In practice
The judgment
It's a dark time: circumstances force you to live alongside the wrong people. If you know how to protect yourself, hold on to your integrity, and go unnoticed, without openly showing your light and your talents, you'll stay safe until better times come. However hard they seem, hard times pass too.
The poetry
The Wounded Light
Constancy in hardship is favorable.
The image
Light goes down into the earth: the wounded light. So the noble person oversees the many: they make use of the dark, and are bright.
The lines
- Line 6上六
If you keep persevering, quietly and without drawing attention, the bad situations and the people behind them will fall under their own weight.
No light, darkness. First it climbs to heaven; later it goes into the earth.
- Line 5六五
For now you can't withdraw to better circumstances, so you have to stay where you are, with your mind fixed on your goal and a low profile so you don't draw attention.
The wounded light of Jizi. Constancy is favorable.
- Line 4六四
You'll be allowed to see the causes of the hard situations you're facing. This will help you act quickly and withdraw to safe ground before adversity takes complete control.
It enters the left side of the belly; it reaches the heart of the wounded light and goes out through the courtyard gate.
- Line 3九三
A small stroke of luck lets you move forward, but the obstacles aren't overcome yet, so don't celebrate too soon. Stay alert until they're fully defeated.
The wounded light on the southern hunt: the great chief is taken. Constancy must not be hurried.
- Line 2六二
Difficulties are growing and circumstances affect you directly, but your firm resolve, acting for a greater good, and contributing as you're able will lead you to victory.
The wounded light: wounded in the left thigh. Rescued with a strong horse. Good fortune.
- Line 1初九
Trying to move ahead right now will only show you obstacles. Keep persevering on the right path, the one your heart moves you along, without straying from your goal and advancing as far as you can.
The wounded light, in flight, lowers its wings. The noble person is on the road: three days without eating. There is somewhere to go; the host grumbles.
Its 63 transformations
Depending on which lines move in your cast, Darkness turns into another hexagram. Pick the lines from your cast.
One moving line
6
Two moving lines
15
- 46Going Uplines 1 and 2
- 2Passivitylines 1 and 3
- 19Fleeting Successlines 2 and 3
- 62Success in Small Matterslines 1 and 4
- 34Great Manifestationlines 2 and 4
- 51Shocklines 3 and 4
- 39Held Backlines 1 and 5
- 5Inactionlines 2 and 5
- 3Initial Obstacleslines 3 and 5
- 49Renewallines 4 and 5
- 52Abidinglines 1 and 6
- 26Great Achievementslines 2 and 6
- 27Nourishmentlines 3 and 6
- 30The Flamelines 4 and 6
- 37The Tribelines 5 and 6
Three moving lines
20
- 7The Armylines 1, 2, and 3
- 32What Lastslines 1, 2, and 4
- 16Passionlines 1, 3, and 4
- 54A Subordinate Rolelines 2, 3, and 4
- 48Right Actionlines 1, 2, and 5
- 8Unionlines 1, 3, and 5
- 60Thriftlines 2, 3, and 5
- 31Attractionlines 1, 4, and 5
- 43Overflowinglines 2, 4, and 5
- 17Adaptinglines 3, 4, and 5
- 18Loss, Then Gainlines 1, 2, and 6
- 23The Falllines 1, 3, and 6
- 41Decreaselines 2, 3, and 6
- 56The Travelerlines 1, 4, and 6
- 14Wealthlines 2, 4, and 6
- 21Bitinglines 3, 4, and 6
- 53Gradual Progresslines 1, 5, and 6
- 9Small Thingslines 2, 5, and 6
- 42Increaselines 3, 5, and 6
- 13Gathering with Equalslines 4, 5, and 6
Four moving lines
15
- 40Clearing Obstacleslines 1, 2, 3, and 4
- 29Waterlines 1, 2, 3, and 5
- 28Excesseslines 1, 2, 4, and 5
- 45Meetinglines 1, 3, 4, and 5
- 58Inner Peacelines 2, 3, 4, and 5
- 4Immaturitylines 1, 2, 3, and 6
- 50The Vessel of Nourishmentlines 1, 2, 4, and 6
- 35Advancelines 1, 3, 4, and 6
- 38Oppositeslines 2, 3, 4, and 6
- 57Gentlenesslines 1, 2, 5, and 6
- 20Observinglines 1, 3, 5, and 6
- 61Inner Integritylines 2, 3, 5, and 6
- 33Leaving Behindlines 1, 4, 5, and 6
- 1Activitylines 2, 4, 5, and 6
- 25Innocencelines 3, 4, 5, and 6
Five moving lines
6
All six lines moving
1
The classical text
明夷：利艱貞。
象曰：明入地中，明夷；君子以蒞眾，用晦而明。
初九：明夷于飛，垂其翼。君子于行，三日不食，有攸往，主人有言。
六二：明夷，夷于左股，用拯馬壯，吉。
九三：明夷于南狩，得其大首，不可疾貞。
六四：入于左腹，獲明夷之心，于出門庭。
六五：箕子之明夷，利貞。
上六：不明晦，初登于天，後入于地。
Related hexagrams
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.