Fu 地雷復
A time to begin again
You hit bottom and recovery begins. It is a slow return, so don’t hurry.
What does I Ching hexagram 24 (Return) mean?
In the deepest darkness, the light force returns. A hexagram of recovery: a good time to come back and begin again.
- Return in love
- A connection that had drifted returns, or the relationship recovers.
- Return at work and with money
- The slump ends and you stand up again.
- Advice
- Even a small start, keep it going steadily.
The judgment and the image
Judgment · Return
Auspicious“Success. Going out and coming in without harm; friends arrive, no blame. Returning on one’s own path, the seventh day brings a return. It is fitting to undertake something.”
The Image: Thunder within the earth: return. At the solstice the ancient kings closed the passes; merchants and travelers did not move, and the ruler did not tour.
原文 · 亨。出入无疾，朋來无咎。反復其道，七日來復，利有攸往。 / 雷在地中，復；先王以至日閉關，商旅不行，后不省方。
The six lines of hexagram 24
Lines are read from the bottom up. When you cast a reading and a line is changing, its statement becomes the key message.
Line 1 · 初九
Auspicious“Returning from not far; no cause for deep regret, and supreme good fortune.”
You catch your mistake early and turn back. A very lucky correction.
原文 · 不遠復，无祇悔，元吉。
Line 2 · 六二
Auspicious“Beautiful return: good fortune.”
Coming back humbly and gracefully, among good company.
原文 · 休復，吉。
Line 3 · 六三
No blame“Repeated returning; danger, but no blame.”
You keep slipping and returning. It’s a struggle, but you’re not at fault.
原文 · 頻復，厲无咎。
Line 4 · 六四
Neutral“Walking in the middle, returning alone.”
You turn back by yourself, away from the crowd. Independence.
原文 · 中行獨復。
Line 5 · 六五
Caution“Generous return: no regret.”
A sincere, wholehearted return.
原文 · 敦復，无悔。
Line 6 · 上六
Misfortune“Lost on the return: misfortune, with disaster. Using the army brings a great defeat in the end, and misfortune for the ruler; for ten years it cannot go on the march.”
Refusing to turn back leads to disaster. Stubbornness is costly.
原文 · 迷復，凶，有災眚。用行師，終有大敗，以其國君，凶；至于十年，不克征。
Related hexagrams
- Opposite hexagram (every line flipped): 44. Gou (Coming to Meet)
- Reversed hexagram (turned upside down): 23. Bo (Splitting Apart)
The classical text is in the public domain; the English translations and readings are our own, for reflection and entertainment.