What this change means
Water hidden within the earth: four lines move, and the still second and fourth lines of 7 The Army guide the reading. The second says keep up your activity and discipline and you'll reach what you want. The fourth says that if what you have in place isn't enough yet, withdrawing and waiting for a better time is wiser. From the patient restraint of Small Things, this movement calls for organization. Face the situation directly, say clearly what you want without imposing it, and act with discipline. Yet the two still lines balance each other: commit fully when you're ready, and retreat without shame when you aren't. So be honest about your resources before you move. If they're sufficient, act steadily and in order. If they're thin, a well-timed withdrawal is a sound part of the strategy.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- Line 2 of 7 The Army, which stays still
Keep up your activity and discipline to reach what you want, and you'll get it.
In the midst of the army: good fortune. No fault. Three times the king bestows his charge.
- Line 4 of 7 The Army, which stays still
If you feel you don't have enough in place to succeed, it's better to pull back and wait for a better moment to act again.
The army withdraws and makes camp. No fault.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 5 of 9 Small Things
Allying with others and being loyal in that alliance will bring success.
There is sincere trust, bound together as by a cord. Growing rich alongside the neighbor.
- Line 6 of 9 Small Things
You get what you want thanks to step-by-step work. Still, don't rest on your laurels: you have to stay constant and keep working little by little.
The rain has come, the rest has come. Virtue has piled up like a load. The wife's constancy is in danger. The moon is nearly full. For the noble person, setting out brings 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 trigrams
The way back
7 The Army → 9 Small Thingslines 1, 3, 5, and 6
Other transformations of Small Things
- 12Declinelines 1, 2, 3, and 4
- 23The Falllines 1, 2, 3, and 5
- 56The Travelerlines 1, 2, 4, and 5
- 64Transitionlines 1, 3, 4, and 5
- 21Bitinglines 2, 3, 4, and 5
- 8Unionlines 1, 2, 3, and 6
- 31Attractionlines 1, 2, 4, and 6
- 47Overwhelmedlines 1, 3, 4, and 6
- 17Adaptinglines 2, 3, 4, and 6
- 15Simplicitylines 1, 2, 5, and 6
- 24Coming Backlines 2, 3, 5, and 6
- 32What Lastslines 1, 4, 5, and 6
- 55Abundancelines 2, 4, 5, and 6
- 54A Subordinate Rolelines 3, 4, 5, and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.