Traditional Reading of I Ching Hexagram 3, Initial Difficulty

I Ching Hexagram 3

The hexagram 3 of the I Ching, Initial Difficulty, consists of the Thunder over the Cloud. We are inside of a chaotic situation composed of intense forces. Initial Difficulty is the image of a chaotic beginning where an initial creative force must fight against imposing obstacles. This is also indicated by its lines because the yang line at the first position of the lower trigram indicates the beginning of the movement and the yang line surrounded by two yin lines in the upper trigram indicate its obstacles. We have then the description of the rich profusion that surrounds every beginning. If in such a beginning nothing is yet in its proper place, a continuous effort can produce order.

Quick guide for interpretation

The abundance of the beginning demands time and a continuous effort to produce an ordered whole.

I Ching Hexagram 2