← All meanings · I Ching

Hexagram 53: Development

䷴ 漸 (Jiàn) · Gradual development. Slow, steady progress wins.

gradual progress, patience, steadiness, growth

Lower trigram: Mountain ☶ · Upper trigram: Wind ☴

The judgment

Development comes step by step, the way a tree grows on a mountainside. Lasting progress cannot be hurried; it follows its proper order, as a good partnership is built slowly and honestly. Keep a steady pace and things fall into place.

The image

Mountain below and Wind above, like a tree on a mountain that grows slowly and becomes a landmark. Let your character grow the same way, and quietly lift those around you.

The six lines

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

• Line 1 (bottom): The wild goose edges toward the shore. You are new and alone and people may criticize, but going slowly and learning as you go is fine.
• Line 2: The wild goose reaches a broad rock. You have found secure footing, so eat, rest and share your good fortune with others.
• Line 3: The wild goose wanders onto the dry plateau, too far from water, and pressing on alone leads nowhere good. Stay where you belong and protect what you have built.
• Line 4: The wild goose lands in a tree, which is not its natural place. Look for a flat branch: adapt and be flexible, and you will find somewhere safe to rest.
• Line 5: The wild goose reaches the summit. For a while you may feel isolated or misunderstood, even by those close to you, but trust that in time the distance can close.
• Line 6 (top): The wild goose rises to the clouds. Your journey is complete, and the way you lived it becomes an example others can follow.

← 52. Keeping Still · 54. The Marrying Maiden →