Transformation · lines 1, 2, 3, and 5
Fleeting Success becomes Held Back
What this change means
Four lines move, and the lake below rises into a mountain under water: the ground of an easy season turns steep. With this much in motion, the two still lines of 39 Held Back carry the reading. The fourth says you won't get past these obstacles alone; go back to firmer ground and seek out like-minded people, and with them you can succeed. The top line describes a maturity that lets you meet trouble calmly, help others, and receive help from those above you.
The favorable period of the starting hexagram leads into harder going, and the way through is relationship. Step back when you need to, gather people who share your outlook, and be willing both to help and to be helped. Watch for treating each blockage as a personal failure or trying to force through alone; the stops are part of the path, and company makes them passable.
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 39 Held Back, which stays still
You won't get past the obstacles on your own. It's time to return to more stable conditions and look for support from like-minded people; with their help you'll succeed.
Going: hardship. Coming: joined with others.
- Line 6 of 39 Held Back, which stays still
You've reached such maturity and confidence that you can face difficulties calmly and help others; in the same way, you'll receive help from those above you.
Going: hardship. Coming: greatness. Good fortune. It is favorable to see the great person.
- The judgment of 19 Fleeting Success
A period of luck, fortune and well-being is coming. Make the most of it, because it will last only eight months; after that, conditions will change. If you can pay attention, read the signs and take care and precautions before the decline arrives, you won't avoid it, but you will lessen its effects while circumstances change.
Great success. Constancy is favorable. When the eighth month comes, misfortune.
- Line 1 of 19 Fleeting Success
If you join with the right people, you'll have support and backing when the decline comes.
Drawing near together. Constancy brings good fortune.
- Line 2 of 19 Fleeting Success
Recognizing that every situation is impermanent will let you move through each phase not from fear, but trusting that you have what you need to get through it.
Drawing near together. Good fortune; nothing that is not favorable.
- Line 3 of 19 Fleeting Success
Relying too much on favorable situations will lead you to inertia and loss. If you react early, you can recover.
Drawing near with sweetness. Nothing is favorable. Once grieved by it, no fault.
- Line 5 of 19 Fleeting Success
Surrounding yourself with capable collaborators and respecting what they do, encouraging their autonomy, will bring you a stable achievement.
Drawing near with wisdom: what befits the great ruler. Good fortune.
- The judgment of 39 Held Back
Every time you advance, something blocks you, forcing you to stop, step back, and look for help from like-minded people who give you their support. That way you'll get past the obstacles one by one until the final victory.
The southwest is favorable; the northeast is not. It is favorable to see the great person. Constancy brings good fortune.
The trigrams
The way back
39 Held Back → 19 Fleeting Successlines 1, 2, 3, and 5
Other transformations of Fleeting Success
- 62Success in Small Matterslines 1, 2, 3, and 4
- 45Meetinglines 1, 2, 4, and 5
- 28Excesseslines 1, 3, 4, and 5
- 49Renewallines 2, 3, 4, and 5
- 52Abidinglines 1, 2, 3, and 6
- 35Advancelines 1, 2, 4, and 6
- 50The Vessel of Nourishmentlines 1, 3, 4, and 6
- 30The Flamelines 2, 3, 4, and 6
- 20Observinglines 1, 2, 5, and 6
- 57Gentlenesslines 1, 3, 5, and 6
- 37The Tribelines 2, 3, 5, and 6
- 6Conflictlines 1, 4, 5, and 6
- 25Innocencelines 2, 4, 5, and 6
- 1Activitylines 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.