Four-Coin Method                                         FOURCOI1.TXT
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       As most students of the I Ching know, the  probabilities of obtaining 
       the moving and static lines of a hexagram by the yarrow-stalk method is
       NOT identical to the probabilities of obtaining the lines by the
       three-coin method. The differences are given in the table below;

           Yarrow-Stalk Method                   Three-Coin Method

           Moving Yin      1/16                  2/16 = 1/8                 
           Moving Yang     3/16                  2/16 = 1/8
           Static Yang     5/16                  6/16 = 3/8
           Static Yin      7/16                  6/16 = 3/8

       I believe that there are good reasons for using the probabilities of the
       yarrow-stalk method, which I will not go into in this message. 
       The popularity of the three-coin method is due, I believe, to its
       simplicity and the short time that it takes to use it.

       For those who wish a short and simple coin method of consulting the I
       Ching, I offer the following, which is equivalent to the yarrow-stalk
       method in regards to the probabilities of obtaining the moving and 
       static lines. This method, which I call the Four-Coin Method, is a
       variation of a method described in The I Ching Handbook. 

       The Four-Coin method uses three coins of one denomination and
       one coin of another. I shall use three pennies and a nickel for the
       description below.
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       Four-Coin Method: Three pennies and a nickel are tossed six times. 
       Each toss determines one line of a hexagram.

       If the nickel is HEADS, the line is YANG, 
       And if exactly two pennies are HEADS, the line is moving,
       Otherwise static.

       If the nickel is TAILS, the line is YIN,
       And if all three pennies are TAILS, the line is moving,
       Otherwise static.
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       Regards, Ed Hacker

       Edward A. Hacker wrote:

       > I believe that there are good reasons for using the probabilities of
       the > yarrow-stalk method... 

       Hi, all. 
       Edward, I really enjoyed the section in your book about probability 
       and the differences in the methods. I always wanted to ask you about 
       this...

       If you feel that the answers one receives from the Yi Jing are based 
       on probability, then do you feel that the answers we receive are 
       purely random? Why would it be worth while to throw the coins or do 
       the sticks at all? How would it be relevant to the question asked? 

       While this is most unscientific, I feel that I get answers that are a 
       response to my question. I never worried about the differences in 
       probabilities between methods because I have a feeling of 
       interactivity with the YJ. There are certain HGs that I tend to get 
       whether I use sticks, coins or dice (my favorite when time is short). 
       If it was only probability, why do I get the same HGs repeatedly? I am 
       not the only one who has found this phenomena. 

       I know that I am anthropomorphizing (spelling?) the Yi Jing whEn I say 
       this, but I really get a feeling of ancient voices whispering guidance 
       to me when I read the words of King Wen and the Duke of Zhou. (I hope 
       you don't think I need an increase in my medications when you read 
       this. :-) )

       What do you think? Why is probability important if the Yi Jing is 
       responding to the question? Why is the Yi Jing important if the answer 
       is random and not in response to the question?

       I will try your 4 coin method. I like knowing different ways to get 
       King Wen to talk to me...Lorraine

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*Lorraine  Wilcox L.Ac.*
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