革

49. Revolution

gé · Wind ☴ over Fire ☲

A time of fundamental change, when the old order has run its course.

The Noble One's Path

Fire in the middle of a lake. A surprisingly calm image of revolution — great change begins with putting the foundations in order, not with violence.

The Lesson

Be ready to transform your way of acting, if the old way no longer serves you — but prepare it carefully.

A question to sit with

Which part of my life do I need to "revolutionize," so it can come back to life?

Related hexagrams

In the I Ching no hexagram stands alone. Each one enters into relationships with others, and those relationships show the situation seen from the other side, in its opposite, and in its hidden tendency.

Opposite

4. Youthful inexperience

44. Unexpected encounter

姤

易

The classical deep dive for this hexagram — the Judgment and the Image after Richard Wilhelm — along with the texts of all six changing lines, is in the book. Get the book

卦

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