Transformation · lines 2, 3, 4, and 5
Innocence becomes Great Achievements
What this change means
Thunder rises into Heaven while Heaven above becomes Mountain: lines two through five move, and Innocence turns into 26 Great Achievements. Read the two lines that stay put. The first says to wait before acting for now, since haste won't go well. The top line says everything is in your favor and help comes from heaven. The resulting hexagram invites you to step out of your comfort zone and take on unusual actions, because you have the qualities to succeed. The two still lines set the order. First hold back and gather yourself; then act boldly. Use the waiting to store up strength and to learn from what others have done before you. Keep your motives as clean as Innocence asks. When the time ripens, the larger move tends to find support.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- Line 1 of 26 Great Achievements, which stays still
Wait before acting for now; acting hastily won't turn out well.
There is danger. It is favorable to stop.
- Line 6 of 26 Great Achievements, which stays still
Everything is in your favor right now; success is assured. You'll receive help from Heaven.
How wide the roads of heaven. Success.
- 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 2 of 25 Innocence
Doing your work without thinking about what you'll get from it is the way to succeed.
Not plowing with the harvest in mind, not clearing land with the ripe field in mind: then it is favorable to have somewhere to go.
- 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 26 Great Achievements
It's a good moment to leave your comfort zone and take on new actions, beyond what you think you can do. Heaven favors unusual actions that will lead you to success, because you have the qualities needed.
Constancy is favorable. Not eating at home brings good fortune. It is favorable to cross the great river.
The trigrams
The way back
26 Great Achievements → 25 Innocencelines 2, 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
- 52Abidinglines 1, 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.