First launch of Four Pillars. How to read your I Ching Horoscope?

It could be confusing to see the interface of Four Pillars of Wisdom (FPoW) for the first time. It could seem too complex and unfriendly because of the big amount of raw information that appears on your screen immediately after first launch.

Don’t panic!

Here is a small guidance for reading your I Ching Horoscope. Using this algorithm you will focus on the right things at the right time when analyzing your divination.

1. Begin from “Hexagrams” section on the “Horoscope Summary” page

Start analyzing your divination from “Birthday Hexagrams” section in “Horoscope Summary” page. Both of your birthday hexagrams – Pre-Heaven and Later Heaven Hexagram are given here. Notice which years of life are governed by each line of a hexagram.

Note: Do not forget about bubble help, which appears if you point your mouse cursor at any small question mark  () which are scattered on all pages. Also, do not forget about button on the upper right corner of the program which can display the help describing basic principles of hexagram analysis.

2. Open Pre- or Later Heaven Hexagram page

Depending on your age, go to Pre- or Later Heaven Hexagram page. Read a description of your birthday hexagram. This is the main description of forces that influence your life. On this step it is important to understand the principles of hexagram analysis so don’t disregard reading of bubble help. Shortly, you should consider:

• The action of a hexagram is from the bottom to the top;
• Even though the hexagrams are formed in the sixth stage of the evolution of Yin and Yang, they are most frequently considered as being made up two trigrams;
• The bottom trigram symbolize generally the inner aspect of the hexagram action, and the top trigram symbolize the outer aspect of hexagram action;
• In a trigram, the top line represents heaven, the middle line, man, and the bottom line, earth
• In the hexagram, lines 1 and 2 represent earth; lines 3 and 4, man; and lines 5 and 6, heaven;
• Lines 2 and 5 are generally the most favorable. Lines 2 and 5 are in the middle (most balanced) position of the bottom trigram and the top trigram;
• Lines 2, 3, 4 and 5 represent the principal action of the hexagram in most cases;
• The ruler of a hexagram is usually line 5, or else a single Yang or Yin amongst five of the opposite polarity;
• Line 1 reflecting the basis of action or considerations before the activity can commence;
• Line 6 representing a decline after the peak of activity or the result of the overabundance of action;
• There is correspondence between lines 1 and 4; lines 2 and 5; and lines 3 and 6. The correspondence is favorable if the upper of the two lines is a Yang and the lower a Yin;
• The hexagram can be considered as the ’cause’ and the controlling line the resultant ‘effect’.

Treat each line of birthday hexagram like a path which you can follow in your life. From this point of view, hexagram can provide you an understanding in which direction you should improve yourself to achieve the best and harmonious position. Understand a hexagram like a situation which develops with the lapse of time and each line as a stage in this development.

3. Go to the “Omens” section on the “Horoscope Summary” page

Look through the “Omens” section on the “Horoscope Summary” page. Point to a question mark near an omen to see its description. Omens are pretty important, they exert influence on general level of auspiciousness.

4. Analyze your Yearly and Daily Hexagrams

Read a description of a hexagram for the current year. It can provide you an understanding how you can behave to be successful this year.

Daily advices from the Daily Hexagrams page may seem pretty odd. All advices are abstract. Try to imagine for what situations this advice will be suitable today.

5. Go to the “Yearly Hexagram Statistics” section on on “Horoscope Summary” page

Here you can see your life-lessons. The graph shows how many times each hexagram occurs as Yearly Hexagram. Usually several hexagrams occur more often than the others. You can read a description for any hexagram from your statistic if you’ll click on the small button (List of all hexagrams).