坤 · Kūn · Earth over Earth
receptivitydevotionsupportpatience
The Receptive (坤, Kūn) is hexagram 2 of the 64 hexagrams of the I
Ching, in the traditional King Wen order. It is made of Earth (☷) above
Earth (☷).
Meaning of hexagram 2
Yielding strength. Progress comes by following, supporting and
nourishing rather than leading or pushing.
Advice
Be adaptable and generous, let others set the pace, and let things
ripen.
The two trigrams
The Receptive doubles the trigram ☷ Earth (Kūn): yielding, receptive
and nourishing above and below, the quality of earth at its purest.
- Hexagram
- 2. The Receptive
- Chinese name
- 坤 Kūn
- Upper trigram
- ☷ Earth (Kūn)
- Lower trigram
- ☷ Earth (Kūn)
- Lines
- 0 yang (solid) and 6 yin (broken)
- Place in the sequence
- 2 of 64 (King Wen order)
The six lines of The Receptive
A hexagram is read from the bottom line up. In a reading, a changing
line (a 6 or a 9 in the three-coin method) draws attention to its
position.
-
First line
(yin, broken): the beginning. The root
of the matter: early stirrings, foundations, and what has not yet
shown itself.
-
Second line
(yin, broken): the inner circle. Your
immediate surroundings and steady supports: how things work at close
range.
-
Third line
(yin, broken): the threshold. A point
of tension between inner and outer, often a test or a restless push
forward.
-
Fourth line
(yin, broken): the approach. Stepping
into wider circles or nearer to authority; caution and good
relationships matter here.
-
Fifth line
(yin, broken): the center of power. The
place of influence and clear leadership: where the situation is most
fully expressed.
-
Sixth line
(yin, broken): the culmination. The far
edge of the situation: completion, overreach, or letting go.
Related hexagrams