In practice
The judgment
You're at a moment when opportunities are on your side. But if you don't know how to use them because you keep putting off decisions and actions, being in the right place at the right time won't do you any good. It's not about looking for new things but about making use of what you have, or there will be loss.
The poetry
The Well
The town is changed, the well is not. Nothing lost, nothing gained. They come and go, and draw from the well. Nearly there, the rope does not yet reach the well; if the jar breaks, misfortune.
The image
Water over wood: the well. So the noble person encourages the people in their work and urges them to help one another.
The lines
- Line 6上六
You have all the talents and abilities to act and seize the moment, and you also want to contribute to those around you: there will be success.
Water is drawn from the well: do not cover it. There is sincere trust. Great good fortune.
- Line 5九五
You recognize the opportunities around you and feel motivated and determined to act, which will bring success.
The well is clear: the cold spring is drunk.
- Line 4六四
It's time to rethink and focus on the opportunities. If you focus on action and use your talents, you'll succeed.
The well is lined with brick. No fault.
- Line 3九三
You aren't using all your talents, and you have many, so the opportunities are there but you don't take them.
The well is cleaned, and no one drinks: my heart aches. Water could be drawn. If the king were clear-sighted, all would share in the blessing.
- Line 2九二
You have good qualities for success, but you've grown slack and stopped pushing yourself; this makes it hard to hold on to what you achieve.
Down in the well, shooting at minnows. The jar is broken and leaks.
- Line 1初六
Your mood is low, so everything looks bleak to you: you don't see the opportunities and you don't draw help.
A muddy well: no one drinks. No birds come to the old well.
Its 63 transformations
Depending on which lines move in your cast, Right Action turns into another hexagram. Pick the lines from your cast.
One moving line
6
Two moving lines
15
- 63After the Endlines 1 and 2
- 60Thriftlines 1 and 3
- 8Unionlines 2 and 3
- 43Overflowinglines 1 and 4
- 31Attractionlines 2 and 4
- 47Overwhelmedlines 3 and 4
- 11Well-Beinglines 1 and 5
- 15Simplicitylines 2 and 5
- 7The Armylines 3 and 5
- 32What Lastslines 4 and 5
- 9Small Thingslines 1 and 6
- 53Gradual Progresslines 2 and 6
- 59Release from Obstacleslines 3 and 6
- 44Lack of Firmnesslines 4 and 6
- 18Loss, Then Gainlines 5 and 6
Three moving lines
20
- 3Initial Obstacleslines 1, 2, and 3
- 49Renewallines 1, 2, and 4
- 58Inner Peacelines 1, 3, and 4
- 45Meetinglines 2, 3, and 4
- 36Darknesslines 1, 2, and 5
- 19Fleeting Successlines 1, 3, and 5
- 2Passivitylines 2, 3, and 5
- 34Great Manifestationlines 1, 4, and 5
- 62Success in Small Matterslines 2, 4, and 5
- 40Clearing Obstacleslines 3, 4, and 5
- 37The Tribelines 1, 2, and 6
- 61Inner Integritylines 1, 3, and 6
- 20Observinglines 2, 3, and 6
- 1Activitylines 1, 4, and 6
- 33Leaving Behindlines 2, 4, and 6
- 6Conflictlines 3, 4, and 6
- 26Great Achievementslines 1, 5, and 6
- 52Abidinglines 2, 5, and 6
- 4Immaturitylines 3, 5, and 6
- 50The Vessel of Nourishmentlines 4, 5, and 6
Four moving lines
15
- 17Adaptinglines 1, 2, 3, and 4
- 24Coming Backlines 1, 2, 3, and 5
- 55Abundancelines 1, 2, 4, and 5
- 54A Subordinate Rolelines 1, 3, 4, and 5
- 16Passionlines 2, 3, 4, and 5
- 42Increaselines 1, 2, 3, and 6
- 13Gathering with Equalslines 1, 2, 4, and 6
- 10Treading Carefullylines 1, 3, 4, and 6
- 12Declinelines 2, 3, 4, and 6
- 22Good Mannerslines 1, 2, 5, and 6
- 41Decreaselines 1, 3, 5, and 6
- 23The Falllines 2, 3, 5, and 6
- 14Wealthlines 1, 4, 5, and 6
- 56The Travelerlines 2, 4, 5, and 6
- 64Transitionlines 3, 4, 5, and 6
Five moving lines
6
All six lines moving
1
The classical text
井：改邑不改井，无喪无得，往來井井。汔至亦未繘井。羸其瓶，凶。
象曰：木上有水，井；君子以勞民勸相。
初六：井泥不食，舊井无禽。
九二：井谷射鮒，甕敝漏。
九三：井渫不食，為我心惻，可用汲，王明，並受其福。
六四：井甃，无咎。
九五：井冽，寒泉食。
上六：井收勿幕，有孚元吉。
Related hexagrams
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.