What this change means
The third and top lines move, and both Water trigrams soften into Wind; the hard, plunging current becomes a breeze that gets in everywhere. The top line leads: struggling to escape by doing things wrongly and siding with the wrong people only binds you tighter. The third line, sitting in the deepest danger, gives the alternative: stop, watch, and move forward only when you're sure, asking for inner guidance. The resulting hexagram, 57 Gentleness, confirms the tone. Gain comes through gentleness now, not through force or pressure. Pick a path and stay on it steadily; success builds up through small actions and through support from those above you, even when progress is hard to see. So drop the frantic search for an exit. Pause, choose wisely, and then move softly and persistently in one direction. That quiet steadiness can undo what struggling knotted up.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- Line 6 of 29 Water
Trying to escape the obstacles, you get more tangled if you keep doing things the wrong way and side with the wrong people.
Bound with braided cords, set among thorn thickets; three years and no way out. Misfortune.
- 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.
- 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 57 Gentleness
It's a time when you'll gain and succeed through gentleness. This isn't the time for big actions, or for using pressure or force. It's a time to choose a path and stay on it steadily. Even if you don't see much progress, success will show itself through the build-up of small actions and through seeking the support of those above you.
Small success. It is favorable to have somewhere to go. It is favorable to see the great person.
The trigrams
The way back
57 Gentleness → 29 Waterlines 3 and 6
Other transformations of Water
- 3Initial Obstacleslines 1 and 2
- 5Inactionlines 1 and 3
- 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
- 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.