Yi Jing, Oracle of the Moon

Xùn-Zhèn, Wind-Thunder

    

  What are the potential and qualities of this situation?

Xùn. Wind is good at communicating and spreading rumors, news, ideas, orders or goods. She is patient and precise, good at detailed work. She can penetrate and influence physically and mentally. Wind can bring a mood or atmosphere which is clearly felt. Wind can also spread disease, but her absence can cause decay.
  One of Xùn's meanings is choosing or being chosen. It is giving or having a direction, a purpose. It can be in the way fate does, a path which can hardly be avoided. Being chosen is stronger than the freedom of choosing. But it also works in physical ways, in creatures the urge to live and multiply. Like water always follows gravity, the wind follows air pressure, which makes her stronger and more persistent than moving toward a goal.
  Your intuition will have a stronger influence on your road than your mind, even though Wind also relates to thoughts. Thoughts follow the decisions of the heart.

  What is the subject, intent or hope of your question?
  

Zhèn. It is the plow, its power is to refreshen fields or minds, it brings wrong actions or decay to the surface and dissolves fears and doubts. Its image is Thunder, it wakes up seeds and cleans the air with its electricity. It is impulsive and can be insensitive and destructive, but those qualities also help to loosen suffocating ties or views. Zhèn cuts away the old and opens the space for the new.
  Zhèn focuses on the short term and sets things in motion. It is the most energetic trigram, it knows no limits and knows no detours. It has difficulty in reaching a conclusion, it is the trigram of the beginning, the first action, the first spark and quick results – for better or for worse, lighting an insight - or a raging forest fire.

  What do you want or need to do, or what will fate cause to happen in this situation?
  Xùn with Zhèn is a particularly favorable combination. One knows how to secure one's place in society to glory and splendor. Every action is without opposition. Thunder renews things but always from below, from the Earth, where the seeds and spirits reside. Thunder wakes up what is viable (levenskracht), plows under what is not.(voorbij, passe)
  Xùn makes your Dao strong and focused, giving Zhen a clear direction for its energy. Imagine your goal and it will pull you along: with Xun and Zhen you renew and improve yourself and your environment.

General info about the trigram oracle: the lines, the origin, and more

The initiative

    
The top line (Heaven-line) shows the change of the focus or initiative.
变上爻为坎, 风入水面, 为浪为波, 漂泊劳碌,
小 人尤畏, 亦为混浊之乖, 少全清节,
有 岸覆舟之虞。
When the upper line changes, Wind activates Water. The wind penetrates the surface of the water, making waves and swells. Busy activity but drifting aimlessly.
Little people are very fearful and there is also the shrewdness of corruption, few are completely honest.
There is worry, like when a boat is in danger of crashing on the shore.

    When Wind meets Water, you will surpass your personal goals and instead create or help without intentions for yourself. It is also a time when law and order are one-sided and people like you are needed for restoring the balance. Wind entering Water brings danger and risk, so be very careful. When the wind whips the water into high waves, it can cause dams to burst, flooding the wetlands and creating devastation.
  Listen carefully to the first signs, both opportunities and problems give tiny signs before they grow. Kan can make Xun aimless, but also makes it possible to penetrate to the root of things or to unravel overly sensitive or other impenetrable issues. Water and wind bring rain: blessings.
  General: yin initiative in yang potential will need perseverance. Everything around seems too bright, too overbearing. Don't try to compete, but make use of what presents itself to you. When the time is yang, it offers many opportunities and resources, brilliant ideas, but few concrete results. Yin's power is to absorb and then to create from what she gathered.
  You are a good organizer, you oversee the work and inspire others while working hard yourself. You can turn visionary ideas into viable plans.
  Yin at the top line brings the rain: blessings.

    The timing of this change of the initiative:
  春风入水, 水毂成纹, 人多奇巧, 繁鲜荣华
  夏风入水, 水渐日干, 人必悭贪悔吝。
  秋风入水, 水浪滔天, 岸摧舟覆, 有不戒之虞, 有不期之祸, 人当思患预防。
  冬风入水, 水竭流迟, 结水成冻, 物象寒苦, 艰辛贫乏, 隐伏阻滞者也。
  When in spring the wind enters the water it starts to spin and make patterns. This person is very ingenious, his life is opulent and knows glory and splendor.
  When in summer the wind penetrates the water, the sun evaporates the water and creates drought. One is stingy and has serious concerns.
  In autumn, when the wind enters the water, waves rise to a great height. Worries arise because no precautions were taken, and one has unexpected misfortune, like a boat overturned and crashing on the shore because it has not been checked for defects to prevent leakage.
  In winter, when the wind penetrates the water, the water dries up and the water flow slows down. Eventually the water becomes ice, and the landscape is cold and desolate. One endures hardship and is destitute; lives isolated and cannot move on.
  *) Crashing boat: metaphor for being destroyed and defeated, but it also means checking a boat to discover defects.

The subject

    
The bottom line (Earth-line) shows the change of the field or subject.
巽卦。 变初爻为乾, 风收云静, 廖廓一清。
风恬浪静.人物繁华, 风尘不动, 日月昭明, 星辰荣耀, 尊卑永荫, 始终太平。
Xun gua. The change of the bottom line activates Heaven. The wind silently drifts the clouds together, making the far-reaching sky pure and clean.
The wind is a light and agile breeze; man and matter thrive. The wind doesn't stir the dust; sun and moon shine bright; the stars sparkle.
There is no distinction between high and low. From beginning to end there is peace and harmony.

  When Xun activates Qián, Wind blows high in Heaven. One can follow one's conscience and dedicate oneself joyfully to one's duties.
  The wind carries with it your hopes and intentions and Heaven gives them power. If you attune yourself to Heaven in the things you do, by copying its persistence and obeying its rules, Heaven will sustain you and your life will be rewarding. Reaching goals is temporary, the meaning of life is to live it and make it worthwhile.
  General: The bottom line is the subject, the 'field' where you find the cause and in which you pour the resources for your initiative: space, material, problems or opportunities, helpers and other people or food for thought. But here you also meet your problems, fears, hopes and expectations.
  The subject is yang, but your question means you are entering a situation of yin potential. After collecting the material for concrete results, it is now the task or time to display them and then prosperity will gather. The subject will reveal itself, it will grow brighter and give joy.
  If things don't meet expectations, this is the right time to get new inspiration. Usually, yang at the bottom is positive, you find a balance between yang and yin that will help your efforts. Or you'll discover a way to help your work to finally become visible.

    The timing of this change of the subject:
  春暖夏炎，
  三三 秋爽冬温，四时俱美，万物咸亨，吉无不利。
  风恬浪静.人物繁华，风尘不动，日月昭明，星辰荣耀，尊卑永荫，始终太平。
  In spring warm and in summer hot;
  Usually in autumn cool and bright; in winter mild; so it is good in all seasons. Everything goes smoothly for all beings; auspicious without exceptions.

The outcome

    
The middle line (Man-line) shows the outcome.

  变中爻为艮, 风势入山. 动摇山岳. 令命上行, 人多敬畏。
When Xùn's middle line changes it activates Gěn. The wind penetrates the mountains and agitates their lofty heights; the destiny of life goes up, this person gets a lot of awe.

   If you listen to your intuition, you will find your destiny. Fate can bring you luck or disaster, and often it's not your fault, but a part of it is what you do yourself.
  Heaven and Earth will not move from their place. You are the one who decides where you go. Flying up to heaven, higher than you ever imagined, or staying down on the earth, where the space is unending. Heaven beckons, but you will always end up on the earth, because that is where you live your life. Never forget about her, every voyage into space has to start and end in her arms. She gives it reality and meaning.
   If you keep finding your origin, you will find the place where you belong. Dare to conquer the world or be crushed by it, but deep in your heart is the peace of living the path that Earth opens for you.
  General: When yang meets yin, its shine will decrease, but now things will proceed in a more tangible way. Resources will be used to create concrete results. Things change from giving to absorbing, from ideas and inspiration to processing, from overviewing to being part of the work. And if there are problems, a decrease can be what you need.
  It can also mean that it is time to pass the reins to your guts and intuition instead of your head.

  The timing of this change of the outcome:
  春风入山. 草木荣茂, 人多贤豪, 人则可以把麾扬节。
  夏风入山, 巽木成林, 峰峦蓊郁, 贵显非常。
  秋风入山, 风藏山谷. 草木渐凋, 有始无终. 先达后穷. 人难久耐。
  冬风最冷, 果落枝枯. 萧索憔卷一・ 悴, 先困后达, 难中获易。
  When the spring wind enters the mountains, vegetation grows abundantly. The people are wise and unconstrained, and they can take on the command to raise the festival (take charge of important matters).
   When the summer wind enters the mountains, the pliant trees grow into a forest. From their very high position the mountain tops long for this dense vegetation.
  When the autumn wind enters the mountains, the wind conceals the mountain-valleys; the vegetation gradually withers, there is a beginning but no end. First understanding, later unreasonableness. One has to endure difficulties for a long time.
  The winter wind is the coldest; fruits fall and branches dry out. Despondent and barren. First obstruction, later passage. In the midst of difficulties one obtains ease.

Overview of the lines.
Activating (when the second is different) or stationary (when they are similar)

  A Yang line is generally bright and giving. Yang is great for enthusiasm and spreading joy or success, but don’t expect solid results.
  A Yin line generally does the work. Yin absorbs and converts resources into tangible results. It brings peace and a sense of security.

  The initiative (top line or Heaven line) is the intention or focus. Your ideas, plans, or what you want, or something that happens and you want to influence it or use its possibilities.
  In this answer the line is activated Yin: this is a good time to work on ideas. Usually, yin at the top is very positive and creative, there is balance between yang and yin, ideas and their possibilities can become reality.

  The subject (bottom line or Earth line) is the 'reality' of your question or the ‘field’ of action. A situation or person, resources, materials, facts.
  In this answer the line is activated Yang: the subject is clear and generous and responds to the initiative. Usually yang at the bottom is positive, there is balance between yang and yin.

  The outcome (middle line or Man Line) is what you or others or fate cause to happen 'between Heaven and Earth'. It is the outcome of this question. It can be physical or mental or both. If this is a yes/no question, then yang means yes, yin means no. Both can be good or bad, depending on the question.
In this answer the line is activated Yin: Yin: A good line for concrete results. More work is needed, but your dedication is not in vain. For now, it will reduce the 'shine' because it focuses on creating, on growing something of quality, not on the result itself.

  Each line, active or at rest, summons one of the 8 trigrams as a Helper. For an activated line: telling you what you need - or about a problem area or something to avoid.
  For a stationary line: this is what you already have or do or what you don't need. Often we just need a reminder of our abilities. Or it could be what you wish or fear - but will not happen.
  Active lines are the helpers to change things. Stationary helpers are part of the core meaning, they are your soul talking. They reinforce the overall power of a reading.
  Advice for the initiative: Kan, Water, with his direction and focus, his courage to take risks and his talent to give things shape.
  Advice for the subject: Xun, Wind, with her power to choose and influence.
  Advice for the outcome: Gen, Mountain with his constancy, his ability to make things endure.
  But when things are not satisfying, it might be that one or more helpers don't help enough - or try too hard. Or maybe you don't listen carefully enough.

  This oracle is NOT according to the Neigua Chuwaili, a chapter of the Heluo Lishu, which is meant to be read and used in Chinese astrology. But I found beautiful texts about the trigrams in the Neigua Chuwaili and borrowed them for this trigram oracle. For those who are interested in the Heluo Lishu see the course by Harmen Mesker.
  Many translations from "Yijing astrologie" by Harmen Mesker (Dutch).
  For divining with trigrams, see the video by Tin Yat Dragon