Transformation · line 4
Gradual Progress becomes Leaving Behind
What this change means
Halfway up, the goose lands in a tree, an awkward perch for a bird with webbed feet, and yet it may find a flat branch. That's the fourth line of Gradual Progress, moving alone, and the Wind above turns into Heaven. Situations outside your control have come up in the middle of your advance. Don't despair. Act carefully, respond wisely to each obstacle, and you can stay safe while conditions improve. The resulting hexagram, 33 Leaving Behind, makes the point stronger: stepping back right now isn't a defeat. Withdrawing a little lets you recover strength and think clearly about how to set things right, and letting go of what doesn't serve you can turn an apparent loss into a gain. Look for your flat branch, a modest, secure foothold, and wait there rather than flapping toward the next height.
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 53 Gradual Progress
In the middle of your progress, situations come up that are out of your control. Don't despair: act with caution and respond wisely to these obstacles. That way you'll stay safe while conditions improve.
The wild goose moves by degrees to the tree. Perhaps it finds a flat branch. No fault.
- 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 33 Leaving Behind
Leaving a path behind or stepping back right now isn't a bad thing. On the contrary, it will help you recover your strength and think carefully about the situation and how to set it right. Sometimes what looks like a loss turns into a gain, if you can let go of what isn't good for you and then pick up again in the right direction.
Success. In small things, constancy is favorable.
The trigrams
The way back
33 Leaving Behind → 53 Gradual Progressline 4
Other transformations of Gradual Progress
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.