There are two basic ways of using this type of drumming as a tool in our arsenal for checking on our piritual progress. The first way is to use the I-Ching as one does normally, by casting for a hexagram. The question to pose for drumming is simply, "Which hexagram(s) am I to work with today?" Then cast as usual. Write the lines of the hexagram(s) on a piece of paper and then spend 10 minutes drumming them.
The second way is to sit down and drum the whole Symphony of 64 hexagrams. When you make a mistake, stop and write down the hexagram number. Also, if you remember the exact line on which you goofed write that down too and write the new hexagram formed from that mistake. Do this for each hexgram that you goofed on while drumming. Sometimes you'll make only one mistake, sometimes several.
Now after having finished all 64 hexagrams, draw the lines of the hexagrams you've written down. Don't worry if you can't remembr the exact lines where you made the mistake. Then spend 10 minutes drumming these particular hexagrams over and over. Then you can look them up in your I-Ching book, if you wish. You will find that you made the mistakes on the very hexagrams that directly address issues in your life that you are aware of and working on, or that your Higher Self wants to bring to your attention so you can work on them!
For about 2 months I drummed the I-Ching Symphony each day, and then drummed the hexagrams I made mistakes on. Then I looked them up and found that these addressed the issues I either was working on or that it would be beneficial for me to work on. At the end of those two months, I fully trusted the process, so no longer needed to look up the meanings of the hexagrams I'd flubbed up on. I just drummed them for 10 minutes and then went on with my life. I no longer needed to know the details of 'the story'!
Why drum these hexagrams for 10 minutes? Well, it seems that we must repeat or continue to do something, some action such as toning, chanting, drumming or what have you, for at least 7 minutes before this will effect a change in our physiology. But if there's been no change within 10 minutes, then there won't be any change at that time. Usually, though, I could feel a subtle shift occurring within 7-10 minutes. And after doing this drumming for many months, I could feel that I was making progress in the direction I wanted to go in changing myself.
Drumming the I-Ching is one of the most gentle and effective tools for spiritual transformation that I've ever experienced. |
