Trigrams
☶☶ – Mountain above, Mountain below
Meaning
Represents stillness, stopping, and the wisdom of rest. Mountain upon mountain — profound stillness. Knowing when to stop is as important as knowing when to act. The person who stills their restless heart attains genuine peace and insight.
Interpretation
- Know when to stop and be still — not all movement is progress.
- Stillness of the body and quieting of the mind are the foundation of wisdom.
- Act from a place of inner stillness, not from compulsive urgency.
Six Yao (Lines) with Classical Quotes
1st Yao (初爻)
艮其趾，无咎，利永贞。
English: Stilling the toes — no blame. Beneficial to be permanently correct. Stopping at the very beginning, before habits take root.
Luck Level: Neutral
2nd Yao (二爻)
艮其腔，不拯其随，其心不快。
English: Stilling the calves — not rescuing what follows. The heart is not at ease. Stopping in the calves while the rest of the body still wants to move creates inner tension.
Luck Level: Caution
3rd Yao (三爻)
艮其限，列其夷，厉，熏心。
English: Stilling the hips, splitting the back muscles — dangerous, the heart is scorched. Forced stillness at the center of the body creates dangerous internal conflict.
Luck Level: Caution
4th Yao (四爻)
艮其身，无咎。
English: Stilling the trunk — no blame. Holding the torso still is the key to genuine composure — no excess, no deficiency.
Luck Level: Neutral
5th Yao (五爻)
艮其辅，言有序，悔亡。
English: Stilling the jaws — words are orderly. Regret disappears. When the mouth is stilled and words are measured, conflicts dissolve.
Luck Level: Neutral
6th Yao (上爻)
敦艮，吉。
English: Magnanimous stillness — good fortune. The deepest and most complete form of stillness, which is not cold or rigid but generous and profound.
Luck Level: Good