What this change means
Two mountains, one above the other: lines one, three, four and five move, and Innocence becomes 52 Abiding. What guides you here are the lines that don't move. The second says that right now you can only stop yourself in the right place; you can't make others do the same. The top line describes a deep stillness, an inner calm that lets you master what's outside, and success. The resulting hexagram speaks of staying centered, steady and calm, waiting for outside conditions to show when it's time to act. The thunder of Innocence goes quiet here. Its sincerity becomes the willingness to stop. Don't go beyond what the moment shows you, and don't spend energy trying to rein in other people. Settle your own movement, keep your thoughts in their place, and let calm do the work force can't.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- Line 2 of 52 Abiding, which stays still
Right now you can only see to stopping yourself in the right place; you can't make sure others do the same.
Still the calves. It cannot come to the aid of what it follows; the heart is not glad.
- Line 6 of 52 Abiding, which stays still
There's perfect stillness, an inner calm that lets you master what's outside. Success.
Deep stillness. Good fortune.
- 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 1 of 25 Innocence
Follow the way of the heart: it will always know what is right at each moment. This will lead you to success.
Without falseness. Going brings good fortune.
- Line 3 of 25 Innocence
Watch and act at the right time, because a good deed done at the wrong moment turns out badly.
An undeserved calamity: someone tied up an ox; the traveler takes it, and the calamity falls on the villagers.
- Line 4 of 25 Innocence
No one can take from you what belongs to you, so keep doing the right thing at the right time, and you'll reap the fruits.
Constancy is possible. No fault.
- Line 5 of 25 Innocence
If adverse things happen to you that aren't caused by your own negligence, don't worry: little by little things will straighten out until they're back on course.
An undeserved illness. Take no medicine: there will be joy.
- 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.
The trigrams
The way back
52 Abiding → 25 Innocencelines 1, 3, 4, and 5
Other transformations of Innocence
- 57Gentlenesslines 1, 2, 3, and 4
- 50The Vessel of Nourishmentlines 1, 2, 3, and 5
- 4Immaturitylines 1, 2, 4, and 5
- 26Great Achievementslines 2, 3, 4, and 5
- 28Excesseslines 1, 2, 3, and 6
- 29Waterlines 1, 2, 4, and 6
- 39Held Backlines 1, 3, 4, and 6
- 5Inactionlines 2, 3, 4, and 6
- 40Clearing Obstacleslines 1, 2, 5, and 6
- 62Success in Small Matterslines 1, 3, 5, and 6
- 34Great Manifestationlines 2, 3, 5, and 6
- 2Passivitylines 1, 4, 5, and 6
- 19Fleeting Successlines 2, 4, 5, and 6
- 36Darknesslines 3, 4, 5, and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.