I'm relatively new to I Ching. Working through this encounter guided by castings to help me understand what's needed to move. It's been a great help and a way of discovery in terms of my attitude towards others, my expectations and shortcomings. I have realised that I need to improve communication with this special someone in order to move on regardless if our relationship status. So asked ----Why does it feel awkward when working to build decent communication with this certain someone? --- 29.1.4>58 since I set this goal to improve the communication between us it's been better. We started to actually have conversations instead of just sending silly one word emoji filled texts. It might have been me that all time? Anyhow I don't see how I can put 29.1.4>58 into workings here. I understand line 1 and 4 relate and it's not great although both hex's are positive. Is Yi simply describing what's going on? We have been coming back and forth trying to get closer. Each time it we got a little better at being open (or I have, I think he's been quite good but not patient or persistent enough with me - not saying that's bad cause I don't want to build dependancy) he's probably giving me a lot of space to grow without even knowing how big this is for me. So that's ---line 1--- repetition. Line 4??? Doesn't seem to be great, my efforts are not recognised? Not sure how to implement this casting. Haven't found much about 29.1.4>58. Any input greatly appreciated :)
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29.1.4>58 working on communication
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Can the Yi comment on how trustworthy x is? 42.2 - 25
For me this is a resounding yes. Maybe I am wrong. Once editors comment on this line was 'this is an image of trustworthiness". Does anyone have any other knowledge they an share regarding the meaning of this line. It seems pretty straight forward to me.Especially with hex 25 (innocence).
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Blog post: Multiple moving lines, revisited
It’s a common source of confusion and frustration with I Ching readings:
‘My answer has multiple moving lines, and they contradict one another. How am I supposed to make sense of this?’
Here’s an article to help you with that.
This range of possibilities is part of the Yi’s language. An unchanging hexagram might be saying something like,
‘Pay attention: here is the one simple thing you need to hear. Remember this.’
And a reading with multiple lines is saying,
‘This situation you asked about is more complex – here are the many factors at play,’ or, ‘Here are the many ways it could turn out’.
In other words, Yi will respond to your situation and give you exactly the kind of answer you need now. (I have lost count of the number of times I’ve received an unchanging hexagram because I needed something spelling out v-e-r-y s-i-m-p-l-y.)
So this is why, although there are many methods to simplify the Yijing’s answer and ensure you never have to think about multiple moving lines, I don’t recommend them. They take away Yi’s freedom to give you the kind of answer you need, and replace it with a system to ensure you get the kind of answer you want.
These methods all fall into one of two categories:
It makes more sense to me to assume that if you get a short email, the answer is simple, and if you get a long email, that’s because the question you asked is more complex than you anticipated. Also, I feel this approach makes for a better relationship with the support department in the long run. And Yi is a considerably better communicator than your average tech support department.
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However, if you know you only have the time or energy to handle a short answer – if you need a quick reading and absolutely, definitely, do not have the time to deal with the complexities of multiple moving lines – then I think the first of those two options is acceptable.
You can ask Yi for a single hexagram (one very direct way of doing this is to ask the nearest person for a number between 1 and 64), or you can use a casting method that generates exactly one moving line. Here’s an easy way to do that:
The illustration is one I just cast, with the question, ‘Yi, what do you think of this method?’
(Of course, left unrestricted, Yi might have given you an unchanging reading anyway.)
33, Retreat, changing to 8, Seeking Union?
changing to
At first you are tied and find it hard to retreat…
changing to
At first the well is unusable…
Start reading with the lowest changing line, and pay most attention to this one because it will be relevant first. Indeed, sometimes if you miss that line’s message, the following lines will never apply. If your first line is 43.1 –
An exception to this: if you have the first line of a hexagram changing, and recognise it as something from your immediate past. Maybe you have already gone ahead without control and made mistakes, and this is why you’re asking in the first place. In that case – and if you are perfectly sure you’re not about to do the same again – you’ll want to move your attention to the next line.
Often, the alternatives are encompassed within a single line. 23, line 6, for instance:
Sometimes there are alternatives contained within a single line – and sometimes they’re divided between multiple moving lines. Lines that appear to be contradicting one another often simply represent alternative paths with alternative destinations. ‘If you take this attitude or adopt this strategy, then you create this outcome. But if, on the other hand, you go about it this way, then…’ Or, ‘If and when you find yourself in this position, expect to encounter this. But if instead you have to go about it this way, here’s what to expect…’
Here’s an example:
‘What about this new project?’
Yi answers with Hexagram 34, Great Vigour, changing at lines 1, 4 and 6 to 18, Corruption:
changing to
All the power and vitality of 34, setting out to deal with the corruption of 18. In a real reading, we’d pause here to think about how those two hexagrams relate, to get a picture of the landscape. But for now, let’s jump ahead and ask how that relationship works out in the moving lines.
The question, of course, is how to tell when each line applies. Line 1, we can be reasonably sure, applies first: you shouldn’t rush into this unprepared. But further along, when I’m facing a thorny obstacle, I need to be able to tell whether this is line 4 (forge ahead, break through!) or line 6 (forge ahead, and you’ll only get more and more stuck). To work with an ‘if… then…’ you need a full understanding of the ‘if…’.
The first and easiest place to look for an ‘if…’ is the text of the line itself. You simply need to slow down and use your imagination to engage with your answer. Do you have ‘vigour in the toes’ – are you raring to go, do you have itchy feet? Or do you have a ‘great cart’ with strong axle straps… a well-constructed plan, a solid means of making progress, something that holds together under stress? Those two situations will feel quite different. (And when you use your imagination to develop a clear inner sense of how those situations would feel, then you’re likely to be able to recognise them in real life.)
However, not all lines make their ‘if’ clear; some, like 34.2 (‘Constancy, good fortune.’), say nothing about their conditions at all. Lines 4 and 6 do make an important distinction – a well-constructed cart does better than a ram – but it would still be good to understand more about the conditions in order to be sure you can tell them apart in practice.
How could this apply to our imaginary reading?
And so you begin to understand some of your reading’s ‘if.., then…’.
When you are just beginning, don’t rush in and try to fix everything at once. If you do your thinking and planning and have a well-made vehicle for your idea, then it will go smoothly. But if you focus only on the vision and remove yourself from the practicalities, then you’ll have a long, hard struggle to get unstuck.
Line position is one of those brilliantly simple concepts that unlock whole realms of meaning in the Yi. I find it so useful that I made it the subject of a whole module of the Yijing Foundations Course.
What would be the relating hexagram if this were the only changing line is still a ‘mini relating hexagram’ for this particular line. As such, it represents some of the same things a relating hexagram would do: a personal stance, or attitude, or aspiration, or context.
34 line 1 would change to 32, Lasting:
to
What mindset does that suggest lies behind the ‘vigour in the toes’? Something well-established, a truth long known and trusted (‘there is truth and confidence’, says line 1), or perhaps just an ingrained habit. Of course you think you can ‘bring order’ if you’re already absolutely familiar with how it all works; it would just be a matter of implementing what’s tried and true in new territory.
So… we have a picture of someone at the beginning, not yet familiar with the specifics of this project, in a big hurry to get going on the basis of what they know and trust – and maybe even literally bouncing on the balls of their feet in their eagerness. This is pretty clear, detailed picture; you’ll be able to recognise when it applies.
Line 4 points you towards Hexagram 11, Flow:
to
This approach is clearly a good fit: fluent energy, with the will to apply it (have a look at the Image of 11). ‘Small goes, great comes’: the great cart carries us through, and the obstacle of the hedge is swept away along with those vanishing regrets.
Hexagram 11 colours the line with its sense of momentum and aspiration – it’s an especially forward-looking hexagram, that sees how all things are possible.
And what about line 6? That would change to Hexagram 14, Great Possession:
to
This one might seem odd. Great Possession is another overwhelmingly positive hexagram –
Well… the ram is in possession of great strength, and that is all he really knows about. (If you have my book, you may have noticed that these changed hexagrams often show up in the line commentary; the ram, I wrote, ‘has reduced the whole situation to the question of how much power he has’.) It’s just that now he needs to use that strength sideways, as it were, to wriggle free.
A tip: when the combination of hexagrams and line is unexpected, as it is here, that’s often a sign that the experience of the line will be unexpected in the same way. If you wouldn’t imagine that Great Vigour with Great Possession would look like a ram stuck in a hedge, then you probably also wouldn’t imagine that a project with a superabundance of energy, talent and potential at its disposal could run into trouble. Once you’re aware of the context of this line, if you hear something like,
‘We have enough capital to invest that we can get past that,’
or if you catch yourself thinking,
‘That’s not a serious obstacle for such talented people,’
then you should see flashing lights and hear klaxons. (Whereas if people are talking about testing the possibilities, believing in the vision, and strengthening the bonds of communication, you can feel more confident.)
‘What about this new project?’
34.1.4.6 to 18.
‘This is over-complicated; the lines contradict one another; we must simplify them. Let’s use the rule passed on by Alfred Huang: “If there are three moving lines, consult only the middle one.” Line 4 – that’s good. Clearly this project is a good idea; we can forge ahead and will break through all obstacles in our path.’
Of course, this method of simplification isn’t always going to sweep warnings under the carpet; with some readings it will do the opposite, and make disaster seem inevitable. But either way, it changes the nature of Yi’s answer – from nuanced, detailed advice on how the project could work, what approach is recommended and where the potential traps lie, to something that requires a lot less thought and is a lot less informative.
This wouldn’t matter if lines 1 and 6 were genuinely irrelevant to the project – but please trust me on this: if you only needed the advice from one moving line, then that would be the only line changing. I’ve never yet seen a reading where it made sense to ignore any of the moving lines.
Multiple moving lines could be telling a story, starting at the lower lines and travelling up through the hexagram: ‘when you reach this point, then ‘
Multiple moving lines could also be describing alternatives: ‘if you do this, then ’
You need to understand the ‘if…’ or ‘when…’ as fully as possible, so that you will recognise each line when you encounter it in reality. The three most direct ways to do this are by reflecting on
Explore the depths of your reading…
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‘My answer has multiple moving lines, and they contradict one another. How am I supposed to make sense of this?’
Here’s an article to help you with that.
Why ‘revisited’?
Many years ago now, I wrote a rambling overview of ways people consider and work with (or avoid working with) multiple moving lines. You can read it here. This post is different: it’s about the approach I recommend. Obviously, this is not the One Right True Way to interpret these readings – it’s simply a way that works. If you want to work with multiple moving lines in a way that both engages with the depths of the reading and also gives you insights you can use, then read on.About simplification, and why I don’t recommend it…
When you cast a Yijing reading, your answer normally has one or two changing lines – but it could have none, or six, or anything in between.This range of possibilities is part of the Yi’s language. An unchanging hexagram might be saying something like,
‘Pay attention: here is the one simple thing you need to hear. Remember this.’
And a reading with multiple lines is saying,
‘This situation you asked about is more complex – here are the many factors at play,’ or, ‘Here are the many ways it could turn out’.
In other words, Yi will respond to your situation and give you exactly the kind of answer you need now. (I have lost count of the number of times I’ve received an unchanging hexagram because I needed something spelling out v-e-r-y s-i-m-p-l-y.)
So this is why, although there are many methods to simplify the Yijing’s answer and ensure you never have to think about multiple moving lines, I don’t recommend them. They take away Yi’s freedom to give you the kind of answer you need, and replace it with a system to ensure you get the kind of answer you want.
These methods all fall into one of two categories:
- There are methods to cast a reading that will always have exactly one moving line, no more or no less. That’s rather like emailing a question to tech support and adding, ‘You must answer in exactly 150 words.’ (What if they need 1000? Come to that, what if they could perfectly well answer in 15?)
- And there are assorted ways of casting normally, and then applying a formula to rule any ‘extra’ changing lines out of consideration. This is rather like emailing your question to tech support, receiving a long, detailed answer, and first counting its sentences so you can delete every third sentence with the letter ‘r’ in it, or some such.
It makes more sense to me to assume that if you get a short email, the answer is simple, and if you get a long email, that’s because the question you asked is more complex than you anticipated. Also, I feel this approach makes for a better relationship with the support department in the long run. And Yi is a considerably better communicator than your average tech support department.
except when I do
However, if you know you only have the time or energy to handle a short answer – if you need a quick reading and absolutely, definitely, do not have the time to deal with the complexities of multiple moving lines – then I think the first of those two options is acceptable.
You can ask Yi for a single hexagram (one very direct way of doing this is to ask the nearest person for a number between 1 and 64), or you can use a casting method that generates exactly one moving line. Here’s an easy way to do that:
- Take 6 coins; 5 identical, one different.
- Allocate coin faces to broken and solid lines. (Traditionally, the side with the value of the coin on it is yang.)
- Shake up all six coins together and cast them together in a roughly vertical line.
- The coin that lands nearest to you is the bottom line.
- The one different coin represents the moving line.
- Read your hexagram.
The illustration is one I just cast, with the question, ‘Yi, what do you think of this method?’
(Of course, left unrestricted, Yi might have given you an unchanging reading anyway.)
Understanding multiple moving lines
If, instead of simplifying the reading, you trust Yi to give you the answer you need, and then it turns out that that answer contains a lot of moving lines, how can you understand them?As a story
Most often, multiple moving lines are telling a story. You can expect them to unfold over time, step by step, starting with the lowest line.33, Retreat, changing to 8, Seeking Union?
changing to
At first you are tied and find it hard to retreat…
‘Tied retreat. There is affliction, danger.
Nurturing servants and handmaidens, good fortune.’
then you find a way to retreat out of love (though not everyone ‘gets it’)Nurturing servants and handmaidens, good fortune.’
‘Loving retreat.
Noble one, good fortune.
Small people, blocked.’
and ultimately the retreat enriches everyone:Noble one, good fortune.
Small people, blocked.’
‘Rich retreat.
Nothing that does not bear fruit.’
48, the Well, changing to 61, Inner Truth?Nothing that does not bear fruit.’
changing to
At first the well is unusable…
‘The well is muddy, no drinking.
Old well, no birds.’
…then it is repaired…Old well, no birds.’
‘Well is being lined,
No mistake.’
…so that it can be used:No mistake.’
‘The well: clear, cold spring water to drink.’
Yi often tells stories this way, and if you receive multiple moving lines this is the first thing to try.Start reading with the lowest changing line, and pay most attention to this one because it will be relevant first. Indeed, sometimes if you miss that line’s message, the following lines will never apply. If your first line is 43.1 –
‘Vigour in the leading foot.
Going on without control means making mistakes.’
– then you need to concentrate first on not rushing in and falling flat on your face, and worry about any other changing lines later.Going on without control means making mistakes.’
An exception to this: if you have the first line of a hexagram changing, and recognise it as something from your immediate past. Maybe you have already gone ahead without control and made mistakes, and this is why you’re asking in the first place. In that case – and if you are perfectly sure you’re not about to do the same again – you’ll want to move your attention to the next line.
As alternatives
It’s very often true that Yijing readings contain an implied ‘if… then…’. (Here is an earlier post I wrote about that. This one shows you in more detail how to work with the lines.)Often, the alternatives are encompassed within a single line. 23, line 6, for instance:
‘A ripe fruit uneaten.
Noble one gets a cart,
Small people strip their huts.’
There are two ways this could go, says Yi: one way for the noble one, another for the small person. Which are you?Noble one gets a cart,
Small people strip their huts.’
Sometimes there are alternatives contained within a single line – and sometimes they’re divided between multiple moving lines. Lines that appear to be contradicting one another often simply represent alternative paths with alternative destinations. ‘If you take this attitude or adopt this strategy, then you create this outcome. But if, on the other hand, you go about it this way, then…’ Or, ‘If and when you find yourself in this position, expect to encounter this. But if instead you have to go about it this way, here’s what to expect…’
Here’s an example:
An imaginary example reading: 34.1.4.6 to 18
Imagine you have a wonderful idea for a big new project. You’re full of energy and raring to get started, and ask Yi for comment.‘What about this new project?’
Yi answers with Hexagram 34, Great Vigour, changing at lines 1, 4 and 6 to 18, Corruption:
changing to
All the power and vitality of 34, setting out to deal with the corruption of 18. In a real reading, we’d pause here to think about how those two hexagrams relate, to get a picture of the landscape. But for now, let’s jump ahead and ask how that relationship works out in the moving lines.
‘Vigour in the toes.
Setting out to bring order: pitfall.
There is truth and confidence.’
‘Constancy, good fortune.
Regrets vanish.
The hedge broken through, no entanglement.
Vigour in the axle straps of a great cart.’
‘The ram butts the hedge.
Cannot pull back, cannot follow through,
No direction bears fruit.
Hardship, and hence good fortune.’
Obviously, these can’t all be true at once: you can’t be simultaneously stuck in the hedge and rolling on through. Perhaps these lines could be the chapters in a story – a project that starts badly, then goes well, but then gets entangled again. But as a story, this is lacking in coherence – and it wouldn’t be especially helpful as a reading, either, as you try to decide whether it’s wise to start on your project. No – to understand this one, you need to read the three line as alternatives.Setting out to bring order: pitfall.
There is truth and confidence.’
‘Constancy, good fortune.
Regrets vanish.
The hedge broken through, no entanglement.
Vigour in the axle straps of a great cart.’
‘The ram butts the hedge.
Cannot pull back, cannot follow through,
No direction bears fruit.
Hardship, and hence good fortune.’
- If/when you are at line 1, then setting out to bring order is disastrous.
- If/when you’re at line 4, then constancy will pay off and you will be able to get free of all obstacles and hindrances.
- But if/when you are at line 6, you’ll be stuck, and won’t be able to pursue your plans directly.
The question, of course, is how to tell when each line applies. Line 1, we can be reasonably sure, applies first: you shouldn’t rush into this unprepared. But further along, when I’m facing a thorny obstacle, I need to be able to tell whether this is line 4 (forge ahead, break through!) or line 6 (forge ahead, and you’ll only get more and more stuck). To work with an ‘if… then…’ you need a full understanding of the ‘if…’.
The first and easiest place to look for an ‘if…’ is the text of the line itself. You simply need to slow down and use your imagination to engage with your answer. Do you have ‘vigour in the toes’ – are you raring to go, do you have itchy feet? Or do you have a ‘great cart’ with strong axle straps… a well-constructed plan, a solid means of making progress, something that holds together under stress? Those two situations will feel quite different. (And when you use your imagination to develop a clear inner sense of how those situations would feel, then you’re likely to be able to recognise them in real life.)
However, not all lines make their ‘if’ clear; some, like 34.2 (‘Constancy, good fortune.’), say nothing about their conditions at all. Lines 4 and 6 do make an important distinction – a well-constructed cart does better than a ram – but it would still be good to understand more about the conditions in order to be sure you can tell them apart in practice.
Line context: the line’s position
I already touched on this with lines as story. You know that line 1 is the beginning, line 6 is the end, and this basic idea applies to every hexagram. But line positions correspond not only to chapters in a story, but also to the layers of a psyche, and the different roles and relationships in a group of people. This means that ‘being at line 4’ has certain characteristics: someone asking, ‘What can I do here?’; the moment of emerging from the inner trigram into the outer, taking an idea out into the world, putting it into practice and finding what’s possible; the person responsible for this. Line 6 is quite different: at the end, at the higher level of a supervisor (or sage, or narrator), traditionally said to be removed from the action.How could this apply to our imaginary reading?
‘Constancy, good fortune.
Regrets vanish.
The hedge broken through, no entanglement.
Vigour in the axle straps of a great cart.’
This is the experience of someone who takes a ‘line 4 position’: someone who’s thinking about applications and possibilities, who uses a well-made cart with attention to detail. But what about line 6?Regrets vanish.
The hedge broken through, no entanglement.
Vigour in the axle straps of a great cart.’
‘The ram butts the hedge.
Cannot pull back, cannot follow through,
No direction bears fruit.
Hardship, and hence good fortune.’
The ram isn’t removed from the action, and that’s rather the problem. But perhaps this could be someone with a ‘line-6-ish’ mindset in the context of Great Vigour: looking at the long-term, the vision, charging powerfully towards that… gloriously unconcerned with little details like a hedge in the way.Cannot pull back, cannot follow through,
No direction bears fruit.
Hardship, and hence good fortune.’
And so you begin to understand some of your reading’s ‘if.., then…’.
When you are just beginning, don’t rush in and try to fix everything at once. If you do your thinking and planning and have a well-made vehicle for your idea, then it will go smoothly. But if you focus only on the vision and remove yourself from the practicalities, then you’ll have a long, hard struggle to get unstuck.
Line position is one of those brilliantly simple concepts that unlock whole realms of meaning in the Yi. I find it so useful that I made it the subject of a whole module of the Yijing Foundations Course.
Line context: the changed hexagram
This is the other line context I rely on in readings (and hence also included in Foundations). As you know, changing lines reveal new hexagrams. When you have multiple changing lines, your relating hexagram is the result of all those changes combined – but each individual line is still pointing to its own changed hexagram.What would be the relating hexagram if this were the only changing line is still a ‘mini relating hexagram’ for this particular line. As such, it represents some of the same things a relating hexagram would do: a personal stance, or attitude, or aspiration, or context.
34 line 1 would change to 32, Lasting:
to
What mindset does that suggest lies behind the ‘vigour in the toes’? Something well-established, a truth long known and trusted (‘there is truth and confidence’, says line 1), or perhaps just an ingrained habit. Of course you think you can ‘bring order’ if you’re already absolutely familiar with how it all works; it would just be a matter of implementing what’s tried and true in new territory.
So… we have a picture of someone at the beginning, not yet familiar with the specifics of this project, in a big hurry to get going on the basis of what they know and trust – and maybe even literally bouncing on the balls of their feet in their eagerness. This is pretty clear, detailed picture; you’ll be able to recognise when it applies.
Line 4 points you towards Hexagram 11, Flow:
to
This approach is clearly a good fit: fluent energy, with the will to apply it (have a look at the Image of 11). ‘Small goes, great comes’: the great cart carries us through, and the obstacle of the hedge is swept away along with those vanishing regrets.
Hexagram 11 colours the line with its sense of momentum and aspiration – it’s an especially forward-looking hexagram, that sees how all things are possible.
And what about line 6? That would change to Hexagram 14, Great Possession:
to
This one might seem odd. Great Possession is another overwhelmingly positive hexagram –
‘Great Possession.
From the source, creating success.’
– where a great wealth of potential (talent, material wealth, social credit, spiritual gifts…) makes for a very promising beginning. Great Vigour with Great Possession – how can this end up with a ram caught in a hedge?From the source, creating success.’
Well… the ram is in possession of great strength, and that is all he really knows about. (If you have my book, you may have noticed that these changed hexagrams often show up in the line commentary; the ram, I wrote, ‘has reduced the whole situation to the question of how much power he has’.) It’s just that now he needs to use that strength sideways, as it were, to wriggle free.
A tip: when the combination of hexagrams and line is unexpected, as it is here, that’s often a sign that the experience of the line will be unexpected in the same way. If you wouldn’t imagine that Great Vigour with Great Possession would look like a ram stuck in a hedge, then you probably also wouldn’t imagine that a project with a superabundance of energy, talent and potential at its disposal could run into trouble. Once you’re aware of the context of this line, if you hear something like,
‘We have enough capital to invest that we can get past that,’
or if you catch yourself thinking,
‘That’s not a serious obstacle for such talented people,’
then you should see flashing lights and hear klaxons. (Whereas if people are talking about testing the possibilities, believing in the vision, and strengthening the bonds of communication, you can feel more confident.)
What if we simplified the reading?
Imagine for a moment what would happen with enforced simplification of 34.1.4.6 to 18.‘What about this new project?’
34.1.4.6 to 18.
‘This is over-complicated; the lines contradict one another; we must simplify them. Let’s use the rule passed on by Alfred Huang: “If there are three moving lines, consult only the middle one.” Line 4 – that’s good. Clearly this project is a good idea; we can forge ahead and will break through all obstacles in our path.’
Of course, this method of simplification isn’t always going to sweep warnings under the carpet; with some readings it will do the opposite, and make disaster seem inevitable. But either way, it changes the nature of Yi’s answer – from nuanced, detailed advice on how the project could work, what approach is recommended and where the potential traps lie, to something that requires a lot less thought and is a lot less informative.
This wouldn’t matter if lines 1 and 6 were genuinely irrelevant to the project – but please trust me on this: if you only needed the advice from one moving line, then that would be the only line changing. I’ve never yet seen a reading where it made sense to ignore any of the moving lines.
Summing up…
Yi gives you multiple moving lines when your question has a more complex answer. It makes sense to accept this complexity, not try to simplify it out of existence.Multiple moving lines could be telling a story, starting at the lower lines and travelling up through the hexagram: ‘when you reach this point, then ‘
Multiple moving lines could also be describing alternatives: ‘if you do this, then ’
You need to understand the ‘if…’ or ‘when…’ as fully as possible, so that you will recognise each line when you encounter it in reality. The three most direct ways to do this are by reflecting on
- the imagery of the line itself
- the position of the line within the hexagram
- the hexagram revealed when this line changes
Explore the depths of your reading…
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Will I be able to make this deadline? 42.2.5->41. Plus, the outcome!
I recently had a deadline I needed to meet for the next stage of a long-term project. I'd previously pushed the deadline back by several weeks and missing this one did not feel like an option. However, about a week before the new deadline, my daughter caught a bad bug. For days she was miserable and feverish and screamed relentlessly whenever I put her down or tried handing her to her dad or other family caregivers. She needed me constantly. Not normal behavior for her. I felt terrible for her and wanted to be with her, but also stressed out because I didn't have my normal working time (I was constantly interrupted), at a time when I really needed it. I was also really distracted worrying about her!
At a very low point, I asked Yi, "Will I be able to make this deadline?" and received 42.2.5 -> 41. As I asked, I was wondering if I should let the person know ahead of time what was going on and that I might be late. But when I got this reading, it was so shockingly auspicious that I decided to hold out and not say anything. I interpreted it to mean I was going to be lucky in this situation (42.2 and 42.5) and also that I perhaps didn't need to do as much as I thought to finish ("where there is excess, she corrects it"). This would enable me to decrease my commitments and finish up (41 as background).
Well, I ended up being able to work in the evenings with more speed than I ever have before in my life. Everything just flowed. I didn't have to correct or redo much. Portions of it I anticipated taking several hours I finished in less than 1. It felt like benevolent spirits were assisting me, guiding the flow, helping me.
I beat the deadline, turning it in a day and a half early. My daughter is totally fine and back to her usual self, it was just a normal childhood illness.
At a very low point, I asked Yi, "Will I be able to make this deadline?" and received 42.2.5 -> 41. As I asked, I was wondering if I should let the person know ahead of time what was going on and that I might be late. But when I got this reading, it was so shockingly auspicious that I decided to hold out and not say anything. I interpreted it to mean I was going to be lucky in this situation (42.2 and 42.5) and also that I perhaps didn't need to do as much as I thought to finish ("where there is excess, she corrects it"). This would enable me to decrease my commitments and finish up (41 as background).
Well, I ended up being able to work in the evenings with more speed than I ever have before in my life. Everything just flowed. I didn't have to correct or redo much. Portions of it I anticipated taking several hours I finished in less than 1. It felt like benevolent spirits were assisting me, guiding the flow, helping me.
I beat the deadline, turning it in a day and a half early. My daughter is totally fine and back to her usual self, it was just a normal childhood illness.
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Lovers
So I've asked what will happen between me and my husband as far as our relationship is concerned. I don't know how to read this concerning this. Please help.
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interplay between 2 hexagrams
Hi,
Can you use the answer to a similar question to get more clrity.(I don't mean the hexagram the first one changes into.)
1.e. I asked, Why is she hanging up in response to my letters-line 4- suggesting I retreat to follow my own path. BUT I had also asked ,"what's going to happen with us" #12 line 5,6. If I use 12 to get clarity on 24, I get a different possible view-i.e. she is line 4 in 24 she is returning from hanging with inferiors to me(noble friend:) wilhelm talks about). BUT IS IT KOSHER TO LOOK AT INTERPLAY OR DOES ONE HAVE TO BE PURIST AND ONLY USE ONE HEXAGRAM TO GAIN INSIGHT THANKS JEFF
Can you use the answer to a similar question to get more clrity.(I don't mean the hexagram the first one changes into.)
1.e. I asked, Why is she hanging up in response to my letters-line 4- suggesting I retreat to follow my own path. BUT I had also asked ,"what's going to happen with us" #12 line 5,6. If I use 12 to get clarity on 24, I get a different possible view-i.e. she is line 4 in 24 she is returning from hanging with inferiors to me(noble friend:) wilhelm talks about). BUT IS IT KOSHER TO LOOK AT INTERPLAY OR DOES ONE HAVE TO BE PURIST AND ONLY USE ONE HEXAGRAM TO GAIN INSIGHT THANKS JEFF
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11>36 - Same reading twice
Hello, I haven't posted for a long time.
I just did a reading about my new neighbour and got 11>36. I then did a reading asking How can I increase my income and was surprised to get the same answer 11>36. I'd appreciate any thoughts on what this means.
The background is, I've just moved into a new flat and became very friendly with my neighbour. For a 2 months I was going back and forth between my old flat and the new one, busy renovating and decorating and she was lovely - giving me advice, inviting me in for cups of tea. I really thought I'd made a new friend and she talked about us going out dancing and visiting Sunday markets together. It felt very nice and easy.
There was one incident that unnerved me though. She has health issues, which she seems very attached to, and she completely flipped when I talked about using paint to renew my bathroom floor. She said it might inflame her asthma and told me I CAN'T do that and ranted for some time. In other words she dictated to me what I can and can't do with my own flat. Then she told me about a time in the past when she took her neighbour to court for using paint fumes that seeped into the corridor and caused her to end up in hospital. She sued him for the cost of having to spend a month away from the flat. I was very upset about this but was able to let it go.
When I saw her a week later things seemed good between us and I was looking forward to having a lovely neighbour and developing our friendship. I moved fully into my new flat a few weeks ago and since then I have felt a chill from her. A definite psychic energy of 'keep away'. I was upset at first but then got that I don't need people like that in my life. I'm a very friendly and open person and have great friends in my life already so rejection isn't a big loss to me. I want to keep on good terms but I don't need to be in and out of her place and am ok to keep a friendly distance if that is what she wants.
I asked the I-Ching a very open question "What about C" and it gave me 11>36
Re the income. This new flat is a very big transition for me after a period of difficulty. The icing on the cake would be finding a way to increase my income that doesn't involve lots of hard work and struggle. I'd love to be doing the thing I enjoy and be rewarded generously for my efforts.
The I-Ching seems to be saying the same thing to me for both situations and I have some sense of what it all means but would appreciate some extra clarity on it.
Thank you.
I just did a reading about my new neighbour and got 11>36. I then did a reading asking How can I increase my income and was surprised to get the same answer 11>36. I'd appreciate any thoughts on what this means.
The background is, I've just moved into a new flat and became very friendly with my neighbour. For a 2 months I was going back and forth between my old flat and the new one, busy renovating and decorating and she was lovely - giving me advice, inviting me in for cups of tea. I really thought I'd made a new friend and she talked about us going out dancing and visiting Sunday markets together. It felt very nice and easy.
There was one incident that unnerved me though. She has health issues, which she seems very attached to, and she completely flipped when I talked about using paint to renew my bathroom floor. She said it might inflame her asthma and told me I CAN'T do that and ranted for some time. In other words she dictated to me what I can and can't do with my own flat. Then she told me about a time in the past when she took her neighbour to court for using paint fumes that seeped into the corridor and caused her to end up in hospital. She sued him for the cost of having to spend a month away from the flat. I was very upset about this but was able to let it go.
When I saw her a week later things seemed good between us and I was looking forward to having a lovely neighbour and developing our friendship. I moved fully into my new flat a few weeks ago and since then I have felt a chill from her. A definite psychic energy of 'keep away'. I was upset at first but then got that I don't need people like that in my life. I'm a very friendly and open person and have great friends in my life already so rejection isn't a big loss to me. I want to keep on good terms but I don't need to be in and out of her place and am ok to keep a friendly distance if that is what she wants.
I asked the I-Ching a very open question "What about C" and it gave me 11>36
Re the income. This new flat is a very big transition for me after a period of difficulty. The icing on the cake would be finding a way to increase my income that doesn't involve lots of hard work and struggle. I'd love to be doing the thing I enjoy and be rewarded generously for my efforts.
The I-Ching seems to be saying the same thing to me for both situations and I have some sense of what it all means but would appreciate some extra clarity on it.
Thank you.
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relationship question "who wants X with me" 41.1.5>59
Hello everyone! is my first participation in the forums and I just want to comment that I received this hexagram to a relationship response "What is the link between X and me" 41.6 to 19I made this query a few months ago and I saw this response from Trojina in a thread that I found in the forums and it is exactly what happened, a relationship to enjoy, that led me to expand my horizons, have new friendships, open new work paths thanks to he, it was a very funny moment, start in March and well, we arrived at the month of August ... where it would seem that I am at the point where the relationship could end even if we continue working together since the return although half a relation previous for her children whom she wants and they seek but the discussions with her are permanent, even so she tells me that she does not want to lose me ask the teacher again"WHO WANTS X WITH ME" and got 41.1.5 to 59From what I have read is quite favorable, where we are in the lowest part of the relationship and before deciding to know what is so good about usAny light that you can give me regarding my results I will be very grateful
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Choices: Hexagram 3.6>42 vs Hexagram 7.6 > 4
Line 6 in 3 looks so bad but then it leads to Increase 42 which to me is a great resulting hexagram.
7.6 looks good for the situation, but leading to Hexagram 4 seems like it's likely to fail in the end.
The 1st question:
Yi, How would it affect my life to get back into contract on the property at X now, vs. waiting until i can offer cash? 7.6>4 Offering cash depends on selling my house which is taking a while.
2nd:
Yi, How would it affect my ability to purchase the property at X to wait until I am closer to making a cash offer? 3.6 >42
I worded the 2nd one more specifically about getting the place and the first about how it would affect my life in general.
Thanks for any insights on this one. Line 6 of Hexagram 3 leading to 42 seems especially contradicting.
7.6 looks good for the situation, but leading to Hexagram 4 seems like it's likely to fail in the end.
The 1st question:
Yi, How would it affect my life to get back into contract on the property at X now, vs. waiting until i can offer cash? 7.6>4 Offering cash depends on selling my house which is taking a while.
2nd:
Yi, How would it affect my ability to purchase the property at X to wait until I am closer to making a cash offer? 3.6 >42
I worded the 2nd one more specifically about getting the place and the first about how it would affect my life in general.
Thanks for any insights on this one. Line 6 of Hexagram 3 leading to 42 seems especially contradicting.
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27.3.4.5>13 what is outcome if I say what I really want to say
So Ive been dating someone for a year. I just found out tonight that he is messing with someone else. I suspect it started about a week ago as he got all weird and stood me up twice last week.
So I have been conferring, of course, with my girlfriends who give me vastly different advice as to how to handle it. Needless to say - Im out and done with him. But how to end it ... thats the question. I want to take my power back.
So I had several conversations in my head about what I would say to him -in person- for ME to officially end the relationship.
One girlfriend agrees the other does not.
So I asked Yi... what is the outcome if I say what I really want to say. Got 27.3.4.5 > 13
So Im confused.
Line 3 says moderate your speech and drink.
Line 4 says ... ummm I dont know. Confused.
Line 5 says to abandon normal precedures and act unconventional as long as its not too much.
So what is the Yi telling me??
So I have been conferring, of course, with my girlfriends who give me vastly different advice as to how to handle it. Needless to say - Im out and done with him. But how to end it ... thats the question. I want to take my power back.
So I had several conversations in my head about what I would say to him -in person- for ME to officially end the relationship.
One girlfriend agrees the other does not.
So I asked Yi... what is the outcome if I say what I really want to say. Got 27.3.4.5 > 13
So Im confused.
Line 3 says moderate your speech and drink.
Line 4 says ... ummm I dont know. Confused.
Line 5 says to abandon normal precedures and act unconventional as long as its not too much.
So what is the Yi telling me??
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Lovers
I asked will me and my husband stay together , 40.2.6 to 35.
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Will I reconcile with my ex boyfriend? 2.1 to 24
Hey guys, my ex boyfriend broke up with me recently (May). We had been together for three years but had been facing a lot of up's and downs (we were fighting a lot) in the recent few months. Towards the end my ex got really distant and sometimes just taking stuff for granted etc., after which we broke up. I wanted us to try again. We sometimes talk as friends and things are not cold or anything between us. The question I asked was- Will I reconcile with my ex boyfriend?The answer I got was- 2.1 to 24
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When a second question explains the first.
Hi everyone,
A while back I asked a question about how to find a good relationship. The answer was 7.1.2.6(27)
I interpreted this as Initiate & go out on lunch or dinner dates.
Of course, someone may say the answer says something else.
Here is proof that my interpretation was correct:
I asked, 'Well, what if I don't do that?'
Answer: 37.2 (9)
Having no other goals to pursue
Remaining within, preparing meals
Persistence is promising
(If I don't gather dinner companions, I would be eating at home)
This one made me laugh.
~M.E.
A while back I asked a question about how to find a good relationship. The answer was 7.1.2.6(27)
I interpreted this as Initiate & go out on lunch or dinner dates.
Of course, someone may say the answer says something else.
Here is proof that my interpretation was correct:
I asked, 'Well, what if I don't do that?'
Answer: 37.2 (9)
Having no other goals to pursue
Remaining within, preparing meals
Persistence is promising
(If I don't gather dinner companions, I would be eating at home)
This one made me laugh.
~M.E.
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Move out? Hex 9.4
My boyfriend and I are thinking on moving out together, we're looking for a place, already. So, I asked "if we are gonna move out for a new place in this year" and I Ching answered me with hexagram 9 and line 4. How is the best way to interpret this? https://www.onlineclarity.co.uk/frie...ilies/zen2.gif
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59.4.5 to 64 should I leave my current job
A little background history. I have been working at this company for 2.5 years. The first day I arrived I was introduced to a work colleague and there was an immediate attraction. I have fought this attraction and have never acted on it, despite his advances as he is married. We seem to have established more healthy boundaries but this strong attraction still exists and I cant see it going away. I am pretty exhausted by this constant battle with temptation. The job is a pretty sweet number as I only work there part time and there is a lit if flexibility in the job and great transport links. It has been a great support whilst setting up my business. But I am sure I can find something similar elsewhere. My gut is telling me it is time to move on out of the mire and start a fresh somewhere else. And to start a new chapter in my life. This is what I feel the reading is telling me.Hex 64 - my present situation. All a bit chaotic and indecisive Hex 59.4 - leave the company - dissolve from the group. It will be fine with sadness but for the greater good.59.5 - it will be the end of my time there but new horizons will open up. What does everyone think. This wouldve a major turning point in my life so I do want to make sure I am not throwing away a pretty practical set up if it will not benefit me. Thanks to you all in advance
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Hipsters
How many Hipsters does it take to screw in a light bulb?
It's an obscure number, you wouldn't know it.
It's an obscure number, you wouldn't know it.
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What does he bring into my life? 40.2>16
Is this wishful thinking or is this person really good for me? Line 2. has something to do with aloneness which confuses me, otherwise, I'd think this person shows me the clear path in my life?
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Husband
I was very inspired by someone on the forum asking about whether she has met her husband yet. Here in my bubble, there is someone who I feel a very strong pull from but it's all unclear and muddy at the moment. He is not what I'd ever imagined to be by my side but still. ------Have I met my husband yet? 64! Unchanging ----- to me, it is saying - He is there but it's not ready just yet. Any ideas? Other views? I feel so ripe and ready XD
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Hex 13.5 >30
Usually, Hex 13.5 has always meant reconciliation after a fight for me. Or as Trojina once wrote somewhere, the sympathetic agreement to go separate ways.
But one story I go through is totally different from my other experiences with 13.5. There's one man in my life who means a lot to me, for our 'relationship' I even threw 13.5 three times in a row when we got to know each other, which I interpreted in such a way that it would go well between us eventually somehow. But that hasn't happened yet, not even after 3 years. I wonder why Yi gave me this clearly painful but still hopeful line several times in a row when we first met, if absolutely nothing ever should come out of it. Not even a proper farewell and mutual understanding, but just blockages. At the beginning we were both not free but now we are, still there are strange obstacles blocking our connection in every way. Not even as friends we found together til now. Alone this would make me happy. Now I haven't talked to him for about nine months and when we accidently meet each other we both can't even really look each other in the eyes. It is ridicoulus but his presence makes me feel so shy and vulnerable.
I wonder if I just have to be more patient (not in a sense that I am waiting for him, I always try to enjoy this short life we have as much as possible) or if I let myself totally be led on the wrong track. I am happy about every thought of you about Hex 13.5.
Thanks a lot :)
But one story I go through is totally different from my other experiences with 13.5. There's one man in my life who means a lot to me, for our 'relationship' I even threw 13.5 three times in a row when we got to know each other, which I interpreted in such a way that it would go well between us eventually somehow. But that hasn't happened yet, not even after 3 years. I wonder why Yi gave me this clearly painful but still hopeful line several times in a row when we first met, if absolutely nothing ever should come out of it. Not even a proper farewell and mutual understanding, but just blockages. At the beginning we were both not free but now we are, still there are strange obstacles blocking our connection in every way. Not even as friends we found together til now. Alone this would make me happy. Now I haven't talked to him for about nine months and when we accidently meet each other we both can't even really look each other in the eyes. It is ridicoulus but his presence makes me feel so shy and vulnerable.
I wonder if I just have to be more patient (not in a sense that I am waiting for him, I always try to enjoy this short life we have as much as possible) or if I let myself totally be led on the wrong track. I am happy about every thought of you about Hex 13.5.
Thanks a lot :)
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Will person B continue to work in her role?
I'd like your opinions on a work-related situation with persons A and B.
Where A is the new top boss, and B is the second from top (been there for a while).
A is a very innovative person with fresh ideas, and seems (so far) very competent.
B is a calcified dictatorial person, extremely unpleasant and incompetent, but... still at the top.
A has hinted that anyone not following innovation will have to go - but I really don't know if she has seen through B's incompetence. Anyway, to the casts.
What are A's intentions for B in this company? 56.5 > 33
A wanderer hits a pheasant with one shot, and retreats. This is disquieting actually. The stranger/wanderer is probably A here, as she's the new kid on the block? Or...? I really don't get this. Both their positions are permanent positions. So I find it disquieting that a stranger shoots a pheasant and receives praise and office, then retreats. I'm stuck. Any ideas?
Will B remain in the company for a long time? 53.2.4.5 > 50
53.2 says probably yes for some time, nice food and companions. But 53.4 speaks of a temporary rest, then 53.5 about finally getting impregnated and 50 is about something new brewing. Because of B's age, impregnation is impossible (same for A). So I'd say that no, especially because the answer speaks of something new and there are three changes. However, I'm sort of emotionally involved in this, so please let me know your thoughts.
Where A is the new top boss, and B is the second from top (been there for a while).
A is a very innovative person with fresh ideas, and seems (so far) very competent.
B is a calcified dictatorial person, extremely unpleasant and incompetent, but... still at the top.
A has hinted that anyone not following innovation will have to go - but I really don't know if she has seen through B's incompetence. Anyway, to the casts.
What are A's intentions for B in this company? 56.5 > 33
A wanderer hits a pheasant with one shot, and retreats. This is disquieting actually. The stranger/wanderer is probably A here, as she's the new kid on the block? Or...? I really don't get this. Both their positions are permanent positions. So I find it disquieting that a stranger shoots a pheasant and receives praise and office, then retreats. I'm stuck. Any ideas?
Will B remain in the company for a long time? 53.2.4.5 > 50
53.2 says probably yes for some time, nice food and companions. But 53.4 speaks of a temporary rest, then 53.5 about finally getting impregnated and 50 is about something new brewing. Because of B's age, impregnation is impossible (same for A). So I'd say that no, especially because the answer speaks of something new and there are three changes. However, I'm sort of emotionally involved in this, so please let me know your thoughts.
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