What this change means
Thunder moves under heaven: the top four lines move, the third through the sixth. Of 25 Innocence, the resulting hexagram, the first two lines are still, and both turn you toward simplicity. The first says to follow the way of the heart, which knows what's right in each moment. The second says success comes from doing your work without an eye on what it will earn you. Coming from Darkness, after a time of calculation and self-protection, this asks you to let go of strategy and act from a pure heart. Do the work for its own sake. Watch for hidden motives creeping in out of habit. When your actions are honest and unconditional, good things find their way to 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 25 Innocence, which stays still
Follow the way of the heart: it will always know what is right at each moment. This will lead you to success.
Without falseness. Going brings good fortune.
- Line 2 of 25 Innocence, which stays still
Doing your work without thinking about what you'll get from it is the way to succeed.
Not plowing with the harvest in mind, not clearing land with the ripe field in mind: then it is favorable to have somewhere to go.
- The judgment of 36 Darkness
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.
Constancy in hardship is favorable.
- Line 3 of 36 Darkness
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 4 of 36 Darkness
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 5 of 36 Darkness
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 6 of 36 Darkness
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.
- 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 → 36 Darknesslines 3, 4, 5, and 6
Other transformations of Darkness
- 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
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.