Why do most people turn to divination and fortune telling? Love readings, romance readings, sex readings.
No judgement here. It's something that's been going on for thousands of years, and as long as people do I Ching readings, or pull Tarot cards, there will be questions about romance, love, and sex.
But there's an important thing to recognize here: it's very easy for people to be obsessive and compulsive when it comes to such questioning.
They will ask dozens of questions that essentially want to know the same thing. When they get answers they don't want, they seek out more answers.
We love speculating about love, but we also love lying to ourselves.
If our best friend got the same reading, you may have told them 'forget about them! there's always more fish in the sea'.
When it comes to you, though, you say 'ehhh, that *might* be a yes'.
Because this is all natural behavior, and it's not stopping anytime soon, I've decided to give my advice on how to handle this line of questioning, and how to interpret, for best results. Best results here meaning: peace of mind.
I hope that what follows is helpful, and that you succeed at overcoming the natural tendency to delude yourself. Let's begin:
Questions To Ask For As Much Clarity As Possible (And What Not To Ask)
For more on this, check my Strategic Divination Addendum here, but there's some important things to mention first:
1) Don't Ask Two or More Questions In One Reading
'Will x and I be together, and does x love me?' are two questions. Two questions warrant two readings.
If you don't put separate questions in separate readings, you'll end up with confusing readings, and pointless interpretations. You'll get false positives, and you'll get ways for you to lie to yourself.
With that said:
2) Try These Questions
For A Potential Relationship:
- What is the clearest answer to will I be in a romantic relationship with x?
- What is the best I can do when it comes to entering a romantic relationship with x?
For A Current Relationship:
- What is the clearest answer to will I continue being in a relationship with x for (x amount of time)?
- What is the best I can do when it comes to continuing my relationship with x for (x amount of time)?
It really is as simple as that. Specifying that you want clarity, asking one question, and when necessary, specifying a time or date range.
Don't complicate things. Don't ask endless questions. Don't muddy your mind with multiple threads that collapse on to each other, creating a state of confusion.
Learn from past reading mistakes so you don't make the same ones.
3) Quick Note About Reading Minds
I've asked questions about the thoughts of others before, so I can't cast blame.
But until you get something from the four-legged stallion's mouth, it's simply speculation.
Asking 'what does x think about me' often just encourages further questioning, further holes in the ground for you to stick your head into.
The respected Tarot reader, Enrique Enriquez, has said something I've found to be good advice: ‘Don't ask the oracle something that you could find out yourself’.
If you can ask someone what they think of you, if they want to be in a relationship with you, etc. you're likely going to save yourself some time at the expense of momentary uncomfortable feelings.
Many of you will not take my advice, but I hope that you remember it when you're 13 readings deep, that all revolve around the same individual.
Examples of How To Interpret Readings For As Much Clarity As Possible
Minimizing the number of readings you do about a single situation or person is going to save your ass when it comes to interpretation.
Assuming you've followed my instructions above, let's go through a few mock readings to show you how I'd go about interpreting them:
1) Hexagram 18 > 33
Let's assume the question is What is the clearest answer to will I be in a romantic relationship with x this year?
The reading is Hexagram 18.2.4.5 > 33, with a transitional reading of Hexagram 18.2 > 18.4 > 52.4 > 18.5 > 56.5 > 33
You can read the translations of each of these lines in my James Legge translation post ***, but if you're not well-versed in the I Ching, let's look simply at the primary and relating Hexagrams.
This reading would be Withdrawal (33) when it comes to Repair (18). When I get multiple changing lines, I like to get the overview reading by putting the relating hexagram (in this case 33) first in a sentence of "Withdrawal when it comes to Repair."
It helps frame it in your mind in what I've found to be an accurate way.
If you simply read that sentence, would you find that reading promising for a potential relationship? I would hope you wouldn't. Because I definitely don't.
Let's try another example:
2) Hexagram 38 > 6
As a sentence, this is Conflict (6) when it comes to Opposition (38).
Another reading that is not positive as the answer to the question of a new relationship beginning.
Let's try another:
3) Hexagram 13 > 5
If you're asking 'what is the clearest answer to will I be with my partner for the rest of the year' and you get Hexagram 13.2.4.6 > 5 (13.2 > 13.4 > 1.4 > 13.6 > 9.6 > 5), I say you will.
Just interpreting the two main hexagrams here would be "Waiting (5) when it comes to Right Fits/Windows of Opportunity (13)." Waiting is not action.
Further, because I'm familiar with all of these changing lines, I can tell you 13.2 means staying with what's familiar or comfortable, and 9.6 is often a reminder to count your current blessings. Just those two lines alone indicate staying the course, even if you don't get a reading like Hexagram 32 (Continuance).
What You Need To Know About Every Hexagram’s Meaning For Better Interpretation
What follows below are my titles for every Hexagram of the I Ching. They're what I've found to be the most accurate meanings of these Hexagrams, after doing tens of thousands of readings.
While I'll be keeping my I Ching line meanings private until a book of mine comes along, you can come to some smarter interpretations simply with these:
Hexagram 1: Potential
Hexagram 2: Direction
Hexagram 3: Confusion/Early Stages
Hexagram 4: Ignorance
Hexagram 5: Waiting
Hexagram 6: Conflict
Hexagram 7: Mission
Hexagram 8: Coming-of-Going/Back-And-Forth
Hexagram 9: Accumulation/Build-Up
Hexagram 10: Treading
Hexagram 11: Higher Purpose
Hexagram 12: Abandonment
Hexagram 13: Window of Opportunity/Right Fit
Hexagram 14: Great Possession/Great Amount
Hexagram 15: Balance
Hexagram 16: Preparation
Hexagram 17: Following
Hexagram 18: Repair
Hexagram 19: Taking Charge/Leadership
Hexagram 20: Observing
Hexagram 21: Deliberation/Chewing
Hexagram 22: Superficiality
Hexagram 23: Removal
Hexagram 24: Returning
Hexagram 25: Pure Motives
Hexagram 26: Past Experience/Outside Experience
Hexagram 27: Hunger/Nourishment
Hexagram 28: Great Excess/Too Much
Hexagram 29: Danger/Stress
Hexagram 30: Separation/Better Understanding
Hexagram 31: Attraction/Reciprocity
Hexagram 32: Continuance
Hexagram 33: Withdrawal
Hexagram 34: Following Rules
Hexagram 35: Busyness/Making Visible
Hexagram 36: Censorship
Hexagram 37: Interdependent Relationships/Imbalanced Relationships
Hexagram 38: Opposition
Hexagram 39: Obstacle
Hexagram 40: Freedom/Solo
Hexagram 41: Reduction
Hexagram 42: Increase/Gain
Hexagram 43: Decision/Decisiveness
Hexagram 44: Unconquerability
Hexagram 45: Safeguarding
Hexagram 46: Moving Forward
Hexagram 47: Exhaustion/Distrust
Hexagram 48: Resources
Hexagram 49: Change
Hexagram 50: Cooking/Coming Together
Hexagram 51: Shock/Sudden Change
Hexagram 52: Stillness
Hexagram 53: Gradual Development
Hexagram 54: Subordination
Hexagram 55: Sacrifice/The Peak
Hexagram 56: Wandering
Hexagram 57: Subtle Influence/Indirect Influence
Hexagram 58: Indulgence
Hexagram 59: Surrender
Hexagram 60: Restriction
Hexagram 61: Personal Belief
Hexagram 62: Heedfulness
Hexagram 63: Completion
Hexagram 64: Incompletion
Additional Advice on Accurate Interpretations of Love Readings
If you have trustworthy friends, run your readings by them.
Don't tell them what you think first, let them tell you what they think, with all of the evidence in front of them.
If you asked if you'll be in a relationship with x person, and you got 64.1.5.6 > 58 (Transitional Reading: 64.1 > 64.5 > 38.5 > 64.6 > 10.6 > 58), show them the James Legge translations.
Tell them the one sentence meaning of the reading is "Indulgence when it comes to Incompletion."
See what they say.
Tell them what you see. And instead of trying to convince them that your hopeful interpretation is correct, do some self-reflection, and ask what that reading is *not* saying.
Asking "what is this reading not saying?" is one of the keys, I've found, to interpreting a reading correctly.
As your second-hand friend here, I will tell you 64.1.5.6 > 58 does not sound like a successful relationship to me.
Final Thoughts
Love can be a wonderful thing, but relationships are acted out in reality, not through three-thousand year old symbols.
Use your readings, and do not let them use you.
Don't pile up document after document with variations of the same question. Don't let noise overtake signal. Don't let your hopes and dreams delude you.
Let yourself get the real answer, so you can get back to living. With or without that craved-after relationship.
And if you’d like to purchase readings from me (where I’ll ensure we limit the noise), you can always contact me about that as well.