Welcome to hexagram number three of the I Ching,
Known as Initial Adversity or Difficulty at the Beginning.
Every beginning is like a birth and a birth is rarely smooth.
This hexagram number three can point to the moment after conception,
But before clarity,
The sprouting seed beneath cold soil and the stirring of life still tangled between two worlds.
While the name of this hexagram,
Initial Adversity,
May sound ominous at first,
It is in fact full of promise.
Because where there is difficulty and challenges,
There is also the presence of something becoming.
This is the time of potential.
As something new comes in,
There can be a sense of confusion and this confusion should not be likened to failure,
But rather the awareness that it is in response to something new being born.
This hexagram is made up of two trigrams.
The bottom trigram comprising of the element of thunder with water in the trigram above.
And this provides a whole image of tension,
Of rising energy trying to move upward while held in by some resistance.
So it captures the essence of early struggle,
The desire to move forward,
As well as the obstacles that can make the path unclear.
That which is new must often face the chaos of its first steps and find its new structure.
It's like a seed breaking open underground.
It cannot see the Sun,
But it moves towards it anyway.
So this confusion is natural and thus obstacles can be expected.
What matters is not the clarity,
But perseverance.
The I Ching says,
By maintaining a sense of balance and calm clear-sightedness during a period of disorder and confusion.
Being prepared to be flexible and resourceful also,
You will guide yourself towards a haven of peace and good order.
Here we hear clearly that the Tao reminds us to not rush.
The river carves rock over centuries.
You are allowed to stumble.
You are allowed to be unsure.
Hexagram number three can often appear when one is starting something unfamiliar,
A new phase,
A new relationship,
New purpose.
So it acknowledges anxiety,
The unknown and the discomfort,
And at the same time it blesses them and it asks,
What are you trying to bring into the world?
What is forming in you right now,
Even if you can't name it yet?
You may feel uncertain,
But hexagram number three reminds you that uncertainty is not a sign to stop.
It's a sign to slow down and build support and even ask for help if necessary.
It is not wise to rush ahead when the foundation is not yet strong and the road is not yet clear.
So do not be discouraged.
This is a time to plan,
To gather what you need,
To listen and to be guided,
To move not with thoughts but with intention.
Seek clarity but also allow the unknown to reveal itself at the right time.
As you can hear from these messages,
The majority of this hexagram contains the open Yin lines.
There is one Yang line right at the bottom in the lowest triagram and there is another Yang line in the upper triagram as the middle line.
The other four are Yin.
This time of initial adversity that we are feeling into here can be further understood by picturing a stream that's just forming at the top of a mountain.
It might be thin,
Might be broken,
Uncertain.
It stutters across rocks and soil,
Unsure of its path.
But over time it finds its channel and one day becomes a river.
When there are false starts or setbacks,
This is not the end.
It is the middle of the beginning.
Turbulence is not because something is wrong but because something is new and finding its way.
This is a time of growth,
Time to trust the rhythm and the necessity of struggle.
It's also the time to prepare,
To gather support,
To move slowly with humility and with the quiet confidence that everything will find its own shape in its right time.
Through this constant perseverance,
One's roots are deepened,
Foundation is formed and this is the gift of difficulty at the beginning or encountering obstacles with the unknown.
So ask of yourself now,
Where can I trust more and will it benefit me to ask for help?
Once you've asked these questions and pondered upon the question for a few moments,
You can let them go and know that answers will come through in the right way at the right time.
