The situation is incomplete, but the chaos of the past is giving way to order—the goal is in sight. Nevertheless, you are still treading on thin ice. Though the way ahead is unobstructed and the goal is clear, a cautious and careful attitude is still important, lest you slip and fall.
Nearing Completion is the last hexagram of the I Ching. It suggests that the ever-spinning wheel of life never reaches a final conclusion. Just as hidden sadness resides in the heart of true euphoria, and just as seeds of amazing achievement can sprout from a caldron of adversity, no end is ever really complete without a new beginning stirring inside it. We may divide life into categories to understand and manage it, but experience itself is seamless. The Tao’s sixty-four-spoked, timeless wheel of change is ready to spin onward, ever evolving, ever staying the same.
The situation represented by this reading can be compared to taking a lengthy trek over a high mountain. At some point before reaching the peak, you can see—in detail—exactly how much farther you have to travel. You will have a good idea of what it will take to reach the top, because of the climbing experience you’ve accumulated thus far. However, when you do reach the peak (which has been in sight for quite a long period of sustained effort), you will have done only that. You will have reached the top and achieved your initial goal, but you still must descend the other side. This last critical segment is what remains before completion.
Consider, too, the possibility that you have little information and no experience of what it’s like descending the other side of the mountain, because all your attention has been focused on the path going up. The coming situation may seem very strange to you—unlike anything that you have experienced before—but the other side of the mountain is where the true mysteries reside. Proceed carefully, cautiously, and alertly; and you will arrive honorably at the completion of your goal.
Changing Line Interpretations
Line 1 (bottom line)
In periods of chaos, there is a natural tendency to become anxious, throw caution to the wind, and rush ahead. Like the young fox that dashes across a frozen lake, it will be treading on thin ice if an attempt is made to escape problems too quickly. Hold back a little to spare yourself from such dangers.
Line 2
The time is not ripe for direct action. Patience is advised, but don’t let a period of waiting degenerate into idleness. This is the patience of an engine that is running but idling in neutral gear. Be ready and waiting, keeping your eyes on the prize, but do not move before you see a solid green light.
Line 3
A transition from harmful entanglements to a clean success is possible, though you may currently lack adequate strength to complete the undertaking. When caught in such a situation, enlist the aid of others to help you toward the finish line. Failure to do so could court disaster.
Line 4
Inevitably, as chaos gives way to a new order, and troubles dissolve themselves in the clarity of a fresh solution, new struggles develop. This line refers to a situation in which forces of decadence or disorder are threatening again. You must advance strongly and firmly or face humiliation and defeat. Take heart, and enter the fray. All of your skills, talents, and influence will be needed. Engage all of yourself right now.
Line 5
The rascals have been routed, and victory is close at hand! Just as the sun shines sweetest after a hard rain, victory is all the more joyous after prior troubles and failure. Bask for a time in the glory of the successful struggle, then move ahead carefully toward what is now available to you. The time is ripe for great achievement.
Line 6 (top line)
There is a refreshing new sense of well-being that comes from an end to conflicts with others or within yourself. Celebrate and enjoy, but don’t overdo it, lest your vision and confidence be lost. While a glass of wine can evoke the pleasant glow of success, an entire bottle puts out the light.
