28 "Excessive Pressure"
Something is out of balance. Some pressure is causing an imbalance and needs correcting. But, if the dam is about to burst, moving out of the way is the first key to success.
When a person in a sagging mine shaft feels the earth begin to tremble, it is a time for quick, instinctive action and nimble footwork. At a time like this, only extraordinary measures can bring success. When the roof is collapsing, run first, choose your destination later.
Extraordinary times bring out the best and worst in people. Natural disasters bring with them stories of great heroism - but also looting and rioting. When great weight is on the world, powerful moments present opportunities to make great gains. Everything is in a state of flux. One can either move in the direction of positive change and improvement or towards stagnation.
This may be the moment you have been waiting for. Although the current challenge may seem to be more than you can handle, remember that a flood reaches its highwater mark for only a few brief moments, and then begins to subside. Action must be taken now to ensure opportunities for success later on. You will never discover the true extent of your own abilities unless you, at least once in your life, dive into a crisis with complete abandon, dedicating every ounce of your energy, every fiber of your being, to the cause at hand.
Dare to win.
Your Changing Lines
The Changing Lines, if you get any, are the part of an I-Ching reading that give the most powerful advice about a situation or issue, because they represent the factors that are causing things to change right now.
You have several Changing Lines, which indicates a relatively unstable situation with regard to your question.
The first changing line is line 2
Unusual partnerships are favored at this time. The image is one of an old tree putting forth new shoots or an old man who marries a young woman. Despite the unusualness of the situation, all goes well. This is a time of renewed vitality and rejuvenation, a time of advancement.
The second changing line is line 3
Plunging willfully ahead during risky times, against the advice of your friends and intimates, invites trouble. Action may be called for, but never obstinacy. The support of friends and allies is necessary for any large undertaking; their advice can only be ignored at your own peril.
The third changing line is line 4
Friendly relations with all types of people can become critical in times of crisis. But if you use the support of those of lower rank and status, you must keep their interests at heart as well as your own. Otherwise, misfortune.
The fourth changing line is line 6
Courageous determination often leads one into deep water. Though it is careless to forge ahead regardless of the risk, sticking to one's principles can become more important than mere survival. There is no shame in this, as long as you remain aware that plunging ahead on your own is risky, and perhaps quite dangerous.
Your Future Hexagram
When you have one or more Changing Lines, you also have a second hexagram, "Future", which predicts the way things are going to go if you follow the advice of the Changing Lines. Asking the I-Ching for a new approach to your concern or situation is an excellent idea when you don't like the looks of where things seem to be headed.
20 "Overview"
Overview is a time for composure and contemplation. As a result of profound contemplation, a hidden force emanates from us, influencing others without their being aware of it. Do not underestimate the power of this force. Like the wind blowing across the tree tops, its presence is perceived through the effect it has on everything it touches.
Shallow wells rarely strike water, and shallow minds often come up empty. The ability to keep still and simply observe deepens resolve, and attracts good fortune. Discern the difference between what is deep and what is surface within yourself - and you will be able to distinguish between the two in the outer world as well.
During a period between events, the practice of stillness with awareness is a good idea. Only by observing and absorbing the true nature of things - by apprehending the rhythms and cycles which guide all creation - can we discover the laws which apply to our own individual lives. Examine yourself and the overall situation, not just with the thought of discovering truth, but with the idea of concentrating your personal power.
