As a Tarot user I can say the same about how it works surprisingly well as a "physiological mirror" of sorts. I was aware of the I Ching, thanks to my sister who uses it, but I never looked to deeply into it. Thanks for the insightful video, I might get the book at some point!
I must admit that I've never even heard of this book. But the lessons in there, given power through chance and thousands of years of history could be something that teaches those at both a crossroads, and oddly enough, at a position of power as well (This is specially noteworthy as no one bothers to look for meanings when things are going well). If anything, seeing you give such respect, even as to painting your own online identity with one of the hexagrams to be fascinating. Again, even though I too am a Skeptic. I very much know that the mind and what it interprets to be the defining factor of every mindset and decision. And also as a Creator, I wish to see how it works at a deeper lever, like a glass window into another culture, and a way of thought. I've read most of my ebooks on a phone, but I'm certain to get a physical one for this one. Thank you Sardonic. PS: Out of curiosity, what was the first symbol that you used a few months before? And what did it mean to you?
The previous channel symbol was the second symbol in the series, The Receptive. In contrast to The Dynamic it's a more laid back and less proactive image. One that's focused on getting through the now and less dramatic action. Changing it to The Dynamic, to me, symbolizes increasing my commitment to keep making videos, something I definitely want to live up to.
I think my favorite thing about divination tools has always been less the spiritual aspect (though that also has its merits) and more the potential for their use towards self-actualization and understanding. Tarot for example I've described as a kind of "therapist in a box" as the card meanings are so highly interpretive; I used to read for others in party settings and would always tell people that a deck would only *really* tell them what they already know, perhaps just not in a conscious sense. In having a dialogue with these random cards a person is not only allowed an honest conversation with themselves but is also less likely to step into the cyclical thought patterns that occur when doing so with zero buffers or mediation. I imagine the I Ching works similarly, it's just an even older version of the concept! My mother used to use I Ching reading generators online when I was a kid but that's been the most exposure I've had to this in particular 😂 I imagine it's much cooler using the actual coins and writing down lines though, must feel a lot more interactive that way. Ironically the both of us have Chinese Filipino descent so you'd think we would have had an actual book instead 🤷 I'm glad you were able to have that as a teen though. I myself had a tarot deck and used it for similar purposes and I definitely would attribute it (if only in a small way) to helping me think more critically about my thoughts, actions and the world around me.
Great video and production quality! I also become acquainted to the I Ching very early, in my teens, but i connected more with tarot at the time. Later on I bought a "pocket i ching" book in my university years but still prefered tarot... . Funny enough, now at my 40's the I Ching has become my most used oracle / guide and I rarely look into Tarot. Funny how life changes us. The I Ching has become my trusted friend / life coach and i use it for all kinds of questions, often daily. It guides me to become the best version of myself, keeps me in check, and helps me make better decisions and often make accurate future predictions. Such an undervalued treasure!
...I think (or rather, I have an opinion) that something that helps with both I Ching and with Tarot (and which DOESN'T occur with say, astrology) is that there is an interactive ritual associated with the divination - I don't mean lighting candles/incense/chanting/whatnot, but the act of drawing the cards/tossing the coins which is distinct to the procedure of divination and is separate from most other circumstances - one doesn't generally toss coins or draw cards by oneself in other situations. This means that when one performs this, it physically isolates the act of divination physically as well as mentally, meaning it helps (imho) to encourage the user to immerse themselves in the actual deed. This means that the user is more concentrated on this specific task, and is less likely to be distracted by other things - which can be very useful/calming overall? The user is essentially forced to make this session thinking about their life an isolated anchor point, which can help them give themselves the space for self-reflection that they might not be able to with other strategies involved in trying to centre themselves, e.g. astrology like I mentioned above. In that, generally you are TOLD what will happen as opposed to doing it yourself, and from the signs given, interpret what it could mean. Again, it's all opinion on my part, but I think it's valid.
Fun video Sardonic, I'd wondered how much you knew about the I Ching based on your profile images so it's nice that you come out and discuss it. I'd also started getting into it in my youth and continued to find interesting things in it as I got older. One thing I've grown to appreciate is the 'intricate puzzlebox' quality of its construction. Each hexagram describes a general circumstance / strategic situation / vibe that is pretty universal to the human condition, and each individual changing line either tells you how or warns against what brings you to the result. So if you're dealing with overwhelming stuff that isn't your fault but you push through it (hexagram 39, line 2) then you can return to the wellspring of human creativity and potential (hexagram 48). Similarly, if you are at a point where you need to be receptive but you just force action/try to steal the show (hexagram 2, line 6) then you're just going to plunge yourself into chaos and disorder (hexagram 23) because you can't calm the heck down. Realizing this, I stopped viewing my readings as having a first hexagram followed by a result hexagram after changing all the lines and instead viewed things as a starting hexagram, an ending hexagram, and a series of potential individual line changes that let you chart a path from one to the other depending on how you want to approach the situation (and conveniently implying how to course correct if you decide to go looking for that advice). It can get a bit wild when you have three or more changing lines but it helps if you think three dimensionally. I haven't seen anyone else use this method yet (though I'm still working my way through a few other translations/commentaries), so I don't know if it's one of those things that's common knowledge to some or just my own weird idea. Speaking of, I switched from flipping coins to the 16 stones method because the math more closely matches the older, traditional yarrow stalk method. This makes changing yin rarer (1/16 chance per line) and changing yang more common (3/16 per line) as opposed to 1/8 for each. I just assumed the traditional readings built that probability in on some level. Also works with 16 sided dice if you're into that sort of thing.
I might have to try the stones method at some point! Definitely agree on the lines. I have seen some methods that only allow one changing line per reading which does seem like it would add more focus and specificity, though I admittedly enjoy getting multiple changing lines per reading. Definitely pluses and minuses to the various reading types. Thank you for watching and commenting!
I, too, label myself a "skeptic," and I have thoughts. Much like any other form of divination, the advice in the I Ching is so generalized as to be applicable to almost any situation; thus, when you arrive at your result, you find it to be applicable. If it did not have this property, it would not be found useful by its practitioners. But if the advice therein is applicable to any situation, then what benefit is it to select a passage at random? If all the advice is applicable all the time, then the entire book would be useful to answer one's question, not just one specific passage selected at random. The problem with this, of course, is that the book is too large. You cannot read the whole dang thing every time you're looking for life advice. In a way, divination is a nice quick solution to this problem. You may not get the optimal result but you will get a result, and assuming that the advice is generally good advice (a big assumption but i'll go with it based on your word), that result will be likely positive, i.e. better than not reading the book at all. But is divination the BEST way to take in the advice in the book? I kind of think that it's a recipe for a chaotic life, full of temporary solutions to your problems, rather than permanent change for the better. I think it would be better to read the book in sections, and work on internalizing the advice therein. Apply the same advice to many situations, practice it, incorporate it into your being. And once you feel like you've done that well enough, move on to the next section. And then you don't HAVE to randomly happen upon that section of the book ever again. In other words, don't constantly look to the book for answers, but learn from the book how to produce your own answers. That's how self-help should work, ideally. The other problem with the divination method is that it is, for lack of a better word, repetitive. In using it habitually, you will reread the same sections over and over again for your entire life. Maybe some amount of rereading is good, but at some point maybe it'd be a good idea to get different perspectives on the philosophical topics that the I Ching discusses. One book should not dominate your entire life. So, while there may be value in the I Ching, I remain skeptical as to the value of divination as a method for extracting that value.
Definitely fair points! I do wonder if one could somehow incorporate LLM algorithms to quickly navigate towards relevant passages. Though I also still think there's value in being able to deliver a fairly explicit random yes/no to a given situation that an algorithm wouldn't be able to commit to that helps one work through their feelings on the matter.
Great video. Using the I Ching for decades now. Yes, it is a timeless source of wisdom that will never go out of date. Loved your interpretations. What was the final line on the hexagram you were throwing near the end of the video? Inquiring minds want to know. :-) Neurodivergent here, too, and the oracle has helped more than any therapist has. Maybe we can get a thread going on that topic on reddit.
That would be Hexagram #31 - Mutual Influence in my translation, no changing lines. Can be very interesting to get a reading with no changing lines like that!
So the 6 lines in your logo is a reference to the I Ching? (I haven't watched the entire vid) EDIT: I figured it out about 2 min before you admit it lol
Fair but I was thinking more along the lines of the total cumulative chance of the outcome, hexagram and changing line, rather than just the changing line. I probably should have worded that more clearly, apologies.
@@SardonicSays I was hoping that during the video you would come up with and share the chances of receiving an individual changing line. I have always wondered what this number is. I am no mathlete, but is it 1 in (6 x 64)? That seems to leave out situations like the one in this video, where you came up with three changing lines. My head hurts every time I think of it.
Admittedly I'm not 100% but if the changing line odds are 1/4 (which I think these can change a lot from various methods) then multiplied with a 1/64 probability I think that gets us to 1/256 for getting any one changing line in the book of changes.
@@SardonicSays I'm slightly unclear on how it works - are there different "changing lines' sections for every single hexagram? if so, then the odds are 1/128 - 1/64 to get that hexagram first, times 1/2 that the line in question changes in the second hexagram. looking at the text online, it seems like each hexagram has a little section for its lines; are you supposed to interface with those only when that line changes? Is that what you mean by these "changing lines" sections? If that's the case, then yeah, 1/128.
@@DontMockMySmock theoretically all six of the lines in a given hexagram could be changing, although I've been doing it for years and I don't think I've ever had that come up. I feel sure I would remember something like that if it actually happened. It is technically possible.
Oh, when you mentioned automated therapy, I reached for my phone, ready to skip the better help mid roll sponsor read.
Thank you for not having that!
As a Tarot user I can say the same about how it works surprisingly well as a "physiological mirror" of sorts. I was aware of the I Ching, thanks to my sister who uses it, but I never looked to deeply into it. Thanks for the insightful video, I might get the book at some point!
I must admit that I've never even heard of this book. But the lessons in there, given power through chance and thousands of years of history could be something that teaches those at both a crossroads, and oddly enough, at a position of power as well (This is specially noteworthy as no one bothers to look for meanings when things are going well). If anything, seeing you give such respect, even as to painting your own online identity with one of the hexagrams to be fascinating.
Again, even though I too am a Skeptic. I very much know that the mind and what it interprets to be the defining factor of every mindset and decision. And also as a Creator, I wish to see how it works at a deeper lever, like a glass window into another culture, and a way of thought.
I've read most of my ebooks on a phone, but I'm certain to get a physical one for this one.
Thank you Sardonic.
PS: Out of curiosity, what was the first symbol that you used a few months before? And what did it mean to you?
The previous channel symbol was the second symbol in the series, The Receptive. In contrast to The Dynamic it's a more laid back and less proactive image. One that's focused on getting through the now and less dramatic action. Changing it to The Dynamic, to me, symbolizes increasing my commitment to keep making videos, something I definitely want to live up to.
I think my favorite thing about divination tools has always been less the spiritual aspect (though that also has its merits) and more the potential for their use towards self-actualization and understanding. Tarot for example I've described as a kind of "therapist in a box" as the card meanings are so highly interpretive; I used to read for others in party settings and would always tell people that a deck would only *really* tell them what they already know, perhaps just not in a conscious sense. In having a dialogue with these random cards a person is not only allowed an honest conversation with themselves but is also less likely to step into the cyclical thought patterns that occur when doing so with zero buffers or mediation. I imagine the I Ching works similarly, it's just an even older version of the concept!
My mother used to use I Ching reading generators online when I was a kid but that's been the most exposure I've had to this in particular 😂 I imagine it's much cooler using the actual coins and writing down lines though, must feel a lot more interactive that way. Ironically the both of us have Chinese Filipino descent so you'd think we would have had an actual book instead 🤷 I'm glad you were able to have that as a teen though. I myself had a tarot deck and used it for similar purposes and I definitely would attribute it (if only in a small way) to helping me think more critically about my thoughts, actions and the world around me.
Interesting perspective on Tarot! Thank you for sharing!!
Great video and production quality! I also become acquainted to the I Ching very early, in my teens, but i connected more with tarot at the time. Later on I bought a "pocket i ching" book in my university years but still prefered tarot... . Funny enough, now at my 40's the I Ching has become my most used oracle / guide and I rarely look into Tarot. Funny how life changes us. The I Ching has become my trusted friend / life coach and i use it for all kinds of questions, often daily. It guides me to become the best version of myself, keeps me in check, and helps me make better decisions and often make accurate future predictions. Such an undervalued treasure!
You keep making videos, and I'll keep watching em! Thanks for the vid!
...I think (or rather, I have an opinion) that something that helps with both I Ching and with Tarot (and which DOESN'T occur with say, astrology) is that there is an interactive ritual associated with the divination - I don't mean lighting candles/incense/chanting/whatnot, but the act of drawing the cards/tossing the coins which is distinct to the procedure of divination and is separate from most other circumstances - one doesn't generally toss coins or draw cards by oneself in other situations. This means that when one performs this, it physically isolates the act of divination physically as well as mentally, meaning it helps (imho) to encourage the user to immerse themselves in the actual deed.
This means that the user is more concentrated on this specific task, and is less likely to be distracted by other things - which can be very useful/calming overall? The user is essentially forced to make this session thinking about their life an isolated anchor point, which can help them give themselves the space for self-reflection that they might not be able to with other strategies involved in trying to centre themselves, e.g. astrology like I mentioned above. In that, generally you are TOLD what will happen as opposed to doing it yourself, and from the signs given, interpret what it could mean.
Again, it's all opinion on my part, but I think it's valid.
Fun video Sardonic, I'd wondered how much you knew about the I Ching based on your profile images so it's nice that you come out and discuss it. I'd also started getting into it in my youth and continued to find interesting things in it as I got older. One thing I've grown to appreciate is the 'intricate puzzlebox' quality of its construction. Each hexagram describes a general circumstance / strategic situation / vibe that is pretty universal to the human condition, and each individual changing line either tells you how or warns against what brings you to the result. So if you're dealing with overwhelming stuff that isn't your fault but you push through it (hexagram 39, line 2) then you can return to the wellspring of human creativity and potential (hexagram 48).
Similarly, if you are at a point where you need to be receptive but you just force action/try to steal the show (hexagram 2, line 6) then you're just going to plunge yourself into chaos and disorder (hexagram 23) because you can't calm the heck down.
Realizing this, I stopped viewing my readings as having a first hexagram followed by a result hexagram after changing all the lines and instead viewed things as a starting hexagram, an ending hexagram, and a series of potential individual line changes that let you chart a path from one to the other depending on how you want to approach the situation (and conveniently implying how to course correct if you decide to go looking for that advice). It can get a bit wild when you have three or more changing lines but it helps if you think three dimensionally. I haven't seen anyone else use this method yet (though I'm still working my way through a few other translations/commentaries), so I don't know if it's one of those things that's common knowledge to some or just my own weird idea.
Speaking of, I switched from flipping coins to the 16 stones method because the math more closely matches the older, traditional yarrow stalk method. This makes changing yin rarer (1/16 chance per line) and changing yang more common (3/16 per line) as opposed to 1/8 for each. I just assumed the traditional readings built that probability in on some level. Also works with 16 sided dice if you're into that sort of thing.
I might have to try the stones method at some point! Definitely agree on the lines. I have seen some methods that only allow one changing line per reading which does seem like it would add more focus and specificity, though I admittedly enjoy getting multiple changing lines per reading. Definitely pluses and minuses to the various reading types. Thank you for watching and commenting!
I, too, label myself a "skeptic," and I have thoughts.
Much like any other form of divination, the advice in the I Ching is so generalized as to be applicable to almost any situation; thus, when you arrive at your result, you find it to be applicable. If it did not have this property, it would not be found useful by its practitioners.
But if the advice therein is applicable to any situation, then what benefit is it to select a passage at random? If all the advice is applicable all the time, then the entire book would be useful to answer one's question, not just one specific passage selected at random.
The problem with this, of course, is that the book is too large. You cannot read the whole dang thing every time you're looking for life advice. In a way, divination is a nice quick solution to this problem. You may not get the optimal result but you will get a result, and assuming that the advice is generally good advice (a big assumption but i'll go with it based on your word), that result will be likely positive, i.e. better than not reading the book at all.
But is divination the BEST way to take in the advice in the book? I kind of think that it's a recipe for a chaotic life, full of temporary solutions to your problems, rather than permanent change for the better. I think it would be better to read the book in sections, and work on internalizing the advice therein. Apply the same advice to many situations, practice it, incorporate it into your being. And once you feel like you've done that well enough, move on to the next section. And then you don't HAVE to randomly happen upon that section of the book ever again. In other words, don't constantly look to the book for answers, but learn from the book how to produce your own answers. That's how self-help should work, ideally.
The other problem with the divination method is that it is, for lack of a better word, repetitive. In using it habitually, you will reread the same sections over and over again for your entire life. Maybe some amount of rereading is good, but at some point maybe it'd be a good idea to get different perspectives on the philosophical topics that the I Ching discusses. One book should not dominate your entire life.
So, while there may be value in the I Ching, I remain skeptical as to the value of divination as a method for extracting that value.
Definitely fair points! I do wonder if one could somehow incorporate LLM algorithms to quickly navigate towards relevant passages. Though I also still think there's value in being able to deliver a fairly explicit random yes/no to a given situation that an algorithm wouldn't be able to commit to that helps one work through their feelings on the matter.
Great explanation about I Ching…Very few can talk about this topic…thnx for the video
Thank you!!!
Great video. Using the I Ching for decades now. Yes, it is a timeless source of wisdom that will never go out of date. Loved your interpretations. What was the final line on the hexagram you were throwing near the end of the video? Inquiring minds want to know. :-) Neurodivergent here, too, and the oracle has helped more than any therapist has. Maybe we can get a thread going on that topic on reddit.
That would be Hexagram #31 - Mutual Influence in my translation, no changing lines. Can be very interesting to get a reading with no changing lines like that!
So the 6 lines in your logo is a reference to the I Ching? (I haven't watched the entire vid)
EDIT: I figured it out about 2 min before you admit it lol
Yep yep! A hexagram of the I ching
I love the Riven music during your reading at the end, I too consult the I Ching and love Myst!
Good ear! I'm actually planning on doing a video on Myst 3 after my next video
Probably one of the best videos I've seen on TH-cam in a while
Much thanks for checking it out!!
if i understand correctly, the odds of getting a specific "changing line" are 1 in 4, not the "more unlikely than 1/64" you mention.
Fair but I was thinking more along the lines of the total cumulative chance of the outcome, hexagram and changing line, rather than just the changing line. I probably should have worded that more clearly, apologies.
@@SardonicSays I was hoping that during the video you would come up with and share the chances of receiving an individual changing line. I have always wondered what this number is. I am no mathlete, but is it 1 in (6 x 64)? That seems to leave out situations like the one in this video, where you came up with three changing lines. My head hurts every time I think of it.
Admittedly I'm not 100% but if the changing line odds are 1/4 (which I think these can change a lot from various methods) then multiplied with a 1/64 probability I think that gets us to 1/256 for getting any one changing line in the book of changes.
@@SardonicSays I'm slightly unclear on how it works - are there different "changing lines' sections for every single hexagram? if so, then the odds are 1/128 - 1/64 to get that hexagram first, times 1/2 that the line in question changes in the second hexagram.
looking at the text online, it seems like each hexagram has a little section for its lines; are you supposed to interface with those only when that line changes? Is that what you mean by these "changing lines" sections?
If that's the case, then yeah, 1/128.
@@DontMockMySmock theoretically all six of the lines in a given hexagram could be changing, although I've been doing it for years and I don't think I've ever had that come up. I feel sure I would remember something like that if it actually happened. It is technically possible.