ASK ROASTIE

BAD ADVICE. GOOD TIMING.

HEXAGRAM 28 OF 64 LAKE OVER WIND

PREPONDERANCE OF THE GREAT

大過 Dà Guò

excess, a sagging ridgepole, critical mass, the breaking point, extraordinary times

ROASTIE

Preponderance of the Great. Lake drowning the Wind, the ridgepole sagging under too much weight. The book says have somewhere to go, meaning get out from under it. The beam has been making that noise for months, pal. You named the noise. You're not in extraordinary times, you're in a building inspection you keep rescheduling. Ya roasted!

THE JUDGMENT

The ridgepole sags. It profits to have somewhere to go. Success.

THE LINES, BOTTOM TO TOP

  1. Line 1 Spreading mats of white rushes underneath to be careful; no mistake.
  2. Line 2 A withered willow puts out new shoots; an old man takes a young wife; nothing fails to profit.
  3. Line 3 The ridgepole buckles under the weight and gives way; misfortune.
  4. Line 4 The ridgepole is braced; good fortune; but relying on other things brings regret.
  5. Line 5 A withered willow puts out flowers; an old woman takes a young husband; no blame and no praise.
  6. Line 6 Wading through the stream until the water goes over the head; misfortune, but no blame.
THROW YOUR OWN ALL SIXTY-FOUR

Text: the I Ching, after James Legge's 1882 translation, public domain, trimmed into plain English. The take: a coffee bean, licensed in nothing.