Hexagram 45 of 64
Gathering Together
萃 (Cuì)
Gathering (cuì) — concentrated forces converging together
CongregationAs shown in classical I Ching texts
Composition
Upper Trigram
Joyful, open, expressive — the pleasure of exchange and communication
Outer situation / environment
Lower Trigram
Receptive, yielding, nurturing — the power that receives and completes
Inner situation / your state
Interaction
Lake above Earth — marsh meeting ground. The outer energy of lake shapes the inner disposition of earth.
Meaning
People gathering in great number. A strong center is needed; great offerings bring fortune.
Classical Judgment
“Gathering Together. Success. The king approaches his temple. It furthers one to see the great man.”
The classical judgment is the original oracle text — the answer the I Ching gives when this hexagram appears.
The Image
Over the earth, the lake. The superior one renews the weapons and is alert to the unforeseen.
The Image is a nature scene associated with this hexagram — a symbolic picture that distils its essence. In classic texts, meditating on the Image was considered the proper way to absorb the hexagram's teaching.
Nuclear Hexagram
Lines 2–5 of this hexagram form an inner hexagram called the nuclear hexagram. It reveals the hidden seed or underlying dynamic within the situation — what lies at the core beneath the surface.
#53 — Hidden within
Development
漸 (Jiàn) · Gradual Progress
In a Reading
When hexagram 45 appears in your reading, the I Ching is drawing your attention to the quality of congregation. Sit with the Image — “Over the earth, the lake” — and consider how this pattern is playing out in your current situation. The Judgment offers the oracle’s direct guidance on how to move with this energy rather than against it.
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