Hexagram 13, Line 6

The Line Text

Interpretation

This top line signifies the culmination and outer limit of the situation described by Hexagram 13. "Fellowship in the suburbs" (or meadows, outside the city gates) is a powerful image. The city represents the center of community, the heart of the fellowship. To be in the suburbs means you are on the periphery, at the very edge of the collective. You have sought to create unity and a broad community, but your influence has not reached the center. You have gathered followers, but they are on the fringes, not yet part of the main body. The commentary is crucial here: "the will has not yet been attained." This reveals that the "No regret" is not a statement of triumph. It is a statement of mature acceptance. Your ultimate ambition—to forge a universal, all-inclusive fellowship—has fallen short. However, you have gone as far as you could without overstepping or causing conflict. You have established a connection, albeit a distant one. The absence of regret comes from recognizing your limits and accepting a partial success rather than forcing an issue that would lead to failure and blame. It is a bittersweet conclusion, a moment of sober realism where one finds peace in what was possible, rather than lamenting what was not.

Guidance for Action

You have reached the natural limit of your current endeavor to bring people together. Your vision may have been grand, but the reality is more modest. It is time to accept this outcome with grace. Do not be discouraged that your goal was not fully realized. Pushing further now would be counterproductive and could alienate the very people you wish to unite. Instead, find contentment in the connections you *have* made, even if they are on the outskirts. Consolidate your position on the periphery and value the community you have. This is not failure; it is the realistic conclusion of a noble effort. Let go of grand ambitions for now and appreciate the quiet success you have achieved.

For Love & Relationships

In a relationship, this line suggests a connection that remains on the fringes. It could be a long-distance relationship, a deep friendship that never quite blossoms into a full romantic partnership, or a bond that isn't fully integrated into your central life. The desire for a closer, more central union ("the will") has not been fulfilled. However, "no regret" advises you to accept the relationship for what it is. Trying to force it into a conventional, central role may destroy the unique beauty it possesses. Value the connection you have, even with its distance. This may also indicate the end of a relationship where you can look back and, despite the separation, feel no regret for the time you shared, accepting that it had run its course.

For Career & Business

Your project or initiative has not gained the company-wide or industry-wide acceptance you had hoped for. Instead of being a central pillar of the organization, your work has found a niche on the periphery, perhaps with a small team or in a remote department. Your ambition to be at the heart of the action has not been realized. The guidance is to accept this without bitterness. "No regret" means you should be proud of what you've built, even in its limited scope. Don't fight for a central position that isn't available right now. Instead, nurture your success on the fringe; it may prove valuable in its own right or serve as a foundation for future opportunities.

For Financial Matters

You may have aimed for a major financial breakthrough or a central position in a lucrative market, but your results have been more modest. Your investments or business ventures are profitable, but they are more like "suburban" assets rather than a "downtown" portfolio. You are not at the center of the financial world, and your grandest monetary goals have not been met. The wisdom of this line is to be content and feel "no regret." You have avoided major losses by not over-reaching. Appreciate the steady, if unspectacular, gains you have made. Chasing a bigger prize at this stage would be a high-risk gamble. Secure what you have and be at peace with a solid, if peripheral, financial position.