Transformation · line 2
Good Manners becomes Great Achievements
What this change means
A beard is adornment that grows with the face it belongs to. When the second line moves, attention goes to that link between form and substance. Focus on what's essential, and pair it with good manners; together they bring achievement. Courtesy alone would be decoration, and substance without grace can come across as rough. With the lower Fire becoming Heaven, Good Manners turns into 26 Great Achievements, heaven held inside the mountain. The resulting hexagram opens a wider door than the starting one usually allows. It says this is a good moment to step outside your comfort zone and try something beyond what you think you can do, because you have the qualities it takes. Start from the essential, present it well, and let the ambition grow from there.
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 22 Good Manners
Pay attention to what is essential; combining it with good manners will bring you achievement.
Adorning the beard.
- The judgment of 22 Good Manners
It's a time to be kind and courteous and to use good manners with others if you want good results in what you undertake. What might seem superficial at another time leads you to success now. It's a time to handle everyday matters, not great undertakings.
Success. In small things, it is favorable to have somewhere to go.
- The judgment of 26 Great Achievements
It's a good moment to leave your comfort zone and take on new actions, beyond what you think you can do. Heaven favors unusual actions that will lead you to success, because you have the qualities needed.
Constancy is favorable. Not eating at home brings good fortune. It is favorable to cross the great river.
The trigrams
The way back
26 Great Achievements → 22 Good Mannersline 2
Other transformations of Good Manners
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.