Hexagram 47: Kùn 困

What hexagram 47 means

A Lake here has lost its water down into what lies beneath it, left with less than it needs to hold. When resources have thinned this much, honest acknowledgment matters more than pretending reserves remain.

A question to sit with

What honest acknowledgment is overdue about thinning reserves?

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

A bare tree and a dim valley set the scene for gloom that feeds on itself. Avoid sinking deeper into low spirits, and look for one small source of light.

Line 2 · The inner position

Feeling hemmed in even while food and drink are plentiful points to a weariness that comfort cannot fix. Stay open to help from a person of standing, and let patient sincerity be the way you meet it.

Line 3 · The threshold

Leaning on thorns and pressing against stone describes seeking support in the wrong places. Notice whether a hard obstacle is best left alone, and whether the people you count on are really there.

Line 4 · Entering the outer

Help arrives only slowly, held back inside a golden carriage. Status or wealth may slow the aid you want to give, yet steady intent can still carry it through.

Line 5 · The position of authority

Pressed from above and below, even someone in authority can feel hemmed in on all sides. A quiet, devoted focus leaves room for things to ease gradually.

Line 6 · The end, and excess

Tangled in creeping vines, you might hesitate and tell yourself that any move is a mistake. Recognising that thought for what it is lets you step out decisively.