Transformation · lines 1, 4, and 5
The Flame becomes Gradual Progress
What this change means
A tree grows on a mountain once the first, fourth and fifth lines move, and the quick flame gives way to slow growth. Your starting point is the bright double light: clarity, an inner self that guides you, and a generous wish to share what you see. The resulting hexagram, 53 Gradual Progress, adds patience. Progress comes in stages that make it stable and lasting, and trying to speed it up only brings delays. Weighed side by side, these two say: keep your clarity, but give it time to take root. Fire spreads fast; trees don't. Watch for the excitement that wants everything at once. Take one rung at a time, keep your conduct worthy, as the image says of the noble person improving customs, and let your light build something that holds.
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 30 The Flame
There's clarity in what you do: your inner self guides you toward your goals. A generous attitude helps you, one that leads you to share your light, and this will increase your gains and achievements.
Constancy is favorable. Success. Raising a cow brings good fortune.
- The judgment of 53 Gradual Progress
You'll make progress, and it will come step by step, gradually, through stages that make it lasting and stable. Trying to speed things up will bring delays and obstacles. Keep at it, one rung at a time.
The woman goes to be married: good fortune. Constancy is favorable.
- Line 1 of 30 The Flame
Right now it's important to stay calm and focused on your projects, without getting swept up in the noise around you.
Footsteps crossing every which way. With reverence, no fault.
- Line 4 of 30 The Flame
A quick rise, unless your inner strength and steadiness feed it, will be short-lived.
Suddenly, so it comes: blazing, dying, cast away.
- Line 5 of 30 The Flame
After a rise, expect a decline. If you stand firm and understand that this is life's natural rhythm, you'll recover.
Tears pouring down in streams, sighs of sorrow. Good fortune.
The trigrams
The way back
53 Gradual Progress → 30 The Flamelines 1, 4, and 5
Other transformations of The Flame
- 64Transitionlines 1, 2, and 3
- 18Loss, Then Gainlines 1, 2, and 4
- 23The Falllines 1, 3, and 4
- 41Decreaselines 2, 3, and 4
- 44Lack of Firmnesslines 1, 2, and 5
- 12Declinelines 1, 3, and 5
- 10Treading Carefullylines 2, 3, and 5
- 9Small Thingslines 2, 4, and 5
- 42Increaselines 3, 4, and 5
- 32What Lastslines 1, 2, and 6
- 16Passionlines 1, 3, and 6
- 54A Subordinate Rolelines 2, 3, and 6
- 15Simplicitylines 1, 4, and 6
- 11Well-Beinglines 2, 4, and 6
- 24Coming Backlines 3, 4, and 6
- 31Attractionlines 1, 5, and 6
- 43Overflowinglines 2, 5, and 6
- 17Adaptinglines 3, 5, and 6
- 63After the Endlines 4, 5, and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.