Hexagram 60: Limitation
Boundaries, moderation
| Chinese | 節 (Jié) |
|---|---|
| Upper trigram | ☵ Water — The Abysmal (Water) |
| Lower trigram | ☱ Lake — The Joyous (Metal) |
| Keywords | limitation, moderation, boundaries, structure |
| Opposite | Hexagram 56: The Wanderer |
| Inverted | Hexagram 59: Dispersion |
What does Hexagram 60 (Limitation) mean?
Limitation 節 (Jié) is hexagram 60 of the I Ching, formed by Water (The Abysmal) over Lake (The Joyous). Its theme is boundaries, moderation, with key ideas of limitation, moderation, boundaries, structure. The Judgment reads: “Limitation. Success. Galling limitation must not be persevered in.”
The Judgment of Limitation
Limitation. Success. Galling limitation must not be persevered in.
The Image of Limitation
Water over lake.
The six changing lines of Hexagram 60
When a casting produces moving lines, their texts speak directly to your situation. Read from the bottom line upward.
Nine at the beginning
“Not going out of the door and the courtyard is without blame.”
Knowing when not to act — recognising the limit before it is imposed — is the first and easiest form of self-regulation.
Nine in the second place
“Not going out of the gate and the courtyard brings misfortune.”
Excessive caution that confines one beyond what the situation requires is its own error. Limitation applied beyond its proper scope becomes paralysis.
Six in the third place
“He who knows no limitation will have cause to lament. No blame.”
The one who refuses all boundaries eventually suffers the consequence — but the suffering itself teaches the lesson. The lesson arrived at through pain carries no fault.
Six in the fourth place
“Contented limitation. Success.”
Accepting limitation not as constraint but as the natural shape of one's situation brings genuine effectiveness. Ease within structure is mastery.
Nine in the fifth place
“Sweet limitation brings good fortune. Going brings esteem.”
When limits are embraced willingly — even joyfully — they produce the best results and earn the respect of those who observe the self-governance.
Six at the top
“Galling limitation. Perseverance brings misfortune. Remorse disappears.”
Limits imposed too harshly on oneself or others breed resentment and failure. Recognise this, ease the restriction, and the regret clears. Severity beyond the needed measure defeats its own purpose.
Will Limitation answer your question?
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