The Well

The Well. The town may be changed, but the well cannot be changed. It neither decreases nor increases. They come and go and draw from the well. If one gets down almost to the water and the rope does not go all the way, or the jug breaks, that brings misfortune.

The town may change, but the well cannot be changed. Water over wood — the source that sustains all life, unchanging beneath the changing surface. The superior person encourages people at their work. Some things must remain constant. The well is not exciting. It is essential. Tend to your sources.

Hexagram 48, The Well, depicts 改邑不改井，无喪无得。往來井井。汔至，亦未繘井，羸其瓶，凶。. The judgment states: The Well. The town may be changed, but the well cannot be changed. It neither decreases nor increases. They come and go and draw from the well. If one gets down almost to the water and the rope does not go all the way, or the jug breaks, that brings misfortune. This hexagram belongs to the Threshold group and addresses a specific configuration of forces. The I Ching describes the present moment with precision so the next natural movement becomes visible. Understanding this particular pattern of change is the first step toward responding with wisdom rather than reaction.