What this change means
Mountain joined to mountain: when the first, third and top lines move, Coming Back becomes 52 Abiding. Both judgments weigh the same. Coming Back sees help arriving once the dark stretch ends, provided its causes aren't forgotten. The resulting judgment calls for stillness: staying centered and steady, waiting calmly for outer conditions to show when it's time to act, and not going beyond what's happening now. The thunder that wanted to rise is asked to rest. That can be wise. A return rushed in excitement can repeat old errors, while one held in calm attention tends to land well. Pause. Settle your thoughts. Let the situation reveal its timing, and keep your mind from wandering ahead of where you actually are.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- 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.
- The judgment of 52 Abiding
It's a time of stillness, of staying centered and steady: that's the best way forward in your present situation. Sometimes you need to stop, calm and confident, and wait for outer conditions to show you it's time to act. Don't go beyond what's happening now. There's no action, only a harmonious stillness, and staying that way brings success.
Still at the back; the body is not reached. Walking in the courtyard; its people are not seen. No fault.
- 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 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 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 trigrams
The way back
52 Abiding → 24 Coming Backlines 1, 3, and 6
Other transformations of Coming Back
- 46Going Uplines 1, 2, and 3
- 40Clearing Obstacleslines 1, 2, and 4
- 62Success in Small Matterslines 1, 3, and 4
- 34Great Manifestationlines 2, 3, and 4
- 29Waterlines 1, 2, and 5
- 39Held Backlines 1, 3, and 5
- 5Inactionlines 2, 3, and 5
- 45Meetinglines 1, 4, and 5
- 58Inner Peacelines 2, 4, and 5
- 49Renewallines 3, 4, and 5
- 4Immaturitylines 1, 2, and 6
- 26Great Achievementslines 2, 3, and 6
- 35Advancelines 1, 4, and 6
- 38Oppositeslines 2, 4, and 6
- 30The Flamelines 3, 4, and 6
- 20Observinglines 1, 5, and 6
- 61Inner Integritylines 2, 5, and 6
- 37The Tribelines 3, 5, and 6
- 25Innocencelines 4, 5, and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.