Decoding changes
Change is a law of nature. Everything manifests because of changes. A wise person understands that change is a reality. Understanding change helps you accept it and be better prepared for it—it puts you in control of your life, said N J Reddy, the founder of Yoga Prana Vidya (YPV) Ashram, during his recent I Ching divination workshop in Delhi.
More than 60 meditators attended the workshop and learnt the 6000-year-old Chinese technique of I Ching divination. The I Ching, also known as the Book of Changes, is the oldest of the Chinese classics, which is used to seek guidance while taking decisions about changes in life. It is said to be helpful in resolving issues or getting solutions to problems. “The literature on I Ching divination exists in the form of symbols like hexagrams. The divine wisdom unfolds through these symbols. Since each one of us is a part of the Divine, the solution to our problems is within us. When we connect to the higher power, we can access that solution through the language of these symbols,” Reddy explained.
The popular method of I Ching divination is cleromancy, a process of drawing lots. To seek guidance, you frame a question regarding your troubles and then you toss three coins at once, where each coin is given a value of two or three, depending upon whether it is tails or heads, respectively. These three values are added after each toss. Six such tosses make the hexagram. The process involves calculating these permutations and combinations and interpreting the result according to the I Ching book.
“Not everyone can practice I Ching divination for themselves. The individual has to be in a state of emotional balance to better their connection with the Divine. Hence, we only teach trained meditators, especially those trained in Yoga Prana Vidya. However, anyone can consult an I Ching practitioner to seek guidance for their life,” said R Lakshmi Dehvi, a Yoga Prana Vidya trainer.
Reddy came to know about it in the 1990s and studied it for several years. He gained deep insights into it and eventually started conducting planned workshops from 2013. “The significance of I Ching divination is not just to seek a solution or guidance to your problems. It is also to develop a wiser approach to life situations. It makes you understand the effect of changes in your life and on your development as an individual,” said Reddy.
Talking about her amazing experience with I Ching divination, Delhi based Anupama Sharma said, “I’ve been associated with Yoga Prana Vidya since 2011 and I know this for certain that we can be divinely guided for the answers we seek. I was supposed to get married to a person I was with for seven years. However, in 2014, he refused to get married because his family didn’t approve of it. Eventually, we parted ways. Then, my trainer, Lakshmi Dehvi, suggested I Ching divination. Through it, I was divinely guided to give our relationship another chance as the future looked good for both of us. With utmost trust in the guidance, we got married in April 2015 and are living happily ever since.”