What this change means
A lake without water: three lines move, and Heaven's abundance drains away beneath it. Both judgments speak with equal weight. 1 Activity holds the creative energy and the qualities that carry an undertaking to success. The resulting hexagram, 47 Overwhelmed, describes a time when things press hard against you: the wrong people around, words that aren't believed, obstacles on every side. What links them? The strength that was outward now has to become inward. When outer resources fail, the inner light is what remains, and it's enough to hold you up. Accept what you can't change right now, and wait for better conditions. Don't waste words trying to convince people who won't listen. Keep your purpose and your integrity intact. This kind of pressure tends to pass, and those who stayed true to their will usually come through it.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- The judgment of 1 Activity
The creative principle. Activity. New beginnings, flourishing, and the qualities you need to carry any undertaking or project through to success.
Great success. Constancy is favorable.
- The judgment of 47 Overwhelmed
Things are very much against you: the wrong people surround you, no one believes what you say, and obstacles hem you in. All you can do is accept it and wait for better conditions to come. Your only resource is the inner light that lives in you; turn to that strength to hold you up right now.
Success. For the great person, constancy brings good fortune. No fault. They speak and are not believed.
- Line 1 of 1 Activity
It's not yet time to act.
A dragon under the water. Do not act.
- Line 3 of 1 Activity
Things are working, yet you worry for no apparent reason.
The noble person strives and strives all day long, and at nightfall is still watchful. Danger. No fault.
- Line 6 of 1 Activity
Pride may be your worst enemy right now.
A dragon that climbs too high. There is regret.
The trigrams
The way back
47 Overwhelmed → 1 Activitylines 1, 3, and 6
Other transformations of Activity
- 12Declinelines 1, 2, and 3
- 53Gradual Progresslines 1, 2, and 4
- 59Release from Obstacleslines 1, 3, and 4
- 42Increaselines 2, 3, and 4
- 56The Travelerlines 1, 2, and 5
- 64Transitionlines 1, 3, and 5
- 21Bitinglines 2, 3, and 5
- 18Loss, Then Gainlines 1, 4, and 5
- 22Good Mannerslines 2, 4, and 5
- 41Decreaselines 3, 4, and 5
- 31Attractionlines 1, 2, and 6
- 17Adaptinglines 2, 3, and 6
- 48Right Actionlines 1, 4, and 6
- 63After the Endlines 2, 4, and 6
- 60Thriftlines 3, 4, and 6
- 32What Lastslines 1, 5, and 6
- 55Abundancelines 2, 5, and 6
- 54A Subordinate Rolelines 3, 5, and 6
- 11Well-Beinglines 4, 5, and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.