What this change means
Fire burns in the middle of the lake once the third, fourth and fifth lines change, and Coming Back becomes 49 Renewal. The two judgments carry the same weight. The return asks you to come back from darkness while remembering the mistakes that took you there, and it says help will come. The resulting one speaks of shedding a skin: opening to change and new ways of doing things, taking each step at the right moment, and weighing what has to change and what doesn't. Together they suggest that the return is not a going back to how things were. Some of what led you into the dark needs to go for good. Let it go without fear. Change what's no longer working, keep what still serves, and make room for the new.
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 49 Renewal
You're in a time of renewal, like shedding a skin. Open yourself to change and to new ways of doing things. Success lies in taking each step at exactly the right moment, and in weighing what needs to change and what doesn't, what is no longer doing its job. Don't be afraid to let it go: you need to make room for the new to arrive.
When the day has come, there is trust. Great success. Constancy is favorable. Regret vanishes.
- 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 4 of 24 Coming Back
If you notice who the people around you really are and step away from those you see aren't right, even if you're left without company for a while, you'll find guidance and help.
Walking in the middle of the others, returning alone.
- 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.
The trigrams
The way back
49 Renewal → 24 Coming Backlines 3, 4, and 5
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
- 4Immaturitylines 1, 2, and 6
- 52Abidinglines 1, 3, 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.