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Hexagram 21 / 64 · Practice

Hexagram 21Biting Through

Address the obstacle directly.

噬嗑 / Shi He
UPPER: FIRE
LOWER: THUNDER

A modern reflection

A way to look at this moment.

Something may be interrupting an otherwise workable connection. Avoid circling it indefinitely. A clear conversation, a fair rule, or a concrete decision can help, provided your response matches the problem and leaves room for the relevant facts.

Sit with this question

What specific obstacle needs a clear response?

One small practice.

State the problem, the boundary, and the next step in plain language.

The image & the structure.

This hexagram places fire above thunder. The lower trigram evokes awakening movement; the upper trigram evokes light and clarity. Consider these as images to explore rather than instructions to follow.

The six lines are read from the bottom upward. A solid line is yang; a broken line is yin. In a coin reading, some lines may change and form a relating hexagram. A hexagram on its own does not specify which lines are changing.

Learn about changing lines →
This page contains original modern reflections, not a translation of the I Ching’s Judgment, Image, or individual line texts. Names vary between translations. About our sources and approach.