I Ching reading: Lü (The Wanderer) changing to Xiaoguo (Small Excess)
Lü: Nine at the top
The bird's nest burns. The wanderer laughs at first, then wails and weeps. He loses his ox through carelessness. Misfortune.
鳥焚其巢，旅人先笑後號咷。喪牛于易，凶。
止Hold back
Reading
Not now.You are away from home with no firm footing. Small matters are fine; do not seek anything big.
Governing text · Lü: Nine at the top
In plain wordsThe bird's nest is burned. The wanderer first laughs in self-satisfaction, then cries out loud. In a careless, arrogant moment he has lost the ox, that is, the virtue of gentle yielding. Misfortune. He is in a strange land and still sets himself above everyone.
- Now
- The hexagram of travel and living as a guest: nothing to lean on, and everything is temporary.
- The key
- Only one line is changing: Nine at the top. The answer is in that line. This text describes a bad outcome. Carry on as you are and you will lose by it. Stop, step aside or change your approach. Do not force it.
- Where it is heading
- Things are moving toward Xiaoguo (Small Excess): Small things can be done; do not touch the big ones. Better to stay a little low.
- What to do
- Keep a low profile; be careful and follow the rules. Do not fuss over small things, do not put on airs, and do not linger too long in one place.
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: 8 yin · 3: 7 yang · 4: 7 yang · 5: 8 yin · 6: 9 yang (changing)
Line position
Not in its proper place · not answered by the third line
Top place: the end of the matter. What reaches its limit turns. Know when to stop.
Verdict words in the text
Nuclear hexagram · Daguo (Great Excess)
The load is too heavy and the beam is already bent. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures.
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.