Transformation · lines 4 and 6
Release from Obstacles becomes Overwhelmed
What this change means
A lake with its water drained away: when the fourth and top lines move, the Wind above becomes Lake and the result is 47 Overwhelmed. The top line leads. Its advice is to leave, while there's still time, whatever endangers you and the people close to you; leaving now dissolves the threat and is no mistake. The fourth line supports it: free yourself from personal loyalties and keep your attention on what you want to achieve, even if that breaks up an old circle. Both lines involve leaving. The resulting hexagram is honest about the cost. Conditions may be hard: the wrong people around, words that aren't believed, obstacles on every side. Accept that for now and wait for better conditions. Don't waste energy arguing. Your real resource is the inner light you carry; turn to it, and let it hold you up.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 47 Overwhelmed
Things are very much against you: the wrong people surround you, no one believes what you say, and obstacles hem you in. All you can do is accept it and wait for better conditions to come. Your only resource is the inner light that lives in you; turn to that strength to hold you up right now.
Success. For the great person, constancy brings good fortune. No fault. They speak and are not believed.
The trigrams
The way back
47 Overwhelmed → 59 Release from Obstacleslines 4 and 6
Other transformations of Release from Obstacles
- 42Increaselines 1 and 2
- 9Small Thingslines 1 and 3
- 53Gradual Progresslines 2 and 3
- 10Treading Carefullylines 1 and 4
- 12Declinelines 2 and 4
- 44Lack of Firmnesslines 3 and 4
- 41Decreaselines 1 and 5
- 23The Falllines 2 and 5
- 18Loss, Then Gainlines 3 and 5
- 64Transitionlines 4 and 5
- 60Thriftlines 1 and 6
- 8Unionlines 2 and 6
- 48Right Actionlines 3 and 6
- 7The Armylines 5 and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.