The I Ching, also known as the Book of Changes, originated about 3,000 years ago in China. It is based on the idea of continuous mutation that is driven by cosmic yin and yang forces (shadow and light). Yin is the passive and feminine principle while yang is the active and masculine principle.
The book is widely used in the country as a source of wisdom, in addition to being consulted as an oracle by philosophers, religious, scholars and even psychoanalysts, as is the case of Carl Jung who used it in the analyzes that performed. Fu Hsi is considered the mythical creator of the book, which consists of 64 hexagrams that help people make decisions and resolve doubts unconsciously.
To consult the Book of Changes there must be concentration and positive thoughts, which can be induced with incense and soft music. There must be studies on the relationships of the lines, so that there are no misinterpretations. In lines, trigrams and hexagrams the I Ching combines mathematical forms to form its formal structure.
The I Ching is referred to as the use of the coin, each representing a number. From the toss of the coins, the individual formulates practical questions about his life and through the numbers thrown will find how to act and how to behave internally.
By Gabriela Cabral
Brazil School Team
