What this change means
What the third line asks is simple and hard: don't let your spirits sink. In Abundance this line is the darkest point, where the curtain is so thick that faint stars show at noon and the right arm is broken, and yet the old text finds no fault in it. The practical sense is that low morale turns even small obstacles into walls. Fire below becomes Thunder, so the figure doubles its shaking. The resulting hexagram, 51 Shock, describes sudden events that would frighten others; the way through is to keep control and act calmly, without losing your composure. That is how you can succeed where others stumble. So guard your mood as carefully as your plans. When something jolts you, pause, breathe, and look at its real size. A setback you meet with steady spirits tends to stay small.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- Line 3 of 55 Abundance
If your spirits sink, any obstacle, however small, will stop you from reaching what you want.
Full is the curtain: at noon the faint small stars are seen. The right arm is broken. No fault.
- The judgment of 55 Abundance
You're growing toward a period of satisfaction and abundance. It will last for a while, and when it ends, stay calm, without sadness or worry. Enjoy it while it lasts, and when it wanes, keep your spirits up and enjoy what you've achieved.
Success. The king reaches it. Do not grieve: the noonday sun is fitting.
- The judgment of 51 Shock
When unexpected situations come along that would frighten others, keep control and act calmly, without losing your composure. This attitude will get you results in what you want and let you succeed where others fail.
Success. Thunder comes, and there is dread; then laughter and easy talk. The thunder alarms a hundred leagues around, yet neither the ladle nor the sacrificial wine is let fall.
The trigrams
The way back
51 Shock → 55 Abundanceline 3
Other transformations of Abundance
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.