Xiao Xu :: Minor Force

Offerings:: Thick clouds on the western horizon but no rain

小畜

䷈

6 :: first

Returning to one's nature. How can there be misfortune?

Accepting that you are in a modest position keeps you safe and secure. There is power in modesty. Let go of pretense and return to peace and harmony.

9 :: second

Led back on a leash. Auspicious.

Your reluctance to follow is a mistake. Being led, in this case, is favorable. Do not be stubborn or bridle-shy. A leash is not a noose.

6 :: third

Held up by entangled spokes. Partners glare at each other.

Your progress is set back by argument. Partners or family are tangled in dis-agreement. Allies have forgotten their oaths. Things are out of place and make old commitments feel like unnecessary limitations.

9 :: fourth

Loyalty. Blood flows. Letting go. No harm.

You subordinate after struggling to be in the forefront. In letting go you, somewhat painfully, find your true place. It is time to give up a selfish ambition to lead.

9 :: fifth

Confident loyalty. Wealth comes from associates.

Stay in your place. Relinquishing your independence and demonstrating loyalty has its rewards. Minor force becomes major force through establishing alli-ances. Loyalty to allies brings reciprocity and profit.

6 :: top

Rain falls and stops. Cultivation is complete.
It is inauspicious for women and for traveling during the full moon.

A stuck situation seems resolved, but there are still reasons to feel insecure. Taking risks or acting on impulse can reverse your good fortune. Be modest and all goes well.

Image

Xiao Xu is about having insufficient power. It is divined when a person is attempting a task that is too great to do alone. Gathering clouds but no rain means preparing but not yet up to the task. The west is the place of the dead-ancestral support is not yet solidified.

The image of taming animals by corralling them one by one in a big pasture is the key to the wisdom of Xiao Xu. In time, the animals will domesticate into a herd.

Auspices

It is best to subordinate to or ally yourself with the strong or wait to accumulate more strength and resources. Do not be rambunctious, distracted or diverted. Small projects well done will eventually add up to success. Obstacles and delays can be expected in any forward action.

Good for self-reflection, perseverance, education, discipline, and cultivation.

Bad for pushing ahead, obstinacy, distant travel, and marriage.

Comment

Xiao Xu represents a well-intentioned, perhaps idealistic, person who needs to wait, but may not wait, for sufficient strength to act. There is a warning here not to overestimate your power to accomplish something. Do not underestimate your obstacles or opponents. Do not forget timeliness and patience. In Xiao Xu situations patience, subordination and alliance are the keys to success.

Other Correspondences

Business: Routine business, calling in accounts payable, auditing, and mergers.

Disharmonies: Qi deficiency, joint injury, anxiety, constipation, and hernia.

Prognosis: Fair. Relapse is very possible. The patient needs to gain or regain strength by eating well and exercising modestly to avoid relapse.