What this change means
Two lines at the base move, the first and second, and the thunder that wanted to break out becomes water beneath water. Now the obstacles come in a row. The second line leads: you're stuck and circling, help is approaching, and you need caution until you feel steady enough to take it. The first line backs it up from below: hold your position and let trusted people act for you instead of forcing your own way through. Together they describe a start that has to be patient and well represented.
The resulting hexagram, 29 Water, shows the terrain ahead: one difficulty after another, like a stream meeting stones. A stream doesn't stop at each one, though. It keeps flowing, finds its way around, and moves on. Watch for fear, because that's what can freeze you. Keep moving at a steady pace, accept the help offered, and don't try to clear every obstacle at once.
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 3 Initial Obstacles
Obstacles are on the way, but help will come. Act with caution until you feel secure and can receive that help.
Stuck, turning in place; the horses of the team pull apart. Not a raider: someone come to ask for marriage. The young woman is constant and gives no promise; after ten years she gives it.
- Line 1 of 3 Initial Obstacles
It's time to let others act for you.
Hesitating, circling by the rock. Abiding in constancy is favorable. It is favorable to install lords.
- The judgment of 3 Initial Obstacles
This isn't the time to act directly: look for people who can act for you, allies who represent you. Still, stay alert so you know when the time comes to take back the initiative and control.
Great success. Constancy is favorable. Having somewhere to go is of no use yet. It is favorable to install lords.
- The judgment of 29 Water
Just as a stream moves through obstacles and gets past them, following its course without stagnating, you're at a time when obstacles will come one after another, but you'll get past them if you can keep moving. Letting fear paralyze you will only leave you stuck.
There is sincere trust. Only the heart gets through. Going earns esteem.
The trigrams
The way back
29 Water → 3 Initial Obstacleslines 1 and 2
Other transformations of Initial Obstacles
- 39Held Backlines 1 and 3
- 5Inactionlines 2 and 3
- 45Meetinglines 1 and 4
- 58Inner Peacelines 2 and 4
- 49Renewallines 3 and 4
- 2Passivitylines 1 and 5
- 19Fleeting Successlines 2 and 5
- 36Darknesslines 3 and 5
- 51Shocklines 4 and 5
- 20Observinglines 1 and 6
- 61Inner Integritylines 2 and 6
- 37The Tribelines 3 and 6
- 25Innocencelines 4 and 6
- 27Nourishmentlines 5 and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.