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Obstruction

蹇 · Jiǎn

Obstruction is hexagram 39 in the Book of Changes (蹇, Jiǎn).

Hexagram 39

The judgement

It is hexagram 39 of the I Ching, formed by the Mountain trigram below and the Water one above: six lines, three for each trigram. Obstruction is water on the mountain: the pass is blocked. The wise person does not go forward: goes to seek allies, or turns back.

Trigrams

Lower
艮 Mountain
Upper
坎 Water

What it means today

The direct way is closed. It is not an insult: it is geography. Change path, ask for help, use active waiting. Forcing the pass is falling into the ravine.

Classic image

Water on the mountain. The wise person turns toward the self and cultivates virtue.

Love

In love an outer or inner obstacle. Do not accuse each other. Seek a lateral way, a therapy, a time.

Work

At work a bureaucratic or technical block. Intelligent escalation, not shoulder-charges.

Relationships

In relationships, do not read a situational no as a no to the soul.

Decisions

Do not insist on the same door. The decision is: another path, or return to base camp.

Related hexagrams

Frequently asked questions

What does hexagram 39 Obstruction represent?
Obstruction combines Mountain (lower) and Water (upper). It is a symbolic key for reflecting on the present moment.
How do I get a personalized reading?
Use the interactive oracle with the three-coin method: moving lines make each consultation unique.
Does this page quote Wilhelm?
No. The text is original prose by the Aurapure team — not a specific classical translation.
What are moving lines?
Lines valued 6 or 9 in the cast. They show where the situation is changing and produce a second hexagram.
How is the figure read?
Bottom to top. The lower trigram is lines 1–3, the upper is lines 4–6.

Related

Your strength, and what holds you back, in the sky of the day you were born

A personal reading of your natal chart, in five answers: love, work and money, your strength, what holds you back, how others see you. According to the astrological tradition, not for your sign: for you.

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