What this change means
Fire and water both still into stone: three lines move and both trigrams become Mountain. The judgments are weighed equally. The starting hexagram sees a passing success, with stagnation at the end, which you can ease by preparing. The resulting hexagram, 52 Abiding, describes a stillness that is itself the best way forward: stay centered and calm, wait for outer conditions to show you when to act, and don't go beyond what is happening now. Together they suggest that the slow time need not be fought. Stillness can be chosen, not just suffered. When the success winds down, stop calmly. Don't look for new action to fill the gap. Keep your mind steady, watch the situation, and move again only when it clearly invites you.
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 63 After the End
You're in a situation where you'll have a passing success: everything seems to be in your favor, and at the end comes a period of stagnation. If you prepare for it ahead of time, you'll be able to soften its effects.
Success in small things. Constancy is favorable. At first, good fortune; in the end, disorder.
- The judgment of 52 Abiding
It's a time of stillness, of staying centered and steady: that's the best way forward in your present situation. Sometimes you need to stop, calm and confident, and wait for outer conditions to show you it's time to act. Don't go beyond what's happening now. There's no action, only a harmonious stillness, and staying that way brings success.
Still at the back; the body is not reached. Walking in the courtyard; its people are not seen. No fault.
- Line 1 of 63 After the End
If you try to move ahead too fast, you won't get results. But if you can stop and wait for better conditions, there will be achievements.
Drags back on its wheels; wets its tail. No fault.
- Line 5 of 63 After the End
If your actions come from the heart and are genuine, a small action can bring great results.
The eastern neighbor slaughters an ox; it is not worth the simple offering of the western neighbor, who truly receives the blessing.
- Line 6 of 63 After the End
This is a period of advance: retreating or stopping will bring you trouble.
Wets its head. Danger.
The trigrams
The way back
52 Abiding → 63 After the Endlines 1, 5, and 6
Other transformations of After the End
- 29Waterlines 1, 2, and 3
- 28Excesseslines 1, 2, and 4
- 45Meetinglines 1, 3, and 4
- 58Inner Peacelines 2, 3, and 4
- 46Going Uplines 1, 2, and 5
- 2Passivitylines 1, 3, and 5
- 19Fleeting Successlines 2, 3, and 5
- 62Success in Small Matterslines 1, 4, and 5
- 34Great Manifestationlines 2, 4, and 5
- 51Shocklines 3, 4, and 5
- 57Gentlenesslines 1, 2, and 6
- 20Observinglines 1, 3, and 6
- 61Inner Integritylines 2, 3, and 6
- 33Leaving Behindlines 1, 4, and 6
- 1Activitylines 2, 4, and 6
- 25Innocencelines 3, 4, and 6
- 26Great Achievementslines 2, 5, and 6
- 27Nourishmentlines 3, 5, and 6
- 30The Flamelines 4, 5, and 6
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.