Yi Jing, Oracle of the Moon

Gěn-Kūn, Mountain-Earth

    

  What are the potential and qualities of this situation? Gěn or Mountain. He is high but does not boast, is strong but does not force anyone. Gen may be grumpy or a recluse but has a good heart and cares. Gěn is about individuality, staying true to yourself even when it is difficult and giving in would solve problems. Gěn stands high above the valley below and seems aloof, but the mountain shelters and feeds the valley, makes the clouds release their water and sends it down to the vegetation and all creatures at its foot.

  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 Gěn becomes Kūn, the mountain is strong and unmoving, but Earth with her natural power of growth brings the chance of returning to life. She opens up Gěn's severity and shows what is healthy and what is harmful, so Gěn can relax. The power to choose or discard paves the way to success.
  The Earth is nurturing but wide, the Mountain shelters the valley and directs the rain down so all creatures at its foot can make use of what Earth offers.
  Mountain and Earth together show the facts of reality. Life means there will be death. Growth means there will be decay. They form the severity of life, but if you heed them, life can be rich. The worthy mountain catches the rain and benefits the valley below, but the aloof mountain harms it with its shadows and dangers.
  Accepting loss or having to decide what to leave behind are difficult decisions, but life will deteriorate without them. Clinging to the present will stifle it. Holding on to the past will harm the future.

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.
变上为坤, 舍崇高而从卑下, 脱崎岖而履平坦, 土命逢之, 温厚和平, 成始成终。
When the top line changes it activates Kun. Following from a high place to a low place; leave the rough terrain and follow the level path. Whoever has an affinity to Earth will find it and be successful from beginning to end.
(affinity to earth: Tu Ming, earth name/destiny, born in an earth year or having a local or popular name - a lasting link to Earth.)

  The mountain is strong but unmoving, Earth with her natural power of growth brings the chance of returning to life. She opens up Gěn's severity and shows which emotions are healthy and which are harmful, so Gěn can relax. A strong and also easy character is the way to success.
  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.

    The timing of this change of the initiative:
   春夏土膏肥厚, 生物荣华。盖山中地, 地中山, 正类谦尊而光, 卑而不可逾, 无往不利也。
  In spring and summer the earth is fertile and provides abundant food; all living things are glorious and resplendent. Thus: If the mountain is in the midst of the earth, or the earth in the midst of the mountain, then the upright man is humble and spreading light; modest and not overstepping boundaries, successful in everything attempted.

The subject

    
The bottom line (Earth-line) shows the change of the field or subject.

  The Earth-line is unchanging yin. This line is the subject, or the ‘field’ where you pour in or find both the cause and the means for your initiative: space, material, helpers or other people, resources and realization, even food for thought. It is a 'receiving' line, the earth needs input and resources to make things grow and bring concrete results.
  Your subject or project will stay attractive, but it will continue to absorb and process and use it to continue the work. It will not shine on its own or show increase to the outside, the work of building up happens in the background.

Beauty comes from the space within.

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 activated 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 stationary 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: Kun, Earth, with her ability to nurture and concretize.
  Advice or help for the subject: Li, Fire, with her power to discern and create order
  Advice or help for the outcome: Xun, Wind, with her power to choose and influence, 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