Hexagram 58 changing to 17: The Joyous to Following

Where it starts: 58 The Joyous

Two lakes joined: joy that is firm within and gentle without, and shared with friends in open conversation. Lake below, lake above: two lakes touching, each replenishing the other. The Joyous is the hexagram of gladness, and its structure explains the tradition's view of it: a firm line within, a yielding line without. True joy is firm inside and gentle outside, not the reverse. The judgement is success, persistence furthers. The image is of friends discussing and practising together, joy that grows by being shared and by being about something. The reading says the situation is one of gladness, or should be, and the lines distinguish the joy that comes from within and from good company from the joy that is sought outside and ends in dissipation.

Where it goes: 17 Following

Following what is right, and being followed: influence that comes from adapting to the time. Thunder below, lake above: movement within joy, thunder resting in the lake in autumn. Following describes the art of adapting, of going with the time rather than against it, and of leading by being worth following. The tradition's judgement promises success with persistence, and the condition is that what is followed must be good. This is not passivity or drifting. It is the choice to serve something you believe in, to let others serve you only when you have earned it, and to rest when the season asks for rest.

The lines that move

1. Line 2

   Sincere joyousness. Good fortune. Remorse disappears.

   Gladness that keeps its integrity even among people of low character, because it is rooted in sincerity. The person is not drawn into the bad company's pleasures; the line credits that firmness. Keep your joy sincere even among the insincere; you will not regret it.

What is changing. The situation of The Joyous is moving toward Following. Keep joy firm within and gentle without, and share it in honest company. As the change completes: Follow what is worth following, wholeheartedly, and adapt to the time.

love and relationships

Now: Gladness in the relationship, and the reading's counsel on how to keep it: firm inside, gentle outside. Joy that depends on the other person's constant reassurance is the weak kind; joy that is grounded in yourself and shared openly is the lasting kind. Then: Go along with the other person's rhythm for now, and choose carefully whom you follow. Devotion to someone worth it is strength; devotion to anyone who asks is the error the lines describe.

career

Now: Good working relationships, open exchange, the pleasure of learning with others. The reading favours collaboration and honest discussion, and warns against the gladness that comes from flattery or from seeking approval. Then: Adapt to the direction of the organisation or the leader, if the direction is sound. If you lead, you keep followers by being worth following, not by insisting. Rest when the day ends.

money

Now: Enjoyment of what you have, shared. The reading is against spending on pleasure sought from outside, and for the contentment that comes from a firm inner position. Beware of the tempting proposal that brings a false gladness. Then: Follow the trend that is real rather than fighting it, and follow advice that is proven. The reading favours flexibility and warns against clinging to a position out of pride.

decisions

Now: Choose the option that brings real, grounded gladness, and share the deciding with people you trust. The reading is against the choice made to please or to be pleased, and for the one made from inner firmness. Then: Choose the option that adapts to the situation as it is. If it means following someone else's lead, do it wholeheartedly or not at all; half-following is the worst of both.