I Ching hexagram 39

I Ching hexagram 39: Obstruction

蹇 jiǎn · water above a mountain

Water on the mountain ahead: the way forward is blocked, so turn back, find help, and regroup.

The judgment: The southwest is favorable, the northeast is not. It is favorable to see a great person. Steadfastness brings good fortune.
"In (the state indicated by) Kien advantage will be found in the south-west, and the contrary in the north-east. It will be advantageous (also) to meet with the great man. (In these circumstances), with firmness and correctness, there will be good fortune."
James Legge's translation, 1882
What it says to you: Water on top of a mountain: a steep climb in front of you and a torrent coming down it. This is the hexagram of being blocked, and it doesn't soften that. Still, the judgment gives directions. The southwest, open level country on the old map, is favorable; the northeast, the mountains, is not. In plain terms, go where the ground is easier, not where it is hardest. And see a great person, someone with more experience. Nearly every line says the same thing, going forward meets obstruction, then shows what coming back brings: praise, a welcome, allies, friends. The obstacle is information. It is telling you to stop charging and gather people. So pause the frontal approach. Call the one person who has crossed this kind of terrain before, and ask.

Matter by matter

Love: Obstacles between you. Don't force it; step back, talk to trusted friends, let things ease.
Work: A project hits walls. Regroup, get advice from someone senior, and find allies before pushing again.
Money: Gains are blocked. Retreat to safer ground and seek experienced counsel before any move.
A yes or no question: Wait. Going forward meets obstruction; gather help first.

The six lines of Obstruction

A hexagram is built from the bottom up, so the first line is the lowest. You read a line's text only when your cast made it a moving line.

Bottom line, broken

Going forward meets obstruction; coming back earns praise.

Pushing ahead now runs into a wall. Pause, step back, and wait for a better moment. Holding off will look wise to others later, even if it feels like losing ground today.
Second line, broken

The king's servant struggles through obstruction after obstruction, and not for his own sake.

You are taking on difficulty after difficulty because duty asks it, not for personal gain. No fault attaches to that. Keep serving what you believe in, and stay clear about why you do it.
Third line, solid

Going forward meets obstruction, so he comes back.

Trouble lies ahead. Turn around and return to your people and your base. The welcome you get there is worth more right now than any ground you could gain by pressing on.
Fourth line, broken

Going forward meets obstruction; coming back, he joins with others.

Alone, you are stuck. Go back and link up with allies before trying again. United, you will have the strength the moment requires, and the obstacle will look smaller.
Fifth line, solid

In the greatest obstruction, friends arrive.

You are in the thick of the hardest part. Stand your ground at the center. Help is on its way, and friends come precisely because you held firm instead of running.
Top line, broken

Going forward meets obstruction; coming back brings great things. Good fortune. It is favorable to see a great person.

Don't leave the struggle just to save yourself. Turn back and help the others; that brings a great result. Then seek out someone wise and experienced to guide what comes next.

About hexagram 39

What does I Ching hexagram 39 mean?

Hexagram 39, Obstruction, puts water above a mountain. Water on the mountain ahead: the way forward is blocked, so turn back, find help, and regroup. Its judgment reads: The southwest is favorable, the northeast is not. It is favorable to see a great person. Steadfastness brings good fortune.

Is hexagram 39 a yes or a no?

Wait. Going forward meets obstruction; gather help first.

What does hexagram 39 mean for love?

Obstacles between you. Don't force it; step back, talk to trusted friends, let things ease.

What does hexagram 39 mean for work?

A project hits walls. Regroup, get advice from someone senior, and find allies before pushing again.

Cast the coins for a new question , or for a straight yes or no, throw the moon blocks

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The judgment and lines are rendered from the Chinese text; the quoted judgment is Legge's 1882 translation, and every other English line is Jade Almanac's own. A cast is a prompt for reflection, not advice about health, money or the law.