The 64 hexagrams · No. 46
Hexagram 46: Pushing Upward
Wood growing within Earth. Build the next step upward.
An original modern reflection on the I Ching image. This is not a translation of the classical Judgment or line statements.
Build the next step upward
Wood grows through the earth by developing from its present position. Growth involves many ordinary stages that may look unremarkable. Find the next stage you can practice and the support it needs. A concrete step gives you a better measure than comparing your beginning with someone else’s height.
A question to sit with
What capability or condition would make the next small level of progress possible?
One small step
Choose one specific skill or task to practice. Keep a small example of today’s attempt so that later you can compare what has actually changed.
Reading the figure
The upper trigram is Earth; the lower trigram is Wind. Xun is associated with both wind and wood, so its imagery may describe a breeze or a growing tree. The first line is at the bottom, and the sixth is at the top. You identify this hexagram from its six-line figure, not from a word match to your question.
Read the image alongside the actual circumstances you know. Notice what fits and what does not. The relating hexagram depends on your changing lines, so there is no single fixed “next hexagram” for this pattern.
What changes when one line moves?
This map changes exactly one line at a time. If your cast has several changing lines, all of them flip together; the resulting pattern may differ from every row below. These are structural changes, not translations of the classical line statements.
| Changing position | Relating hexagram |
|---|---|
| Line 1 · bottom | 11. Peace |
| Line 2 | 15. Modesty |
| Line 3 | 7. The Army |
| Line 4 | 32. Duration |
| Line 5 | 48. The Well |
| Line 6 · top | 18. Work on What Has Been Spoiled |
Learn how changing lines work →
Keep a reading journal
If this hexagram appeared in a reading, note your question, your six coin totals, and one thing you want to observe. Come back later to record what happened. Your notes can help you see how your understanding changed, even when a reflection did not fit.
Try the free three-coin I Ching tool →
Classical reference: The Book of Changes. English names vary by edition; the number, pinyin and figure make the identification clear. About our method and sources.