Obstruction 蹇
Obstruction asks you to stop and look within instead of charging blindly at the difficulty ahead. With help from the right people, you can get past it.
Judgment
The southwest, the open and easy road, serves you. The northeast, the steep mountain road, does not. It is good to consult a wise person. If you stay steady, the outcome is good.
Image
There is water on the mountain. The wise person turns their attention inward and works on their own character.
What does Obstruction mean?
A steep mountain ahead, deep water behind. Obstruction describes a situation where moving forward is hard and every step meets resistance. At such moments people either push on stubbornly or drop everything and flee. Neither is a solution. This period asks you first to stop and look. Sometimes the obstacle is not out there but in how you see things or how you are going about them. A traveler climbing a hard slope stops to catch their breath and rethinks the route. That is not defeat. It is a sensible rest.
When the wise person meets difficulty, they do not look for someone to blame. They turn to themselves and ask what they did not do well and what they could see differently. That question does not weaken you. It makes you stronger. The second important thing is not to stay alone. Do not try to get past this by yourself. Consult experienced people you trust and join forces with those beside you. Take the flatter, open road, not the steep path that looks like a shortcut. Sometimes stepping back and waiting is wiser than lunging forward. The obstacle is not permanent. Whoever gets past it with the right attitude comes out much stronger than before.
What to do now
Stop pushing against the obstacle. Pause, look at yourself, and ask for help.
Love and relationships
There is a point in your relationship you cannot get past. Before blaming the other person, think about your own share. For things you cannot solve alone, do not hesitate to seek support from a trusted friend or a professional.
Work and money
A project may be stuck, and things may not be going as you hoped. Instead of forcing it, stop and review your plan. Get advice from someone experienced, work together with your team, and stay away from risky shortcuts.
The lines
If a line changed (red) in your reading, read only that line. Lines are counted from the bottom up.
- First line
Going forward leads to difficulty. Holding back earns praise. Wait for now and watch for the right moment.
- Second line
The king's servant struggles with trouble upon trouble, but not through any fault of his own. You carry this load because it is your duty, and there is no blame in it.
- Third line
Going forward leads you into difficulty, so you turn back. Those at home and close to you are glad of your return.
- Fourth line
Going forward brings difficulty. You need to turn back and unite with others. Do not act alone. Move together.
- Fifth line
You are in the middle of the greatest difficulty, but friends are coming to help. Because you stand firm at the center, people gather around you.
- Top line
Going brings difficulty. Coming back and staying brings great success. Good fortune. It serves you to see a wise person.
Trigrams
deep, dangerous
still, resting
Related hexagrams
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