What this change means
Fire burns on the mountain, a camp light for someone passing through. The first, third and top lines move, so both judgments carry the reading. Shock is about composure: when the unexpected frightens people, keep calm and act steadily, and you can succeed where others fail. The resulting hexagram, 56 The Traveler, describes a time of small achievements and change, maybe new places or situations that ask you to adapt. Stay light and flexible, loosen your attachments, and be kind as new ties form. Together they say you may be shaken loose from what's familiar, and the way through is calm adaptability rather than resistance. Don't cling to the old ground. Travel light, stay courteous, and let your new situation take hold gradually.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- 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.
- The judgment of 56 The Traveler
It's a time of small achievements. Keep a light, flexible attitude. You may be facing a period of change, new places or situations that ask you to adapt while they settle: let go of attachments and be gracious as you make new connections and your situation takes hold.
Small success. For the traveler, constancy brings good fortune.
- 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 3 of 51 Shock
The blows you're taking right now aren't caused by fate. They come more from within, and that makes things harder. Once you realize this, you'll make the corrections and resolve the situation.
Thunder that stuns and stuns. If thunder sets one going, no disaster.
- Line 6 of 51 Shock
Your main enemy now is a lack of calm: catching the worry that fills the air over situations that aren't affecting you. If you can step away from that atmosphere and return to your center, things will settle.
Thunder, shiver upon shiver; the eyes restless and lost. Setting out brings misfortune. The thunder strikes not oneself but the neighbor: no fault. Over the marriage there will be talk.
The trigrams
The way back
56 The Traveler → 51 Shocklines 1, 3, and 6
Other transformations of Shock
- 32What Lastslines 1, 2, and 3
- 7The Armylines 1, 2, and 4
- 15Simplicitylines 1, 3, and 4
- 11Well-Beinglines 2, 3, and 4
- 47Overwhelmedlines 1, 2, and 5
- 31Attractionlines 1, 3, and 5
- 43Overflowinglines 2, 3, and 5
- 8Unionlines 1, 4, and 5
- 60Thriftlines 2, 4, and 5
- 63After the Endlines 3, 4, and 5
- 64Transitionlines 1, 2, and 6
- 14Wealthlines 2, 3, and 6
- 23The Falllines 1, 4, and 6
- 41Decreaselines 2, 4, and 6
- 22Good Mannerslines 3, 4, and 6
- 12Declinelines 1, 5, and 6
- 10Treading Carefullylines 2, 5, and 6
- 13Gathering with Equalslines 3, 5, and 6
- 42Increaselines 4, 5, and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.