What this change means
Only the top line moves, the retreat at ease. You stand where you can walk away from something that's finished, knowing it's right and without mourning. That freedom from regret is what brings success. Heaven above becomes Lake, a lake resting on the mountain, and the resulting hexagram, 31 Attraction, shows what that ease makes possible. When you stay open and receptive, people come close who will support you generously and without self-interest. A heavy, grieving exit would close that door; a light one keeps it open. So finish this chapter with calm conviction. Don't drag the past along, and don't fill the new space too quickly. Leave room, like an empty bowl, and see who and what comes to meet you.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- Line 6 of 33 Leaving Behind
You're in the right position to leave behind what has run its course. You can do it knowing it's right and without mourning the loss, and this will bring you great success.
A retreat at ease. Nothing that is not favorable.
- 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 31 Attraction
You'll get good results to the extent that you stay open and receptive, which lets people come close who will support you and help you get there, generously and without self-interest.
Success. Constancy is favorable. Taking a wife brings good fortune.
The trigrams
The way back
31 Attraction → 33 Leaving Behindline 6
Other transformations of Leaving Behind
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.