What this change means
Fire rises above the water as the fourth, fifth and top lines move: the whole upper trigram changes, and the crossing isn't finished yet. Water's judgment has carried you this far: barriers arrive in a row, and you pass them by staying in motion, sincere and unafraid. The resulting hexagram, 64 Transition, says things are coming together for success and larger projects, but some pieces still haven't fallen into place. Stay alert, because mistakes born of immaturity can pull you off course, even after you get what you want. Weighed together, these two say you're close to the far bank. Keep going, but carefully. Watch for the slip that comes from relief or haste near the end, or from hesitating once you've arrived. Tell things apart and put each in its place, as the image suggests, and finish the crossing with care.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- 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 64 Transition
Things are coming together so that success can arrive and you can take on great projects, but some things still haven't fallen into place. So stay alert, so you don't make mistakes born of immaturity, or you'll drift from your goals. This can happen even after you've gotten what you want: you stop, you hesitate, and mistakes happen.
Success. The little fox has nearly crossed and wets its tail. Nothing is favorable.
- 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.
- 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 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.
The trigrams
The way back
64 Transition → 29 Waterlines 4, 5, and 6
Other transformations of Water
- 63After the Endlines 1, 2, and 3
- 17Adaptinglines 1, 2, and 4
- 43Overflowinglines 1, 3, and 4
- 31Attractionlines 2, 3, and 4
- 24Coming Backlines 1, 2, and 5
- 11Well-Beinglines 1, 3, and 5
- 15Simplicitylines 2, 3, and 5
- 54A Subordinate Rolelines 1, 4, and 5
- 16Passionlines 2, 4, and 5
- 32What Lastslines 3, 4, and 5
- 42Increaselines 1, 2, and 6
- 9Small Thingslines 1, 3, and 6
- 53Gradual Progresslines 2, 3, and 6
- 10Treading Carefullylines 1, 4, and 6
- 12Declinelines 2, 4, and 6
- 44Lack of Firmnesslines 3, 4, and 6
- 41Decreaselines 1, 5, and 6
- 23The Falllines 2, 5, and 6
- 18Loss, Then Gainlines 3, 5, and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.