What this change means
Thunder breaks over the lower Water as the fourth and fifth lines move: the storm releases what the pit held. The fifth line leads. Its image is a pit brimming exactly level, never spilling, and its counsel is to choose the easiest route and keep walking toward your aim, one stride after another. The fourth line supports it with an image of modest help, a plain offering passed through a window, which is what makes the difference now. The resulting hexagram, 40 Clearing Obstacles, confirms the direction: the obstacles are being overcome one by one. It asks for balance, acting quickly and decisively where you can, without overrating yourself, and taking a rest or a step back if you need one. So the way is opening. Accept small help, keep to the easy path, and move with energy, but don't burn yourself out in the relief of finally being free.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- Line 5 of 29 Water
You'll get out of the obstacles now if you follow the path of least resistance and, step by step, head toward your goal.
The pit does not overflow; it fills just to the level. No fault.
- Line 4 of 29 Water
Obstacles will be overcome now only if you open up to help that seems minor but will make the difference.
A jug of wine, a bowl of grain besides, in clay vessels. The simple offering passes in through the window. In the end, no fault.
- 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 40 Clearing Obstacles
The obstacles have been overcome one by one. You're in a time when balance matters: act quickly and decisively as far as you can, without overrating your abilities. If you feel you need a rest, or even to step back before going on, do it.
The southwest is favorable. With nowhere to go, coming back brings good fortune. With somewhere to go, going early brings good fortune.
The trigrams
The way back
40 Clearing Obstacles → 29 Waterlines 4 and 5
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
- 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.