New Shortcut Method by Carol and Hanna
Mar. 10, 2004

In addition to the rtcm method described in "I Ching, The Oracle of the Cosmic Way", we now have learned a shortcut method for getting quickly to the message intended by the Sage, in a given hexagram.

As some hexagrams are quite long, and contain many possibilities of interpretation, it can be confusing to find the specific message indicated for you, which may exist only in one paragraph of the text, or even a specific line of the text. Although we recommend reading the entire commentary parts of the hexagram received, this variation of the rtcm is very helpful when you have little time, and when you have become somewhat familiar with the general theme of that hexagram.

Use the rtcm method to ask: do I need to read any of the main text of the hexagram? If the answer is "Yes", then ask: is the message I need on this page of the text, or this, this, etc. On the page(s) indicated by "Yes," then use the same method to find the specific paragraphs the Sage wants you to read.
If the answer is No to reading the main text, go straight to the changing lines you have obtained and ask, going from paragraph to paragraph, whether the message is in that one, the next, etc.
Bear in mind that occasionally the message is not in the commentary at all, but in the "Judgment" or line text itself. Then you can use the rtcm to ask if your hypotheses as to what it is referring to are correct.