What this change means
The second and fifth lines, the two centers of Held Back, move together, and the figure turns into a tree growing up through the earth. The fifth line leads: the hardship is great, but your conviction holds, and that inner strength draws friends toward you. The second line is the loyal servant who meets trouble upon trouble, not from any fault, and keeps acting with integrity. These lines answer each other, the one who serves and the one who leads, both steady under pressure. The resulting hexagram, 46 Going Up, shows where that steadiness goes. You're in a time of rising, and the rise is the fruit of work done with dedication. Seeking out someone important can bring real success, and there's no reason to fear that meeting. Keep your integrity, accept the help that comes, and climb at the pace of the work.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- Line 5 of 39 Held Back
You have great conviction and clear goals, which let you keep going despite the obstacles. Your inner strength will draw help to you.
Great hardship: friends arrive.
- 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.
- 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 46 Going Up
You're in a time of rising, and this rise is the fruit of work you've done with dedication. Seeking the help of an important person will bring great success; don't be afraid of that meeting, because everything is favorable now.
Great success. Seeing the great person is of use. Do not worry. Setting out southward brings good fortune.
The trigrams
The way back
46 Going Up → 39 Held Backlines 2 and 5
Other transformations of Held Back
- 5Inactionlines 1 and 2
- 3Initial Obstacleslines 1 and 3
- 29Waterlines 2 and 3
- 49Renewallines 1 and 4
- 28Excesseslines 2 and 4
- 45Meetinglines 3 and 4
- 36Darknesslines 1 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.