Hexagram 61, Line 4

The Line Text

Interpretation

This line describes a pivotal and potentially unsettling moment of transition. You are on the verge of success, like a moon that is "almost full." Your influence and understanding are nearing their peak. However, to reach this final stage, a necessary separation must occur. The "team-horse" that goes astray symbolizes a partner, a peer group, an old habit, or a comfortable allegiance that you have been traveling with. This companion belongs to a lower level or a different path. To continue your ascent, you must let this connection go. This is not an act of betrayal but a necessary realignment of your energy and loyalty. The line is in the upper trigram, Sun (Wind), signifying a gentle but pervasive influence, and it is moving toward the ruler of the hexagram in the fifth place. This "loss" is an expression of your inner truth (the theme of Hexagram 61), which compels you to break from your "kind" (絕類) to align with a higher principle or authority (上也). Therefore, although there is a sense of loss, there is "no blame" because this action is correct and essential for your development.

Guidance for Action

You are approaching a significant achievement, but to grasp it, you must be willing to let something or someone go. Identify what the "team-horse" represents in your life. It could be a friendship that no longer serves your growth, a work-group that holds you back with a herd mentality, or an old belief system that you have outgrown. Do not cling to these connections out of a misplaced sense of loyalty or comfort. Your inner truth is calling you to a higher level of being and purpose. You must sever the tie, not with malice, but with a clear understanding that your paths are diverging. Turn your focus upward, toward your ultimate goal or toward those in positions of true leadership and wisdom. Trust that this seemingly painful separation is the correct and necessary step for your progress.

For Love & Relationships

In a relationship, this line indicates a point where a choice must be made. To allow the relationship to reach its full potential (the "full moon"), you may need to detach from external influences that are holding it back. This could be a group of friends who are unsupportive of your partner, family expectations that conflict with your shared values, or even a past romantic attachment that you haven't fully released. Losing this "team-horse" means prioritizing the core relationship and aligning fully with your partner. It may feel like a loss or a difficult break, but it is necessary for the partnership to ascend to a new level of intimacy and commitment. If you are single, it means you must let go of a casual but comfortable connection or a specific social scene to make yourself available for a more meaningful, "higher" love.

For Career & Business

This is a classic "breaking from the pack" scenario in a professional context. You are close to a promotion, a major project completion, or significant recognition ("the moon is almost full"). However, your allegiance to your immediate peer group or your old team ("the team-horse") is now a liability. To advance, you must shift your focus and loyalty from your colleagues to senior management or the overarching strategic goals of the organization. This may mean taking on a role that separates you from your friends or making a decision that is unpopular with them. While you may feel a sense of loss or isolation, the I Ching confirms this is the correct move for your career ("no blame"). Your sincerity to the higher purpose of your work must now take precedence over social comfort.

For Financial Matters

You are nearing a significant financial goal, but a part of your portfolio or a particular financial habit is holding you back. The "team-horse" could represent a comfortable, familiar, but underperforming investment. It could also symbolize a financial partnership or advisor who is no longer aligned with your higher ambitions. This line advises you to divest or break away from this comfortable but limiting financial element. Reallocate those resources toward opportunities with greater potential, even if it feels risky or unfamiliar. Letting go of this "horse" is not a mistake; it is a necessary strategic move to allow your overall wealth to reach its "full moon" phase. There is no blame in making a clean break to secure a better financial future.