Following
Hexagram 17 · Following, adaptability, going with the flow
Judgment
This hexagram speaks of following with unusual directness. There is no room for self-deception. The situation before you demands that you see things as they are, not as you wish them to be. This honesty may be uncomfortable, but it is the foundation of all real progress.
Image and Symbolism
The sages contemplated this hexagram and saw following written across the landscape of existence. Mountains do not envy the sky their height. Rivers do not compete with the wind. Each element fulfills its nature completely. Your path forward lies in the same direction: full expression of your own nature, without comparison.
Love and Relationships
Single and searching? This hexagram suggests that following is the quality you need to cultivate in yourself before seeking it in another. You attract what you embody. Work on your own wholeness, and the right person will find you. Desperation only attracts more desperation.
Career and Finance
Your workplace is a mirror for following. The frustrations you feel with colleagues, the dynamics with your manager, the projects that energize or drain you — all of these are data points revealing your relationship to this theme. Use them.
Key Advice
The I Ching does not offer comfort. It offers truth. Hexagram 17 asks you to grow, not to feel good. There is a difference, and the difference matters. Comfort keeps you small. Growth makes you dangerous in the best possible way. Choose growth.
Historical Perspective
The story of Liu Bang, founder of the Han dynasty (206 BCE), exemplifies Sui (Following). Liu Bang was not the most brilliant strategist or the bravest warrior, that was his rival Xiang Yu. But Liu Bang had a rare quality: he could follow good advice. He listened to his strategist Zhang Liang, his general Han Xin, and his administrator Xiao He. He followed the wisdom of others rather than insisting on his own way. Xiang Yu, by contrast, trusted only himself and ultimately lost everything. The hexagram teaches that true leadership sometimes means following, being flexible enough to adapt to circumstances and wise enough to recognize when others know better.
Case Study: Modern Application
Elena Rodriguez was a VP at a major bank in Mexico City. She was brilliant, ambitious, and used to being right. When her team proposed a new digital banking platform, she dismissed it, too risky, too expensive. Six months later, a competitor launched exactly that product and captured 15 percent market share. Elena consulted the I Ching and received Sui: Following. The message was clear: she had been so focused on leading that she forgot how to follow good ideas. She apologized to her team, resurrected their proposal, and put them in charge of execution while she removed organizational obstacles. The platform launched successfully within a year. "I had to learn that following is not weakness," Elena said. "Sometimes the best leadership is knowing when to step back and let others lead."
Master Wisdom
Thunder within the lake: Following. The superior person at nightfall enters the house for rest. To follow wisely means knowing when to act and when to yield.
— Carl Jung, who saw the I Ching as a tool for accessing the collective unconscious
Practical Application
When this hexagram appears in a reading, consider these practical steps:
- Reflect on your current situation and how the hexagram message applies
- Identify specific actions you can take in the next 24-48 hours
- Consider how your relationships and environment support or hinder your progress
- Journal about your insights and track patterns over time
- Seek guidance from trusted mentors or spiritual practices
Remember that the I Ching offers wisdom, not fixed predictions. Your free will and conscious choices shape your destiny. Use this hexagram as a mirror for self-reflection and a guide for wise action.
Meditation Exercise
Spend 10-15 minutes in quiet contemplation with this hexagram:
- Find a quiet space where you will not be disturbed
- Sit comfortably with your spine straight and eyes closed
- Take several deep breaths, releasing tension with each exhale
- Visualize the hexagram image and its meaning
- Ask yourself: What is this hexagram teaching me about my current situation?
- Notice any insights, feelings, or images that arise
- When ready, gently return to full awareness
- Record your experience in a journal
Regular meditation with the I Ching deepens your connection to its wisdom and enhances your intuitive understanding.
Get Your Personalized Hexagram 17 Reading
Every reading is unique to your situation.
Ask the Oracle how Hexagram 17 speaks to your specific question about love, career, or life direction.
3 free readings included. No signup required.