Hexagram 43: Guài 夬

What hexagram 43 means

A Lake sits high above the great strength of Heaven, a small remaining obstacle held up by considerable pressure beneath it. A clear, well-supported decision can resolve what has lingered too long.

A question to sit with

What lingering matter is ready for a clear, well-supported decision?

The six lines, bottom to top

A changing line is read on its own. These are original reflections written for this site, not a translation.

Line 1 · The beginning

Power that has built up wants to move before the ground can bear it. Measure your readiness before you commit to a stand you cannot hold.

Line 2 · The inner position

A cry of alarm in the night finds someone already prepared. Vigilance and calm readiness make late surprises far easier to meet.

Line 3 · The threshold

Resolve showing in the jaw can make a stand look harsher than it needs to be. The image here is a lone walk through rain, and if people murmur about where you stand, quiet firmness serves better than open anger.

Line 4 · Entering the outer

Sore, skinless thighs make every step a struggle. Guidance that could ease the way is offered but not taken in. Notice whether restlessness is keeping you from hearing it.

Line 5 · The position of authority

Uprooting a stubborn weed such as purslane calls for steady resolve rather than a burst of zeal. Stay in the middle way while dealing firmly with what has lingered.

Line 6 · The end, and excess

When no warning sounds, a small leftover problem can quietly return. Before calling a matter finished, check for what remains unresolved beneath the surface.