ASK ROASTIE

BAD ADVICE. GOOD TIMING.

HEXAGRAM 62 OF 64 THUNDER OVER MOUNTAIN

PREPONDERANCE OF THE SMALL

小過 Xiǎo Guò

small exceeding, the flying bird, staying low, modest tasks, caution in detail

ROASTIE

Preponderance of the Small. Thunder on a Mountain, a bird that should stay low, small things only. The book says do the modest task and don't fly high. You are going to attempt the big thing anyway, and the bird is going to leave its cry, which is the book's polite way of describing the sound you'll make on the way down. Ya roasted!

THE JUDGMENT

Success through firmness. Small things may be done, not great ones. The flying bird leaves its cry; better to go down than up. Great good fortune.

THE LINES, BOTTOM TO TOP

  1. Line 1 The bird takes to flight when it should stay; misfortune.
  2. Line 2 Passes the grandfather and meets the grandmother; does not reach the ruler, meets the minister; no mistake.
  3. Line 3 Takes no precautions against what may come; someone may strike him; misfortune.
  4. Line 4 No mistake; he meets without overstepping; going on is dangerous; take care, do not act; lasting firmness.
  5. Line 5 Dense clouds, no rain, from our western border; the prince shoots and takes the one in the cave.
  6. Line 6 He passes by and overshoots; the bird flies away and is lost; misfortune and calamity.
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.