Hexagram 56 changing to 30: The Wanderer to The Clinging

Where it starts: 56 The Wanderer

Fire on the mountain, passing on: the stranger in a strange place, who succeeds in small things by courtesy and reserve. Mountain below, fire above: fire burning on a mountain, moving on as the grass is consumed, never staying. The Wanderer describes the condition of being away from home, without standing, dependent on the goodwill of strangers: a traveller, an outsider, someone whose position is temporary. The tradition's judgement is modest: success through smallness, persistence brings good fortune. The image adds the rule of conduct: the wise person is clear-minded and cautious in imposing penalties and does not prolong disputes. The reading says you are, in some sense, passing through, and that the way to do it well is with restraint, courtesy, care in choosing companions, and no expectation of the rights of a resident.

Where it goes: 30 The Clinging

Fire that burns by clinging to what feeds it: clarity, dependence and the care of a cow. Fire below, fire above: light doubled, the sun rising twice. The Clinging is the hexagram of clarity and of dependence: fire is bright, and fire exists only by holding onto what it burns. The tradition's judgement is that persistence furthers and that caring for the cow brings good fortune, the cow being docility, the receptive quality that lets brightness endure without consuming everything. The reading says you have, or need, clarity, and that clarity survives by attaching itself to something sound and by not flaring too hot. Illumination that forgets what it depends on burns out.

The lines that move

1. Line 1

   If the wanderer busies himself with trivial things, he draws misfortune on himself.

   The outsider who demeans themselves with pettiness, and is treated accordingly. Dignity in a low position depends on not stooping. The line warns that trivial behaviour invites contempt. Do not lower yourself to trivialities; it costs the little standing you have.

What is changing. The situation of The Wanderer is moving toward The Clinging. Behave as a good guest: modest, courteous, reserved, and careful about disputes and companions. As the change completes: Keep your light steady by tending what it depends on.

love and relationships

Now: One of you is passing through, or the relationship is in a transitional, unsettled phase with no fixed home. Do not demand the rights of permanence. Be courteous, choose carefully whom you trust, and keep your reserve. The lines describe both the wanderer who finds a resting place and the one who burns it down. Then: Attachment is the theme, and the reading is not against it: fire must cling to something. Ask what you are clinging to and whether it can sustain you. Warmth that is steady and cared for lasts; passion that flares and consumes does not.

career

Now: You are the outsider: new, temporary, without standing. Success is in small things. Be modest, reliable and reserved; do not throw your weight about, and do not entangle yourself in the disputes of the place. The inn is found by good conduct. Then: Clarity of thought and the ability to make things visible to others. Attach yourself to sound work and sound people. The reading warns against brilliance that burns through its own resources and against restlessness dressed as insight.

money

Now: Travelling light. Keep your resources with you, do not invest in a place you are passing through, and avoid disputes that would cost more than they are worth. Small, careful gains. Then: Be clear-eyed about what you depend on. Income that clings to a stable source lasts; a flare of gain that consumes its own fuel does not. Care for the cow: tend the steady thing.

decisions

Now: Choose the modest option that suits someone without standing. The reading rules out large commitments and prolonged conflicts. Decide as a guest would, with courtesy and an eye to moving on. Then: Decide with clarity, and choose the option that keeps you attached to something that can feed you. The bright, dramatic choice that has nothing to cling to burns out.