What this change means
The whole lower trigram moves, and the Mountain becomes Lake: the hard ground under the water turns into a basin that can hold it. With three lines changing, the two judgments carry equal weight. Held Back describes a road where every step forward meets a block, so you stop, step back, and look for support from like-minded people, getting past obstacles one at a time. The resulting hexagram, 60 Thrift, asks you to measure your time, energy, and resources so you're ready for what comes next. Together they suggest a practical course. Don't spend yourself hurling against the obstacle. Save what you have, accept help from people who share your aims, and set limits on how much effort you put in at any moment. A lake keeps water because it has edges. If you keep yours, the challenges ahead will find you prepared, and the passage tends to come more easily.
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 39 Held Back
Every time you advance, something blocks you, forcing you to stop, step back, and look for help from like-minded people who give you their support. That way you'll get past the obstacles one by one until the final victory.
The southwest is favorable; the northeast is not. It is favorable to see the great person. Constancy brings good fortune.
- The judgment of 60 Thrift
It's a time to conserve your time, energy and resources so you're ready for what lies ahead. If you do, when challenges arrive you'll be prepared and will overcome them easily.
Success. Bitter measure cannot be kept up with constancy.
- Line 1 of 39 Held Back
A strategic retreat in the face of obstacles will help you reflect, come up with new strategies, and act when conditions are right.
Going: hardship. Coming: praise.
- Line 2 of 39 Held Back
It's time to face the difficulties, which seem to grow as you advance. Still, if your actions go hand in hand with inner integrity, you'll succeed in the end.
The king's servant, in hardship upon hardship, and not of their own doing.
- Line 3 of 39 Held Back
The right thing now is to step back from the obstacles and return to normal conditions, with the people who love you, until the time to act comes.
Going: hardship. Coming: a return.
The trigrams
The way back
60 Thrift → 39 Held Backlines 1, 2, and 3
Other transformations of Held Back
- 43Overflowinglines 1, 2, and 4
- 17Adaptinglines 1, 3, and 4
- 47Overwhelmedlines 2, 3, and 4
- 11Well-Beinglines 1, 2, and 5
- 24Coming Backlines 1, 3, and 5
- 7The Armylines 2, 3, and 5
- 55Abundancelines 1, 4, and 5
- 32What Lastslines 2, 4, and 5
- 16Passionlines 3, 4, and 5
- 9Small Thingslines 1, 2, and 6
- 42Increaselines 1, 3, and 6
- 59Release from Obstacleslines 2, 3, and 6
- 13Gathering with Equalslines 1, 4, and 6
- 44Lack of Firmnesslines 2, 4, and 6
- 12Declinelines 3, 4, and 6
- 22Good Mannerslines 1, 5, and 6
- 18Loss, Then Gainlines 2, 5, and 6
- 23The Falllines 3, 5, and 6
- 56The Travelerlines 4, 5, and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.