What this change means
The second line moves, and Water gathers within the Earth. Straight, square, great: this is the line that needs no rehearsal, and the reading rests on it. Quietly, without a lot of fuss, you can succeed. The resulting hexagram, 7 The Army, gives that quiet success its structure. Whatever your question, the favorable answer comes through discipline and organization: face the situation directly, say clearly what you want, and don't try to force it on anyone. These two belong together. Being upright and steady is a kind of order in itself, and order is what turns patience into results. So don't make noise. Organize your work, keep your commitments, and speak plainly when you need to. People tend to follow someone whose conduct is straight, even when that person isn't trying to lead.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- Line 2 of 2 Passivity
Quietly, without a lot of fuss, you can succeed.
Straight, square, great. Without learning it, nothing that is not favorable.
- The judgment of 2 Passivity
This is not the time to take the initiative to achieve things. It's better to let others guide you and to keep at your projects with patience.
Great success. The constancy of a mare is favorable. The noble person has somewhere to go: going ahead, they lose the way; following behind, they find someone to guide them. It is favorable to find friends in the southwest and to lose them in the northeast. Calm constancy brings good fortune.
- The judgment of 7 The Army
Whatever your question, the favorable answer comes from acting with discipline and organization: face the situation head-on and speak clearly, say what you want, without trying to impose it.
The constancy of a seasoned leader brings good fortune. No fault.
The trigrams
The way back
7 The Army → 2 Passivityline 2
Other transformations of Passivity
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.