What this change means
Two middle lines move, the third and fourth, and the figure becomes 56 The Traveler, fire burning on the mountain. The fourth line leads with a warning: adversity is advancing and may touch you directly, even physically, so take real care of yourself. The third offers the resource for it: turning to spiritual and inner help keeps the worst away, and in this stripping there's no fault. The resulting hexagram suggests you may be moving through unfamiliar ground, a change of place or circumstance that asks you to adapt. Travel light. Let go of attachments that weigh you down, be gracious with the people you meet, and settle for small achievements while your situation takes hold. You don't need to own this place, only to pass through it safely, carrying your inner center with you.
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 23 The Fall
Adversity is advancing; even your body may be affected.
The bed is stripped down to the skin. Misfortune.
- Line 3 of 23 The Fall
Turning to spiritual resources and inner help will keep adversity away.
Stripping. No fault.
- The judgment of 23 The Fall
It's a time of obstacles and difficulties when, even if you're right, your words aren't believed. Lesser people who misuse power are on the rise, and you could become their victim. Recognizing this time without trying to push ahead, and being generous and giving toward those beneath you, will help you hold on while circumstances change.
It is not favorable to have somewhere to go.
- The judgment of 56 The Traveler
It's a time of small achievements. Keep a light, flexible attitude. You may be facing a period of change, new places or situations that ask you to adapt while they settle: let go of attachments and be gracious as you make new connections and your situation takes hold.
Small success. For the traveler, constancy brings good fortune.
The trigrams
The way back
56 The Traveler → 23 The Falllines 3 and 4
Other transformations of The Fall
- 41Decreaselines 1 and 2
- 22Good Mannerslines 1 and 3
- 18Loss, Then Gainlines 2 and 3
- 21Bitinglines 1 and 4
- 64Transitionlines 2 and 4
- 42Increaselines 1 and 5
- 59Release from Obstacleslines 2 and 5
- 53Gradual Progresslines 3 and 5
- 12Declinelines 4 and 5
- 24Coming Backlines 1 and 6
- 7The Armylines 2 and 6
- 15Simplicitylines 3 and 6
- 16Passionlines 4 and 6
- 8Unionlines 5 and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.