I Ching reading: Song (Conflict) changing to Gou (Encounter)
Song: Six in the third place
Living on old virtue. Persisting is dangerous; good fortune in the end. If you serve in the king's affairs, there is no achievement.
食舊德，貞厲，終吉。或從王事，无成。
慎Proceed with care
Reading
Yes, but carefully.There is a dispute, but fighting it to the end will do you no good.
Governing text · Song: Six in the third place
In plain wordsLiving on the share you have always had. There is some risk, but in the end good fortune. If you go out and work for someone, nothing will come of it — keeping contentedly to your own lot is best.
- Now
- You are in the middle of a disagreement, a dispute or a contest of wills. You may well be in the right, but this hexagram says: settling partway is good fortune, fighting to the very end is misfortune.
- The key
- Only one line is changing: Six in the third place. The answer is in that line. The outcome can be good, but the text carries a warning. Take the warning seriously and the good outcome is yours.
- Where it is heading
- Things are moving toward Gou (Encounter): A person or a matter you run into unexpectedly; do not get deeply involved lightly.
- What to do
- Quit while you are ahead, and find a fair third party to judge. Don't take big risks at this stage. In the future, when you start something, make the rules clear at the outset.
Read more closely
Which text applies
One changing line: read that line of the primary hexagram.
Your six throws, bottom to top: 1: 8 yin · 2: 7 yang · 3: 6 yin (changing) · 4: 7 yang · 5: 7 yang · 6: 7 yang
Line position
Not in its proper place · answered by the top line
Third place: the top of the lower trigram, a place of risk. A moment of transition. Be on guard.
Verdict words in the text
Nuclear hexagram · Jiaren (The Family)
First put the affairs of the household (your own inner circle) in order.
The nuclear hexagram is formed from the four inner lines. It shows what is going on inside the situation.
Full texts
One who truly knows the Changes does not need to divine. The text is for reflection; what you do is up to you.