Transformation · lines 3, 4, and 6
Release from Obstacles becomes Excesses
What this change means
The lake rises over the trees: when the third, fourth and top lines move, release turns into 28 Excesses. The two judgments are weighed evenly. One tells you that selfishness caused the tension and that sincerity, humility and shared goals can dissolve it. The other warns that the situation needs extraordinary measures to keep what you've built from collapsing: check and strengthen the foundations under your projects, act in innovative ways and step outside your comfort zone. The pressure here is real. While you work to bring people back together, the structure itself may be strained. Don't assume goodwill alone will hold it up. Look at the beams: which commitments, routines or agreements are carrying too much weight? Shore them up. Bold, unusual action is favored now, and leaving things as they are is the risky choice.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- The judgment of 59 Release from Obstacles
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.
Success. The king goes to his temple. It is favorable to cross the great river. Constancy is favorable.
- The judgment of 28 Excesses
You're in a situation that calls for extraordinary measures to keep what you've achieved from collapsing. Check and strengthen the foundations that hold up your projects, take innovative action and step out of your comfort zone. That way your success is assured; otherwise, loss can't be avoided.
The ridgepole sags. It is favorable to have somewhere to go. Success.
- Line 3 of 59 Release from Obstacles
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.
- Line 4 of 59 Release from Obstacles
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.
- Line 6 of 59 Release from Obstacles
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.
The trigrams
The way back
28 Excesses → 59 Release from Obstacleslines 3, 4, and 6
Other transformations of Release from Obstacles
- 37The Tribelines 1, 2, and 3
- 25Innocencelines 1, 2, and 4
- 1Activitylines 1, 3, and 4
- 33Leaving Behindlines 2, 3, and 4
- 27Nourishmentlines 1, 2, and 5
- 26Great Achievementslines 1, 3, and 5
- 52Abidinglines 2, 3, and 5
- 38Oppositeslines 1, 4, and 5
- 35Advancelines 2, 4, and 5
- 50The Vessel of Nourishmentlines 3, 4, and 5
- 3Initial Obstacleslines 1, 2, and 6
- 5Inactionlines 1, 3, and 6
- 39Held Backlines 2, 3, and 6
- 58Inner Peacelines 1, 4, and 6
- 45Meetinglines 2, 4, and 6
- 19Fleeting Successlines 1, 5, and 6
- 2Passivitylines 2, 5, and 6
- 46Going Uplines 3, 5, and 6
- 40Clearing Obstacleslines 4, 5, and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.