Thunder above – Mountain below
The Chinese name of this hexagram is Xiao Guo. Xiao means average, small, diminished and Guo means to go past, exceed or stray from. Other titles for this hexagram include: Preponderance of the Small, The Small Pass, Smallness in Excess. Small Exceeding does not mean that the excesses themselves are small. The concept is that “the small” are somehow overstepping, resulting in excess. “The small” refers to ordinary people, those who do not have great power in the world.
Breaking down the symbolism of the 3-line trigrams helps with understanding the ancient teachings:
When trigram Mountain is below (the bottom 3 lines in image below right), it references the inner realm of the person or situation. Trigram Mountain shows reality, the limits and boundaries of “what is”, the face of one’s true self or the truth of a situation. In this hexagram, one comes to realize the smallness of their reality in comparison to what is in the outer world. From this position of smallness, there are things that one can still do, even if not in grandiose style.
Trigram Thunder is on top of trigram Mountain as shown in the top 3 lines of the image (below right). The sound of Thunder carries one’s individual message as it rolls across Mountain, carried beyond where it originated. Thunder is unexpected in its movements and tends to bursts of explosive energy. In dealing with this environment, one’s actions and intent require constant attention and adjustment.
The ancient ideograph is on the upper left portion of the image below. The top 3 vertical lines of the ideograph show the act of dividing something into parts which are small or little. Below these lines, on the left are 3 curved strokes showing footsteps moving forward above an image that means “stop”. The right lower final portion is an image of a side view of a house with a mouth inside symbolizing a person. On the roof there is an extra load, which is weighing the roof down, symbolizing exceeding.
In summary: The concept of Small Exceeding refers to someone of ordinary stature crossing a line or going past a norm in some way, for example, by actions, words, morality, etc. What separates success from failure in this hexagram has much to do with the individual’s awareness of their limited or small potential for action as well as their ability to monitor, constantly adjust and be content with small steps. You may be impelled to bring your own truth or inner awareness out into the world and you do have that ability. You can do small, extraordinary and unique things as long as you fly low enough and don’t try to soar above your abilities.
Following are a few ideas for interpretations of each line:
Line 1 – Self-imposed pressure or peer-pressure may have you trying too hard, acting rashly or inconsistently, leading to failure. Remember this is a time for small achievements and they are most likely to be gained through patience, consistency and trust.
Line 2 – This may be a situation where an attempt to follow a formalized route or make an attempt to see the King (or the top official) fails. The opportunity, in this case, is not going to the top, but in finding friendly connections with others. Remain aware of subtle cues and find a more yin-based way of relating.
Line 3 – A period of caution is indicated. Enthusiasm, self-confidence or blind trust can trip you up. This is a good time to learn to pay close attention to details and make sure other’s actions are matching their words.
Line 4 – Perhaps you have a sense of being “in over your head”. Rather than running away, it is better to face the situation head on, but make sure you can accomplish this without exceeding your authority. As you gauge the situation, do your best to remain authentic and flexible.
Line 5 – The usual way of doing things is not working. Use your intuition to listen for messages that may not be readily apparent. Although it may feel a bit like walking in the dark, hold trust as you wait for things to clarity.
Line 6 – There may be opportunities and simple joys in front of you, but you’ve set your sights so high you cannot see them. Watch out for arrogance or overconfidence because your best chance is found by making sure you are within the bounds of the realistic.