Is It Bad to Ask the I Ching the Same Question Twice?

So you asked the I Ching a question, and the answer left you mystified. Now you’re wondering if it’s “bad” to ask the same question again?

Short answer: Yes, it’s generally considered “poor form” to immediately ask the I Ching the same question twice in a row.

There’s no point to consulting the Oracle if you’re going to keep asking until you get the question you want to hear. Anyone who does that isn’t really “asking” anything at all.

Have you tried iFate’s free I Ching readings? Click here to try one now and see how insightful they can be.

So what should you do if the I Ching serves up an answer that seems to make no sense?

Here are 5 ways to approach the situation:

1. The I Ching actually answered you correctly

It’s possible that the I Ching did answer your question, and answered it perfectly — but you don’t understand the answer yet.  In these cases, the best thing to do is to read the answer a few times and think hard about how the answer applies to you and your situation. It might make sense in a way you weren’t expecting. Or the Oracle might be giving you an answer that will make sense after some time.

2. The I Ching translation you’re using is too cryptic

If it still seems like the I Ching didn’t answer your question it’s possible that the particular I Ching translation you’re reading is a bit too cryptic. The I Ching is thousands of years old, and has dozens of different translations. Some older I Ching translations can be extremely difficult to understand.

iFate’s contemporary I Ching translation is faithful to the original concepts, but written in a modern voice to be understandable without a degree in Asian philosophy.

3. Try looking up your hexagram using a Love I Ching translation

Did you ask a question about dating or relationships and get a decidedly unromantic answer? If you asked a question about love and the I Ching seems to have offered up a hexagram that doesn’t even come close to your love-life, consider looking up that same hexagram with Love I Ching interpretations.

Love I Ching uses the exact same set of hexagrams, but tailors the hexagram interpretations to questions about marriage, dating and romantic relationships.

Have you tried iFate’s free Love I Ching readings? Click here to try one now for quick insight into your love life.

4. Try rephrasing your question and asking again

If none of the above are working for you, maybe it’s time to ask the I Ching another question, or a slightly different question. Rather than asking the same question twice, try asking about something related — or about something tangential to your original question.

5. Try asking the I Ching again tomorrow

If there’s really no way of asking the question differently, consider giving the I Ching a day in between readings. Taking an extra day will not only give you some time to carefully consider today’s answer that seemed to make no sense, but it will also allow some time for circumstances to change somewhat. What doesn’t make sense right now, may make perfect sense in a few hours. In the meantime there are plenty of other free readings which might offer you some insight.