What this change means
The fifth and fourth lines move together, the fifth in the lead. It speaks of relief arriving little by little, earned through your habit of helping others and sustained by spiritual resources. The fourth adds urgency: when others are struggling, help them, and do it quickly, because slow help loses its point. Above, the Lake turns into Earth, and the image becomes water held within the ground. The resulting hexagram, 7 The Army, places the favorable answer in discipline and organization: face the situation directly, say clearly what you want, and don't try to impose it. The path between them is about turning goodwill into order. Your help matters, but it needs structure and timing to be effective. Gather the people around you, care for them, and act with clear purpose. Steady, organized effort tends to do more now than either waiting or force.
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 47 Overwhelmed
Little by little things will improve, thanks to your habit of helping others. Spiritual resources will be a great help now.
Nose cut off, feet cut off. Hard pressed by the red sash. Little by little relief comes. It is favorable to make sacrifices.
- Line 4 of 47 Overwhelmed
Helping others in times of hardship matters, but that help has to be quick to do its job.
Comes slowly, slowly, hard pressed in a metal carriage. Distress, but there is an end.
- 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 judgment of 7 The Army
Whatever your question, the favorable answer comes from acting with discipline and organization: face the situation head-on and speak clearly, say what you want, without trying to impose it.
The constancy of a seasoned leader brings good fortune. No fault.
The trigrams
The way back
7 The Army → 47 Overwhelmedlines 4 and 5
Other transformations of Overwhelmed
- 17Adaptinglines 1 and 2
- 43Overflowinglines 1 and 3
- 31Attractionlines 2 and 3
- 60Thriftlines 1 and 4
- 8Unionlines 2 and 4
- 48Right Actionlines 3 and 4
- 54A Subordinate Rolelines 1 and 5
- 16Passionlines 2 and 5
- 32What Lastslines 3 and 5
- 10Treading Carefullylines 1 and 6
- 12Declinelines 2 and 6
- 44Lack of Firmnesslines 3 and 6
- 59Release from Obstacleslines 4 and 6
- 64Transitionlines 5 and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.