sticks in gently wafting incense smoke, make an offering to protective spirits and then cast the yarrow sticks. While doing this I focus on you and your question. The form of casting is very direct and simple and uses one moving line only to provide further insight into the questions that are asked.