Transformation · lines 3, 4, and 6
Success in Small Matters becomes The Fall
What this change means
The mountain comes to rest on the earth as the third, fourth and top lines change, and something that stood high starts to wear down. The two judgments are weighed together. The starting hexagram sets the scale at the small and the near, and says reaching beyond your means leads you astray. The resulting hexagram, 23 The Fall, describes obstacles and difficulty: even if you're right, your words aren't believed, and people who misuse power are on the rise. It asks you not to push ahead, and to be generous toward those beneath you while circumstances change. The two point the same way. This is no moment to fight for position or to prove yourself. Keep a low profile, look after the people who depend on you, protect your base, and let the unfavorable time pass without feeding it.
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 62 Success in Small Matters
This isn't a time for great things; it's a time for small achievements. Recognizing that will help you live in step with the moment. Trying to go beyond your present means and resources will lead you astray and waste your efforts.
Success. Constancy is favorable. Small things can be done, not great ones. The flying bird leaves its call behind: it is not fitting to rise, it is fitting to descend. Great good fortune.
- The judgment of 23 The Fall
It's a time of obstacles and difficulties when, even if you're right, your words aren't believed. Lesser people who misuse power are on the rise, and you could become their victim. Recognizing this time without trying to push ahead, and being generous and giving toward those beneath you, will help you hold on while circumstances change.
It is not favorable to have somewhere to go.
- Line 3 of 62 Success in Small Matters
Carelessness and excess bring trouble.
Unless one goes beyond in guarding oneself, someone following will do harm. Misfortune.
- Line 4 of 62 Success in Small Matters
It's not the time to act, but it is the time to stand firm, without straying from your purposes, until the time to act arrives.
No fault. Without going beyond, it meets it. Going is dangerous: be on guard. Do not act with lasting constancy.
- Line 6 of 62 Success in Small Matters
If you insist on chasing goals that are out of reach for now, you'll lose whatever you put into them.
Not meeting it, goes past it. The bird in flight falls into the net. Misfortune. This is called calamity and ruin.
The trigrams
The way back
23 The Fall → 62 Success in Small Matterslines 3, 4, and 6
Other transformations of Success in Small Matters
- 54A Subordinate Rolelines 1, 2, and 3
- 11Well-Beinglines 1, 2, and 4
- 24Coming Backlines 1, 3, and 4
- 7The Armylines 2, 3, and 4
- 43Overflowinglines 1, 2, and 5
- 17Adaptinglines 1, 3, and 5
- 47Overwhelmedlines 2, 3, and 5
- 63After the Endlines 1, 4, and 5
- 48Right Actionlines 2, 4, and 5
- 8Unionlines 3, 4, and 5
- 14Wealthlines 1, 2, and 6
- 21Bitinglines 1, 3, and 6
- 64Transitionlines 2, 3, and 6
- 22Good Mannerslines 1, 4, and 6
- 18Loss, Then Gainlines 2, 4, and 6
- 13Gathering with Equalslines 1, 5, and 6
- 44Lack of Firmnesslines 2, 5, and 6
- 12Declinelines 3, 5, and 6
- 53Gradual Progresslines 4, 5, and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.