What this change means
Both trigrams of Shock turn to Earth: thunder over thunder becomes quiet ground stretched out in every direction. The fourth line leads, and it describes being bogged down, unable to see what's stopping you, so your efforts don't settle anything; the line asks you to wait for conditions to change. The first line supports that patience with foresight: you sense trouble early, and your worry already has you looking for solutions, which means you won't be caught off guard when others are. The resulting hexagram, 2 Passivity, makes the stance explicit. This isn't the time to take the initiative. Let others guide you, keep at your projects patiently, and carry what you carry with steadiness. Your work now is preparation and receptiveness, not pushing. The shock settles best when you stop fighting the mud.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- 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 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.
- 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 2 Passivity
This is not the time to take the initiative to achieve things. It's better to let others guide you and to keep at your projects with patience.
Great success. The constancy of a mare is favorable. The noble person has somewhere to go: going ahead, they lose the way; following behind, they find someone to guide them. It is favorable to find friends in the southwest and to lose them in the northeast. Calm constancy brings good fortune.
The trigrams
The way back
2 Passivity → 51 Shocklines 1 and 4
Other transformations of Shock
- 40Clearing Obstacleslines 1 and 2
- 62Success in Small Matterslines 1 and 3
- 34Great Manifestationlines 2 and 3
- 19Fleeting Successlines 2 and 4
- 36Darknesslines 3 and 4
- 45Meetinglines 1 and 5
- 58Inner Peacelines 2 and 5
- 49Renewallines 3 and 5
- 3Initial Obstacleslines 4 and 5
- 35Advancelines 1 and 6
- 38Oppositeslines 2 and 6
- 30The Flamelines 3 and 6
- 27Nourishmentlines 4 and 6
- 25Innocencelines 5 and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.