Hexagram 57 is called Xun. Xun is most often translated as Wind but right now I like the translation by Liu Ming: Compliance.
The trigrams on the top and bottom of Hexagram 57 are the same. Xun represents the oldest daughter, the one who is designated to take on motherly duties. One of my teachers said they remember what the Xun trigram looks like because they associate it with hips – a woman’s hips.
(also note there are two tiny snakes on the top of the ideograph 巽 – remind you of anyone?)
Compliance
Compliance has been the theme of the year, hasn’t it? In the USA, the compliance of our elected officials has been a lever for people doing power and money grabs. Our human inclination towards compliance in general as a less troublesome route might be a problem too. So here we are, in a Water Horse month with the matching Hexagram being called Compliance. I should also say, another translation is Submission.
When the Yi Jing is contradicting your expectation, this means you may have made it outside of your usual sources of information and use of logic. Usually this is a positive thing. I was expecting resistance to be the thing to cultivate but…
Hexagram 57 starts by recommending compliance or submission instead of resistance, that is, going with the advice of diviners, maybe consulting many sources. In place of the concept of diviners, you could name this energy as higher authorities in any field. When you see the phrase “advantageous to see the Great Man”, it’s time to get some advice from someone with special powers or knowledge.
You might ask the Universe for guidance, or if you are a religious person you could follow your own traditions. The first thing to do is consult the sources you trust for advice. It’s important to remember though, there is such a thing as too much information, and most decisions are pretty simple if you know what you want.
The name of Hexagram 57 might also be translated as Proceeding Humbly, meaning we accept help and advice from others; we take care of and guide ourselves as much as we can. In some ways, we are all playing an infinite game of telephone with the Universe. The message we receive is shaped by unconscious desires and fears. Relationships will help you to know which one is influencing you at any given time.
Hexagram 57
Gua Ci
SUN: Small sacrificial offerings.
Advantageous to have a place to go to. Advantageous to see the Great Man.
Line 1
Advantage for a military man to arrive at the divination.
Line 2
The wind present under the bed.
Use annualists, wizards, and numbers like them. Good fortune. No error.
Line 3
The incessant wind, regrets.
Line 4
Regrets vanish.
In the field, captured in hunting, three kinds of game.
Line 5
The divination, good fortune. Regrets vanish.
Without doubt advantageous, without a beginning there is an end. Before the change, three days; after the change, three days.
Good fortune.
Line 6
The wind present under the bed.
Lost his valuables and axe. The divination: misfortune.
(from the Yi Jing translated by Wu Jing-Nuan ISBN 0-9673272-0-2)
Before you go further, take a moment to appreciate the uncanny relevance of Xun to our current situation. I know you can think of multiple correlations easily.
By the Lines
For interpreting Xun right now, I think the line to focus on is line 3. Too much compliance has led us here. Instead of committing to their own values, people have spread their force too thin by trying to follow too many “higher powers”.
“We can’t ignore the [Tyrant’s] desires.” JD Vance March 28 2025
This is such a telling phrase regarding relationships in general. When someone has been abused over a period of time, this might be what we hear them say about their abuser. This is the kind of outcome to expect. Unfortunately, total compliance quickly turns into enabling. When people stay in an abusive relationship, this is what can happen. When people cover up for abusers, this is what happens. There are some interesting parallels here in the case of Sean Combs.
Why is it so hard for people to leave an abusive relationship? I still don’t know, but I promise you the devil you know is not better than the devil you don’t. At least, don’t accept that false logic anymore.
Line 3 has a special relationship with line 4, which says that this month we have opportunities to take actions that lead to success. Or to be more accurate, the idea is that successes come from nonaction, which I usually take to mean as being open and aware of what you want and what kind of events that attitude can lead to.
When I have been able to take that approach, unexpected things that I wanted were brought to life. I think the key was not pushing for it, but just recognizing timing, preparing for the possibility you see, and doing a few nudges of communication with others. As always though, the Tao that can be spoken of is not the Tao. lol
At line 5, there’s a suggestion that during a span of 7 days during this month we could see some doubling up of good fortune. That would center somewhat around the summer solstice. Let it be so!
I also think a lot of portents we see this month tell us about September 2025.
Opposite Gua
The Opposite Gua is sometimes called Shadow Gua or Complementary Gua. If you’ve been subscribing to my Monthly guide (see the Monthly Guide for Wood Pig Month – November 2024 for example), you may recall that the Opposite Gua matches pillars that are opposite each other on the compass.
In a Water Horse Month, it will be helpful to remember that the Water Rat is opposite on the compass. The Water Rat is associated with Hexagram 51, Thunder over Thunder. Every line is different than Hexagram 57.
When you cast the coins and get Hexagram 51, a big shakeup is coming; a tension release. When it’s the Opposite Gua, you’ve got some suggested context to work with.
In relationship to the Water Horse month, Hexagram 51 Zhen (Thunder or Shock) 震 is the Opposite Gua.
We have a Water Rat day on June 12th, right after the Full Moon on the west coast of the US.*
What can be learned from the Opposite Gua?
When every line of the Hexagram is changing, of course we can expect big changes! How does Compliance turn to Thunder? How does Submission turn to Shock?
In addition to this broad interpretation, the Opposite Gua can provide clues about what is counter indicated, given the situation you’re in, or it might offer a “shadow” side of the situation. The shadow side could be related to hidden motivations, distractions, wrong ideas, delusions or fantasies. The Opposite Gua reveals how you might play yourself.
*Most of the text in this post went out in my Monthly Guide, sent to subscribers on June 3rd. On June 10th Greta Thunberg was “deported”. On June 12th Senator Alex Padilla of California was arrested, on June 13th Israel began bombing Iran. Early on June 14th there were political assassinations and attempted assassinations in Minnesota, later that same day the saddest birthday parade ever was outshined by civil protests across the US.
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