48
Hexagram 48, Jing: “The Well.” A source that is always there, but needs care and effort.
The image of the hexagram
Below is the Xun trigram (wind), above is Kan (water). Water over wind: wood draws water up from the depths — the image of a well.
General meaning
The answer: the resource is there; access to it needs to be restored. Jing says the source is in place and does not run dry — what runs dry is the skill of using it. The classic text lists the ways to ruin a well: muddy it, leave it unrepaired, break the jug. In other words, the problem is not a lack of opportunity but carelessness.
In love and at work
In relationships: a depth that is there but hasn’t been drawn on for a long time; going back to simple shared things helps. At work: an underused skill, a client base, an old connection, a forgotten tool. For looking for a new source, it is not the time.
What to do
Repair your access to what you already have. Don’t look for something new — fix the old.