Hexagram 45
Gathering Together
萃 (Cuì)
Lake over Earth
Hexagram 45 represents the powerful force of gathering together and collective unity. This hexagram symbolizes the natural tendency of people, resources, and energies to congregate around a central purpose or leadership. Like water collecting in a lake above the earth, this gathering creates abundance through unity, requiring proper organization, sincere purpose, and respectful leadership to channel collective energy toward meaningful achievement and shared prosperity for all participants.
Key Concepts
The Judgment (卦辞)
Translation: "Gathering Together brings success. The king approaches his temple. It furthers one to see the great man. This brings success. Perseverance furthers. To bring great offerings creates good fortune. It furthers one to undertake something."
Hexagram 45 reveals the profound power that emerges when people unite around a common purpose or gather under inspired leadership. This hexagram teaches that successful gathering requires more than physical proximity; it demands a shared spiritual or ideological center that gives meaning to the congregation. The reference to the king approaching his temple emphasizes that gatherings need a sacred purpose, a higher calling that transcends individual interests and creates genuine community. When people assemble with sincere hearts around worthy objectives, extraordinary achievements become possible through their combined efforts and mutual support.
The wisdom of this hexagram extends beyond simple assembly to address the quality and purpose of gathering. Great offerings symbolize the willingness to contribute generously to the collective good, demonstrating commitment that inspires others and strengthens bonds. Seeing the great man represents seeking wise leadership that can channel collective energy productively. True gathering creates synergy where the whole exceeds the sum of its parts, generating momentum for significant undertakings that individuals alone could never accomplish.
The Image (大象传)
君子以除戎器，戒不虞。
Translation: "The lake on the earth: the image of Gathering Together. Thus the superior person renews his weapons and prepares for the unforeseen."
The image of the lake resting upon the earth illustrates how gathering creates both opportunity and responsibility. Just as water naturally collects in low places, forming lakes that sustain life and attract communities, human gatherings concentrate resources, talents, and energies that can accomplish great things. However, this concentration also creates vulnerability, as large gatherings attract attention and may face challenges from those who oppose the collective purpose or seek to exploit the assembled resources. The superior person recognizes that unity brings strength but also requires vigilance and preparation to protect what has been gathered.
Renewing weapons and preparing for the unforeseen represents the practical wisdom of maintaining readiness even during times of harmony and abundance. When people gather successfully, they must guard against complacency and remain alert to potential disruptions. This preparation is not paranoia but prudent stewardship of collective well-being. The image teaches that effective leadership during gatherings involves both inspiring unity and ensuring security, creating conditions where people can collaborate productively without fear.
The Six Lines (六爻)
Six at the Beginning (初六)
Bottom line - Yin
"If you are sincere, but not to the end, there will sometimes be confusion, sometimes gathering together. If you call out, then after one grasp of the hand you can laugh again. Regret not. Going is without blame."
This line addresses the initial uncertainty that often accompanies new gatherings. You may feel conflicted about joining or hesitant about commitment, experiencing alternating moments of connection and doubt. The key is to reach out authentically despite these uncertainties. When you extend yourself sincerely, even tentatively, others will respond warmly and confusion transforms into joyful connection. Trust your impulse to join and move forward without excessive worry about initial awkwardness.
Six in the Second Place (六二)
Second line - Yin
"Letting oneself be drawn brings good fortune and remains blameless. If one is sincere, it furthers one to bring even a small offering."
You are being drawn toward a gathering or group through natural affinity rather than force. This attraction is auspicious and should be followed. Your sincerity matters more than grand gestures; even modest contributions made with genuine heart will be valued and strengthen your place within the collective. Allow yourself to be pulled toward this connection while maintaining authenticity. Your humble participation enriches the gathering and brings personal benefit without pretension or strain.
Six in the Third Place (六三)
Third line - Yin
"Gathering together amid sighs. Nothing that would further. Going is without blame. Slight humiliation."
This line reveals a difficult position where you desire to join a gathering but face obstacles or lack clear welcome. The situation brings frustration and perhaps mild embarrassment as your attempts at connection meet resistance. While this is uncomfortable, persisting in your efforts to join remains blameless. The humiliation is minor and temporary. Sometimes we must endure awkward moments to eventually find our place. Continue moving toward connection despite current difficulties.
Nine in the Fourth Place (九四)
Fourth line - Yang
"Great good fortune. No blame."
You occupy a position of influence within the gathering, able to facilitate connections and strengthen unity. This is an exceptionally favorable position where your efforts to bring people together succeed brilliantly. Your role as connector or organizer brings great benefit to all involved and earns you respect and gratitude. Act confidently in this capacity, knowing your contributions to collective harmony are valuable and appreciated. This is a time of clear success in collaborative endeavors.
Nine in the Fifth Place (九五)
Fifth line - Yang
"If in gathering together one has position, this brings no blame. If there are some who are not yet sincerely in the work, sublime and enduring perseverance is needed. Then remorse disappears."
As a leader or central figure in the gathering, you hold responsibility for maintaining unity and purpose. Not everyone may fully trust or commit initially, which is natural and not your fault. Your task is to demonstrate unwavering dedication to the collective good through consistent, principled leadership. By maintaining sublime perseverance and staying true to higher purposes, you gradually win over doubters and strengthen overall commitment. Patient, steadfast leadership transforms skepticism into loyalty.
Six at the Top (上六)
Top line - Yin
"Lamenting and sighing, floods of tears. No blame."
This line represents feeling excluded or separated from a gathering you wish to join. The emotional pain of isolation or rejection brings genuine grief, and these feelings are valid and blameless. Sometimes we find ourselves on the outside looking in, longing for connection that eludes us. While painful, this experience teaches important lessons about belonging and prepares you for future gatherings. Your tears reflect sincere desire for community, which will eventually find fulfillment.
Love & Relationships (爱情)
In matters of the heart, hexagram 45 signals a powerful time for bringing people together and strengthening bonds through shared experiences and common values. For those in relationships, this is an excellent period to deepen commitment by creating meaningful rituals, meeting each other's families, or joining communities together. The gathering energy supports weddings, engagements, and celebrations that publicly affirm your union. Your relationship flourishes when embedded within supportive social networks that honor and reinforce your connection. Consider how you can build community around your partnership.
For singles seeking love, this hexagram suggests that romance blossoms through group activities, social gatherings, and community involvement. Rather than isolated dating, you're likely to meet significant partners through shared interests, mutual friends, or collective endeavors. Attend events, join groups aligned with your values, and participate actively in communities that matter to you. Love emerges naturally from authentic participation in meaningful gatherings. Your future partner may already be within your extended social circle, waiting for the right moment of connection.
The challenge in love during this time involves balancing couple intimacy with social engagement. While gathering energy is strong, ensure your relationship maintains its unique identity and private sacred space. Use collective energy to strengthen rather than dilute your bond. Celebrate your love publicly while protecting its intimate core. The most successful relationships now combine deep personal connection with active participation in larger communities that support and celebrate your union.
Career & Business (事业)
Professionally, hexagram 45 indicates exceptional opportunities through networking, team building, and collaborative projects. This is an ideal time to organize conferences, lead team initiatives, or bring stakeholders together around shared objectives. Your ability to gather people and resources around common goals brings significant career advancement. Focus on building coalitions, strengthening professional networks, and demonstrating leadership in group settings. Projects requiring coordination of multiple parties or departments succeed brilliantly now. Your talent for creating unity and inspiring collective effort gets noticed by influential people.
For entrepreneurs and business leaders, this hexagram signals favorable conditions for launching ventures that depend on community support, crowdfunding, or partnership models. Building a strong team, attracting investors, or creating customer communities becomes easier and more successful. Your business thrives by creating genuine gathering places, whether physical or virtual, where people connect around shared values and interests. Focus on community building, collaborative consumption models, and platforms that bring people together. The collective energy you generate becomes your greatest competitive advantage.
The key to professional success involves authentic leadership that inspires voluntary gathering rather than forced compliance. People want to join initiatives that offer meaningful purpose beyond profit. Articulate compelling visions that unite diverse talents toward worthy goals. Invest in team culture, shared rituals, and collective celebrations that strengthen organizational bonds. Your ability to create environments where people genuinely want to gather and contribute determines your ultimate success during this period.
Health & Wellness (健康)
For health and wellness, hexagram 45 emphasizes the healing power of community support and group activities. This is an excellent time to join fitness classes, support groups, or wellness communities rather than pursuing health goals in isolation. Your physical and mental well-being improves dramatically through shared exercise, group meditation, or collective healing practices. The energy and accountability of gathering with others who share your health objectives provides motivation and sustainability that individual efforts lack. Consider joining running clubs, yoga communities, or health-focused social groups.
Mental and emotional health particularly benefits from the gathering energy of this hexagram. If you've been struggling with depression, anxiety, or isolation, actively seek supportive communities and therapeutic groups. Sharing your experiences with others facing similar challenges creates powerful healing through mutual understanding and collective wisdom. Don't underestimate the therapeutic value of simply being among people who accept and support you. Group therapy, support circles, and community mental health programs offer exceptional benefits now.
The challenge involves choosing healthy gatherings that truly support your well-being rather than social situations that undermine it. Not all gatherings serve your highest good; some may encourage unhealthy behaviors or drain your energy. Be selective about which communities you join and which social invitations you accept. Seek gatherings centered on positive growth, mutual support, and genuine wellness. The right community amplifies your health efforts; the wrong one sabotages them.
Financial Matters (财运)
Financially, hexagram 45 indicates prosperity through collective investment, group ventures, and pooled resources. This is a favorable time for joining investment clubs, participating in crowdfunding opportunities, or entering business partnerships. Your wealth grows through collaboration rather than solo efforts. Consider cooperative models, shared ownership structures, or community-supported enterprises. The gathering of financial resources creates opportunities unavailable to individuals acting alone. Syndicated investments, group purchasing power, and collective bargaining all work in your favor now.
This hexagram also suggests financial benefit from organizing gatherings or creating platforms that bring people together. Events, conferences, marketplaces, and social platforms that facilitate connection can generate significant revenue. Your ability to gather audiences, customers, or participants becomes a valuable financial asset. Monetize your networking skills and community-building talents. Businesses that create gathering places or facilitate human connection enjoy particular success. Think about how you can profit from bringing people together around shared interests or needs.
The caution involves ensuring that collective financial ventures have clear agreements, proper governance, and trustworthy leadership. While gathering resources multiplies opportunities, it also requires careful management to prevent conflicts or exploitation. Establish transparent systems for shared finances, document agreements thoroughly, and ensure all participants understand their rights and responsibilities. The great offerings mentioned in the judgment remind us that contributing generously to collective good ultimately benefits everyone, including yourself.
Personal Growth (个人成长)
Hexagram 45 reveals that your personal development accelerates dramatically through engagement with learning communities, spiritual gatherings, and growth-oriented groups. This is not a time for solitary self-improvement but for seeking wisdom and transformation through collective practice and shared exploration. Join study groups, attend workshops and retreats, or participate in communities dedicated to personal development. The insights and support you gain from fellow seekers catalyze breakthroughs impossible in isolation. Your growth happens in relationship and community.
This period offers exceptional opportunities to find teachers, mentors, and guides by participating in gatherings where wisdom is shared. The "great man" you need to see may be found at conferences, seminars, or spiritual communities. Don't wait for individual instruction; seek collective learning environments where you can absorb wisdom from multiple sources while contributing your own insights. The synergy of group learning accelerates everyone's development. Your questions inspire others; their breakthroughs illuminate your path.
The challenge involves maintaining individual authenticity while participating in collective growth. Groups can pressure conformity or create dependency that stunts genuine development. Engage with communities that honor individual uniqueness while fostering collective wisdom. Seek gatherings that empower rather than control, that encourage questions rather than demand blind acceptance. Your personal growth flourishes in communities that balance individual sovereignty with collective support, creating space for both personal discovery and shared wisdom.
Timing & Advice (时机与建议)
The timing is exceptionally favorable for all activities involving gathering, organizing, and bringing people together around shared purposes. This is the moment to launch group initiatives, host events, build teams, or create communities. The cosmic energy supports congregation and collective action. Don't work alone when collaboration multiplies your effectiveness. Seek out allies, partners, and fellow travelers who share your vision. The power available through unity far exceeds what you can accomplish individually. Act now to gather the people and resources needed for your important undertakings.
Your primary task is providing worthy purpose and authentic leadership that inspires voluntary gathering. People naturally congregate around compelling visions and trustworthy leaders. Articulate what you stand for clearly and invite others to join you in meaningful work. Create the temple, the sacred center, around which gathering occurs. This requires clarifying your values, defining your mission, and demonstrating unwavering commitment to purposes larger than personal gain. When you establish this center, the right people gather naturally.
Remember that gathering brings both opportunity and responsibility. As people unite around you or your initiatives, you must protect and serve the collective good. Prepare for challenges that success attracts. Maintain vigilance without paranoia, readiness without aggression. The superior person renews weapons not for conquest but for protection of what has been gathered. Your role is stewarding collective energy toward beneficial outcomes while guarding against forces that would disrupt or exploit the gathering. Lead with wisdom, contribute generously, and trust in the power of authentic unity.