What this change means
Only the first line moves, and that is where the weight falls: the urge to rush at a situation that has already filled to the brim. Overflowing describes pressure that has built up and needs to be brought into the open with care and generosity. This bottom line adds a warning about pace. Charging ahead tends to backfire; the circumstances themselves will stop you if you go too fast. Move slowly, but don't let that slowness turn into doubt. As Heaven below gives way to Wind, the strength becomes something that seeps in rather than strikes. The resulting hexagram, 28 Excesses, shows what's at stake: what you've built can give way unless you check and reinforce its foundations, and that may call for measures beyond the usual. So the work now is steady and deliberate. Shore up the base, take the needed steps one by one, and resist the itch to prove your strength all at once.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- Line 1 of 43 Overflowing
It's time to act slowly but firmly; acting in a hurry will make circumstances stop you.
Strength in the front toes. Going without prevailing is a fault.
- The judgment of 43 Overflowing
It's a time of excessive buildup: some situations are about to get out of control and overwhelm you, both personally and in your relationships. You need to bring what's happening into the open, but without speaking about it directly; watch your words so you don't provoke reactions. It's a time to act generously to ease the tension that's there.
It is proclaimed in the king's court. A sincere cry: there is danger. Word comes from one's own city. It is not favorable to take up arms. It is favorable to have somewhere to go.
- The judgment of 28 Excesses
You're in a situation that calls for extraordinary measures to keep what you've achieved from collapsing. Check and strengthen the foundations that hold up your projects, take innovative action and step out of your comfort zone. That way your success is assured; otherwise, loss can't be avoided.
The ridgepole sags. It is favorable to have somewhere to go. Success.
The trigrams
The way back
28 Excesses → 43 Overflowingline 1
Other transformations of Overflowing
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.