Transformation · lines 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6
Coming Back becomes Gentleness
What this change means
Five lines move, and only the fourth stays, as Coming Back becomes 57 Gentleness, wind following wind. That still fourth line of the resulting hexagram is the guide: you have what the situation calls for, so move ahead at a pace that's neither hurried nor slow, and success tends to follow. The resulting hexagram adds that gains now come through gentleness rather than force: choose a path and keep to it steadily, building through small actions and the support of people above you. That suits a return well. You don't need a dramatic gesture. You need steady movement in a chosen direction, with the right pace. Begin now, without rushing, and keep going. Progress may be quiet for a while, but it accumulates.
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 57 Gentleness, which stays still
You're able to act as the situation requires, so go ahead, without haste but without delay, and you'll succeed.
Regret vanishes. In the hunt, three kinds of game are taken.
- The judgment of 24 Coming Back
After a period of adversity and darkness, the return comes. Still, be aware of the mistakes that led you into the dark, because if you repeat them you could fall again. People will come to help you, and your undertakings and projects will be favored.
Success. Going out and coming in without harm; friends arrive, no fault. Back and forth along its way: in seven days comes the return. It is favorable to have somewhere to go.
- Line 1 of 24 Coming Back
Success lies in doing things at the perfect time: watch the signs and act on them.
Returning from not far, without coming to regret. Great good fortune.
- Line 2 of 24 Coming Back
Surrounding yourself with the right people right now will bring success.
A restful return. Good fortune.
- Line 3 of 24 Coming Back
If you act with insecurity, going forward and back and repeating past mistakes, you'll stray from the path and from right action.
Returning again and again. Danger; no fault.
- Line 5 of 24 Coming Back
Acting without delay, recognizing past mistakes and correcting them, will lead you to sure success.
A generous return. No regret.
- Line 6 of 24 Coming Back
If you let opportunities slip by and don't act at the right moment, it will no longer be possible to put things back in order, and you'll have to wait for new options to appear, which may take some time.
A lost return. Misfortune; there is calamity and ruin. If armies are set marching, in the end there will be a great defeat that reaches the ruler of the country. Misfortune. Not for ten years can a campaign be undertaken.
- The judgment of 57 Gentleness
It's a time when you'll gain and succeed through gentleness. This isn't the time for big actions, or for using pressure or force. It's a time to choose a path and stay on it steadily. Even if you don't see much progress, success will show itself through the build-up of small actions and through seeking the support of those above you.
Small success. It is favorable to have somewhere to go. It is favorable to see the great person.
The trigrams
The way back
57 Gentleness → 24 Coming Backlines 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6
Other transformations of Coming Back
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.