In practice
The judgment
It's a time of stillness, of staying centered and steady: that's the best way forward in your present situation. Sometimes you need to stop, calm and confident, and wait for outer conditions to show you it's time to act. Don't go beyond what's happening now. There's no action, only a harmonious stillness, and staying that way brings success.
The poetry
Stillness
Still at the back; the body is not reached. Walking in the courtyard; its people are not seen. No fault.
The image
Mountain joined to mountain: stillness. So the noble person's thinking does not stray from its place.
The lines
- Line 6上九
There's perfect stillness, an inner calm that lets you master what's outside. Success.
Deep stillness. Good fortune.
- Line 5六五
You need not only to stay still and calm but also to keep quiet, because careless words could put you at risk.
Still the jaws; words come in order. Regret vanishes.
- Line 4六四
You're able to stay calm and trust that the universe will take care of things.
Still the trunk. No fault.
- Line 3九三
The stillness you need now can't be forced. It has to come from a calm heart and unhurried breathing.
Still the waist; the flesh along the spine is torn. Danger: the heart is smothered.
- Line 2六二
Right now you can only see to stopping yourself in the right place; you can't make sure others do the same.
Still the calves. It cannot come to the aid of what it follows; the heart is not glad.
- Line 1初六
Better to stop too soon than to take ill-advised steps.
Still the toes. No fault. Lasting constancy is favorable.
Its 63 transformations
Depending on which lines move in your cast, Abiding turns into another hexagram. Pick the lines from your cast.
One moving line
6
Two moving lines
15
- 26Great Achievementslines 1 and 2
- 27Nourishmentlines 1 and 3
- 4Immaturitylines 2 and 3
- 30The Flamelines 1 and 4
- 50The Vessel of Nourishmentlines 2 and 4
- 35Advancelines 3 and 4
- 37The Tribelines 1 and 5
- 57Gentlenesslines 2 and 5
- 20Observinglines 3 and 5
- 33Leaving Behindlines 4 and 5
- 36Darknesslines 1 and 6
- 46Going Uplines 2 and 6
- 2Passivitylines 3 and 6
- 62Success in Small Matterslines 4 and 6
- 39Held Backlines 5 and 6
Three moving lines
20
- 41Decreaselines 1, 2, and 3
- 14Wealthlines 1, 2, and 4
- 21Bitinglines 1, 3, and 4
- 64Transitionlines 2, 3, and 4
- 9Small Thingslines 1, 2, and 5
- 42Increaselines 1, 3, and 5
- 59Release from Obstacleslines 2, 3, and 5
- 13Gathering with Equalslines 1, 4, and 5
- 44Lack of Firmnesslines 2, 4, and 5
- 12Declinelines 3, 4, and 5
- 11Well-Beinglines 1, 2, and 6
- 24Coming Backlines 1, 3, and 6
- 7The Armylines 2, 3, and 6
- 55Abundancelines 1, 4, and 6
- 32What Lastslines 2, 4, and 6
- 16Passionlines 3, 4, and 6
- 63After the Endlines 1, 5, and 6
- 48Right Actionlines 2, 5, and 6
- 8Unionlines 3, 5, and 6
- 31Attractionlines 4, 5, and 6
Four moving lines
15
- 38Oppositeslines 1, 2, 3, and 4
- 61Inner Integritylines 1, 2, 3, and 5
- 1Activitylines 1, 2, 4, and 5
- 25Innocencelines 1, 3, 4, and 5
- 6Conflictlines 2, 3, 4, and 5
- 19Fleeting Successlines 1, 2, 3, and 6
- 34Great Manifestationlines 1, 2, 4, and 6
- 51Shocklines 1, 3, 4, and 6
- 40Clearing Obstacleslines 2, 3, 4, and 6
- 5Inactionlines 1, 2, 5, and 6
- 3Initial Obstacleslines 1, 3, 5, and 6
- 29Waterlines 2, 3, 5, and 6
- 49Renewallines 1, 4, 5, and 6
- 28Excesseslines 2, 4, 5, and 6
- 45Meetinglines 3, 4, 5, and 6
Five moving lines
6
All six lines moving
1
The classical text
艮：艮其背，不獲其身，行其庭，不見其人，无咎。
象曰：兼山，艮；君子以思不出其位。
初六：艮其趾，无咎，利永貞。
六二：艮其腓，不拯其隨，其心不快。
九三：艮其限，列其夤，厲薰心。
六四：艮其身，无咎。
六五：艮其輔，言有序，悔亡。
上九：敦艮，吉。
Related hexagrams
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.