START WITH CURIOSITY
A gentle introduction to the I Ching
Understand hexagrams, ask a useful question, explore changing lines and keep a reflection journal. A plain-language guide for your first I Ching reading.
01
What is the I Ching?
The I Ching, also called the Book of Changes, is a Chinese classic organized around 64 patterns called hexagrams. Each is made of six solid or broken lines. The text offers images of change: starting, waiting, approaching, retreating and more.
In Yarrow Yi, a reading is a way to look at a situation from another angle. You do not need a belief system or prior study to try it. Keep what helps you reflect, and check it against what actually happens. It is not a guarantee about the future.
02
Ask a question you can act on
Start with one situation and the part you can influence. Instead of “Will everything work out?”, try “What should I pay attention to as I begin this project?” A short sentence about the context is enough; you do not need to share names or private details.
Choose a casting method, then read the result in relation to your question. The method produces the hexagram; AI may help explain it, but does not choose or change the cast. If a reading feels irrelevant, you can leave it rather than force a connection.
03
Read changing lines without the jargon
Read the six lines from the bottom upward. A solid line is yang; a broken line is yin. When a casting method marks a line as changing, that line flips to its opposite in the resulting hexagram. Yarrow shows the primary and resulting patterns together.
Use the primary hexagram as a lens on the situation and the marked lines as places to explore change. The resulting hexagram is another perspective, not a promised outcome. You can always open the full hexagram and line text instead of relying on a summary.
04
Turn a reading into a useful journal
After reading, choose one small action within your control: have a conversation, gather missing information, or wait before committing. Write down what you will observe, rather than only whether the reading felt “right”.
Come back to the reading later. What happened? What did not match? What would you do differently? Saving and revisiting readings requires an account; the anonymous trial stays on this device. Membership can add deeper reviews, but is not required to begin.
05
If you know tarot, what is different?
Both can be approached as symbolic prompts for reflection, but they are not interchangeable systems. Tarot uses illustrated cards and spreads; the I Ching uses six-line hexagrams, associated texts and changing lines. You do not need to learn tarot to use the I Ching, or vice versa.
Try meeting the I Ching on its own terms: begin with one question, look at the pattern and its text, then return to your lived experience. Yarrow’s explanations are learning aids, and AI-assisted readings are labeled as such; they are not new passages of the classic.
SEVEN SMALL PRACTICES · AT YOUR OWN PACE
Seven days of I Ching discovery
Begin anywhere, take breaks or explore out of order. This is your own checklist, not a streak or a promise of predictive ability.
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Day 1Meet the language of change+
Read “What is the I Ching?” and notice one change in your own life. No cast is needed today.
Read the introduction →Day 2Make room for a useful question+
Choose one situation you can respond to. Ask “What should I pay attention to?” Explore the examples before deciding whether to cast.
Explore question examples →Day 3Try a reading, choose one small action+
Bring your question to a reading. Choose one small action afterward; you do not need to keep casting for the same question.
Try a reading →Day 4Understand a changing line+
Explore solid, broken and changing lines. The resulting hexagram offers another perspective, not a guaranteed future.
Understand changing lines →Day 5Bring a daily theme into everyday life+
Read the daily theme and see whether it brings a small detail to your attention. It is fine if it does not fit; do not force a connection.
Explore today’s theme →Day 6Return to what actually happened+
Revisit an earlier reading. Compare what you expected with what happened, including what did not fit. A free account lets you save readings and add reflections.
Open my journal →Day 7Keep a practice that works for you+
Look back: which question, action or observation helped? Choose when to revisit it rather than rushing into another reading.
Explore reflection journaling →Guide written by Yarrow Yi, not a translation or quotation of the classic. For cultural exploration and reflection, not medical, legal or financial advice.
Bring a question of your own