Transformation · lines 1, 2, and 4
Clearing Obstacles becomes Coming Back
What this change means
Thunder sinks inside the earth as three lines change, and Clearing Obstacles becomes 24 Coming Back. Both judgments share the reading equally. Clearing Obstacles describes the moment after the barriers fall: act quickly and decisively within your real limits, and if you need rest or a step back, take it. The resulting hexagram describes a return after darkness, with help arriving and your undertakings favored, along with a warning not to repeat the mistakes that led into the dark. Read together, the release becomes a fresh start, and fresh starts tend to fail when old habits come along. Before you move decisively, look honestly at what caused the trouble you've just left behind. Accept the help that comes. Then go forward steadily, resting when you need to, and keep watching for the old pattern so you don't slip back into it.
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 40 Clearing Obstacles
The obstacles have been overcome one by one. You're in a time when balance matters: act quickly and decisively as far as you can, without overrating your abilities. If you feel you need a rest, or even to step back before going on, do it.
The southwest is favorable. With nowhere to go, coming back brings good fortune. With somewhere to go, going early brings good fortune.
- The judgment of 24 Coming Back
After a period of adversity and darkness, the return comes. Still, be aware of the mistakes that led you into the dark, because if you repeat them you could fall again. People will come to help you, and your undertakings and projects will be favored.
Success. Going out and coming in without harm; friends arrive, no fault. Back and forth along its way: in seven days comes the return. It is favorable to have somewhere to go.
- Line 1 of 40 Clearing Obstacles
With the obstacles behind you, take a rest for now so you can recover your strength to keep going.
No fault.
- Line 2 of 40 Clearing Obstacles
The obstacles are overcome; now you're easy prey for flattery. If you avoid falling for it and bring what isn't right into the open, cleanly and without a single flaw, you'll succeed.
On the hunt, catches three foxes and gains a yellow arrow. Constancy brings good fortune.
- Line 4 of 40 Clearing Obstacles
It's important to let go of ties and loyalties that can't be trusted and that, if anything, will slow your progress, so you can move forward freely.
Untie your big toe: the friend arrives, and then there is trust.
The trigrams
The way back
24 Coming Back → 40 Clearing Obstacleslines 1, 2, and 4
Other transformations of Clearing Obstacles
- 55Abundancelines 1, 2, and 3
- 11Well-Beinglines 1, 3, and 4
- 15Simplicitylines 2, 3, and 4
- 17Adaptinglines 1, 2, and 5
- 43Overflowinglines 1, 3, and 5
- 31Attractionlines 2, 3, and 5
- 60Thriftlines 1, 4, and 5
- 8Unionlines 2, 4, and 5
- 48Right Actionlines 3, 4, and 5
- 21Bitinglines 1, 2, and 6
- 14Wealthlines 1, 3, and 6
- 56The Travelerlines 2, 3, and 6
- 41Decreaselines 1, 4, and 6
- 23The Falllines 2, 4, and 6
- 18Loss, Then Gainlines 3, 4, and 6
- 10Treading Carefullylines 1, 5, and 6
- 12Declinelines 2, 5, and 6
- 44Lack of Firmnesslines 3, 5, and 6
- 59Release from Obstacleslines 4, 5, and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.