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Hexagram 5: Waiting

䷄ 需 (Xū) · Patient waiting. Don't force it; nourish yourself meanwhile.

patience, timing, confidence, nourishment

Lower trigram: Heaven ☰ · Upper trigram: Water ☵

The judgment

What you want lies on the far side of a delay or a danger, and the moment to cross has not yet come. Waiting is not empty when you trust the outcome and stay honest with yourself about where you stand. Keep your strength up, eat and rest well, and when the time is right you can cross the great water.

The image

Clouds have climbed into the sky: rain is coming, but not yet. Meanwhile eat, drink and be at ease, keeping your spirits steady while the weather ripens.

The six lines

Read only the lines that changed in your casting, counting from the bottom.

• Line 1 (bottom): Waiting out in the open meadow, far from trouble. Keep up your ordinary routine and don't waste energy worrying.
• Line 2: Waiting on the sand near the water. Some talk or criticism comes your way; stay calm and it ends well.
• Line 3: Waiting in the mud at the water's edge. Having moved too soon, you've left yourself exposed; be careful now.
• Line 4: Waiting in the thick of danger. Stay steady, don't thrash about, and you can find your way out of the pit.
• Line 5: Waiting over food and wine. Even in the middle of a hard stretch, take this calm moment to rest and enjoy; steadiness brings good fortune.
• Line 6 (top): Fallen into the pit, then three unexpected visitors arrive. Welcome them with respect, even if they weren't what you hoped for; they may be the way out.

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