I-Ching Hexagram 29
坎 The Abysmal
Also known as Water / Danger
Danger doubled — water flowing into water, one difficulty piling on the next. The figure teaches that the way through is not to avoid the ravine but to traverse it like water does: persistently, at the bottom, without hurry, without losing its essential nature.
abyss · danger · repeated difficulty
The Story
A river ran into a gorge of black stone. Where it could not go forward, it went down; where it could not go down, it pooled, and then lifted itself into mist, and found another path. Watching from above, a traveler saw the river make seven detours, fall twice, vanish underground for half a mile, and still arrive at the sea. "The river does not argue with the stone," he wrote. "It does not hurry. It does not stop being water." Through the abyss this is the one discipline: remain what you are, keep flowing, and trust that finding-a-way is itself the path.
The Judgment
If you are sincere, you have success in your heart, and whatever you do succeeds.
The Image
Water flows on uninterruptedly and reaches its goal: the image of the abyss repeated. Thus the superior person walks in lasting virtue and carries on the business of teaching.
Interpretation
Danger doubled — water flowing into water, one difficulty piling on the next. The figure teaches that the way through is not to avoid the ravine but to traverse it like water does: persistently, at the bottom, without hurry, without losing its essential nature. Sincerity inside is what carries one across.
Trigrams
The Six Lines
- First (Bottom) Repetition of the abyss. In the abyss one falls into a pit. Misfortune. Pulled deeper by panic; the wrong response compounds the trouble.
- Second The abyss is dangerous. One should strive to attain small things only. Limited objectives in dangerous conditions.
- Third Forward and backward, abyss on abyss. In danger like this, pause at first and wait. Otherwise you will fall into a pit. Do not act. When every direction is danger, stillness is the only safety.
- Fourth A jug of wine, a bowl of rice with it; earthen vessels simply handed in through the window. There is no blame certainly. In extremis, minimal courtesy is enough; simple honesty opens the hard door.
- Fifth The abyss is not filled to overflowing, it is filled only to the rim. No blame. Enough, not too much; the danger subsides to manageable.
- Sixth (Top) Bound with cords and ropes, shut in between thorn-hedged prison walls. For three years one does not find the way. Misfortune. Extended imprisonment in a pattern one cannot escape; only time releases it.