How the Coin Toss Formula Works in Your I-Ching Divination

In the AskDuckie online divination, a digital coin toss is used to generate your hexagram. But how exactly does this work? Let’s break down the formula behind the I-Ching coin toss so you can understand how your divination is calculated.

Understanding the Coin Toss Formula

The I-Ching uses three coins for each line of your hexagram. Depending on how the coins land (heads or tails), they produce a sum that determines whether the line is yang (solid) or yin (broken), and whether the line is changing or unchanging. Here's how each toss translates into the sum:

Tails = 3

Heads = 2

Now, let’s look at how these values determine the lines in your hexagram:

3 Tails (Sum = 6): This creates a Changing Yin line (broken line that changes to solid).

3 Heads (Sum = 9): This creates a Changing Yang line (solid line that changes to broken).

2 Tails, 1 Head (Sum = 7): This creates an Unchanging Yang line (solid line that remains solid).

2 Heads, 1 Tail (Sum = 8): This creates an Unchanging Yin line (broken line that remains broken).

Each toss produces one line in the hexagram, and six tosses are required to form the complete hexagram. Importantly, the lines are built from the bottom up—the first toss generates the bottommost line, and each subsequent toss builds upward until the topmost line is formed.

What Are Changing and Unchanging Lines?

Changing lines are significant because they represent shifts in energy. If your toss results in a changing line, this means the energy of that line is in flux, and your situation is more dynamic. The I-Ching will provide extra guidance based on these changes. Unchanging lines, on the other hand, represent more stable energy that remains constant.

How Your Divination Is Calculated

Each coin toss provides the current state of the energy, which creates your initial hexagram. If there are changing lines, a second hexagram is calculated to show where the situation may shift to. The system automatically computes these hexagrams, based on the sum of your coin tosses, to reflect how the Universe’s energy is interacting with your current position.

Try It Yourself!

Now that you know the coin toss formula, you can even perform your own I-Ching divination at home using three physical coins if you prefer. Simply toss the coins and apply the same formula to generate your hexagram and interpret the results.

By understanding this formula, you can better appreciate how your divination is formed and how to interpret the dynamic or stable energies at play.

Duckie

Duckie is a friendly duck who loves sharing her little adventures to help people better understand what they may be going through in life, so that they can feel more aligned with the timeless wisdom of the I-Ching.

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