Hexagram 19: Approach
䷒ 臨 Lín – The Book of Changes
The Judgment
Approach indicates that there will be great progress and success, while it will be advantageous to be firmly correct. In the eighth month there will be evil.
The Image
The earth above the waters of a marsh: the image of Approach. Thus the superior man has inexhaustible purposes of instruction, and nourishes and supports the people without limit.
Description
Approach (Lin) marks a season of rising strength: the light is returning and good things draw near. Leaders approach those below them with care, teachers with patience. The time is favorable, but the text warns that every high season turns, so use the momentum well and keep your footing.
The six lines
A line's place shapes its role: 1 the beginning, 2 the center of the inner world, 3 the threshold to the outside, 4 close to power, 5 the ruler's place, 6 the end and the excess. Keep this grid in mind and the line texts become much easier to read. More in the guide →
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Line 1: Old Yang (bottom)
Approach with openness. Favorable — connection begins with presence; be fully here.
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Line 2: Old Yang
Approach with joy. Favorable — warmth invites trust; let your heart lead.
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Line 3: Old Yin
Approach with caution. Danger — too much eagerness overwhelms; balance is key.
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Line 4: Old Yin
Approach with wisdom. Favorable — maturity deepens the bond; listen before speaking.
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Line 5: Old Yin
Approach with power. Danger — dominance repels; soften your stance.
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Line 6: Old Yin (top)
Approach with humility. Favorable — the door opens to those who bow.
Reading by area of life
❤️ What does hexagram 19 mean for relationships and private life?
Someone is moving closer, or you are. Warmth increases, invitations come, and it is easy to feel hopeful. Approach with kindness and genuine interest instead of strategy. Good beginnings still need care, because enthusiasm can fade once the season turns. Build trust that will last beyond the honeymoon phase: be patient, generous and consistent in the small things.
💼 What does hexagram 19 mean for work and money?
Opportunities are coming within reach. Growth, promotion or new clients look likely, and your influence is increasing. Use it to mentor, support and develop those working with you. Leadership that teaches outlasts leadership that commands. Plan ahead for a slowdown even while things expand; a reserve built in good months keeps a downturn from becoming a crisis.
🌌 What does hexagram 19 mean for your personal path and spirituality?
Spring energy is in the air: hope, openness, a sense that guidance is close. Lean into it with practice and study. Share what you learn freely, since teaching deepens understanding. Remember, too, that every high tide recedes. Inner progress that depends only on good moods will not survive the next dry spell, so anchor it in steady habits.
Nuclear hexagram
Lines 2, 3 and 4 form the lower trigram, lines 3, 4 and 5 the upper one. Leaving out the beginning and the end reveals the core of the situation, what is at work out of sight. It is a secondary aspect, not a second verdict. If it seems to contradict the main hexagram, that happens and is not an error. More in the guide →
Lines 2, 3, 4 and 3, 4, 5 form nuclear hexagram 24, Return. It shows what is at work beneath the surface – an inner tendency, not a verdict on the situation itself.
Hexagram 24 – Return
Return indicates that there will be free course and progress. The subject of it finds no one to distress him in his exits and entrances; friends come to him, and no error is committed. He will return and repeat his proper course. In seven days comes his return. There will be advantage in whatever direction movement is made.
The two trigrams
- Upper, outer: Kun – Earth
- The Receptive (Mother). Within, it appears as devotion, patience and support; without, as a nourishing space where forms and ideas take shape.
- Lower, inner: Dui – Lake
- The Joyous (Youngest Daughter). Within, it shows as joy, self-reflection and openness; without, as inspiration that finds expression through conversation and creativity.