How to consult the I Ching using Yarrow Stalks

Yijing and Bazi Chinese astrology readings: www.tigereyeastrology.com
Some of my favorite Yijing Translations:
A great workbook for beginners -
The I Ching Workbook by R.L. Wing
First translation in the west and most studied by academics (with a forward by Carl Jung on the Yijing’s influence on his explorations of the unconscious)
- The I Ching or Book of Changes by Richard Wilhelm
My favorite translation with a Daoist philosophical approach - The Living I Ching by Deng Ming-Dao
A mythological and more esoteric approach, based on archeological findings - Total I Ching by Stephen Karcher
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If you are not able to harvest your own yarrow (which can be found on most continents in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 9 ), you can find a sustainably sourced kit from Jane English, who also co-wrote a beautiful edition of the Daodejing and Zhuangzi. www.eheart.com/yarrow/
There are also I Ching yarrow kits sold on Etsy, you can find a supplier that fits your needs and price.
Happy divining!
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Hexagram 7 師 shī represents the Army, the Collective and the Master. The trigrams of Water below the Earth above symbolizes groundwater. Groundwater is the pervasive force providing support for all things to grow from below the surface.
This hexagram represents the power of the Spiritual Warrior. To go from a soldier to a master, one engages on the warrior’s path - going from an outer definition of authority (above ground) to an inner source of authority (power hidden below the surface like groundwater).

[@TheMiner79er]

This is the best explanation I have found for the yarrow divination method. Understanding the symbolic workings makes it more meaningful. Thank you!

[@VOCATUS123]

In almost eight years of working with I Ching, this is easily the most clear and concise tutorial for using the yarrow stalks that I have ever seen

[@ledamarte6079]

This is the first explanation of the yarrow method that I actually understand. Your explanation is very clear. Thank you and all the best for you.

[@GurusevanandaDas]

This is a very clear explanation and also deep in meaning. Thank you!

[@zamingold]

Thanks for the beautiful demo of this awesome system

[@TrojansFirst]

There’s a new translation of the I Ching by Benebell Wen. It’s a massive tomb and she also has a strong Daoist background.

[@HallowedHighlands]

I've been wanting to learn I Ching forever and I finally bought myself a set. This video is by far the best one I've found and I'm so grateful for it. Thank you so much Miss Tangq!

[@albertoboeder4731]

This has been soo very helpful. It definitely allows the mind to do a reading a lot easier after watching someone else do it. Thank you so very much!💚🌱💚

[@AaronCZim]

I bet, the specifics of the handedness, the coins, and the layout must have something to do with the "Yellow River Map," and the, "Luo Shu Square." I'm going review those next.

[@barefootcarefully9915]

I have wondered for years how to use yarrow stalks for i ching, thank you so much for this !!

[@meetontheledge1380]

Fantastic! Loved the ''Cosmology'' section- it was like a poem in three dimensions. Wonderful to hear the definitive pronunciations of phrases like wu-wei that I have treasured for so long (but was never sure how to say!). I see you use Deng Ming-Dao's trans. I have his 365 Tao book and it is a treasure.

[@dominiquesiva-jothy573]

I agree, your explanation is the first one out of many that I understand and can follow as an instruction to try my own reading.. thank you

[@corlisscrabtree3647]

Thank you 🙏

[@TiffanyMaschek]

When I learn a new divination system, I love learning all sides of it. Each way of casting it and finding which one I like the best. I like all of them so far. I've done the coins and I've even come up with my own casting method where you only have to cast the coins twice. I'm getting a divination system when you draw cards so that will be even quicker. I'm loving learning all of these and that it's not a yes and no. It's a legit question and even each line how the line is arranged in the hexagram has its meaning and you can go in depth with that meaning. Turning it into a more powerful reading. I've had so many new little revelations with this, and I don't know which casting method I'll keep with. But I asked if using the yarrow method of casting is going to be the best one. I ching said that it was the traditional roots to cast that way and that that is the right path. It also said that just because others have this same path and are walking with you doesn't mean that their path is the better way. It's saying whatever comes listen to my intuition as consistency is the key. Even with Tarot you don't get this clear of an answer. I love how I ching covers all the basis of the question and gives you advice on the answer as well.

[@rubegca]

I love this explanation!! I came across this video looking for an explanation to Hexagram 7 since that’s what I “received” 😬. Thank you for this video! ☺️🙏🏽

[@izabela5746]

Thank you so much 🙏🏻

[@royjohnson5287]

One of the best, actually the best video on how to use Yarrow Stalks for I Ching. I already have about 2 or 3 different instructions on how to use the stalk method. This one is far the best instruction, for 6, 7, 8 or 9 lines.

[@jidun9478]

Thank you, I have been looking for an explanation of the yarrow stick method like this for years.

[@Elfaki19]

Thank you so much for doing this.

[@freedda1]

Hello from Whidbey Island, Ms. TangQ. Here is my take on a few things you've shared: I Ching, or Yijing, or simply the Yi, is not from Neolithic times. It dates back to about 900-800 BC, whereas the Neolithic age is around 10,000 - 4,500 BCE, so it pre-dates the Yi by at least 3,500 years. (I just love it when people think that if they make something older than it really is that this automatically gives it value or authenticity.) Second, the original yarrow method dates to around the same time as the Yi. Prior to that, oracle bones were used for divination. However, no one knows what the original yarrow stalk method is, and the one we now use might only be an approximation, developed many centuries after the Yi was written. The oldest known method we have for casting with the Yi uses three coins. Third, since either yarrow stalks or coins work, there is no necessary connection with Wood, or with Metal, or anything for else for that matter to make an oracle work. If you want to have a special place or setting where you consult the Yi, that's fine, but it is not at all necessary. Oracles work wherever we are, otherwise it's like saying that I can' breathe or work or think unless I'm in a certain place. So, you can consult the Yi anywhere - on a plane, on a train, in a crowded cafe .... at a rock concert. It will always work. However, when you go to interpret and try and understand the Yi, it can be useful to have a more quiet, or calm setting, just as it can be better to study at the library than at a football game. Formulating a question can be of use, but so can simply having a word or two to work from, so ... 'grrrr, work' is fine, or ... 'tell me how to best deal with me demanding boss' also works, or ... 'about work' .... you don't have to be specific, nor do you have to have a clearly-thought-out question ... that's just not how divination works. Early divination was done by stating actions, or intentions, and the early diviners didn't ask questions - So, a diviner might state for the king, 'The king want to sacrifice fifty horses and fifty captives before attacking the Qi capital ten days after the next full moon'. And then the diviner could tell the king if he had the blessings of the ancestors for what he was planning to do. Sometimes the response was a simply, yes you do have the ancestors' blessings, or no you don't - and sometimes the divination might include more specifics, like 'you will keep the blessings of the ancestors if you attack from across the river (in which case the king might want to offer blessings or a sacrifice to the river gods and might ask for divination about this as well.) Yes or no questions do work with the Yi, though they may not be the best way to get to more details about your situation. So, 'should I ask her out' might work, but 'tell me about my relationship with Yee' might yield a more informative and useful response. Finally, it's okay if you want to associate the Yi with yin/yang theory or Daoist cosmology, but the earliest part or layer of the Yi, the Zhouyi, was not related to yin/yang, nor Daoism, nor Confucianism. These are all ideas and ways of thinking that came later and were added to - or overlain over the Yi - some centuries later. It answers us foremost through images and imagery - and our associations with those images. In fact, the word Yang is not even found in the Zhouyi, and Yin is only found a few times, but it means shadow - and not some greater cosmic force or ideal. For example, one well-know verse from the Yi is Line 61.2: call of a crane in the shadows (yin is the word for shadow or dark) Her young ones respond to her I have a fine beaker of wine And I, with your help, will drain it. There is not yin or yang, no moral Confucian teaching, we are simply given images: crane calls to her young from the shade, sharing wine with friends, children calling back to their parents ... and so forth. Adding yin/yang/dao, etc. stuff might be fine for some, but for me it's just adding layers of complexity that were never intended to be there by the diviners who wrote the Yi. Kind regards, David (former King Co. employee)

[@misstangq]

Hi David from Whidbey - I am currently writing from Mukilteo, WA - your neighbor. Thank you for your sharing your thoughts. As for dating the Yijing, the earliest renditions of the Zhou Yi originated in the ritual of oracle bone divination and scapulimancy, which does date back to Neolithic times. It is the oldest recorded form of divination, with roots in indigenous China but also to our early human ancestors, and people may (or may not) derive significance from that however they wish. I am not a historian or an academic and do not approach the Yijing from those perspectives. I am an artist - which means I am interested in how the Yijing can support us in the art of making choices. With this video, I intend to share with people my best practices for building a relationship to this oracle, which facilitates making the right choice easier over time. Anyone who consults the Yijing as a practice can attest to the benefits of selecting a peaceful setting, as well as the process of reflection for formulating a good question. Obviously this is not the only way to consult the oracle, and if you wish to use it at a rock concert, by all means. I have found myself using the Yijing in many types of settings, but have received the most benefit from it as a committed practice. As an artist, I am also interested in the art of interpretation. The Yijing to me is not just a fortune-telling device, but also as an incredible resource from which we can derive wisdom. No one can assume what the original intentions are of the writers of the Yi. I am not making historical claims about Daoist cosmology or yin yang theory, but rather I am applying these ideas as a way to better understand the self, our relationship to nature, to society and to the universe. Daoism as a philosophy has been very useful for me as a lens to understand the nature of time and to learn how to harmonize with change. I am by no means claiming that it is the only perspective through which we can absorb the wisdom of the Yijing, but simply sharing what has been of benefit for me and hopefully can be a source of inspiration for others.

[@albertoboeder4731]

@@misstangq Is there anywhere that you recommend to naturally aquire yarrow sticks? Or a suggestion of a store? Please n thank you.

[@freedda1]

@@misstangq - thanks so much! I too am an artists and sometimes use the Yi in that context. If you ever want to get to together and 'trade' readings or just talk about the Yi, that would be grand! You can find me on FB, and message me through that: facebook.com/dkfreed Best, D

[@missmarplesapprentice5219]

Dear Miss Tangq, I understand where you are coming from and thank you for showing how yarrow sticks are used. 💚

[@spengolly8666]

Nicely done.

[@Anya11235]

Wonderful explanation!

[@miroevermoss]

That was absolutely great ! Thank you

[@saschabanto7763]

Great video, thank you! 👍🏼

[@joeferrussia4786]

Wow! Beautifully explained I knew another method where you would hold the 3 rounds of "excluded" sticks in your left hand. Could you share where does this other method comes from? I like this one better to be honest!

[@redmelodik9909]

Thank you so much for sharing. it's beautiful

[@gabrielbrown2851]

Amazing.Thank you so much. I been watching this once a day and doing it with you to really sink it in.

[@michaelobrien8219]

very clear - very helpful - please show us more about the Oracle - we would be grateful....thank you

[@jessidurmis]

Thank you for this presentation ❤❤❤ the book I read explained this but was not clear enough for me to completely understand

[@AskALibbieist]

This was so helpful! Thank you very much! You're a good teacher.

[@brilliancebipolar]

This is wonderful! I had no idea about any of this... I love it and cannot wait to try it. Thank you very much for sharing, and so clearly explaining, this ritual process as well as the spiritual and philosophical background.

[@yazstar9342]

Thankyou!

[@filipec.g.3882]

I've really appreciate this method. Thank you very much for sharing it! I've also realized after a few times using the traditional stalks method (the one you can find in the classical The I Ching or Book of Changes, translated by Richard Wilhelm) that it's quite more probable to sort a few numbers more than others, and, as consequence, it interferes in the result of the hexagram sorted. So, from what I'm experiencing a few times now, this new stalks' method you've taught provides more equal sorting when we talk about the numbers' possibility.

[@elizabethfincun3295]

Thank you so much for this video! I am going through changes and fitting enough, my sister gifted me an I Ching set. Would you be able to do a video that goes more into depth of a changing line hexagram and what to do from there to be able to interpret properly? Thank you!

[@IChingorBookofChanges]

I have always wanted to learn this way but most of the books I had read it from did not make sense to me. This helped a lot. Thank you.

[@cesarsanchezgutierrez3064]

Wow

[@blackthai5023]

excellantexplanation of the process andproceedure much appreciated

[@AaronCZim]

Is there a list of different ways to cast the I Ching? I know of how to use three coins and yarrow stalks. You just taught me that casting the I Ching with yarrow stalks uses the wood element. And that got me to thinking, does that mean there are five ways to cast the I Ching? I assume the three coins method of casting would be linked to metal. I would rather like there to be eight ways for the eight trigrams. Maybe yarrow stalks is creative since yarrow stalks grow and flipping coins is receptive because the coins are traditionally yin. The main difference, and why it is worth experimenting with multiple casting methods, is because there are different probabilities of getting moving lines, aren't there?

[@n3ocl]

I can't thank you enough for putting this video together. I was confused at the different methods that are found in the internet. Your instructions were very clear. Thank you. ! ! !

[@hermit.masteroflight5970]

Excellent and beautiful explanation with the Jarrow stalks. It makes much more sense than just using the coins like most people do. Thank you so much. Best regards, Lior

[@siamakaghazeinali]

thank you so much miss tango . i enjoyed your knowledge for iching. especially I know the yarrow sticks are hollow! it means the soul of the plant still is inside and also positive energy from our body can store inside sticks to help more to find right answer. for this these sticks needs to be clean and respected all the time by covering bag. . also I see there is different method that you use sticks. is it main method? also if you know about reading bones by burning please let me know. thanks

[@gra6649]

There must be several different ways to cast the I Ching with yarrow stocks. This is the third different way I've seen this evening.

[@Jasperslibrary]

Can you do a video on how to interpret multiple changing lines?

[@not_batman601]

Hey not sure if you'll see this but where do you get your yarrow sticks/coins? I'm looking for an ethical source to buy from! Thanks!

[@eugenemosh3658]

Is there some corrections if I'm left-handed? Thank you!

[@bobbyhodge4254]

So in my set i bought the instructions say to make note and count the discarded stalks in each phase and convert them to either a 2 or 3 and then add them together to get the final number, whereas you just divided the the left over pile of stalks by 4s to get the final number, are both methods correct? Just different ways to get the same answer? Help 😅 lol i want to do it the most authentic way… the way you demonstrated definitely saves some time and notation lol

[@pillarsoflight2607]

Hello Miss T! Is it required that the stalk be Yarrow? I couldn't afford to get any, so I made my own from bamboo.

[@carolinebruckner5695]

Thanks so much for this lesson. How do you write the numbers? From top to bottom, or bottom to top? If 7 is the first arrived at number, will this be the bottom - foundation line - of the hexagram, or the top - heaven - line?

[@misstangq]

The hexagrams are always built from the bottom up. So the first number received results in the bottom line. The 6th line is the top and last line of the hexagram. Hope that helps!

[@ShanVrolijk]

Hello MissTangQ. I missed your instagram account. The content was beautiful. But thank you for making your own youtube account!

[@drendelous]

8:53 cound bundle in the centre or at the top?

[@bryannava1]

why do some people hold the sticks in between their fingers while they continue to count off the sticks? does it matter if you keep holding them or if you place them down like you do.

[@mershane6114]

Can you give me a reading or I do I have to do it. How many times can you do this in a week? Can you do it if you need an answer? Thank you, for your time.

[@robertkirby8685]

Neolthic? That's a bit of a stretch, the earliest would probably during the Shang period.

[@NormaConway]

So utterly fantastic but useless as a complete educational exercise. You should have shot until you actually received a changing line and show how the line changes and how a line is soooooo important in a reading. I have not learned how to ‘count’ for a changing line. Disappointed…

[@liliummoon]