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Hexagram 47: Oppression

䷮ 困 (Kùn) · Exhaustion. Keep your integrity when resources run low.

exhaustion, constraint, integrity, inner strength

Lower trigram: Water ☵ · Upper trigram: Lake ☱

The judgment

The lake has drained and you feel hemmed in and worn out. This is a time when words carry little weight, so let your conduct and your steadiness speak. Someone strong in spirit can bend under pressure without breaking, and come through still themselves.

The image

Water beneath the Lake: the lake has emptied downward and lies dry. Even when your strength runs low, stay true to what you have set your heart on.

The six lines

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

• Line 1 (bottom): You sit stuck on a tree stump, then drift down into a dark valley. Dwelling on your low mood makes the darkness last longer, so start looking for a way out.
• Line 2: You feel weighed down from within, even with food and drink in front of you. Help may be closer than it looks; stay quiet and devoted rather than rushing out.
• Line 3: You lean against rock and grab at thorns, and when you come home, the one you hoped to find isn't there. Pushing against what can't be moved only wounds you.
• Line 4: You come very slowly, held back inside a golden carriage, comfortable but stuck. It is awkward, but you do get there in the end.
• Line 5: You are pressed from above and below, hampered by those in high office. Gladness comes slowly, and quiet devotion helps more than force.
• Line 6 (top): Tangled in creeping vines, you tell yourself any move will be a mistake. Once you face your regret and decide to act, you can break free.

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