Hexagram 2 · Kun 坤
Receptive strength gives things room to grow
Kun is formed by six divided yin lines: Earth above Earth. Its image is expansive and sustaining. The strength here lies in a reliable response to what is actually present.
Short answer
Read Kun as an invitation to support, receive, and persist with care. Being receptive takes judgment: know what deserves your energy and keep your footing while you help it grow.
- Upper
- Kun · Earth
- Lower
- Kun · Earth
Pattern
Earth above Earth
- Chinese
- 坤
- Upper trigram
- Kun · Earth
- Lower trigram
- Kun · Earth
- Lines
- Six yin · all divided
Classical text
Steadiness within a receptive course
坤：元亨。利牝馬之貞。君子有攸往，先迷後得主。— Zhouyi, Hexagram 2
The opening speaks of a broad passage and the constancy of a mare. It then describes someone setting out, first losing the way and later finding guidance. This is a paraphrase of the image, not a promise that following any person or plan will end well.
The Image says “地勢坤，君子以厚德載物”: earth bears things through its depth. In practical terms, support becomes useful when it has enough capacity and integrity to last. The original also speaks of southwest and northeast directions; this page does not use them as literal travel instructions.
When it helps
Make space for the right work
Where would patient support help a relationship, project, or practice mature? What needs attention before it can stand on its own?
What to watch
Receptivity still needs boundaries
Kun does not require passive agreement. Being dependable includes asking whose direction you are following and whether the responsibility is yours to carry.
Questions for reflection
- What is already developing that needs support more than force?
- Where would listening reveal a sounder direction?
- Which boundary would make my support sustainable?
If your cast includes moving lines, keep them with the original question rather than treating this general meaning as a complete reading. See how changing lines are displayed.
Sources
Check the original text
This page paraphrases the classical material rather than reproducing a modern copyrighted translation.