Transformation · line 2
Observing becomes Release from Obstacles
What this change means
Moving alone, the second line turns the earth below into water, and the scene under the wind begins to flow and scatter. This line is about the limits of a personal viewpoint. If you only see through your own preferences and fears, you'll stay on the surface and never reach the heart of what's happening. It's like peering through a narrow crack and taking it for the whole room.
The resulting hexagram, 59 Release from Obstacles, says you can free yourself from what holds you back by acting sincerely and bringing opposites together around shared goals, and that the tension comes from selfishness. That links neatly to the line. A self-centered view is itself an obstacle; widening it dissolves friction. Ask how others see the situation, and test your assumptions. Watch for mistaking your own angle for the truth; humility in how you look is what lets things start moving again.
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 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.
- 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 59 Release from Obstacles
You can free yourself from the obstacles that hold you back if you're able to act sincerely and bring opposites together around shared goals. The tension has arisen because selfishness rules. To move forward, be humble and let the current carry you rather than going against it.
Success. The king goes to his temple. It is favorable to cross the great river. Constancy is favorable.
The trigrams
The way back
59 Release from Obstacles → 20 Observingline 2
Other transformations of Observing
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.