What this change means
Heaven and earth fail to meet when lines one, two and five move: Lake sinks into Earth below while Fire rises to Heaven above, giving 12 Decline. With three lines moving, the reading weighs both judgments. In Opposites you live among people unlike yourself, and the most you can do is small, without surrendering who you are. The resulting hexagram describes adverse people and circumstances, a time unsuited to acting or deciding, and asks you to withdraw to a safe place and keep a low profile. Together they deepen the caution. The gap between you and those around you has widened into something less friendly. Don't get involved with people whose offers seem tempting but whose values aren't yours. Step back, protect your integrity, and wait. Conditions tend to change, and you'll want to be intact when they do.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- The judgment of 38 Opposites
You're in a situation of opposition: the people around you are different from you, yet you need to share with them. This means that what you can achieve for now is small. Even so, don't give in. It matters that both you and they keep your own nature and contribute from there to a shared project.
In small matters, good fortune.
- The judgment of 12 Decline
You're surrounded by adverse people and situations. Avoid getting involved with those people, no matter what they offer you. Circumstances aren't good for acting or making decisions; it's time to withdraw to a safe place and wait for conditions to change. It's time to keep a low profile.
Stagnation: these are not worthy people. The constancy of the noble person is not favorable. The great goes, the small comes.
- Line 1 of 38 Opposites
Don't try to join with anyone by force; it's important to recognize differences, however large. Even if someone close to you pulls away for a while, let them go: they'll come back on their own.
Regret vanishes. The horse is lost: do not chase it; it comes back by itself. Seeing wicked people: no fault.
- Line 2 of 38 Opposites
You can reach agreements with people like you whom you're not in touch with, using skillful means to bring those meetings about.
Meets their lord in a back lane. No fault.
- Line 5 of 38 Opposites
In the midst of opposites you'll find someone loyal whom you won't recognize at first, but they'll come to you and support you.
Regret vanishes. Their clan bites into tender flesh. Going: what fault could there be?
The trigrams
The way back
12 Decline → 38 Oppositeslines 1, 2, and 5
Other transformations of Opposites
- 56The Travelerlines 1, 2, and 3
- 23The Falllines 1, 2, and 4
- 18Loss, Then Gainlines 1, 3, and 4
- 22Good Mannerslines 2, 3, and 4
- 44Lack of Firmnesslines 1, 3, and 5
- 13Gathering with Equalslines 2, 3, and 5
- 59Release from Obstacleslines 1, 4, and 5
- 42Increaselines 2, 4, and 5
- 9Small Thingslines 3, 4, and 5
- 16Passionlines 1, 2, and 6
- 32What Lastslines 1, 3, and 6
- 55Abundancelines 2, 3, and 6
- 7The Armylines 1, 4, and 6
- 24Coming Backlines 2, 4, and 6
- 11Well-Beinglines 3, 4, and 6
- 47Overwhelmedlines 1, 5, and 6
- 17Adaptinglines 2, 5, and 6
- 43Overflowinglines 3, 5, and 6
- 60Thriftlines 4, 5, and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.