48. The Well

The two trigrams

above

☵

Water

坎 · kǎn

flowing water: rain, the clouds, springs, streams in defiles, the moon

below

☴

The Wind

巽 · xùn

wind and wood

The Judgement

This is the hexagram of the well, one of the most beautiful and concrete images in the whole book. The old text says that a town may be moved, but the well, in its form, does not change: the water never runs out and never greatly increases, and those who come and those who go can draw and enjoy it. It is the image of what in life is stable and nourishing beyond changes: the values you carry with you from one move to the next, the source of energy you always return to, the person or habit that puts you back together, the trade you know how to do. But the well has a condition: the water must actually be drawn up. The text says so with a stern image: if the bucket has almost arrived, but breaks before the rope reaches the water, this is evil. It means that having a source is not enough; what counts is drawing from it and seeing it through. If in this period you are living through a change, a new home, a new job, a different phase of life, it is no accident if you feel the need to find again what does not change in you. The practical advice: identify your well, what truly nourishes you, and use it regularly; and what you have begun, a course of treatment, a study, a reconciliation, carry it through to the end, because stopping one step from the water is worse than never having started.

The Image

The image is wood with water above it: the wooden bucket going down into the well and coming back up full, bringing to the surface what nourishes. The wise person, in accordance with this, comforts the people and encourages them to help one another. In ancient times the well stood in the middle of the fields of several families and belonged to all: people drank together, worked together. In practice, if you hold a position of responsibility, at home, in your building, at the office, your task is not only to give, but to create the conditions for people to support each other. The advice: organise a moment in which those around you can help one another, a dinner, a shared shift, an exchange of favours, and be the first to offer.

First line

A well so muddy that no one drinks from it, or an old well to which not even the birds come any more: it is the lowest line, of what has been forsaken by time. It may be a talent you let rust, a neglected friendship, a part of yourself you no longer visit. The text passes no judgement, it describes: the mud settled because no one drew from it. If you recognise yourself in this image, do not despair. The advice: choose one abandoned well of your life and begin to clean it out, one bucket of mud at a time.

Second line

A well from which the water escapes through a crack and ends up among the shrimps in the grass, or whose water leaks away from a broken basket: you have something good, but you disperse it, because no one above works with you and you have no suitable container. It is talent wasted on small things, energy lost in a thousand streams. If you feel you give a lot without anything being gathered, the problem is not the source but the crack. The advice: find the hole you are leaking from, a useless commitment, a person who drains you, and close it.

Third line

A well that has been cleared out, but is not used: our hearts are sorry for this, because that water could be drawn. If only the one in charge were intelligent, says the text, both they and we would benefit from it. It is the condition of someone who has worked on themselves, prepared, is ready, and no one notices: a résumé that is worth something, a skill left unused, an availability not taken up. It is not your fault, but do not stay waiting. The advice: make yourself seen, offer your contribution yourself to those who can use it, and if no one drinks here, look for someone who is thirsty.

Fourth line

A well whose lining is well laid: there will be no error. It is the moment of maintenance, of repair, of putting things in order: it does not yet produce new water, but without this work the well would collapse. If in this period you are dealing with things that give no immediate results, sorting out your finances, looking after your health, tidying the house, taking a course, know that you are doing the right thing. The advice: do not rush to get back to producing; finish the repair with care, and the well will repay you for years.

Fifth line

A clear, limpid well, whose cold spring is freely drunk: it is the centre of the hexagram, the source at its best, in a central and correct position. This is you, when you are in your place and doing well what you know how to do: others come to you and find what they need, without your having to force anything. If you feel yourself in this condition, do not change it to chase something else. The advice: let people draw from you, do not make yourself precious and do not let yourself be drained; a cold, clean spring is a blessing for everyone, yourself included.

Sixth line

The water from the well is brought to the top and is not allowed to be covered: it is available to everyone, without a lid, without secrets. This, says the text, suggests the idea of sincerity, and there will be great good fortune. It is the fulfilment of the hexagram: what you have that is good you do not keep for yourself, you leave it accessible. If you have reached a maturity, a knowledge, a serenity, do not lock it away. The advice: share openly what you know and what you are, without calculation; the uncovered source does not run dry, it renews itself.

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