Transformation · lines 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6
Gentleness becomes Abundance
What this change means
Thunder and lightning arrive together as five lines move, the third alone staying, with Fire below and Thunder above. The reading rests on the resulting hexagram's still third line, which warns that if your spirits sink, any obstacle, however small, will keep you from what you want. The resulting hexagram, 55 Abundance, describes growth toward a period of satisfaction and plenty that lasts a while; enjoy it, and when it wanes, stay calm and keep your spirits up. So the danger in this movement isn't outside you, it's discouragement. After the patient work of Gentleness, fullness is within reach, but a low mood can make small setbacks look like walls. Guard your morale, enjoy what you've achieved, and don't let its eventual fading sour what it gave you.
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, which stays still
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 57 Gentleness
It's a time when you'll gain and succeed through gentleness. This isn't the time for big actions, or for using pressure or force. It's a time to choose a path and stay on it steadily. Even if you don't see much progress, success will show itself through the build-up of small actions and through seeking the support of those above you.
Small success. It is favorable to have somewhere to go. It is favorable to see the great person.
- Line 1 of 57 Gentleness
Don't give in to indecision: going forward and back will delay your success. Right now firm, decisive action is better than wavering.
Advancing and retreating. The constancy of the warrior is favorable.
- Line 2 of 57 Gentleness
You're being held back by dark forces you can't identify. So it's wise to turn to people who, through magical practices, can help you move forward.
Yielding beneath the bed. Scribes and diviners are called in great numbers. Good fortune. No fault.
- Line 4 of 57 Gentleness
You're able to act as the situation requires, so go ahead, without haste but without delay, and you'll succeed.
Regret vanishes. In the hunt, three kinds of game are taken.
- Line 5 of 57 Gentleness
It's time to change course. Reflect before you set out; once you know what you want, taking action will make your success certain.
Constancy brings good fortune. Regret vanishes. Nothing that is not favorable. No beginning, yet an end. Three days before the geng day, three days after the geng day: good fortune.
- Line 6 of 57 Gentleness
If you lose heart and drop the project because you don't see results yet, you'll lose what you've gained.
Yielding beneath the bed. Loses goods and axe. Even with constancy, misfortune.
- 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 trigrams
The way back
55 Abundance → 57 Gentlenesslines 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6
Other transformations of Gentleness
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.