24 - Return

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Contemporary Interpretation

24 - Return

Growing underground into the light.

A springboard
Of well rooted
Determination:
Nourished,
Supported,
Growing underground
Into the
Light.

The Changes

yin yin yin yin yin yang

Upper Trigram: Kun, Earth

2nd Core Character: Kun, Earth

1st Core Character: Kun, Earth

Lower Trigram: Zhen, Thunder

Information regarding the interpretation model

Classical Interpretation

Return (24) signifies to come back.

The image

Thunder within the earth: the image of return. Thus the ancient kings closed the passes at solstice. Merchants and strangers did not wander and the ruler did not visit the provinces.

The judgement

Return. Success. Outbound and inbound without mistake. Friends arriving without blame. Back and forth the path. Return on the seventh day. It furthers to have somewhere to go. Full text of Richard Wilhelm's 1924 translation by Cary F. Baynes

Dynamics of the Hexagram

The Changes: 24 - return

Lower Trigram: Zhen, the Thunder

Zhen represents our ability to make decisions, our determination, enthusiasm, courage, and precision; but also ... Read more flexibility and strength belong to Zhen. If we look at nature, then Zhen's pattern of movement is that of a bud in its protective sleeve, just beginning to break open: a sudden, decisive and courageous move Hide

First Change: Zhen → Kun, the Earth

Second Change: Kun → Kun, the Earth

Third Change: Kun → Kun, the Earth

Upper Trigram: Kun, the Earth

The following image is often chosen to describe Kun: soil in which a seedling is growing. Soil is unstructured matter: in soil a ... Read more seedling finds everything it needs to grow; dead plants decay to soil. Kun's meaning, however, goes beyond unstructured matter (such as soil): Kun is unstructured potential, including tangible and non-tangible matter.
When interpreting a hexagram, Kun points at the place which we are at, here and now. Kun invites us to calm down and to use this place / moment as a source of strength. Like a wave rolling back into the sea, its origin, focusing and drawing new energies. Hide

The Path: Following the Changes

Did you find the I Ching's reply inspiring and want to penetrate it more deeply? Then download the worksheet and work with it! Below you find again the schematic representation of the hexagram as well as keywords and impulses regarding individual trigrams and core characters – all for you to use with the worksheet.

yin yin yin yin yin yang

Upper Trigram: Kun, Earth

2nd Core Character: Kun, Earth

1st Core Character: Kun, Earth

Lower Trigram: Zhen, Thunder

Lower Trigram: my Starting Point

Upper Trigram: my Objective

My First Step: 1st Core Character

My Second Step: 2nd Core Character

Exemplary Experiences

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References and Connotations

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