Hexagram 59

Release from Obstacles

In practice

The judgment

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.

The poetry

Scattering

Success. The king goes to his temple. It is favorable to cross the great river. Constancy is favorable.

The image

Wind moves over the water: scattering. So the ancient kings made offerings to the Lord on High and built temples.

The lines

  1. Line 6上九

    Get away in time from whatever puts you and your people in danger. Withdrawing now isn't running away: it's dissolving the risk before it reaches you, and there's no mistake in that.

    Scatters its blood; goes away, departs far off. No fault.

  2. Line 5九五

    In times of deep division and widespread selfishness, make unity your aim, even if it means yielding more than you think you should.

    Scatters its great proclamation like sweat. Scatters the dwelling of the king. No fault.

  3. Line 4六四

    Free yourself from personal loyalties and focus on what you want to achieve; this will lead you to success.

    Scatters its band: great good fortune. The scattering forms a hill: not what ordinary people imagine.

  4. Line 3六三

    If you're clear about your goals and purposes, you'll be able to give ground so as to find unity and get past the obstacles.

    Scatters its own self. No regret.

  5. Line 2九二

    Recognizing that you've isolated yourself and pulled away from shared purposes will help you get past the obstacles.

    In the scattering, it runs to its support. Regret vanishes.

  6. Line 1初六

    Before the separation begins, you can use your resources to prevent it by joining forces.

    Rescue comes with a strong horse. Good fortune.

Its 63 transformations

Depending on which lines move in your cast, Release from Obstacles turns into another hexagram. Pick the lines from your cast.

One moving line

6

Two moving lines

15

Three moving lines

20

Four moving lines

15

Five moving lines

6

All six lines moving

1

The classical text

渙:亨,王假有廟,利涉大川,利貞。

象曰:風行水上,渙;先王以享于帝立廟。

初六:用拯馬壯,吉。

九二:渙奔其机,悔亡。

六三:渙其躬,无悔。

六四:渙其群,元吉。渙有丘,匪夷所思。

九五:渙汗其大號,渙王居,无咎。

上九:渙其血,去逖出,无咎。

Make your own cast

The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.

Have a question? Toss the coins