What this change means
Water above the lake: the first, second and top lines change, and the wind over the earth becomes something measured and contained. Both judgments weigh the same. Attention comes before action in the starting hexagram, and it runs in two directions: toward the people you influence and toward the ones who influence you.
The resulting hexagram, 60 Thrift, asks you to conserve your time, energy and resources so you're ready for what's ahead, and able to meet challenges easily when they arrive. Together, they recommend observing carefully where your resources go. Watch what's worth your time and what isn't, and set clear limits. Others may take their cue from how you manage yourself. Watch for spending energy on things you haven't really looked at; measured use of what you have, guided by clear observation, is what prepares you for the challenges ahead.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- The judgment of 20 Observing
Observe before you act. Right now you're a source of inspiration for others, and at the same time you need to observe those who inspire you. This will let things unfold at the right moment, and perfectly.
Hands washed, the offering not yet made. There is sincere trust, solemn and grave.
- The judgment of 60 Thrift
It's a time to conserve your time, energy and resources so you're ready for what lies ahead. If you do, when challenges arrive you'll be prepared and will overcome them easily.
Success. Bitter measure cannot be kept up with constancy.
- Line 1 of 20 Observing
It doesn't help to stop at appearances when you observe something. Go beyond simple looking: connect the facts.
Looking like a child. For the petty person, no fault; for the noble person, distress.
- Line 2 of 20 Observing
If your perception is subjective, you'll stay on the surface and never reach the heart of the situation.
Peeking through a crack. A woman's constancy is favorable.
- Line 6 of 20 Observing
If you observe the laws that govern the world, the coming and going of things, you'll act wisely.
Contemplating their life. For the noble person, no fault.
The trigrams
The way back
60 Thrift → 20 Observinglines 1, 2, and 6
Other transformations of Observing
- 9Small Thingslines 1, 2, and 3
- 10Treading Carefullylines 1, 2, and 4
- 13Gathering with Equalslines 1, 3, and 4
- 44Lack of Firmnesslines 2, 3, and 4
- 41Decreaselines 1, 2, and 5
- 22Good Mannerslines 1, 3, and 5
- 18Loss, Then Gainlines 2, 3, and 5
- 21Bitinglines 1, 4, and 5
- 64Transitionlines 2, 4, and 5
- 56The Travelerlines 3, 4, and 5
- 63After the Endlines 1, 3, and 6
- 48Right Actionlines 2, 3, and 6
- 17Adaptinglines 1, 4, and 6
- 47Overwhelmedlines 2, 4, and 6
- 31Attractionlines 3, 4, and 6
- 24Coming Backlines 1, 5, and 6
- 7The Armylines 2, 5, and 6
- 15Simplicitylines 3, 5, and 6
- 16Passionlines 4, 5, and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.