What this change means
The lake drains when the third and fifth lines move: Water replaces Wind below, and Lake replaces Thunder above. The fifth line leads, saying your achievements now hinge on daring and on openness to new paths. The third line warns of what happens otherwise: when circumstances grow bigger than your dreams, they take power over you, and your steadiness gives way to shame. The resulting hexagram, 47 Overwhelmed, describes being hemmed in, with the wrong people around you and your words unheard. What remains is your inner light, and that's what to lean on. Don't spend yourself fighting the walls. Accept the squeeze for now, keep your projects alive inside, and look for any new opening you can step through boldly when it appears. Better conditions tend to come to those who don't let go of their center.
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 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- The judgment of 47 Overwhelmed
Things are very much against you: the wrong people surround you, no one believes what you say, and obstacles hem you in. All you can do is accept it and wait for better conditions to come. Your only resource is the inner light that lives in you; turn to that strength to hold you up right now.
Success. For the great person, constancy brings good fortune. No fault. They speak and are not believed.
The trigrams
The way back
47 Overwhelmed → 32 What Lastslines 3 and 5
Other transformations of What Lasts
- 55Abundancelines 1 and 2
- 54A Subordinate Rolelines 1 and 3
- 16Passionlines 2 and 3
- 11Well-Beinglines 1 and 4
- 15Simplicitylines 2 and 4
- 7The Armylines 3 and 4
- 43Overflowinglines 1 and 5
- 31Attractionlines 2 and 5
- 48Right Actionlines 4 and 5
- 14Wealthlines 1 and 6
- 56The Travelerlines 2 and 6
- 64Transitionlines 3 and 6
- 18Loss, Then Gainlines 4 and 6
- 44Lack of Firmnesslines 5 and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.