Do you need special I Ching coins?
You can use any ordinary three coins with distinguishable sides; matching coins are convenient but not required. Your I Ching does not sell physical coins, coin sets, or related merchandise. Choose a clear side-to-value convention, use it consistently through all six throws, and keep a way to record each line. The method depends on repeatable assignments and order, not on buying a special object.
- Supply
- Three ordinary coins with distinguishable sides
- Recording tool
- Paper and a pen, or another way to record six lines
How do heads and tails become a line?
Use one convention consistently: in this tutorial, heads or the marked side counts as 3, while tails or the plain side counts as 2. Throw all three coins together and add their values. The sum determines whether the line is yin or yang and whether it changes. Reversing the labels would also work if every throw used the same declared assignment, but do not switch halfway.
What do coin totals 6, 7, 8, and 9 mean?
The four possible totals map to four line states. A 6 is old yin: a broken line that changes. A 7 is young yang: an unbroken line that stays. An 8 is young yin: a broken line that stays. A 9 is old yang: an unbroken line that changes. Record both the visible line form and the changing status so the resulting hexagram can be calculated correctly.
How do you cast all six I Ching lines?
Make six throws and build the hexagram from bottom to top. Your first total creates the lowest line; each later total sits above it, and the sixth creates the top line. Write down every total before interpreting anything. This order is part of the cast, so reversing the page after the sixth throw would produce a different figure. The complete steps below keep the sequence and value rules together.
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Choose and label three coins
Use any three coins with distinguishable sides. Count heads or the marked side as 3 and tails or the plain side as 2, then keep that assignment unchanged for every throw.
Ask one clear question and throw
Hold one question in mind, throw all three coins once, and add their values. A total of 6 is old yin, 7 is young yang, 8 is young yin, and 9 is old yang.
Record the first line at the bottom
Draw totals 6 and 8 as broken yin lines and totals 7 and 9 as unbroken yang lines. Mark 6 and 9 as changing, and place this first line in the lowest position.
Repeat until the hexagram has six lines
Make six throws in total, recording each new line above the previous one. The first throw stays at the bottom and the sixth throw becomes the top line.
Read the cast and its changing lines
Identify the original hexagram from all six lines. If any 6 or 9 appears, read those changing lines and flip only those positions to form the resulting hexagram.
Use the online caster if you prefer
Open the real Your I Ching caster when you want an online cast. Coin outcomes determine the six lines first; AI interprets those fixed facts afterward and never chooses or alters them.
What happens when a coin line changes?
Totals 6 and 9 are changing lines. First read the original hexagram with every line in the form you cast. Then flip only each changing position—broken to unbroken or unbroken to broken—to create the resulting hexagram. The original describes the starting pattern, while the moving positions and resulting figure help you reflect on development. They do not guarantee that one future event must happen.
Can you cast I Ching coins online here?
Yes. The Your I Ching caster provides a real online entry to the same six-line structure when you do not have coins nearby. The cast supplies the line facts first, and the interpretation follows those facts; AI does not select the outcome. If you cast physical coins instead, record them with this guide and use the linked hexagram and changing-line references to understand the completed figure.