The Well 井
The Well speaks of a deep, unchanging source that feeds everyone. Reach all the way down to draw its water before the rope runs short or the jug cracks.
Judgment
The town may move, but the well does not. The well neither runs dry nor overflows, and all who come and go drink from it. If the rope does not reach the water, or the jug breaks, misfortune follows.
Image
There is water above the wood. The plant draws water up from its roots. The wise person encourages people at their work and urges them to help one another.
What does The Well mean?
Towns are built and torn down and their sites change, but the well stays where it is. The Well speaks of the deep, unchanging source in human life. That source may be your essence, your real talent, or the core values that hold a community together. The well is enough for everyone and turns no one away. All who come and go drink from it, yet it neither runs out nor overflows. But the well's water does not fill the bucket by itself. Drawing it takes effort, and no one can do that for you.
This period asks you to go down to your source. Do not get caught up in surface tasks. Bring up the water from the depths. Reaching the well alone is not enough, though. If your rope is too short, meaning you leave the work half done, or if the jug is cracked, meaning your tools and methods are broken, the water will not reach you. So stay connected to what is deep, and keep your tools in good order. If the well needs care, clean it and repair its walls. This takes time, but in the end clear, cool water comes. That water is not only for you. The more you share your knowledge, talent, and effort with the people around you, the more valuable the well becomes.
What to do now
Do not linger on the surface. Go down to your own deep source and share it with others.
Love and relationships
It is time to return to the values at the root of your relationship. Instead of dealing with small surface problems, look at what truly holds you together. Invest in a shared source of trust and respect.
Work and money
Focus now on the core work that creates lasting value. Deepen your knowledge and skills, and review your tools and methods. Sharing what you know with your team raises the value of both you and the work.
The lines
If a line changed (red) in your reading, read only that line. Lines are counted from the bottom up.
- First line
The well is full of mud and no one drinks from it. Not even birds come to an old well. Talent and resources left uncared for become useless.
- Second line
Water seeps from the hole in the well only for small fish. The jug is cracked and the water leaks. You have talent, but you are spending it on small and trivial things.
- Third line
The well has been cleaned, yet no one drinks from it, and this saddens the heart. The water could be drawn. If a wise leader notices, everyone shares in the blessing.
- Fourth line
The walls of the well are being lined with stone and repaired. Even if no water can be drawn now, there is no mistake in this preparation.
- Fifth line
In the well there is a cool, clear spring, and people drink from it. Your worth is seen and it nourishes others.
- Top line
Water is drawn and the mouth of the well is left uncovered, so everyone can benefit. Because you are reliable and generous, great good fortune.
Trigrams
deep, dangerous
gentle, penetrating
Related hexagrams
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