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______ Hexagram Nine: 
       Hsiao Ch'u / Gentle Restraint

Winds of change 
high in the Heavens:
Air currents 
carry the weather.
Dense clouds 
blow in from the west,
but still no rain.
The Superior Person 
fine tunes the image
he presents to the world.

Small successes.


Hexagram Nine/Line One:
He turns back
to his proper course.
No harm done.
In fact, good fortune
comes of this return.


Hexagram Nine/Line Two:
He lets himself
be drawn back.
Good fortune.


Hexagram Nine/Line Three:
The spokes burst out of a wagon wheel,
stopping the couple's journey.
The man and wife waste time and energy
blaming each other,
causing major damage to their love
instead of fixing the minor damage to the wagon.


Hexagram Nine/Line Four:
By gaining confidence, 
the man keeps control of the conflict,
avoiding the blood that could be spilled
by fear.
No mistakes.


Hexagram Nine/Line Five:
His sincerity is the cord that binds
the hearts of others to his.
He holds wealth 
who holds the hearts of others.


Hexagram Nine/Line Six:
The needed rain finally pours down,
bringing a well-earned time of rest.
It is Nature's time to enrich the crops,
so leave it to her.
To work the fields in the rain and mud
would only undo all good effort.
Do not seek more;
the gibbous moon seeks to be full,
but once full can do nothing but wane.

Copyright 1995-1996 Roger Norton Consulting. All rights reserved.