Divination Procedure for the Casting of a Hexagram

 

 

            Both the systems of I Ching and Liber Trigrammaton rely on the basic Trigrams to develop their explanation of the cosmic order.  The Classic of Changes goes on to combine each of the 8 Trigrams with one another to create the 64 Hexagrams.  Likewise, the 27 Trigrams revealed in Trigrammaton can be combined with one another to form a total of 729 Hexagrams.  These Hexagrams denote all the numbers from 0 to 728, and they establish the universe of discourse within which the Trigrammaton Qabalah is to be developed.  In order to create any Trigram, and therefore any Hexagram, a method must be established which can produce a Tao, Yang, or Yin line, either changing or static.

            This method of generating a particular Hexagram of Trigrammaton relies for its inspiration on the yarrow-stalk method of I Ching. When this method of creating a line is used, there are sixteen possible outcomes for each casting of a line.  These possible lines are distributed in the ratio of:

 

7/16: static Yin           5/16: static Yang        3/16:moving Yang      1/16: moving Yin

 

            First of all it should be noted that the number of possibilities is the number of different lines to the second power: 4 x 4 = 16.  Secondly, the four numerators of these ratios are the set of the first four odd numbers: 1, 3, 5, 7.  Thirdly, it is seen that by adding the probabilities, the overall chance of a Yang line being chosen is 8/16, and likewise for the Yin line.  Fourth, a disparity is introduced in the ratios between the static and the moving lines.  The static lines as a group are three times more likely to appear than the moving lines, being a ratio of 12/16 for the static lines versus 4/16 for the moving lines.

            The method of divining a Base-3 Hexagram will utilize these four aspects of the yarrow-stalk method:

 

One: the number of probabilities will be the number of different lines (9), taken to the second power (81). 

Two: the numerators of the nine probability ratios will be the first nine odd numbers;

1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17. 

Three: equal probability (27/81) of casting, or becoming, a Tao, Yang, or Yin line. 

Four: the greater likelihood of static lines versus moving lines (45/81 vs 36/81). 

 

There are two additional parameters necessary to isolate a single sequence. 

 

Five: the total number of changes created by the various lines will equal zero, (this leaves 6 possible sequences). 

Six: the 48th I Ching Hexagram, The Well, determines the probability of 9/81, (isolating one unique sequence).

 

FROM

TO

PROBABILITY

CHANGE

 

FROM

TO

PROBABILITY

FROM

TO

PROBABILITY

 OVERALL  PROBABILITY

Tao

Tao

17 of 81

0

 

 

Tao

Tao

17 of 81

Tao

Tao

17 of 81

CAST OR BECOMING

Yang

Yang

15 of 81

0

 

 

Tao

Yin

  9 of 81

Yang

Tao

  7 of 81

Probability of Tao:

Yin

Yin

13 of 81

0

 

 

Tao

Yang

  1 of 81

Yin

Tao

  3 of 81

Total is 27/81, or 1/3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yin

Yang

11 of 81

-1

 

 

Yang

Yang

15 of 81

Yang

Yang

15 of 81

CAST OR BECOMING

Tao

Yin

  9 of 81

2

 

 

Yang

Tao

  7 of 81

Yin

Yang

11 of 81

Probability of Yang:

Yang

Tao

  7 of 81

-1

 

 

Yang

Yin

  5 of 81

Tao

Yang

  1 of 81

Total is 27/81, or 1/3 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yang

Yin

  5 of 81

1

 

 

Yin

Yin

13 of 81

Yin

Yin

13 of 81

CAST OR BECOMING

Yin

Tao

  3 of 81

-2

 

 

Yin

Yang

11 of 81

Tao

Yin

  9 of 81

Probability of Yin:

Tao

Yang

  1 of 81

1

 

 

Yin

Tao

  3 of 81

Yang

Yin

  5 of 81

Total is 27/81, or 1/3 

 

 

 

The total of the changes in the 81 lines is: (-11) + (+18) + (-7) + (+5) + (-6) + (+1) = 0

 

There are only two ways to subdivide the series of the first nine odd numbers such that each of the three subsets equals 27. 

These sets are: (17, 9, 1); (15, 7, 5); (13, 11, 3); or (17, 7, 3); (15, 11, 1); (13, 9, 5). 

 

The first group represents the probability of the Cast lines of a Hexagram,

The second group represents the probability of the Becoming lines. 

This relationship is most easily displayed on a magic square of nine cells. 

Following the rule of magic squares, every row, column, and diagonal adds to 27. 

The columns are the Cast lines, and the rows are the Becoming lines:

           

 

 

 

THE

CAST

LINES

 

 

 

 

YANG

TAO

YIN

 

 

THE

TAO

7

17

3

 

 

BECOMING

YIN

5

9

13

 

 

LINES

YANG

15

1

11

 

                                                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                               

The magic square of nine cells bears a close resemblance to the Chinese ideograph of the word ‘Ching’, which is the name of the 48th Hexagram, the Well.  This ideograph symbolizes the Chinese practice of laying out a village plan such that there are eight fields on the perimeter of a square, each held separately by the farmers, while the central field, the ninth, is the place for the Well, which all hold in common.  Normally the Well is considered the repository of Yin, the power of Water.  Since the value of 9 is found in the center of the magic square above, the probability of 9/81 is given to Tao changing into Yin.  This shows that at the center of the Well of existence is the Tao.  The Tao mutates into Yin, and therefore becomes the water in the Well.

The probability of 9/81 is in the center of the series, and by using this hinge as the act of ‘Tao becoming Yin’, the reverse, ‘Yin becoming Tao’, must have the probability of 3/81.  This plays a large role in the next step, the integration of the 81 probabilities with the 81 lines revealed in Liber Trigrammaton.

The simplest way to choose one line among 81 different possibilities is to have a collection of 81 different objects and choosing one from among them to indicate a particular line.  The number 81 is easily accommodated by a deck of Tarot cards, so long as there are three ‘wild’ cards added to the 78 cards of the standard deck.  These three cards will represent the 3/81 probability of a Yin becoming Tao, and thus will correlate with the three final Yin lines of the Book, the 26 Trigram.  The other 78 lines of Liber XXVII can then be matched with the 78 cards of the Tarot.  The Major, Minor, and Court cards are mapped onto the distribution of the lines, while at the same time these lines can distribute the 81 probabilities for divination.

 

The Tarot cards are attributed to the various lines of the Trigrams as follows:

 

The Trigrams of the Four Elements receive the three Court Cards that represent the sub-elements of that suit, except for the doubled Elements.  Thus the Fire Trigram has a line for Watery, Airy, and Earthy Fire, which are Queen, Prince, and Princess of Wands.  The Prince is the only male, and is attributed to the male Yang line at the bottom of the Trigram, while the females are attributed to the Tao lines.  The reverse is true in the Water Trigram, where the Princess takes the female Yin line, while the males take the Tao lines.  This balance and counter-balance hold true for all four Elemental Trigrams.

The positive and negative poles each get two Court Cards; both males on the positive pole, and both females on the negative pole.  These poles are topped off by the Ace of Wands and the Ace of Cups.

The set of 12 Zodiac Trigrams contain 36 lines, and these are attributed to the 36 small cards, with the three cards of each sign occupying the lines of the appropriate Trigram, in ascending order.  Thus the Aries Trigram takes the 2, 3, & 4 of Wands, and so on for the other signs.

For the Classic Trigrams, each Planetary Atu occupies a Yang line of its appropriate Trigram.  The other two lines of the Trigram are occupied by the Zodiac cards that are ruled by that planet. Thus Saturn’s Atu shares a Trigram with Capricorn and Aquarius, etc.  Since the Sun and Moon rule only one sign apiece, the remaining lines of their Trigrams are given to the Elemental cards of Fire, (Aeon), and Water, (Hanged Man).

Concurrent with placing the Atus on a line of Tao, Yin, or Yang, it remains to be determined how these three kinds of lines will be broken down into static or moving.  The method employed is to treat the Trigram sequence of Liber XXVII as three sets of nine, and group the three kinds of lines accordingly.

 

Tao static line has the probability of 17/81.  These are the 17 Tao lines of the left column.

Tao changing to Yin has a probability of 9/81.  These are the 9 Tao lines that appear in the middle column.

Tao changing to Yang has the probability of 1/81.  This is the sole Tao that appears in the right column.

 

Yang static has a probability of 15/81.  These are the 15 Yang lines in the left and middle columns.

Yang changing to Tao has a probability of 7/81.  These are attributed to the 7 Planetary Trumps.

Yang changing to Yin has a probability of 5/81.  These are attributed to the remaining 5 Yang lines.

 

Yin static has a probability of 13/81.  These are attributed to the 13 Yin lines in the left and middle columns.

Yin changing to Yang has a probability of 11/81.  These are given to all the Yin lines in the right column, (except for the Final Trigram).

Yin changing to Tao has the probability of 3/81.  These are given to the three Yin lines of the 26 Trigram,

(these three Yin lines all collapse back into Tao, the Stainless Abode, the Zero Trigram).

 

{The overall amount of the changes in the lines balances out to zero, but if the line-values within the Trigrams are used on the Trigram itself, then the 24 Trigram, for example, would become the 13 Trigram.  To keep this balanced, the 13 Trigram is so arranged as to become the 24 Trigram.  Overall, the 7 Planetary Trigrams, which total 130, become 7 other Trigrams, which total 93.  This provides a way to determine which of the Yang lines of these Trigrams are becoming Tao, and which are becoming Yin.}

 

In the chart below is the allocation of the various types of lines to the 78 Major and Minor Arcana.  The line to the left of the Tarot card name is the type of line cast; Tao, Yang, or Yin. The box to the right indicates whether the cast line is changing or not.

                                                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                               

LINE TYPE

TAROT KEY

STATUS

LINE TYPE

TAROT KEY

STATUS

LINE TYPE

TAROT KEY

STATUS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     •

Ace Disks

Static

     •

Ten of Swords

becoming Yin

—    — 

Ten of Cups

becoming Yang

     •

Ace Swords

Static

—    — 

Nine of Swords

Static

—    — 

Nine of Cups

becoming Yang

     •

Fool

Static

———

Eight of Swords

Static

     •

Eight of Cups

becoming Yang

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     •

Queen Wands

Static

     •

Four of Cups

becoming Yin

———

Devil

becoming Yin

     •

Princess Wands

Static

—    — 

Three of Cups

Static

———

No-thing   

becoming Yin

———

Prince Wands

Static

—    — 

Two of Cups

Static

———

Universe

becoming Tao

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     •

King Cups

Static

———

Seven of Wands

Static

———

Magus

becoming Tao

     •

Prince Cups

Static

     •

Six of Wands

becoming Yin

———

Hermit      

becoming Yin

—    — 

Princess Cups

Static

———

Five of Wands

Static

—    — 

Lovers

becoming Yang

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     •

Queen Swords

Static

———

Ten of Disks

Static

———

Aeon

becoming Yin

———

King Swords

Static

     •

Nine of Disks

becoming Yin

—    — 

Lust

becoming Yang

     •

Princess Swords

Static

—    — 

Eight of Disks

Static

———

Sun

becoming Tao

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     •

King Disks

Static

—    — 

Four of Swords

Static

—    — 

Moon

becoming Yang

—    — 

Queen  Disks

Static

     •

Three of Swords

becoming Yin

———

Art

becoming Yin

     •

Prince Disks

Static

———

Two of Swords

Static

———

Fortune

becoming Tao

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

———

Ace Wands

Static

—    — 

Seven of Cups

Static

———

Empress

becoming Tao

     •

King Wands

Static

     •

Six of Cups

becoming Yin

—