What this change means
Water over water: four lines move, and both thunders become the pit, one danger after another. With four lines changing, the reading follows the two still lines of the resulting hexagram. In 29 Water, obstacles keep arriving, and you get past them only by moving like a stream, without stagnating and without letting fear freeze you. Its third line asks you to stop, watch, and move forward only when you're sure it will lead somewhere; seek inner guidance before acting. Its top line warns that trying to escape the wrong way, and siding with the wrong people, will only tangle you further. So don't flail. Stillness and clear sight first, then steady movement in the right company. The shaking has become a current; you can learn to flow through it instead of fighting it.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- Line 3 of 29 Water, which stays still
It's time to stop, watch and act only when you're sure that moving forward will lead to success. Ask for inner guidance.
Coming and going: pit and pit. Danger, and depth besides. Entering the bottom of the pit. Do not act.
- Line 6 of 29 Water, which stays still
Trying to escape the obstacles, you get more tangled if you keep doing things the wrong way and side with the wrong people.
Bound with braided cords, set among thorn thickets; three years and no way out. Misfortune.
- The judgment of 51 Shock
When unexpected situations come along that would frighten others, keep control and act calmly, without losing your composure. This attitude will get you results in what you want and let you succeed where others fail.
Success. Thunder comes, and there is dread; then laughter and easy talk. The thunder alarms a hundred leagues around, yet neither the ladle nor the sacrificial wine is let fall.
- Line 1 of 51 Shock
You see what's coming before it happens. That makes you worry ahead of time, but it also sets you looking for solutions, so when others start to worry, you'll already be focused on solving things.
Thunder comes, and there is dread; afterward, laughter and easy talk. Good fortune.
- Line 2 of 51 Shock
Situations may come up that seem hard to face, and you may even suffer losses. There's nothing to fear: what you lose you'll get back, and you'll be on the path of achievement again.
Thunder comes: danger. Countless cowries are lost; one climbs the nine hills. Do not chase them: in seven days they are found.
- Line 4 of 51 Shock
You can't see clearly what's holding you back, so the things you do don't settle matters. It's a time to wait until conditions change.
Thunder sinks into the mud.
- Line 5 of 51 Shock
Obstacles come one after another and seem endless. Still, staying connected to your center and true to your purpose will keep you from losses.
Thunder going and coming: danger. Of much, nothing is lost; there is a duty to carry out.
- The judgment of 29 Water
Just as a stream moves through obstacles and gets past them, following its course without stagnating, you're at a time when obstacles will come one after another, but you'll get past them if you can keep moving. Letting fear paralyze you will only leave you stuck.
There is sincere trust. Only the heart gets through. Going earns esteem.
The trigrams
The way back
29 Water → 51 Shocklines 1, 2, 4, and 5
Other transformations of Shock
- 46Going Uplines 1, 2, 3, and 4
- 28Excesseslines 1, 2, 3, and 5
- 39Held Backlines 1, 3, 4, and 5
- 5Inactionlines 2, 3, 4, and 5
- 50The Vessel of Nourishmentlines 1, 2, 3, and 6
- 4Immaturitylines 1, 2, 4, and 6
- 52Abidinglines 1, 3, 4, and 6
- 26Great Achievementslines 2, 3, 4, and 6
- 6Conflictlines 1, 2, 5, and 6
- 33Leaving Behindlines 1, 3, 5, and 6
- 1Activitylines 2, 3, 5, and 6
- 20Observinglines 1, 4, 5, and 6
- 61Inner Integritylines 2, 4, 5, and 6
- 37The Tribelines 3, 4, 5, and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.