Transformation · lines 2, 3, and 5
Abiding becomes Release from Obstacles
What this change means
Wind over water breaks up what was frozen: the second, third and fifth lines move, and both judgments weigh equally. Abiding is a call to stillness, calm and confident, staying within the present moment. The resulting hexagram, 59 Release from Obstacles, says you can free yourself from what holds you back by acting sincerely and bringing opposites together around shared goals. Tension has grown out of selfishness, so be humble and go with the current. Joined, they describe a stillness that softens hardness. Don't cling rigidly to your position. Stay centered, but let that center be generous enough to make room for others. The more you dissolve self-interest, yours included, the more the obstacles loosen. Humility here is practical: it lets the current carry you 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.
- 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.
- The judgment of 59 Release from Obstacles
You can free yourself from the obstacles that hold you back if you're able to act sincerely and bring opposites together around shared goals. The tension has arisen because selfishness rules. To move forward, be humble and let the current carry you rather than going against it.
Success. The king goes to his temple. It is favorable to cross the great river. Constancy is favorable.
- Line 2 of 52 Abiding
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 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 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.
The trigrams
The way back
59 Release from Obstacles → 52 Abidinglines 2, 3, and 5
Other transformations of Abiding
- 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
- 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
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.