Kan 坎爲水
A rough stretch
Difficulties keep coming. If you keep faith and hold on, you do get through.
What does I Ching hexagram 29 (The Abysmal (Water)) mean?
Water on water: danger upon danger. The peril repeats, but if you pass through with trust, the way opens.
- The Abysmal (Water) in love
- There is an emotional whirlpool, but keeping sincerity gets you through.
- The Abysmal (Water) at work and with money
- Troubles pile up, but diligence carries you through.
- Advice
- Don’t lose your conviction even in a crisis.
The judgment and the image
Judgment · The Abysmal (Water)
No blame“Sincerity; the heart is strong. Going forward earns esteem.”
The Image: Water arrives again and again: the abysmal. The noble person is constant in virtue and practices teaching.
原文 · 有孚，維心亨。行有尚。 / 水洊至，習坎；君子以常德行，習教事。
The six lines of hexagram 29
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 · 初六
Misfortune“Repeated abyss; falling into a pit within the pit: misfortune.”
You sink deeper into trouble. Struggling by instinct makes it worse.
原文 · 習坎，入于坎窞，凶。
Line 2 · 九二
Neutral“The abyss is dangerous; seeking small gains succeeds.”
In real danger, small modest aims are what you can get.
原文 · 坎有險，求小得。
Line 3 · 六三
Neutral“Coming and going into the abyss; danger and a pillow of trouble; falling into a pit within the pit. Do not act.”
You are trapped on all sides. Don’t move, wait.
原文 · 來之坎坎，險且枕，入于坎窞，勿用。
Line 4 · 六四
No blame“A jug of wine and a bowl of rice, with simple earthen vessels; delivering through the window: in the end no blame.”
In hard times, sincerity and simplicity matter more than show. A plain gift is enough.
原文 · 尊酒簋，貳用缶。内約自牖，終无咎。
Line 5 · 九五
No blame“The abyss does not overflow; it is leveled out. No blame.”
Don’t push past the limit. Staying at the same level is enough.
原文 · 坎不盈，禔既平，无咎。
Line 6 · 上六
Misfortune“Bound with black cords and put in a thicket of thorns; for three years no escape: misfortune.”
You are stuck in a trap of your own making for a long time.
原文 · 係用徽纆，寘于叢棘，三歲不得，凶。
Related hexagrams
- Opposite hexagram (every line flipped): 30. Li (The Clinging (Fire))
The classical text is in the public domain; the English translations and readings are our own, for reflection and entertainment.