Transformation · line 3
Initial Obstacles becomes After the End
What this change means
Chasing a deer into the forest without a guide only takes you deeper among the trees. That is the picture the third line paints as it moves, turning the thunder below into fire. The obstacles of 3 Initial Obstacles won't be solved by acting harder right now; they ease when you step back and wait for better conditions. The wise move is to see the sign and let the chase go, even if it costs you something you wanted. Pressing on brings distress.
The resulting hexagram, 63 After the End, explains why restraint pays. What follows can look like success, with everything seemingly in your favor, yet a period of stagnation tends to come at the close. If you hold back now and use the pause to prepare, you can soften what comes later. Ask yourself whether you're following a real path or just the thrill of pursuit.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- Line 3 of 3 Initial Obstacles
Right now obstacles aren't solved by acting: they're solved by stepping back until conditions improve.
Chasing the deer with no gamekeeper, only going deeper into the forest. The noble person sees the sign and would rather let it go. Going on: distress.
- 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 63 After the End
You're in a situation where you'll have a passing success: everything seems to be in your favor, and at the end comes a period of stagnation. If you prepare for it ahead of time, you'll be able to soften its effects.
Success in small things. Constancy is favorable. At first, good fortune; in the end, disorder.
The trigrams
The way back
63 After the End → 3 Initial Obstaclesline 3
Other transformations of Initial Obstacles
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.