The Free Reading Review is a (kind of) self-explanatory series where I'll conduct a free I Ching reading for a reader like you, and write about it for everyone interested in divination in general, and the I Ching specifically.
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Let's get into this edition's question:
What does EO need to know about going to law school in the next three years?
Reading: Hexagram 48.3.6 > 59 (Resource's Surrender)
Transitional Reading: Hexagrams 48.3 > 48.6 > 29.6 > 59
48.3
The third NINE, undivided, shows a well, which has been cleared out, but is not used. Our hearts are sorry for this, for the water might be drawn out and used. If the king were (only) intelligent, both he and we might receive the benefit of it.
48.6
The topmost SIX, divided, shows (the water from) the well brought to the top, which is not allowed to be covered. This suggests the idea of sincerity. There will be great good fortune.
29.6
The topmost SIX, divided, shows its subject bound with cords of three strands or two strands, and placed in the thicket of thorns. But in three years he does not learn the course for him to pursue. There will be evil.
59
Hwân intimates that (under its conditions) there will be progress and success. The king goes to his ancestral temple; and it will be advantageous to cross the great stream. It will be advantageous to be firm and correct.
My Analysis
The backdrop to the answer for this reading is Hexagram 59, which I call 'Surrender'. It's a hexagram that can indicate surrendering to connect with something greater than yourself. That could be relevant to a question about entering law school and being part of the legal system, which is bigger than any one person, but let's look at the lines:
The imagery in Hexagram 48 was oblique for quite a while, but after seeing lines pop up repeatedly over the years, I began to notice some patterns.
With Hexagram 48.3, there can be a little risk involved, but from my experience, it's a reminder that speaking things into existence doesn't work as well as taking actual action to make such a thing so. This connects to the next line as well.
In 48.6, you usually aren't seeing the whole picture, and it's not really any fault of your own: you sometimes just have to wait for it to develop.
But with 48.6, it's usually a sign that you have assumptions that will be proven wrong as events unfold.
And if we look at the transitional line of 29.6, like the unchanging Hexagram 29, there's a need to follow what feels 'true' to you. But unlike the unchanging hexagram, 29.6 can usually indicate that you'll cease pursuing a particular path.
Though, I'll certainly not guarantee an event will go one way or another, lines mean what lines mean in most cases, but our personal spin on things can impact how we interpret them.
With that said, 48.6 and 29.6 both make me think something might pop up down the road to adjust the path you're treading on.
Additionally, if we look at the Yang Pattern of this reading, it's Hexagram 52, which means this is a question that pertains to sticking to your guns: which in this instance would be attending law school.
But the Yin Pattern of Hexagram 58, which is generally the 'advice', says to expect indulgent thoughts and daydreaming, but to avoid being harmed and doing harm while you're doing that indulging.
Given that Hexagram 58 is present in this reading, it almost makes me wonder if something a bit 'shinier' will appear to take your attention away from law school, whereas if the Change Patterns were reversed, and it was Yin 52, it might indicate sticking to those aforementioned guns and going through with the entire process of law school.
With any reading, my job is to state what the *reading* says, based on my experience, while not *telling* the client exactly what will happen (because that's a matter for God(s) to figure out).
But I will say that if your path diverges, and you pass on completing law school, it might be for something you find a bit more enjoyable (Hexagram 58), and maybe somehow a little more significant (Hexagram 59).
I wish you luck, nonetheless, and expect that things will make more sense over time, as they always do.