In practice
The judgment
It's time to wait, not to act. Waiting doesn't mean standing still, though: it's a good time to prepare for the active period that's coming. A calm, relaxed attitude will lead you to success: look at the conditions without lying to yourself, and stay alert so you know when it's time to act. Destiny follows its own course.
The poetry
Waiting
There is sincere trust. Shining success. Constancy brings good fortune. It is favorable to cross the great river.
The image
Clouds rise up to the heavens: waiting. So the noble person eats, drinks, and is glad at the feast.
The lines
- Line 6上六
At a moment when everything seems to be against you, help appears that will resolve the situation.
Into the pit. Three guests come without being called; receiving them with respect brings good fortune at last.
- Line 5九五
It's important to keep your goal, but relax, rest and watch without acting.
Waiting with wine and food. Constancy brings good fortune.
- Line 4六四
Any kind of action will only make things worse.
Waiting in blood. Coming out of the pit.
- Line 3九三
If you act in haste, you'll run into trouble.
Waiting in the mud. It brings the raiders on.
- Line 2九二
Stay calm even if gossip comes up.
Waiting on the sand. A few words against; in the end, good fortune.
- Line 1初九
You still have control over the situation. It's time to act in a relaxed way, while keeping an eye on what's happening.
Waiting on the outskirts. It is favorable to hold steady. No fault.
Its 63 transformations
Depending on which lines move in your cast, Inaction turns into another hexagram. Pick the lines from your cast.
One moving line
6
Two moving lines
15
- 39Held Backlines 1 and 2
- 29Waterlines 1 and 3
- 3Initial Obstacleslines 2 and 3
- 28Excesseslines 1 and 4
- 49Renewallines 2 and 4
- 58Inner Peacelines 3 and 4
- 46Going Uplines 1 and 5
- 36Darknesslines 2 and 5
- 19Fleeting Successlines 3 and 5
- 34Great Manifestationlines 4 and 5
- 57Gentlenesslines 1 and 6
- 37The Tribelines 2 and 6
- 61Inner Integritylines 3 and 6
- 1Activitylines 4 and 6
- 26Great Achievementslines 5 and 6
Three moving lines
20
- 8Unionlines 1, 2, and 3
- 31Attractionlines 1, 2, and 4
- 47Overwhelmedlines 1, 3, and 4
- 17Adaptinglines 2, 3, and 4
- 15Simplicitylines 1, 2, and 5
- 7The Armylines 1, 3, and 5
- 24Coming Backlines 2, 3, and 5
- 32What Lastslines 1, 4, and 5
- 55Abundancelines 2, 4, and 5
- 54A Subordinate Rolelines 3, 4, and 5
- 53Gradual Progresslines 1, 2, and 6
- 59Release from Obstacleslines 1, 3, and 6
- 42Increaselines 2, 3, and 6
- 44Lack of Firmnesslines 1, 4, and 6
- 13Gathering with Equalslines 2, 4, and 6
- 10Treading Carefullylines 3, 4, and 6
- 18Loss, Then Gainlines 1, 5, and 6
- 22Good Mannerslines 2, 5, and 6
- 41Decreaselines 3, 5, and 6
- 14Wealthlines 4, 5, and 6
Four moving lines
15
- 45Meetinglines 1, 2, 3, and 4
- 2Passivitylines 1, 2, 3, and 5
- 62Success in Small Matterslines 1, 2, 4, and 5
- 40Clearing Obstacleslines 1, 3, 4, and 5
- 51Shocklines 2, 3, 4, and 5
- 20Observinglines 1, 2, 3, and 6
- 33Leaving Behindlines 1, 2, 4, and 6
- 6Conflictlines 1, 3, 4, and 6
- 25Innocencelines 2, 3, 4, and 6
- 52Abidinglines 1, 2, 5, and 6
- 4Immaturitylines 1, 3, 5, and 6
- 27Nourishmentlines 2, 3, 5, and 6
- 50The Vessel of Nourishmentlines 1, 4, 5, and 6
- 30The Flamelines 2, 4, 5, and 6
- 38Oppositeslines 3, 4, 5, and 6
Five moving lines
6
All six lines moving
1
The classical text
需：有孚，光亨。貞吉，利涉大川。
象曰：雲上於天，需；君子以飲食宴樂。
初九：需于郊，利用恆，无咎。
九二：需于沙，小有言，終吉。
九三：需于泥，致寇至。
六四：需于血，出自穴。
九五：需于酒食，貞吉。
上六：入于穴，有不速之客三人來，敬之終吉。
Related hexagrams
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.