Yi Jing · Chinese tarot
Retreat
Hexagram 33 of the Yi Jing · 遯 Dùn
The figure
Heaven above the Mountain: strength withdrawing to the heights, the immovable letting go. The image of retreat, of chosen withdrawal.
What this figure illuminates
Retreat lights up the intelligence of withdrawing in time: stepping back not in defeat, but to preserve your strength when the situation turns unfavorable. Knowing how to retreat is a strength, not a flight.
For a decision, the figure separates giving up from strategic withdrawal: “is this the time to retreat to keep myself, and how do I do it with dignity rather than spite?”.
A question to keep
Is this the time to advance, or to withdraw to keep yourself?
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