There's a lot of wisdom in the I Ching (Yijing).
From tens of thousands of readings, I've gained a general sense of the meaning and message that comes with each line and hexagram in the Book of Changes.
What follows are 64 lessons I've had reinforced through my divination practice (and seeing them come up repeatedly).
I hope that they give you a bit of insight on the practical meanings of some of these lines, should you get them in your own readings with the oracle.
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Hexagram 1.6
Don't count your chickens before they hatch
A timeless warning that we still fail to take heed to.
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Hexagram 2.2
Once is enough
Not everything in life needs a second time.
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Hexagram 3.3
Read the warning signs
Remember the boy in that movie 'The Witch'?
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Hexagram 4.6
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you
Do no harm, and don't get harmed. Pretty simple.
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Hexagram 5.6
Take care of your guests
You never know who could help you, and how long their memories are.
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Hexagram 6.6
Success is impermanent (but so is failure)
Expect those things to go back and forth in your lifetime.
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Hexagram 7.3
Don't carry dead-weight
Maybe parting with the past is just what you need.
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Hexagram 8.3
You are the company you keep
Remember that "you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with"?
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Hexagram 9.3
Unspoken truths could demand acknowledgement
That old thing about being able to cut the tension with a knife.
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Hexagram 10 Unchanging
Everyone's afraid of you as much as you're afraid of them
When you're tip-toeing around that tiger, remember that you're that same tiger to at least one other person in this world.
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Hexagram 11.3
Stay in the present instead of being a victim of the ups and downs
The present is going to be place you can actually change things.
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Hexagram 12.3
Embarrassment is just a part of being human
Accept it like you accept oxygen.
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Hexagram 13.4
Not every opportunity needs to be taken advantage of
Recognize when you need to look but not touch.
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Hexagram 14.6
God helps those who help themselves
Replace God with whatever you wish, but be sure to put in the work to be blessed.
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Hexagram 15.5
Sometimes opportunity strikes when you do
If the Universe doesn't appear to be doing it for you, make sure you act to keep things fair for yourself.
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Hexagram 16.5
What doesn't kill you can only make you stronger
If you let it.
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Hexagram 17.1
If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans
Things can, and do change at a moment's notice.
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Hexagram 18.4
Beware of the elephant in the room
If something needs to be addressed, address it. But you may not actually notice it sitting there.
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Hexagram 19.6
Don't let others take your kindness for weakness
Getting taken advantage of should be avoided.
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Hexagram 20.5
Look yourself in the mirror
Even if it's tough.
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Hexagram 21.6
Don't let yourself pretend to not get the message
Unplug your ears to avoid a less-favorable outcome.
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Hexagram 22.2
Make yourself look good
Sometimes life *is* superficial.
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Hexagram 23.5
Make a sacrifice for the greater good
It's not always about you.
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Hexagram 24.6
Recognize it when a return appears to be a bad idea
As Gil Scott-Heron once said: "it might not be such a bad idea if I never went home again."
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Hexagram 25.6
Get your hands dirty
Don't just sit there.
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Hexagram 26.1
Cut it out
Recognize when you need to just not do something.
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Hexagram 27.1
Be careful if you're drooling over something (or someone) outside of yourself
As a response, imagine Kendrick Lamar reminding you "I am not your savior." Because most people won't be.
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Hexagram 28.6
You're in over your head
Sometimes life just works that way. And it could be how you learn to swim.
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Hexagram 29.5
It's not getting any worse
And sometimes, that's reward enough.
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Hexagram 30.6
Separate from the wrong fits
Recognize when things just aren't working between you and another party/parties.
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Hexagram 31.3
Think with your head, not with your ____
Craving can get the best of most humans.
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Hexagram 32.2
Stay persistent
Sometimes it's as simple as that.
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Hexagram 33.5
Pull back for someone else's sake
Sometimes it doesn't matter what you want. Withdrawing could be the right thing to do.
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Hexagram 34.6
Accept it when you're stuck
Life can be like a Chinese finger-trap sometimes. And the best move to get out that predicament is doing nothing.
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Hexagram 35.4
Don't be too sly for your own good
Knocking on the door might be better than you trying to climb through the window.
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Hexagram 36.5
Play dumb (if you have to)
Not everyone needs to know exactly what's on your mind at all times. Sometimes you have to live like that to survive.
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Hexagram 37.3
Slacking off might not be the solution
Sometimes you have to tap into your inner-union-busting-managerial-tyrant.
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Hexagram 38.6
*They* might not be your actual enemy here
First impressions are sometimes wrong.
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Hexagram 39.6
Accept where you are
Instead of looking for an escape route, try to focus on making the best out of the predicament you're currently in.
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Hexagram 40.6
One down, (a million) to go
Chances are solving this problem won't be the end of your problems.
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Hexagram 41.3
Two's company, three's a crowd
Triangles don't usually work out so well.
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Hexagram 42.3
A gift and a curse
Sometimes they really are package deals.
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Hexagram 43.6
A closed mouth don't get fed
If you need help, ask for it.
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Hexagram 44.5
Don't force nature to run on your schedule
The ripe fruit will fall from the tree when it's time. Not in time for your cravings.
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Hexagram 45.4
All's well that end's well
But yes, it can get ugly at times before that ending comes.
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Hexagram 46.5
Take things step-by-step
It can help you avoid being Jason Derulo at the Met Gala.
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Hexagram 47.6
You gots to learn to live with regrets
As Jay-Z once said. It's as simple as that.
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Hexagram 48.4
Rome wasn't built in a day
Let the reshaping and repairing happen at its own pace.
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Hexagram 49.3
Wait until you're sure
Haste and waste are pretty similar words.
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Hexagram 50.6
Be open to having your mind changed
Paradigm shifts could happen every single day
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Hexagram 51.6
Expect others to surprise you
Just like you do with them.
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Hexagram 52.5
Choose your words carefully
A pause to collect yourself could be preferrable to the potential hasty alternatives.
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Hexagram 53.6
Expect a third option
When we're stuck in dualistic thinking, we may not be seeing every opportunity that's actually out there.
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Hexagram 54.6
Put in a little effort, even if your heart's not in it
Keep it cordial, respectful, and professional. Your less rerget-having-future-self will appreciate it.
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Hexagram 55.4
That might be a blessing in disguise
I know, it might be hard to see it that way.
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Hexagram 56.6
Sometimes a bridge needs to be burned
If you have to close a door, know that it's sometimes necessary.
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Hexagram 57.6
Beware of overanalyzing
Don't take away your own volition by trying to dig deeper and deeper.
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Hexagram 58.5
Recognize what's not built to last
Even when you want it to be otherwise.
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Hexagram 59.6
Let bygones be bygones
Easier said than done, I know.
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Hexagram 60.2
The door won't open without you turning the knob
It's up to you to decide whether to take advantage of an opportunity
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Hexagram 61.3
Some people will know how to push your buttons
And you probably know how to push theirs.
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Hexagram 62.2
Don't plan on getting what you thought you were going to get
A lesson that most of us need to learn repeatedly in this lifetime.
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Hexagram 63.2
That loss may have been for the best
Which is a line of thought hard to reconcile with the emotions of having lost.
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Hexagram 64.6
Don't get overconfident at a crossroads
The thing you thought would be complete may end up making you look foolish.