Transformation · lines 5 and 6
Inaction becomes Great Achievements
What this change means
Heaven held within a mountain: the fifth and top lines move, the Water above becomes Mountain, and the waiting turns into stored strength. The top line leads. When everything seems to be against you, help arrives that can resolve things; guests come unbidden, and welcoming them with respect brings good fortune. The fifth line supports it: keep your goal, relax, rest and watch rather than act.
The resulting hexagram, 26 Great Achievements, invites you to step out of your comfort zone and attempt more than you believe you can; you have the qualities needed. So the patience pays off in an unusual way. Receive the help, rest enough to be ready, then dare more than usual. Watch for staying small out of habit when the moment invites a larger step.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- Line 6 of 5 Inaction
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 of 5 Inaction
It's important to keep your goal, but relax, rest and watch without acting.
Waiting with wine and food. Constancy brings good fortune.
- The judgment of 5 Inaction
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.
There is sincere trust. Shining success. Constancy brings good fortune. It is favorable to cross the great river.
- The judgment of 26 Great Achievements
It's a good moment to leave your comfort zone and take on new actions, beyond what you think you can do. Heaven favors unusual actions that will lead you to success, because you have the qualities needed.
Constancy is favorable. Not eating at home brings good fortune. It is favorable to cross the great river.
The trigrams
The way back
26 Great Achievements → 5 Inactionlines 5 and 6
Other transformations of Inaction
- 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
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.