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Find a suitable field of Yarrow. « Achillea Sibirica is Chinese Yarrow; Achillea Millefolium is European Yarrow. » The most potent is ascribed to that growing on the the grave of a great sage, or saint. After one visualizes the Spirit of Yarrow, one asks the Spirit of Yarrow for permission to cut 50 stalks of Yarrow, for use as a tool to consult the Yi Jing. If permission is denied, it is permissable to ask the Spirit if it knows or a suitable field, and how to get there. At that field, one repeats the entire process. It is never acceptable to cut Yarrow Stalks after permission has been denied. One cuts the Yarrow with one's ritual knife, then takes them home to consecrate them. « Wiccan's would use their boline, not atheme. »
An alternative option is to simply buy Yarrow Stalks at a local New Age or Occult Bookstore. This option assumes both that one has such stores locally, and that they carry Yarrow Stalks. One potential "problem" is that the precut stalks may be too short for one's preference. I prefer stalks that are at least 400 mm long. The Great Treatise suggests stalks that are 600 mm in length. The length at local stores is typically under 250 mm.
I have read of individuals who specifically bought Yarrow seeds, so that they could grow and cut their own stalks. Despite having a black thumb, I think that this is probably the best alternative, if one can not find a field where Yarrow currently is growing. This also ensures that the stalks are Achillea Sibirica, and not Achillea Millefolium.
I have read of some individuals who use rods from Tinker Toy ® sets. Others have cut rods from dowels. One individual liberated the sticks that come with the game Pick Up Sticks®. Still others have bought dowels, and cut them to the size that they want. I have also read of knitting needles being used.
Personally, I have used Archillea Millefolium, and none of the other suggested substitutes. What the difference is, and how much of an effect it would be, I have no idea. On the other hand, there is that tale in The Book of Rites, where the turtle shell cracks gave an unfavorable forecast, and the Yarrow stalks gave a favourable forecast. The diviner suggested going with the trutle shell, but the Duke went with the yarrow stalks. And his end was unfavorable.
Yarrow stalks provide the most satisfactory means of casting hexagrams, in my experience. It is a completely different experiance to using coins. That said, I will admit to experimentating with other methods, to see what the differences are.
Yarrow stalks, in my experience, provide the most satisfactory means of casting hexagrams. This experience is completely different from using coins, in both qualitative and quantitative ways. That said, I do experiment with different methods, to see what differences come up.
I made the Modern Version of Throwing the Sticks, which uses 384 wands by painting 11 cm craft sticks black. After drying, I wrote the line out in Chinese, in red, on one side. After that dried, I wrote the English translation out, on the other side, in the color of the trigram that the line appears in. This took several weeks to complete.
I haven't made the six wands used in the Diviner's Version. This requires sticks roughly 10 mm by 10 mm by 100 mm. One side is young yin, one side is young yang, one side is old yin and one side is old yang. To make it easy to determine which side is which, I'd suggest painting the sides white, yellow, red and black, respectively. Paint the tips azure. I have seen similar sets in New Age stores.
I made the sixty four wands used in the Diviners Version by painting 11 cm craft sticks black. Then I painted the name of the Hexagram in red. I also painted the Hexagram on that side. On the other side, I wrote the summary judgement out, in the color of the trigram that heads the Hexagram family.
Crowley's Six Wand Method requires six sticks. Each stick is smooth on one side, and has a 5 mm groove in the middle of the other side. One stick has a painted end tip. « Crowley doesn't specify a color. Traditional Daoists would probably select red, as it is a "lucky" color. » That stick represents the moving line. « As far as I can tell, Crowley didn't utilize moving lines. If the result was not clear, another hexagram was cast. » These sticks are otherwise unpainted. « I would suggest that one not paint any of the wands. Regardless of whether or not the paint is varnished, the Abramelin Oil causes the paint to "bleed" over the edges, and "fade" away. » One rubs them with Abremelin Oil every time one consults the Yi Jing.
Hacker (1993:142) describes a similar method similar to Crowley's except that the wands are painted black, but across one side, in the middle, is a white band. The wands are not grooved. Hacker's method does not admit moving lines. Crowley's method relies slightly less on blind chance, than Hacker's does, due to the groove in the wand, which can subtly influence the layout.
Oddly enough, The Great Treatise does not state what to store the stalks in. The various texts and sources I have suggest silk or satin pouches.
If you make wands for Crowley's Method,
Whilst I haven't done any "long term" testing, at this juncture, I suspect that storing the painted wands in silk or satin is best, whilst those coated with Abramelin Oil, should be stored in a wooden container, which is not varnished on the inside. An old small wooden cigar box would probably be ideal. If one is a woodworker, one could easilly make such a box.
From a symbolic point of view, Red or Yellow would be the best color to have, for the silk pouches. They must be solid in color, and no metal or plastic may be used to fasten the pouch. Use a drawstring, or tie around the Yarrow Stalks. These are fairly easy for anybody with access to a sewing machine to make. One could do them by hand, but straight edge stiching is not something that most people find easy to do.
For the 384 wands, I use a clay container. My wands are roughly 7 cm in length, and the container is roughly 5 cm tall. I drape a small yellow silk cloth over them, when I am not using them.
In one's sanctuary, one washes the Yarrow Stalks in Holy Water, or Wine that has been blessed by a priest. Then one performs three kowtows, and places the stalks next to the Yi Jing. The Yi Jing should be on an altar, facing south. To both the West and the East of the Yi Jing there should be a lighted candle, either white, saffron or the blue that is the shade of the aura of an immortal. To the east of the Yi Jing, one should be burning incense.
Traditional incense is Sandalwood, Saffron, Myrrh or Jasmine. « Other incences may be acceptable. Ylang-Ylang probably being the most often mentioned. » One then silently meditates on the virtues and wisdom and benevolence of the Yi Jing, for the duration of time it takes the incense stick to smolder away. Light a fresh stick of incense, and holding the Yarrow Stalks, meditate upon the meaning and wisdom that the Yarrow stalks will gain, as a result of being with the Yi Jing. After lighting a third stick of incense, one ponders upon the flame of the candle, becoming the flame, as the Yi Jing and Yarrow Stalks are. Three more Kowtows are performed, and the yarrow stalks placed in their receptacle, and then sprinkled with the holy water, or wine. One then waves them through the smoke of the incence. The Yarrow Stalks stay in this holding receptacle until they are used, and are not to be handled by another person. At the death of the individual who consecrated them, they may either be burned or buried with the individual, « depending upon whether the individual is cremated or buried » or passed to a grandchild who has had the experience of the Dao. Once the ritual is over, the candle is to be snuffed out, not blown out. One then performs three more kowtows, and leaves the sanctuary. The Yi Jing is left on the sanctuary, closed, facing south. Everything is left spotless, and is always to be spotless.
« I have not been able to find my source for this material. In looking for my source on this, in the fall of 1992, I discovered that none of the books I have on the Yi Jing even mention a consecration ritual. For a number of reasons, I do not think that this is an authentic rite. As it contain elements similar to those to consecrate Tarot cards, I decided it would be appropriate to keep it in. In April 2001, I found a copy of The Magical I Ching. In chapter eight he provides a ritual that is derived from the western esoteric tradition. « If anybody finds another ritual to consecrate Yarrow Stalks, or a source for this one, I would greatly appreciate it. » « This paragraph applies to all rituals of consecrating and consulting the Yi Jing that I describe in this document. » »
One enters one's sanctuary, performs three kowtows, and lights the incense and the candle(s). The yarrow stalks ought to be in the center of the altar, in front of the incense burner, with the Yi Jing above the altar. The ink and paper is on the right hand side. To the above left of the altar there ought to be either a portrait of Fu Xi, or one of the Yi Jing Mandalas. One then meditates upon one's question for the duration of time the incense smolders, until it is out. S/he then prostrates himself/herself before the altar three times, lights another stick of incense, and meditates on being within the Spirit of the Dao. After the second stick smolders to nothingness, a third stick is lit. Holding the yarrow stalks in one's right hand, one then passes them through the incense smoke three times, deosil. « Some traditionalists claim that moving them anti-clockwise would invite the death and destruction of all that one cherishes. On the other hand, other traditionalists insist on moving anti-clockwise. Take your choice --- remember to keep your symbolism straight. » Whilst one is doing this, one also says the following:
Invariable, kind virtues of the Multiverse,
Please Respond to the variable question of my human life.
Show me the consequences of the matter
« state your question here »
Tell me through the hexagram and line what my sincere mind seeks.
One then takes one yarrow stalk from the pile --- so that forty-nine are left. The yarrow stalk just removed represents the absolute. The remaining forty-nine stalks are split into piles, representing yin and yang. Take one stalk from the pile on the right hand side, and put it between your ring finger and little finger. Then remove the stalks, four at a time, until there are four or fewer stalks in the pile. Put those stalks between your ring finger and your middle finger. Then remove four stalks at a time from the other pile, until you have four or less left. Place those in your hand between the Middle finger and the ring finger. You should now have either 5 or 9 stalks in your left hand. Lay these stalks in front of the incense burner, and write down the number you obtained. Now, combine the remaining forty, or forty-four stalks together, separate them into two piles, at random. Then remove stalks as you did in the previous manipulation. This time you will end up with either 4 or 8 stalks in your hand. Place those stalks in front of the incense burner, writing the number down next to the previously written number. Repeat this process a third time, with either the forty, or thirty-six, or thirty-two stalks Total up the written down numbers. Subtract them from 49 then divide by 4. Your answer ought to be 6, 7, 8 or 9. That is your first line. Repeat this process a further five times, to obtain the entire hexagram.
A few aids:
One that totals up the combined result for the three manipulations, to get the total « 6, 7, 8, 9 » for the line. One then repeats the process six times, in order to obtain the hexagram.
The hexagram construction is as follows:
| Value | Bigram | As one Line | Energy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | --------- --------- | --- 0 --- <---------> | Yang |
| 8 | --- --- --- --- | --- --- | Yin |
| 7 | --------- --- --- | --------- | Yang |
| 6 | --- --- --- --- | --- X --- | Yin |
This requires 384 sticks, details are described in in the section Making Wands.
Offer Incense to the Dieties. Perform Three Kowtows to the Yi Jing. Ask the Diety to whom you are praying for guidance. Shake the container with the sticks until one falls out. Carefully read the text on the stalk that has fallen out
This requires six wands, details are described in in the section Making Wands.
Offer incense to the Dieties. Perform Three Kowtows to the Yi Jing. Ask the Diety to whom you are praying for guideance. Pick up the wands, roll them in your hands, then toss them up and out onto a flat surface. The hexagram is built on with the closest wand being line one, and the furthest being line six. Study the resulting text.
This requires 64 wands, details are described in in the section Making Wands.
Offer Incense to the Dieties. Perform Three Kowtows to the Yi Jing. Ask the Diety to whom you are praying for guidance. Shake the container with the sticks until one falls out. Carefully read the text on the stalk that has fallen out
This requires six wands, details are described in in the section Making Wands.
Sit still. Feel the connection to your center. « or Holy Guardian Angel. » Meditate upon the question, whilst shuffling the sticks, and rubbing them with Abramelin Oil. With closed eyes simply choose one stick. Balance it on its end until it "feels right", then lay it down to whichever side seems correct. Continue to choose sticks until all six are laid in a row. Open your eyes to see the hexagram in full symbolic, lineal form.
Alternatively
Sit still. Feel the connection to your center. « or Holy Guardian Angel. » Meditate upon the question, whilst shuffling the sticks, and rubbing them with Abramelin Oil, with your eyes closed. At the appropriate time, toss all six sticks at once. Open your eyes to see the hexagram in full symbolic, lineal form. Source: Cornelius & Cornelius (1998: 36)
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