What this change means
Water on the Earth: the sixth and third lines change, and the sixth sets the tone. It describes success and the chance to inspire others; the third warns that forcing the pace makes progress fail. The resulting hexagram, 8 Union, points to how you can keep the first and avoid the second: by joining with people aligned with your project, who support you. It also asks you to check that you yourself have the qualities the project needs, and even suggests tossing the coins again to find out. So don't race ahead alone. Gather the right people, examine yourself honestly, and move forward together. A shared pace protects you from the haste the third line warns against, and success that comes through union tends to be steadier than success grabbed in a hurry. Let the group set the rhythm.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- Line 6 of 53 Gradual Progress
You're moving successfully toward your goal. You'll get what you want and may even inspire others.
The wild goose moves by degrees to the high plain. Its feathers can serve in the ritual dance. Good fortune.
- Line 3 of 53 Gradual Progress
If you don't let things unfold at their own pace and try to hurry them, your progress will fail.
The wild goose moves by degrees to the high plain. The husband marches off and does not return; the wife conceives and does not give birth. Misfortune. It is favorable to fend off raiders.
- The judgment of 53 Gradual Progress
You'll make progress, and it will come step by step, gradually, through stages that make it lasting and stable. Trying to speed things up will bring delays and obstacles. Keep at it, one rung at a time.
The woman goes to be married: good fortune. Constancy is favorable.
- The judgment of 8 Union
Right now success lies in joining with people who are aligned with your project and who are a support for you. But it's important that you, too, have the qualities needed to carry it out; that's why you can toss the coins once more to find out whether you have those qualities.
Good fortune. Consult the oracle again: great and lasting constancy. No fault. The restless come from every side. The one who comes late: misfortune.
The trigrams
The way back
8 Union → 53 Gradual Progresslines 3 and 6
Other transformations of Gradual Progress
- 9Small Thingslines 1 and 2
- 42Increaselines 1 and 3
- 59Release from Obstacleslines 2 and 3
- 13Gathering with Equalslines 1 and 4
- 44Lack of Firmnesslines 2 and 4
- 12Declinelines 3 and 4
- 22Good Mannerslines 1 and 5
- 18Loss, Then Gainlines 2 and 5
- 23The Falllines 3 and 5
- 56The Travelerlines 4 and 5
- 63After the Endlines 1 and 6
- 48Right Actionlines 2 and 6
- 31Attractionlines 4 and 6
- 15Simplicitylines 5 and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.