Going With

What this hexagram is about

Hexagram 17, Going With, is about learning to move with life rather than against it. The Chinese name is 隨, which means following, going along or adapting. The upper trigram is Lake, which is open and still, and the lower trigram is Thunder, which is sudden and stirring. Together they make a picture of a storm over a lake: the thunder stirs the water, and the water receives the rain, accepts the change and settles again. This hexagram asks you to notice when it is wise to go with what is happening instead of forcing your own way.

Going With does not mean giving up or being weak. It means knowing when to follow the flow of a situation, like a boat letting the current carry it. The I Ching sees this as a skill: you stay steady inside while you move with what is outside. The hexagram suggests that when you do this well, things tend to work out without blame or struggle. It is a moment for flexibility, not for stubbornness.

The Judgment in plain words

The Judgment says "Great success. It is favourable to hold steady. No blame." This means that when you are in a situation of Going With, there is a sense of ease and things moving well. The phrase "great success" points to the natural good outcome of adapting. But it also says "hold steady", which is a reminder: going with does not mean drifting without direction. You keep your own centre while you follow the changes around you.

"No blame" is the final note. In the I Ching, blame is what comes when you act against the moment. Here, if you move with the situation and stay steady inside, nothing is lost and nothing is wrong. The Judgment asks you to trust the process, not to fight it. It is a moment to let go of control and see what happens when you simply go along.

The Image

The Image says "Thunder in the middle of the lake: going with. The noble person, as evening falls, goes indoors to rest." The lake holds the thunder without resisting. When the storm comes, the water does not try to push it away. It accepts the rain and the noise, and then it becomes still again. The Image paints a scene of evening: the day's work is done, the light fades, and a wise person stops and goes inside to rest.

For you today, this might mean knowing when to stop pushing. If you have been trying hard at work or in a relationship, and things are not moving, the Image suggests it is time to step back. Rest is not giving up. It is a way of letting the situation settle on its own. You go indoors, you stop, you wait. The thunder passes, and the lake returns to calm.

The six lines

Line 1, 初九, says "Officials change their posts. Holding steady brings good fortune. Going out the gate to meet others brings achievement." This line is about small shifts at the start. When your role or position changes, you hold steady inside but you also go out and connect with people. The good fortune is in staying balanced while you open yourself to new contact.

Line 2, 六二, says "Tying yourself to the little boy, you lose the grown man." This warns against attaching to something small or lesser. If you focus on a minor concern or a lesser person, you miss the greater opportunity. The line asks you to check what you are holding on to and whether it is worth the cost.

Line 3, 六三, says "Tying yourself to the grown man, you lose the little boy. Going with others, seeking, brings gain. Dwelling in steadiness." Here you choose the greater thing, but you lose the lesser. That is the trade. The line says that when you go with others and seek, you gain something, but you must also stay steady where you are.

Line 4, 九四, says "Going with others brings a catch. Holding steady brings misfortune. With sincerity on the road and clear sight: no blame." This is tricky. Following others can get you a result, but if you hold too tight to your own way you run into trouble. The way out is sincerity and clear seeing. If you are honest and see clearly, there is no blame.

Line 5, 九五, says "Sincerity toward what is fine. Good fortune." This is the best line in the hexagram. When you direct your honesty and loyalty toward something good and beautiful, the outcome is fortunate. It is a moment of pure alignment.

Line 6, 上六, says "Bound and held fast, then tied and kept. The king makes an offering on the western mountain." This line describes a situation where you are held or constrained, but it is not a trap. It is like being tied to a sacred task. The king offers a sacrifice, giving up something important. The line suggests that when you are bound, you can still make an offering of your effort or your will.

When it comes up in your cast

When Going With appears as your answer, it is telling you that this is a time to adapt. In love, it might mean letting the relationship unfold without trying to control it. In work, it might mean following a new direction or a change in leadership instead of resisting. In a decision, it suggests that the wise move is to go with what is already moving, not to start something new or push against the current.

If any of the six lines are moving, you read those line texts carefully because they point to the specific part of the situation that is active. The moving lines also create a second hexagram, which shows where the situation is heading. The inner hexagram here is Gradual Advance, which hints that going with the flow leads to slow, steady progress. Remember, the I Ching is for reflection and entertainment: it helps you look at a question from a new angle and does not decide for you. Let it be a mirror for your own thinking.