水雷屯
Core Insight
水雷屯 — Hexagram 3
Difficulty at the Beginning: a thunderstorm before the sprout breaks ground. Do not press forward yet; gather helpers, set foundations, name what is forming. Perseverance furthers.
The Image
雲雷，屯；君子以經綸。
The Image of Difficulty at the Beginning: organize the rough beginning before forcing visible progress. Treat the image as practical discipline, not decoration: let it shape the next concrete choice.
Shifting lines
初爻
At the beginning of Difficulty at the Beginning, keep the move small. Clarify the real question before seeking momentum.
二爻
A steadier position appears. Accept help, test the facts, and choose the next step that can be repeated.
三爻
Pressure rises in Difficulty at the Beginning. Do not make the tension theatrical; name the risk and reduce the unnecessary load.
四爻
The situation nears a threshold. Recheck motives, adjust the method, and avoid forcing a premature outcome.
五爻
This is the governing line of Difficulty at the Beginning. Act from the clearest principle and make the decision useful to others.
上爻
The pattern is reaching its limit. Complete what can be completed, release excess, and prepare for the next change.