What this change means
Thunder wakes under Heaven where the mountain stood, and the movement of the first and third lines asks you to be honest about why you're still here. The third line leads: you're leaving, yet circumstances tempt you to stay, and that tether costs you. Find a few allies if you need them, because alone you'll make little headway. The first line adds that lingering at the rear of a retreat is dangerous; this isn't the moment to start anything new on a road that's closing. The resulting hexagram, 25 Innocence, sets the measure. Act with a pure heart, without hidden motives, and without straying from what's right, and the way tends to open. If you stay for reasons you wouldn't admit, obstacles multiply. Be clear with yourself, pull back quickly, and let your motives be simple.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- Line 3 of 33 Leaving Behind
If, just as you're leaving something behind, you still let circumstances tempt you to stay, you'll need to find allies to make even a little progress.
A tethered retreat. There is sickness, danger. Keeping servants and maids: good fortune.
- Line 1 of 33 Leaving Behind
In hard times, when retreat can't be avoided, you'll suffer losses if you don't pull back quickly and actively and still hope to get something out of that road.
Retreating at the tail. Danger. Having somewhere to go is of no use yet.
- The judgment of 33 Leaving Behind
Leaving a path behind or stepping back right now isn't a bad thing. On the contrary, it will help you recover your strength and think carefully about the situation and how to set it right. Sometimes what looks like a loss turns into a gain, if you can let go of what isn't good for you and then pick up again in the right direction.
Success. In small things, constancy is favorable.
- The judgment of 25 Innocence
If you act with a pure heart, free of hidden motives and without straying from what is right, true to original human nature, you'll let the blessings of heaven reach you. Otherwise you'll meet obstacles and your affairs will become difficult.
Great success. Constancy is favorable. If it is not upright, there is calamity. It is not favorable to have somewhere to go.
The trigrams
The way back
25 Innocence → 33 Leaving Behindlines 1 and 3
Other transformations of Leaving Behind
- 1Activitylines 1 and 2
- 6Conflictlines 2 and 3
- 37The Tribelines 1 and 4
- 57Gentlenesslines 2 and 4
- 20Observinglines 3 and 4
- 30The Flamelines 1 and 5
- 50The Vessel of Nourishmentlines 2 and 5
- 35Advancelines 3 and 5
- 52Abidinglines 4 and 5
- 49Renewallines 1 and 6
- 28Excesseslines 2 and 6
- 45Meetinglines 3 and 6
- 39Held Backlines 4 and 6
- 62Success in Small Matterslines 5 and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.