Yi Jing, Oracle of the Moon

Kūn-Zhèn, Earth-Thunder
    

  What are the potential and qualities of this situation? Kūn. She is the embracing mother and the place one calls home, one's territory, family or friends, anyone who acts her way. She is nurturing, receiving, and focused on results. One obtains good fortune. The Earth trigram is like a womb, rich in possibilities, she can nurture things into concrete existence, like a crop, creatures, money, tangible resources, return on investment, but also love and trust.
  She accepts everything, organic or inorganic, and works with it. Proceeds it, nourishes it, and arranges all creatures and objects around each other.
  Many of her creations will perish, many will thrive, but the earth goes on. She has no empty spaces, no end or start, no goal or limit. She is strict and that way creates a balance which restores itself over and over. Things which strive to be perfect. Living creatures seeking health, water free to run, and sunshine free to enter. But even the darkest places she fills with organic and inorganic creations. She traps the water and makes it available for her creations.
  土命 Tǔ Mìng, earth name/destiny: born in an earth year or having a local or popular name - a lasting link to Earth.

  What is the subject, intent or hope of your question?
  Zhèn. It is the plow, its power is to refreshen fields or minds, it brings wrong actions or decay to the surface and dissolves fears and doubts. Its image is Thunder, it wakes up seeds and cleans the air with its electricity. It is impulsive and can be insensitive and destructive, but those qualities also help to loosen suffocating ties or views. Zhèn cuts away the old and opens the space for the new.
  Zhèn focuses on the short term and sets things in motion. It is the most energetic trigram, it knows no limits and knows no detours. It has difficulty in reaching a conclusion, it is the trigram of the beginning, the first action, the first spark and quick results – for better or for worse, lighting an insight - or a raging forest fire.

  What do you want or need to do, or what will fate cause to happen in this situation?
When Kūn changes to Zhèn, thunder comes from deep in the earth, bringing up old memories and forgotten wisdom and fears. They will shake up the surface, destroying and renewing. Many things will leave, plowed under but still food for coming times. Other things emerge. They return from the roots of the tree of life, a rebirth of the soul deep in the earth. Sleeping seeds awaken, touched by Thunder. Zhen ends and starts, over and over, and Earth absorbs the endless succession of life’s going and returning and replies with her power to create new life.
  The character 'zhen' is an image of a plow. We know the same symbol as an old man with a scythe, the one who mows down the old. Both create space for the seeds of a new cycle.

General info about the trigram oracle: the lines, the origin, and more

The initiative

    
The top line (Heaven-line) shows the change of the focus or initiative.

  The top line is generally where the initiative comes from, but here it is yin, both in- and outside. It might be that you asked about a matter where the initiative or action doesn’t come from you. Yin is compliant and absorbing and occasionally accepts too easily, but it keeps the excess of dominance and lack of empathy of the Heaven-line in balance. A yin Heaven-line may bring rain: blessings – concrete sustainable solutions.
  Yin will reinforce you to process ideas and projects and to continue working on them. Yin is not aiming for success but for a job well done. It is nurturing and attractive, but there will be no output yet, for the time being your plans ask input, like ideas, energy, maybe money, and keep doing so for the time being.

When plans include the work, they will thrive.

The subject

    
The bottom line (Earth-line) shows the change of the field or subject.
变初六为震, 为雷, 雷出地中, 奋达疾速, 威声
三三远赫, 有寒木生春之意, 万汇咸亨, 品物流行, 发荣茂盛, 无适不宜。
 When the bottom line changes, Kun activates Zhen, thunder comes from the earth. It comes energetically and quickly. Its prestige extends far and wide.
  Earth with Thunder is a great tree that benefits others. It can grow by depleting the Earth, but by growing, everything else can benefit from it. It is like resistant trees, cold and bare in winter, but announcing spring early (metaphor for high moral integrity).
  Everything on earth is effortless, all living beings spread out, fame abounds. There is nothing that would not be appropriate.

  This line activates Thunder's yang, surrounded by Earth's yin. Yin absorbs material, efforts and resources to make things grow. With Thunder's energy and stimulation, everything will start to shine, to give back, but yang can also deplete itself, like the tree in autumn. You need to save your strength or refuel now and then and return in a new spring.
  General: The bottom line is the subject, the 'field' where you find the cause and in which you pour the resources for your initiative: space, material, problems or opportunities, helpers and other people or food for thought.
  Your subject is yang, but entering a situation of yin potential. After collecting the material for concrete results, it is now the task or time to display them and then prosperity will gather. The subject will reveal itself, shining and giving joy.
  If things don't meet expectations, this is the right time to get new inspiration. Usually, yang at the bottom is positive, there is a balance between yang and yin.

    The timing of this change of the subject:
  春分以后, 夏至以前, 得之尤佳, 或为宰辅, 或为宪台, 名位禄寿之兼隆。
  冬而得此,遇而不遇,举动必乖,恐成灾管,盖雷行失令违时,则不利矣。
  Spring-summer: For those who get this after the vernal equinox (21/3) but before the Summer Solstice (21/6), this is especially good. He may become prime minister or imperial censor. His position and fame know luck, a doubly long and prosperous life.
  Summer-autumn: after the solstice opportunities diminish steadily. Take care not to give up, small steps are still possible. Outside, there may not be much luck, inside it is important to stay true to your principles. Don’t allow others to use you against your own wellbeing.
  In winter, when not getting the opportunities you need, your activities are in danger of being different from what is appropriate; fear leads to disasters. Retreat from action, because this is the movement of Thunder that loses its power by going against the season, which is unfavorable.

The outcome

    
The middle line (Man-line) shows the outcome.

  The middle line indicates the result. It is unchanging yin, this project will stay attractive, but also continue to absorb efforts, knowledge or resources, because its developing stage is not finished and not all possibilities have been explored. It still needs input and keeps doing so for the time being. It is too early to decide about a final direction, there will be no output yet.
  But yin is the one who can bring about concrete results. Yin stays in the background and does the work. It is nurturing, defusing crises, monitoring the process, building up and rounding out.
  This is the 'man' line, it can also be about you yourself, not only what you do.

Love for the work dissolves the effort.

Overview of the lines.
Activating (when the second is different) or stationary (when they are similar)

  An activated Yang line is generally bright and giving.Yang is great for enthusiasm and spreading joy or success, but don’t expect solid results.
  An activated Yin line generally does the work. Yin absorbs and converts resources into tangible results. It brings peace and a sense of security.

  The initiative (top line or Heaven line) is the intention or focus. Your ideas, plans, or what you want, or something that happens and you want to influence it or use its possibilities.
   In this answer the line is stationary Yin: this is a good time to work on ideas. Usually, yin at the top is very positive, there is balance between yang and yin, ideas and their possibilities to become reality.

  The subject (bottom line or Earth line) is the 'reality' of your question or the ‘field’ of action. A situation or person, resources, materials, facts.
  In this answer the line is activated Yang: the subject is clear and generous and responds to the initiative. Usually yang at the bottom is positive, there is balance between yang and yin.

  The outcome (middle line or Man Line) is what you or others or fate cause to happen 'between Heaven and Earth'. It is the outcome of this question. It can be physical or mental or both. If this is a yes/no question, then yang means yes, yin means no. Both can be good or bad, depending on the question.
   In this answer the line is stationary Yin: a good line if you need decrease or concreteness, but not for shining results. More work is needed, but your dedication will not be wasted.

  The three helpers
  Each line, active or at rest, summons one of the 8 trigrams as a Helper.

  For an activated line: telling you what you need - or about a problem area or something to avoid.
  For a stationary line: this is what you already have or do or what you don't need. Often we just need a reminder of our abilities. Or it could be what you wish or fear - but will not happen.
  Active lines are the helpers to change things, they listen to intentions, which can come from you, surroundings, or fate. Stationary helpers are part of the core meaning, they are your soul talking, but they also see the impossibilities. They reinforce the overall power of a reading.

  Advice or help for the initiative: Gen, Mountain with his constancy, his ability to make things endure, is lacking here or not needed. Yin remains Yin.
  Advice or help for the subject: Zhen, Thunder with his energy and stimulation and quick actions
  Advice or help for the outcome: Kan, Water, with his direction and focus, his courage to take risks and his talent to give things shape, is lacking here or not needed. Yin remains Yin.
  But when things are not satisfying, it might be that one or more helpers don't help enough - or try too hard. Or maybe you don't listen carefully enough.

  This oracle is NOT according to the Neigua Chuwaili, a chapter of the Heluo Lishu, which is meant to be read and used in Chinese astrology. I found beautiful texts about the trigrams in the Neigua Chuwaili and borrowed them for this trigram oracle. For those who are interested in the Heluo Lishu see the course by Harmen Mesker.
  Many translations from "Yijing astrologie" by Harmen Mesker (Dutch).
  For divining with trigrams, see the video by Tin Yat Dragon