Transformation · lines 1 and 3
Small Things becomes Release from Obstacles
What this change means
A broken cart and a road home: the third and first lines move together, and the lower Heaven turns into Water, wind blowing over the water. The third line carries more weight. It warns that forcing your way forward brings bigger obstacles and quarrels with those close to you. The first line offers the way out: go back by your own path to where you have more control, a move that's smart rather than a loss. Read together, they say you've pushed too hard and the fix is a deliberate return. The resulting hexagram, 59 Release from Obstacles, shows what that return can open. Tensions that grew out of selfishness can loosen if you act sincerely and bring opposing sides toward a shared goal. Humility helps here, and so does going with the current instead of against it. Let go of the struggle and the stuck parts tend to scatter.
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 9 Small Things
Trying to advance at any cost only brings bigger obstacles from outside.
The spokes come loose from the cart. Husband and wife glare at each other.
- Line 1 of 9 Small Things
What's called for now is to fall back to situations where you have more control. This isn't a loss: it's a smart move.
Returning by its own way. What fault could there be? Good fortune.
- The judgment of 9 Small Things
You're facing a situation that promises success, but it isn't time yet. There are still obstacles on the way that you need to resolve. For now you can take small actions and wait for the right moment to act on a large scale.
Success. Dense clouds and no rain, from my western outskirts.
- The judgment of 59 Release from Obstacles
You can free yourself from the obstacles that hold you back if you're able to act sincerely and bring opposites together around shared goals. The tension has arisen because selfishness rules. To move forward, be humble and let the current carry you rather than going against it.
Success. The king goes to his temple. It is favorable to cross the great river. Constancy is favorable.
The trigrams
The way back
59 Release from Obstacles → 9 Small Thingslines 1 and 3
Other transformations of Small Things
- 53Gradual Progresslines 1 and 2
- 42Increaselines 2 and 3
- 44Lack of Firmnesslines 1 and 4
- 13Gathering with Equalslines 2 and 4
- 10Treading Carefullylines 3 and 4
- 18Loss, Then Gainlines 1 and 5
- 22Good Mannerslines 2 and 5
- 41Decreaselines 3 and 5
- 14Wealthlines 4 and 5
- 48Right Actionlines 1 and 6
- 63After the Endlines 2 and 6
- 60Thriftlines 3 and 6
- 43Overflowinglines 4 and 6
- 11Well-Beinglines 5 and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.