What this change means
Fire in the middle of the lake: four lines move, the first, third, fourth and top, and the quiet gaze of the starting hexagram turns into the shedding of a skin. The two still lines of 49 Renewal carry the reading. The second says that when you've tried several things and nothing works, it's time for radical change. The fifth says the renewal will unfold on its own, led by a higher will that points out how to act.
Your observation has shown you what isn't working. Now act on it. Let go of the attempts that keep failing and allow a deeper change to begin, trusting that the way will become clear as you go. Watch for repeating the same fixes out of habit; and when the change starts, don't force its shape, since this movement suggests it tends to find its own natural course.
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 49 Renewal, which stays still
When you've tried several things to solve something and nothing works, it's time for radical change.
When the day has come, the change is made. Setting out brings good fortune. No fault.
- Line 5 of 49 Renewal, which stays still
Renewal will come naturally, guided by a higher will that shows you the way to act.
The great person changes like the tiger. Before any divining, there is sincere trust.
- 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.
- 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 3 of 20 Observing
Observing yourself, along with the signs coming from outside, will give you a full view of the situation and let you decide whether to advance or pull back.
Contemplating my own life: advancing or withdrawing.
- Line 4 of 20 Observing
You can look at things with wisdom and bring light where there is darkness. This will bring you recognition.
Contemplating the light of the kingdom. It is favorable to be the king's guest.
- 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 judgment of 49 Renewal
You're in a time of renewal, like shedding a skin. Open yourself to change and to new ways of doing things. Success lies in taking each step at exactly the right moment, and in weighing what needs to change and what doesn't, what is no longer doing its job. Don't be afraid to let it go: you need to make room for the new to arrive.
When the day has come, there is trust. Great success. Constancy is favorable. Regret vanishes.
The trigrams
The way back
49 Renewal → 20 Observinglines 1, 3, 4, and 6
Other transformations of Observing
- 1Activitylines 1, 2, 3, and 4
- 26Great Achievementslines 1, 2, 3, and 5
- 38Oppositeslines 1, 2, 4, and 5
- 30The Flamelines 1, 3, 4, and 5
- 50The Vessel of Nourishmentlines 2, 3, 4, and 5
- 5Inactionlines 1, 2, 3, and 6
- 58Inner Peacelines 1, 2, 4, and 6
- 28Excesseslines 2, 3, 4, and 6
- 19Fleeting Successlines 1, 2, 5, and 6
- 36Darknesslines 1, 3, 5, and 6
- 46Going Uplines 2, 3, 5, and 6
- 51Shocklines 1, 4, 5, and 6
- 40Clearing Obstacleslines 2, 4, 5, and 6
- 62Success in Small Matterslines 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.