Transformation · line 5
Clearing Obstacles becomes Overwhelmed
What this change means
The noble person need only get free: the fifth line, moving alone, asks for a decisive break from the wrong people and situations. The way to do it is surprisingly quiet. Ignore them, give them no attention, and use that energy to build your inner strength. Even the petty person, the line says, ends up recognizing that kind of sincerity. As the line changes, the Thunder above becomes Lake, and Clearing Obstacles turns into 47 Overwhelmed, a lake drained of water. The resulting hexagram describes being hemmed in: the wrong people around you, your words not believed, obstacles on every side. What remains is to accept it, wait for better conditions, and draw on your inner light. The two fit together. You can't argue your way out, so don't try. Withdraw your attention from those who drain you, strengthen yourself from within, and let time shift the situation.
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 40 Clearing Obstacles
It's time for decisive action that keeps you away from the wrong people and situations. You do this by ignoring them and paying them no attention while you build up your inner strength.
The noble person need only get free: good fortune. There is sincere trust, even before the petty person.
- 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 47 Overwhelmed
Things are very much against you: the wrong people surround you, no one believes what you say, and obstacles hem you in. All you can do is accept it and wait for better conditions to come. Your only resource is the inner light that lives in you; turn to that strength to hold you up right now.
Success. For the great person, constancy brings good fortune. No fault. They speak and are not believed.
The trigrams
The way back
47 Overwhelmed → 40 Clearing Obstaclesline 5
Other transformations of Clearing Obstacles
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.