Hexagram 58 changing to 47: The Joyous to Oppression

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: 47 Oppression

A lake with no water: exhaustion, confinement, and the strength of character that carries a person through. Water below, lake above: the water has drained out of the lake, leaving it dry. Oppression describes exhaustion, the state of being hemmed in and drained, the tree in the enclosure. The tradition's judgement is remarkable for its confidence: success, persistence, the great person brings good fortune, no blame. And then: when one has something to say, it is not believed. The reading says the situation is oppressive and that the way through is not argument, which no one will hear, but character: the wise person stakes their life on following their will. What cannot be changed outside is met by what cannot be broken inside.

The lines that move

1. Line 1

   Contented joyousness. Good fortune.

   Quiet contentment that needs nothing from anyone: the joy of someone at peace with their own position. The line is simple and entirely fortunate. Be content with what is; that contentment is the good fortune.

What is changing. The situation of The Joyous is moving toward Oppression. Keep joy firm within and gentle without, and share it in honest company. As the change completes: Do not argue when you will not be believed; hold your will and your character, and endure.

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: A drained, hemmed-in stretch, and a time when explaining yourself does not work because words are not believed. Do not argue. Hold your integrity and wait. The lines say oppression is survived by what a person is, not by what they say.

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: Exhaustion and confinement: blocked, unheard, worn down. The reading advises against making your case now; it will not be heard. Keep your standards, conserve your strength, and let your conduct speak until words can again.

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: Resources drained, options narrow. Endure without panic, avoid desperate moves, and do not try to talk your way out; act quietly and correctly. The tradition promises that the person of character comes through.

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: Not a time to decide anything large, and not a time to persuade. Choose the option that costs least and preserves your integrity, and wait for the water to return.