Also known as Coming to Meet, Encountering, Contact.
The character 姤 means a meeting or an encounter. Hexagram 44 is the moment right after hexagram 43's breakthrough: just when the bad influence seemed gone, a single weak line slips back in at the bottom. Small things that arrive unexpectedly can grow fast. Notice them early.
The figure
Heaven over Wind. Wind blows under the sky and reaches everything without being seen. One broken line sits at the base beneath five strong ones: a single influence entering quietly from below.
The judgment
The woman is strong. Do not marry her.
In the old image, a bold newcomer wins influence over many. Read today: be careful of an attractive influence that seems harmless now. Don't commit to it before you know where it leads.
The image
Wind under the sky, touching everything without being seen. Send the word out to all four sides.
The leader's influence should travel the same way the wind does: everywhere, clearly and quietly.
The six lines
Counted from the bottom, the way the figure is built when you cast it.
- Line 1, at the bottom. Stop it with a bronze brake. Holding steady goes well. Let it run, and it goes badly. Even a skinny pig will thrash about if you let it.
- Line 2. A fish in the bag. Not a mistake. Keep it contained, and don't hand it to guests.
- Line 3. The thighs are rubbed raw, and every step is hard. Keep the risk in mind and nothing serious goes wrong.
- Line 4. No fish in the bag. It goes badly. Losing touch with the people below you.
- Line 5. A gourd wrapped in willow branches. Quality kept out of view. It falls to you as if sent from the sky. Quiet goodness wins without force.
- Line 6, at the top. Meeting with the horns. Embarrassment, but you're not at fault. Aloofness keeps you safe and lonely.
Reading it for a question
Hexagram 44 says something new has come in, and it's stronger than it looks. Notice it now, set boundaries early and don't commit too fast. Influence what you can through quiet example.