What this change means
A lake without water: three lines move, and the full Earth drains from beneath. Both judgments share the reading. 2 Passivity counsels yielding: don't seize the lead, let yourself be guided, and keep at things with patience. The resulting hexagram, 47 Overwhelmed, describes being hard pressed: the wrong people around you, words that aren't believed, obstacles on every side. The only real option is acceptance, and patience until conditions improve. Here receptivity becomes endurance. This isn't a time to argue your case or fight your way out. Say less. Hold on to the inner light that lives in you and lean on it. Keep your will and your values intact. Pressure like this tends to pass, and those who stay patient and true to themselves usually come through it with their integrity whole.
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 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 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 2 of 2 Passivity
Quietly, without a lot of fuss, you can succeed.
Straight, square, great. Without learning it, nothing that is not favorable.
- Line 4 of 2 Passivity
Staying away from the noise, out of sight, is the best way to get what you want.
A bag tied at the neck. No fault, no praise.
- Line 5 of 2 Passivity
Right now success depends on acting with reserve. Your light shines from within.
A yellow skirt. Great good fortune.
The trigrams
The way back
47 Overwhelmed → 2 Passivitylines 2, 4, and 5
Other transformations of Passivity
- 11Well-Beinglines 1, 2, and 3
- 54A Subordinate Rolelines 1, 2, and 4
- 55Abundancelines 1, 3, and 4
- 32What Lastslines 2, 3, and 4
- 60Thriftlines 1, 2, and 5
- 63After the Endlines 1, 3, and 5
- 48Right Actionlines 2, 3, and 5
- 17Adaptinglines 1, 4, and 5
- 31Attractionlines 3, 4, and 5
- 41Decreaselines 1, 2, and 6
- 22Good Mannerslines 1, 3, and 6
- 18Loss, Then Gainlines 2, 3, and 6
- 21Bitinglines 1, 4, and 6
- 64Transitionlines 2, 4, and 6
- 56The Travelerlines 3, 4, and 6
- 42Increaselines 1, 5, and 6
- 59Release from Obstacleslines 2, 5, and 6
- 53Gradual Progresslines 3, 5, and 6
- 12Declinelines 4, 5, and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.