53. Development (Gradual Progress)

The two trigrams

above

☴

The Wind

巽 · xùn

wind and wood

below

☶

The Mountain

艮 · gèn

a hill or mountain

The Judgement

This hexagram speaks of slow and sure progress, like water soaking little by little into the ground. The ancient text compares it to the marriage of a young woman, with the good fortune that attends it: an important event that in antiquity was prepared through a long series of orderly steps, from the first proposal to the feast, each in its time and in the correct manner. So too, Legge says, must a person's advancement in work and position take place: by degrees, without skipping stages. If you feel impatient because a promotion, moving in together, a recognition are slow to arrive, this hexagram reassures you: the road is the right one, but it must be walked step by step. It takes firmness and correctness, that is, not cheating to speed things up. The practical advice is to establish what the next step is, one only, and to take it well, without looking too far ahead. When every stage is solid, the promised fortune arrives, and stays.

The Image

A tree on the mountain: it grows slowly, but precisely because it is rooted high up it becomes tall and visible from afar. The wise person, according to the image, attains and maintains an extraordinary virtue, and with it makes the manners of the people around him good. For you it means that your daily example is worth more than any speech: the way you treat colleagues, children, customers slowly changes the environment. It is no accident if someone begins to imitate you. Keep cultivating, day by day, the quality you want to see in others.

First line

First line: the wild geese slowly approach the shore. It is the start of the journey, and someone young and newly arrived in an environment finds themselves in a delicate position: people speak against them, criticise them. But there is no error, because the danger comes from circumstances, not from any fault of yours. If you are new to a job, a group, an extended family, do not take the criticism as a sentence. Be prudent, do your part, and let time prove you right.

Second line

Second line: the geese have reached the large rocks, where they eat and drink joyfully and at ease. You have reached a first safe place, and you are allowed to enjoy it: there is good fortune. But the ancient commentary recalls that the food was earned, not given. If you are in a moment of serenity, a stable job, a nourishing relationship, be grateful and share. This is not the moment to rush further: consolidate, and offer something to those who helped you get here.

Third line

Third line: the geese advance to the dry plains, where there is no food or water. It is the image of someone who forces the pace and ends up off the road: a husband who leaves on an expedition and does not return, a mother who does not care for what she has brought forth. Be careful: you are strong, but you risk being violent and cutting the ties that sustain you. The text adds that this energy would be useful only to resist those who attack you. Use your strength to protect, not to run ahead.

Fourth line

Fourth line: the geese reach the trees. It is not their natural setting, with webbed feet they cannot grip the branches; but they can alight on a flat branch. There is no error. If you find yourself in a position that does not suit you, a temporary role, a makeshift arrangement, look for your flat branch: the reasonable compromise that lets you rest without falling. Docility and adaptation, here, are not weakness: they are the way to stay upright where the ground is not yours.

Fifth line

Fifth line: the geese reach the high mound. You are in a prominent position, and yet something you long for is delayed: the text speaks of a wife who for three years has no children, kept apart by misunderstandings and malicious talk. But in the end the natural outcome cannot be prevented, and there is good fortune. If a project, a reconciliation, a professional result has seemed blocked for a long time, do not give in to discouragement. What is right and ripe will come, and it will be worth the wait.

Sixth line

Sixth line: the geese rise toward the great heights beyond the mound, and their feathers can be used as ornaments. You have reached the top of the journey: there is no further step to climb, and no one to compete with. But your worth remains useful and beautiful, like plumes used in ceremonies. The text promises good fortune. It is the right moment to leave your mark with generosity: be a mentor, share what you know, lend lustre to those who come after. Your serenity cannot be disturbed.

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