44 姤 Coming to Meet
Judgement
Something bursts in suddenly and without warning, with force and boldness: an unexpected encounter. The image is a bold, strong figure one should not marry. Read it as a warning: do not commit for the long term to what arrives all at once and with so much push. An intense first meeting is not a foundation. Ask yourself what has crossed your path so suddenly that it deserves a wait before you decide anything.
Image
The wind blows under heaven and reaches everywhere. The ruler gives orders and makes their commands known to the four corners of the realm. It is the image of what is announced to all: what is said openly travels farther than what is whispered. Ask yourself what message it would help to state clearly, so it does not get distorted as it passes from mouth to mouth.
Lines
Line 1
It helps to restrain it, like a cart tied to a metal brake. With firmness and integrity, that is a good sign; if it moves in any direction, harm appears, like a thin pig that will not stop jumping. Energy like this needs a limit. Ask yourself which impulse of yours it would help to tie down a little.
Line 2
You have a bag with fish, and you are unlikely to go wrong. But it does not help to let what is not yet tamed reach the guests. This is keeping what you received and not letting it spill. Ask yourself what you have received that you do not yet know how to share.
Line 3
Your buttocks are skinned and you walk with difficulty. The situation is dangerous, but it is not a great mistake on your part. Do not force the step. With danger so close, walking slowly is a way of protecting yourself. Ask yourself what makes you advance in pain, and whether you need to stop to heal.
Line 4
You have the bag, but no fish. That tends to end badly. It is the image of someone left without what they would have had if they had tended the bond. You have neglected something or someone, and now the space is empty. Ask yourself which relationship you left unattended, and whether an honest conversation could still fill it.
Line 5
A medlar tree spreads its branches over the gourds. If you keep your brilliance hidden, a good result descends as if from heaven. It is the image of someone who quietly protects what grows beneath them. Do not boast of your care. Ask yourself what you are protecting without show, and whether to keep it hidden until its moment comes.
Line 6
You receive others with your horns. There is cause for lament, but you are unlikely to be at fault. This is someone who receives others harshly and ends up alone. You are not to blame, but you do not gain either. Ask yourself whether your way of receiving people is more defensive than needed.
Reflection
- What has suddenly crossed your path and deserves a wait?
- Which impulse of yours would it help to tie down a little?
- Do you receive others with more guard than you need?