What this change means
Two lines in the lower trigram move, the first and the third, and the Water below turns into Heaven: inside the danger, a quiet strength gathers. The third line leads and tells you to stop, observe, and move only when you're sure of the outcome, asking for inner guidance along the way. The first line backs it up from below: charging on recklessly, blind to the circumstances, only sends you deeper into the pit. Both point to the same thing, and the resulting hexagram, 5 Inaction, makes it explicit. It's time to wait, not to act. But waiting here is active: you prepare for the period of action that's coming, look honestly at the conditions, and stay relaxed and alert enough to recognize the moment. What to watch for is the urge to prove yourself by moving. Calm preparation will get you farther than any leap you take now.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- Line 3 of 29 Water
It's time to stop, watch and act only when you're sure that moving forward will lead to success. Ask for inner guidance.
Coming and going: pit and pit. Danger, and depth besides. Entering the bottom of the pit. Do not act.
- Line 1 of 29 Water
You won't get results if you keep acting recklessly in the direction you're going, without watching outside circumstances.
Pit upon pit. Entering the bottom of the pit. Misfortune.
- 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 judgment of 5 Inaction
It's time to wait, not to act. Waiting doesn't mean standing still, though: it's a good time to prepare for the active period that's coming. A calm, relaxed attitude will lead you to success: look at the conditions without lying to yourself, and stay alert so you know when it's time to act. Destiny follows its own course.
There is sincere trust. Shining success. Constancy brings good fortune. It is favorable to cross the great river.
The trigrams
The way back
5 Inaction → 29 Waterlines 1 and 3
Other transformations of Water
- 3Initial Obstacleslines 1 and 2
- 39Held Backlines 2 and 3
- 58Inner Peacelines 1 and 4
- 45Meetinglines 2 and 4
- 28Excesseslines 3 and 4
- 19Fleeting Successlines 1 and 5
- 2Passivitylines 2 and 5
- 46Going Uplines 3 and 5
- 40Clearing Obstacleslines 4 and 5
- 61Inner Integritylines 1 and 6
- 20Observinglines 2 and 6
- 57Gentlenesslines 3 and 6
- 6Conflictlines 4 and 6
- 4Immaturitylines 5 and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.