Gen 艮爲山
A time to stop
Stop now and look at the situation. Going forward is not always the answer.
What does I Ching hexagram 52 (Keeping Still (Mountain)) mean?
Mountain upon mountain: stopping. Restraint means stopping when it is time to stop and moving when it is time to move.
- Keeping Still (Mountain) in love
- Pause the relationship for a moment and sort out your heart.
- Keeping Still (Mountain) at work and with money
- Stop, check, and restrain your greed.
- Advice
- Knowing when to stop is wisdom.
The judgment and the image
Judgment · Keeping Still (Mountain)
No blame“Keeping the back still, one does not feel the body; walking in the courtyard, one does not see the people. No blame.”
The Image: Mountains together: keeping still. The noble person does not let thoughts stray beyond his position.
原文 · 艮其背，不獲其身，行其庭，不見其人，无咎。 / 兼山，艮；君子以思不出其位。
The six lines of hexagram 52
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
Auspicious“Keeping the toes still; no blame; it is fitting to persevere for a long time.”
Pause before the first step. Staying put early on avoids trouble.
原文 · 艮其趾，无咎，利永貞。
Line 2 · 六二
Neutral“Keeping the calves still; he cannot help the one he follows; his heart is not glad.”
You can’t stop the one you follow from going wrong, and you feel bad.
原文 · 艮其腓，不拯其隨，其心不快。
Line 3 · 九三
Caution“Keeping the waist still, splitting the spine; danger, the heart is scorched.”
Forcing stillness on yourself in the middle of things hurts. Don’t over-suppress.
原文 · 艮其限，裂其夤，厲閽心。
Line 4 · 六四
No blame“Keeping the trunk still; no blame.”
Quieting your whole self. A good, healthy calm.
原文 · 艮其身，无咎。
Line 5 · 六五
No blame“Keeping the jaws still; words are in order; regret vanishes.”
Control your speech, and say only what’s right.
原文 · 艮其輔，言有孚，悔亡。
Line 6 · 上九
Auspicious“Generous stillness: good fortune.”
The calm of real maturity. Perfectly at rest.
原文 · 敦艮，吉。
Related hexagrams
- Opposite hexagram (every line flipped): 58. Dui (The Joyous (Lake))
- Reversed hexagram (turned upside down): 51. Zhen (The Arousing (Thunder))
The classical text is in the public domain; the English translations and readings are our own, for reflection and entertainment.