Transformation · lines 1 and 3
Held Back becomes Initial Obstacles
What this change means
With the first and third lines moving, the Mountain below turns into Thunder: the stillness of the blocked path starts to stir, though the danger above hasn't gone anywhere. The third line leads, and it points backward. Going on brings hardship, coming back brings a return to the people and conditions that steady you. The first line agrees from its own angle: a deliberate retreat earns respect and buys you time to rethink. Both are telling you that this isn't the moment to push. The resulting hexagram, 3 Initial Obstacles, explains why. Things are at a hard beginning, and acting head-on isn't wise yet. Find allies who can speak or move on your behalf, and keep watching for the point when you can take the lead again. Retreat, gather your people, and stay alert. The movement you feel underneath is real, but it needs time before it can lead.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 3 Initial Obstacles
This isn't the time to act directly: look for people who can act for you, allies who represent you. Still, stay alert so you know when the time comes to take back the initiative and control.
Great success. Constancy is favorable. Having somewhere to go is of no use yet. It is favorable to install lords.
The trigrams
The way back
3 Initial Obstacles → 39 Held Backlines 1 and 3
Other transformations of Held Back
- 5Inactionlines 1 and 2
- 29Waterlines 2 and 3
- 49Renewallines 1 and 4
- 28Excesseslines 2 and 4
- 45Meetinglines 3 and 4
- 36Darknesslines 1 and 5
- 46Going Uplines 2 and 5
- 2Passivitylines 3 and 5
- 62Success in Small Matterslines 4 and 5
- 37The Tribelines 1 and 6
- 57Gentlenesslines 2 and 6
- 20Observinglines 3 and 6
- 33Leaving Behindlines 4 and 6
- 52Abidinglines 5 and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.