How to Consult the I Ching
“In ancient times the holy sages made the Book of Changes… by putting themselves in accord with tao and its power, and in conformity with this laid down the order of what is right. By thinking through the order of the outer world to the end, and by exploring the law of their nature to the deepest core, they arrived at an understanding of fate.” - From the I Ching
How to Construct Your Coin Toss
The I Ching or Book of Changes has provided excellent counsel to countless seekers of wisdom for thousands of years. We consult the I Ching because we have questions about specific situations in our life. The I Ching gives us an answer by revealing the nature of our situation and its possible future outcomes.
The most common way to consult the I Ching is by the use of coins. By throwing coins we build a hexagram, six lines that will give us the answer to our question
Find three new, clean coins of the same size. (3 quarters for example).
Write down your question to firmly fix it in your mind. You should also repeat the question out loud several times. The question should be as specific as possible to your situation. Frame your question so that you expect either a yes or no answer.
Specific Question: “Should I go on an easy hike at Mt. Pinos next week?”
Cup the coins in your hands, shake them and drop them on a flat surface. The first fall of the three coins reveals the bottom line of the hexagram. Throw the coins 6 times, one for each line. Draw each line of the hexagram from the bottom up, based on the results of each coin toss.
Two heads, one tail, draw a solid line:
Two tails, one head, draw a dashed line:
Three heads, draw a dashed line with dot at the end:
Three tails, draw a solid line with a dot at the end:
Moving Lines
If you receive three heads or three tails during any of your throws, you have received a moving line regarding your question. Moving lines mean that the situation you are asking about is changing. Additional commentary regarding your answer will be offered in the text of the I Ching.
If you receive any moving lines, your first hexagram will change into another hexagram. The regular lines will all remain the same, however, the moving lines will change into their opposite. In the example below, the second line is moving and broken. It will change to a regular solid line.
Changes to:
Once we have built our hexagram, identify the three lower lines and three upper lines of the hexagram. The 3 lower lines are called the lower trigram, the three upper lines are called the upper trigram.
For the hexagram on the left, the upper trigram is: 
The lower trigram is: 
How to Find the Answer to Your Question
After you have built the hexagram from your coin tosses and identified the upper and lower trigram, use a chart like this to identify the hexagram's number. Looking at the chart below, we notice that the lower trigram matches the 4th trigram down on the left, which is Ken. Our upper trigram matches the 5th trigram, K’un, on top. 
If we match the lower and upper trigram in this chart, denoted in red, we will find the number of our hexagram to be 15.
Now it becomes very easy to find the answer to our question. We can consult any I Ching translation and read the images, judgment, and changing lines for hexagram 15.
How to Interpret the Answer
Hexagram 15, Modesty (Humility) 
This is hexagram 15, Modesty, with the 2nd line moving. This hexagram is on page 63 of the Wilhelm/Baynes translation. Our answer will include The Judgement, The Image and commentary on the second moving line. You should read all the commentary on The Judgement and The Image.
The Judgement
Modesty creates success.
The superior man carries things through.
The Image
Within the earth a mountain:
The image of Modesty.
Thus the superior man reduces that which is too much,
And augments that which is too little.
He weighs things and makes them equal.
The Lines
Six in the second place means: (you can ignore the “Six” or “Nine”).
Modesty that comes to expression.
Perseverance brings good fortune.
Second Hexagram
Because we received one or more moving lines, we will build a new hexagram. The regular lines stay the same but the moving lines change into their opposite. Moving lines represent a changing situation and the second hexagram generally represents a condition in the future.
In this case the moving broken line in the second place will change into a solid line. We will not read The Lines of the new hexagram.
We use the chart above in red and look up the lower and upper trigram of the hexagram on the right. The lower trigram is Tui and the upper trigram is K’un. We come to the intersection and that is hexagram 46, Pushing Upward. 
15 Changes to: 46
Hexagram 46, Pushing Upward 
The Judgement
Pushing Upward has supreme success.
One must see the great man.
Fear not.
Departure toward the south
Brings good fortune.
The Image
Within the earth, wood grows:
The image of Pushing Upward.
Thus the superior man of devoted character
Heaps up small things
In order to achieve something high and great.
We do not read any of The Lines.
Tips
1. Meditate for a minute or two to clear your mind before you ask a question.
2. Use new and clean coins. You might want to wash them
3. Use a clean pad of paper and a fresh pen/pencil or a computer.
4. At the end of a session, mentally or physically bow and thank the universe for guiding you.
5. Save your questions and answers in order to review them later.
6. Don’t ask the I Ching the same question over and over to try to obtain a favorable answer.
7. If you get a hexagram that does not seem to apply to your immediate situation, come back to the hexagram a day or two later and re-review the answer. Its also possible the oracle may be answering a question that is uppermost in your mind, rather than the one you asked.
8. Use your mind and heart to determine what you should do with your life. The I Ching may provide insight into your current situation and future outcome, however, take into consideration other sources of information. For instance, if you are asking about a medical or legal issue, then it would make sense to consult with a doctor or lawyer. Use the advice of the oracle as you see fit.
References
- The I Ching, or, Book of Changes. Translated by Richard Wilhelm and Cary Baynes. Authentic translation.
- The Buddhist I Ching by Chih-hsu Oui and Thomas Cleary. Sophisticated Buddhist translation.
- I Ching: The Book of Change by John Blofeld. Translation in plain English.
- The Illustrated I Ching or The I Ching Workbook by R.L. Wing. Translation with plain-English interpretation.
- The I Ching by Brian Browne Walker. Translation with plain-English interpretation.
- http://ichingonline.net. Pose your question online.
