Hexagram 7 of 64
The Army
師 (Shī)
Host (shī) — the disciplined, organized force
DisciplineAs shown in classical I Ching texts
Composition
Upper Trigram
Receptive, yielding, nurturing — the power that receives and completes
Outer situation / environment
Lower Trigram
Deep, flowing, dangerous — penetrating through persistence
Inner situation / your state
Interaction
Earth above Water — ground meeting rain & rivers. The outer energy of earth shapes the inner disposition of water.
Meaning
Discipline and leadership. A just cause requires organized effort and a clear commander.
Classical Judgment
“The Army. The army needs perseverance and a strong man. Good fortune without blame.”
The classical judgment is the original oracle text — the answer the I Ching gives when this hexagram appears.
The Image
In the middle of the earth is water. The superior one increases the masses and cares for the people.
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.
#24 — Hidden within
Return
復 (Fù) · Renewal
In a Reading
When hexagram 7 appears in your reading, the I Ching is drawing your attention to the quality of discipline. Sit with the Image — “In the middle of the earth is water” — 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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