What this change means
Wind settles below the mountain as the third and top lines move, and the camp must face what has gone wrong inside it. The top line leads, saying real results can come but you need to choose carefully who surrounds you, and keep petty people away from power. The third line shows what happens otherwise: slackening and letting the conditions for success slip lead to misfortune, the army hauling its losses home.
The resulting hexagram, 18 Loss, Then Gain, says mistakes have brought decline, but admitting them and making the needed corrections can lead back to success. Take time to understand the cause, act, then give results time to arrive. So this is a reading about honest repair. Look at where you or your team let things slide, change who holds responsibility if needed, and rebuild. Watch for blaming circumstances instead of fixing causes.
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 7 The Army
You'll get real achievements and results, but choose carefully who you surround yourself with right now.
The great prince gives his command: founding states, conferring houses. Do not employ the petty person.
- Line 3 of 7 The Army
If you don't keep up the conditions needed for success and you slacken in your task, there will be misfortune.
Perhaps the army hauls corpses on its carts. Misfortune.
- The judgment of 7 The Army
Whatever your question, the favorable answer comes from acting with discipline and organization: face the situation head-on and speak clearly, say what you want, without trying to impose it.
The constancy of a seasoned leader brings good fortune. No fault.
- The judgment of 18 Loss, Then Gain
You've made mistakes that have brought you into decline; still, admitting it and making the corrections needed will lead you back to success. Take time to reflect on what caused the loss and, once you've acted, give success time to arrive.
Great success. It is favorable to cross the great river. Three days before the first day, three days after the first day.
The trigrams
The way back
18 Loss, Then Gain → 7 The Armylines 3 and 6
Other transformations of The Army
- 24Coming Backlines 1 and 2
- 11Well-Beinglines 1 and 3
- 15Simplicitylines 2 and 3
- 54A Subordinate Rolelines 1 and 4
- 16Passionlines 2 and 4
- 32What Lastslines 3 and 4
- 60Thriftlines 1 and 5
- 8Unionlines 2 and 5
- 48Right Actionlines 3 and 5
- 47Overwhelmedlines 4 and 5
- 41Decreaselines 1 and 6
- 23The Falllines 2 and 6
- 64Transitionlines 4 and 6
- 59Release from Obstacleslines 5 and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.