Taoist fortune telling

[z00se]

I've read you can use the I Ching or the Book of Changes to tell the future, much like people can do with tarrot cards. Has anyone had a try? Any luck?

[Melanie]

I have used both as well as several other fortune telling techniques. I prefer Tarot.

 

The I ching is good but its very difficult to learn to read it without the book siting next to you and for me that seems to deter the intuition needed for good fortune telling. The casting of the fortune be it with sticks or coins seems too random for me, which can be a good thing, it takes ego and self out of the casting of the fortune leaving only destiny to tell what prediction from the book to read. Its also steeped with tradition and history and if you can attune the coins to your energy then they do start to respond and give more straight forward answers. As for doing readings for others you can do yes no answers or or give the cryptic poem like readings from the book depending on the situation, while with tarot it's always cryptic even with just a one card draw.

 

What I like about tarot is all the cards are based on achitypes and that while learning what cards mean you learn what it association is to yourself, others and the collective unconsciousness. While some of the high cards names got changed over the centuries (due to Christian intervention) there meaning and architype stays the same. You don't need a book to tell you what the cards read after you've learned them you know it, your unconscious mind knows it and your intuition knows it.

For the readings, the cards aren't as random as they may seem because if its the deck you always use its attuned to your energy but this can be bad in that your ego and self can still effect the cards being drawn. So you need to learn to clear your mind to get a fully destiny given reading.

Then there's the reading itself, I usually just used a basic seven card spread, each spread of cards tells a story in relation to the question, you take into account cards reactions to each other and what each card means collectively and as itself affects the reading.

I know that seems more complicated then the I ching, but it becomes easier the more you learn to trust your intuition and unconscious mind.

 

I say all this but I haven't done a reading in months since my tarot deck I had since sixteen got destroyed by a hyperactive kitten.

[Melanie]

Oops sorry it got posted twice

Edited July 22, 2012 by Melanie

[Melanie]

Although now that I think of it, rune casting might be the best balance between less ego, destiny casting, intuition, and broad readings.

In runes each stone means its own thing and in its casting will tell a story like the cards do. But the drawing is guided be chance for then the unconscious mind which is where it does better then the cards at removing ego from the casting. Also the set could be easily made naturally, just by walking around river and streams picking up stones that speak to you, then with a hammer and chisel and good hands a rune set could be made. So in a few ways rune stones are better then tarot cards.

I still personaly like the cards though but then again it depends on what method your energy responds to best.

[Green Tiger]

For an easy introduction, try the ichingonline.net