Hexagram 5 (䷄) Waiting (Nourishment)

Judgment

需。有孚，光亨，貞吉。利渉大川。

Waiting. With trust there is bright success; correctness is auspicious. Favorable to cross the great river.

Confidence and preparation during waiting bring success when action opens.

Line-by-Line (Yao)

Interpretations if the line changes.

初

初九。需于郊、利用恆、无咎。

Waiting on the outskirts—persistence is useful; no blame. Hold steady.

二

九二。需于沙、小有言、終吉。

Waiting on the sand; small criticism, but ends well. Minor friction, good outcome.

三

九三。需于泥、致寇至。

Waiting in the mud invites bandits. Poor position draws trouble.

四

六四。需于血、出自穴。

Waiting among blood; leaving the cave. A dangerous spot—withdraw to safety.

五

九五。需于酒食、貞吉。

Waiting with wine and food—upright and fortunate. Prepare well while you wait.

上

上六。入于穴、有不速之客三人來、敬之終吉。

Entering the cave; three unexpected guests arrive. Treat them with respect—ends well.

Practical Reading: Love, Career, Health & Decisions

When you cast Hexagram 5, Xū (Waiting), the Book of Changes shows you a situation with Kan (Water) above and Qian (Heaven) below. Clouds gather—wait for the right moment. Prepare quietly and trust timing. Use the cards below to map that pattern onto your specific question — a love reading, a career decision, a health concern, or a yes/no choice.

Love & Relationships

Let the relationship ripen naturally; patience wins. In a love or relationship reading, Hexagram 5 (Xū) describes the meeting point of Kan (water) above and Qian (heaven) below: how the outer situation meets your inner state. Ask whether you are forcing the relationship to fit a picture, or letting it move at the rhythm this hexagram suggests. For a partnered question, read the changing lines to see which side — yours or the other person's — is being asked to shift.

Work & Career

Hold steady, plan, and act when conditions clear. In work and career, Xū points to whether the outer market or workplace (Kan (water)) and your inner stance (Qian (heaven)) are in alignment. If a project, negotiation, or job change is the question, ask what this hexagram says about timing rather than effort: pushing harder rarely changes a Xū situation; reading the configuration usually does.

Health & Wellbeing

Conserve energy; follow steady care until the right treatment time. For a body or wellness reading, treat the lines of Hexagram 5 as descriptions of phases, not diagnoses. Xū usually signals where energy needs to be conserved versus where it is asking to be expressed. Combine the hexagram's advice with concrete medical guidance — the I Ching is a reflective tool, not a substitute for professional care.

Decision-Making

When the question is a yes/no — should I take the offer, move, leave, commit? — read Hexagram 5 (Xū, Waiting) as a statement about the configuration of your situation rather than the outcome. The summary "Clouds gather—wait for the right moment. Prepare quietly and trust timing." is your starting frame. Ask: does this action respect that configuration, or fight it? Changing lines, if any, tell you which specific aspect needs to bend.

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Waiting (Nourishment) (水天需)