What this change means
The whole upper trigram turns to Heaven, and thunder now moves beneath the sky: Coming Back becomes 25 Innocence. With three lines moving, the judgments are equal partners. The first speaks of returning after darkness, with help and favored projects, provided you stay aware of the mistakes that led you there. The second says that acting with a pure heart, free of hidden motives and true to what's right, lets heaven's blessings reach you, while anything else brings obstacles. Together they set a condition on the return. It works when your motives are clean. If you're coming back with an angle, a score to settle or something to hide, expect trouble. If you're coming back simply because it's right, things tend to open on their own.
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 25 Innocence
If you act with a pure heart, free of hidden motives and without straying from what is right, true to original human nature, you'll let the blessings of heaven reach you. Otherwise you'll meet obstacles and your affairs will become difficult.
Great success. Constancy is favorable. If it is not upright, there is calamity. It is not favorable to have somewhere to go.
- 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.
- 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
25 Innocence → 24 Coming Backlines 4, 5, 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
- 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
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.