Yi Jing, Oracle of the Moon

Zhèn-Kūn, Thunder-Earth
    

  What are the potential and qualities of this situation? 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 is the subject, intent or hope of your question?
 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 do you want or need to do, or what will fate cause to happen in this situation?
  When Zhèn becomes Kūn, Thunder goes to the Earth, roots become strong and grounded; they have a firm position. However, success does not come quickly. If you hold on to your values and stick to the essence, you can energize and initiate, reconcile ideas and reality. But if there isn’t a good source or if you use it selfishly, it will end into empty bragging or promises.
  When Kun embraces Zhen, Heaven's voice, then everything moves according to Heaven and Earth.

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.
变下为坤, 为地, 雷人地中, 雨泽不施也, 必致饥荒。
主人无识, 萧索乖戾, 中生多阻。
  The bottom (line) activates Kūn, activates earth. Shocks in the earth, no rain will fall in the marsh, it will lead to a poor harvest. There is no hesitation; the determination is reckless. There will be powerful people who are ignorant, indifferent, and non-conforming. One encounters much resistance in one's life.

  When Zhèn activates Kūn, Thunder goes to the Earth; roots grow strong and grounded; they have a firm position. It is the creative movement of body and mind: intuition, anticipation, telling a story or having a vision, playing, dancing, music. Artists call it being in the flow or zone.
  But success does not come quickly. If you hold on to your values and stick to the essence, you can energize and initiate, reconcile ideas and reality. But if you forget the roots, there is no good source. Then you use it selfishly or superficially and it will end in empty promises or boasting.  
  General: yin initiative in yang potential will need perseverance. Everything around seems too bright, too overbearing. Don't try to compete, but make use of what presents itself to you. When the time is yang, it offers many opportunities and resources, brilliant ideas, but few concrete results. Yin's power is to absorb and then to create from what she gathered.
  You are a good organizer, you oversee the work and inspire others while working hard yourself. You can turn visionary ideas into viable plans.
  Yin at the top line brings the rain: blessings.

  秋冬得宜, 春夏不利。
  In autumn and winter appropriate,
  In spring and summer 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 Yin: it is too early for clear results; more work is needed. This line is the most difficult to influence, she is careful and follows her own decisions, but she is the one who turns resources into concrete results.

  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: Li, Fire, with her power to discern and create order, is lacking here or not needed. Yin remains Yin.
  Advice or help for the subject: Kun, Earth, with her ability to nurture and concretize,
  Advice or help for the outcome: Dui, Lake, with her ability to resonate and persuade, is lacking here or not needed. Yin remains Yin.

  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