What this change means
Both trigrams turn to water as the third and fourth lines move, and the beam sits over a run of hazards. The fourth line leads: the ridgepole can rise with help from those below, if you keep giving and receiving in balance rather than using people. The third shows the opposite, the beam sagging when you act hastily and won't listen, until nobody wants to help. The resulting hexagram, 29 Water, describes obstacles that keep coming, one after another, which you can pass if you keep moving like a stream instead of freezing in fear. The difference between the two lines is who stays with you through the hazards. Listen to advice, accept support, and give back. Then keep going, steadily, without rushing and without stopping. Fear and stubbornness are what would leave you stuck.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- Line 4 of 28 Excesses
You can receive help from those under you now, but if you take advantage of it and there's no balance between giving and receiving, they'll withdraw their support and there will be loss.
The ridgepole rises. Good fortune. If there is something else, distress.
- Line 3 of 28 Excesses
Acting hastily and not listening to advice will lead you to loss, because in the end no one will want to help you.
The ridgepole sags. Misfortune.
- The judgment of 28 Excesses
You're in a situation that calls for extraordinary measures to keep what you've achieved from collapsing. Check and strengthen the foundations that hold up your projects, take innovative action and step out of your comfort zone. That way your success is assured; otherwise, loss can't be avoided.
The ridgepole sags. It is favorable to have somewhere to go. Success.
- The judgment of 29 Water
Just as a stream moves through obstacles and gets past them, following its course without stagnating, you're at a time when obstacles will come one after another, but you'll get past them if you can keep moving. Letting fear paralyze you will only leave you stuck.
There is sincere trust. Only the heart gets through. Going earns esteem.
The trigrams
The way back
29 Water → 28 Excesseslines 3 and 4
Other transformations of Excesses
- 49Renewallines 1 and 2
- 58Inner Peacelines 1 and 3
- 45Meetinglines 2 and 3
- 5Inactionlines 1 and 4
- 39Held Backlines 2 and 4
- 34Great Manifestationlines 1 and 5
- 62Success in Small Matterslines 2 and 5
- 40Clearing Obstacleslines 3 and 5
- 46Going Uplines 4 and 5
- 1Activitylines 1 and 6
- 33Leaving Behindlines 2 and 6
- 6Conflictlines 3 and 6
- 57Gentlenesslines 4 and 6
- 50The Vessel of Nourishmentlines 5 and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.