What this change means
Thunder rumbles inside the lake as every line but the second moves. The second line, the one that doesn't change, holds the key. In 17 Adapting, it's a time both to lead and to follow; seeing the role this moment gives you and acting sincerely from it earns you more support. When dusk comes, rest. The still line adds that choosing very carefully the people you surround yourself with makes your projects succeed. So bring the mountain's discernment into this more mobile time. Move with circumstances, but don't move with just anyone. Pick your company deliberately, take your proper role, and let the right alliances carry your work. The company you keep now shapes what your work becomes, so take time over it.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- Line 2 of 17 Adapting, which stays still
Choosing very carefully who you surround yourself with makes your projects succeed.
Cling to the boy, lose the grown man.
- The judgment of 52 Abiding
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.
Still at the back; the body is not reached. Walking in the courtyard; its people are not seen. No fault.
- Line 1 of 52 Abiding
Better to stop too soon than to take ill-advised steps.
Still the toes. No fault. Lasting constancy is favorable.
- Line 3 of 52 Abiding
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 4 of 52 Abiding
You're able to stay calm and trust that the universe will take care of things.
Still the trunk. No fault.
- Line 5 of 52 Abiding
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 6 of 52 Abiding
There's perfect stillness, an inner calm that lets you master what's outside. Success.
Deep stillness. Good fortune.
- The judgment of 17 Adapting
It's a time both to lead and to follow. If you can see the place life is asking you to take right now, and act genuinely from wherever you belong, you'll gain more leadership and more support for what you do.
Great success. Constancy is favorable. No fault.
The trigrams
The way back
17 Adapting → 52 Abidinglines 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6
Other transformations of Abiding
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.