What this change means
Water spreads over the earth when the four middle lines move, and What Lasts becomes 8 Union. Success now lies in joining with people aligned with your project who can support you, and in having the qualities to carry it out yourself. With four lines moving, the resulting hexagram's unchanging lines are the guide. The first offers reassurance: the right help will come. The top line adds a warning: if you delay in looking for allies, you may notice your need only when it's too late to meet it. So don't try to last on your own. Reach out now, while there's time, to people who share your direction. Let the help you need find you, but meet it halfway. Constancy works best when others are walking alongside you.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- Line 1 of 8 Union, which stays still
The right help will come.
There is sincere trust: join with them. No fault. Sincere trust fills the earthen jar; in the end something more arrives. Good fortune.
- Line 6 of 8 Union, which stays still
If you're slow to seek alliances, by the time you realize you need help it will be too late.
Joining with no head. Misfortune.
- The judgment of 32 What Lasts
This moment asks you for action, not stillness. It asks you to have clear goals to head toward and to act in line with them. That way you'll achieve things, and your achievements will keep growing and will last.
Success. No fault. Constancy is favorable. It is favorable to have somewhere to go.
- Line 2 of 32 What Lasts
Right now your enthusiasm and passion are greater than outside circumstances. Staying that way will gradually overcome the stillness and move you toward success.
Regret vanishes.
- Line 3 of 32 What Lasts
If you let outside circumstances grow bigger than your dreams and projects, they'll end up gaining power over you.
Not making one's virtue last; perhaps shame will follow. Constancy brings distress.
- Line 4 of 32 What Lasts
Motivation and enthusiasm aren't all you need to achieve something; you also need to find the places where those dreams can flourish.
No game in the field.
- Line 5 of 32 What Lasts
Right now your achievements will depend on your ability to be bold and open yourself to new paths.
Making one's virtue last, with constancy. For the wife, good fortune; for the husband, misfortune.
- The judgment of 8 Union
Right now success lies in joining with people who are aligned with your project and who are a support for you. But it's important that you, too, have the qualities needed to carry it out; that's why you can toss the coins once more to find out whether you have those qualities.
Good fortune. Consult the oracle again: great and lasting constancy. No fault. The restless come from every side. The one who comes late: misfortune.
The trigrams
The way back
8 Union → 32 What Lastslines 2, 3, 4, and 5
Other transformations of What Lasts
- 24Coming Backlines 1, 2, 3, and 4
- 17Adaptinglines 1, 2, 3, and 5
- 63After the Endlines 1, 2, 4, and 5
- 60Thriftlines 1, 3, 4, and 5
- 21Bitinglines 1, 2, 3, and 6
- 22Good Mannerslines 1, 2, 4, and 6
- 41Decreaselines 1, 3, 4, and 6
- 23The Falllines 2, 3, 4, and 6
- 13Gathering with Equalslines 1, 2, 5, and 6
- 10Treading Carefullylines 1, 3, 5, and 6
- 12Declinelines 2, 3, 5, and 6
- 9Small Thingslines 1, 4, 5, and 6
- 53Gradual Progresslines 2, 4, 5, and 6
- 59Release from Obstacleslines 3, 4, 5, and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.