What this change means
Sincere trust is what the fourth line brings, the one soft line in Small Things, and when it moves, the whole figure becomes pure Heaven. The line says that if you act fairly you may meet difficulties at first, yet little by little the obstacles fade until you reach the goal; the blood goes, the fear leaves. It's the heart of this reading. The restraint that defined your situation rested on this yielding line, so its turning releases the held-back force. The resulting hexagram, 1 Activity, speaks of new beginnings, flourishing, and the qualities that carry an undertaking through. Don't mistake that for permission to rush. The strength opens because you stayed honest, and it stays open the same way. Keep your dealings clean, accept that early friction is part of it, and let your confidence grow from steady action. Like heaven moving, keep going without slacking.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- Line 4 of 9 Small Things
If you act fairly, you may meet difficulties at first, but little by little the obstacles will fade until you reach your goal.
There is sincere trust. The blood goes, the fear leaves. 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.
- The judgment of 1 Activity
The creative principle. Activity. New beginnings, flourishing, and the qualities you need to carry any undertaking or project through to success.
Great success. Constancy is favorable.
The trigrams
The way back
1 Activity → 9 Small Thingsline 4
Other transformations of Small Things
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.