小過
Hexagram 62 · 小過
Upper trigram: 震 · Lower trigram: 艮
Xiao Guo (Small Exceeding): the hexagram of careful small steps. Attend to detail, stay close to support, and avoid ambitious overreach.
The image
Thunder sounds above mountain, movement over a firm stopping place. Four yin lines surround two firm lines, suggesting a bird with spread wings. Xiao Guo means small exceeding or an excess in small things. The image favors extra care and modest action rather than a high, unsupported flight.
Judgment
亨。利貞。可小事，不可大事。飛鳥遺之音，不宜上宜下，大吉。
Flourishing. Constancy is beneficial. Small matters may be undertaken, but not great ones. A flying bird leaves its call behind. Rising is not fitting; descending is fitting. Great good fortune.
The commentary finds yielding lines central while firm lines lack central placement. A team with limited capacity may do better by completing small essential tasks carefully than by announcing a major expansion.
Great Image
山上有雷，小過；君子以行過乎恭，喪過乎哀，用過乎儉。
Thunder above the mountain: Small Exceeding. The exemplary person accordingly exceeds in respectful conduct, in grief when mourning, and in thrift when spending.
A little extra care can suit a sensitive situation. Giving a difficult conversation more courtesy and a limited budget more attention applies this measured excess in everyday life.
Line texts
Line 1 · 初六
飛鳥以凶。
The flying bird brings misfortune.
Six in the first place is yin taking flight before it has secure footing. The Small Image finds no useful response once overextended, like accepting a complex assignment without the time or support to begin it properly.
Line 2 · 六二
過其祖，遇其妣；不及其君，遇其臣；无咎。
Passing the grandfather, one meets the grandmother. Not reaching the ruler, one meets the minister. No blame.
Six in the second place is central and fitting yin keeping within a modest sphere. The Small Image says the minister should not overstep, like solving a routine issue through the appropriate colleague instead of demanding the director's attention.
Line 3 · 九三
弗過防之，從或戕之，凶。
Without taking extra care to guard against it, someone following may inflict harm. Misfortune.
Nine in the third place is yang that may underestimate surrounding pressures. The Small Image stresses the seriousness of neglect, like skipping an ordinary review because confidence makes a small but important detail seem unnecessary.
Line 4 · 九四
无咎，弗過遇之。往厲必戒，勿用永貞。
No blame. Without exceeding, meet what comes. Going forward is dangerous and calls for caution. Do not persist in this indefinitely.
Nine in the fourth place is yang out of position, needing a restrained encounter. The Small Image warns that the situation cannot last, like handling a temporary responsibility carefully while arranging a more suitable long-term structure.
Line 5 · 六五
密雲不雨，自我西郊，公弋取彼在穴。
Dense clouds bring no rain, coming from our western outskirts. The lord uses a corded arrow to take what is in the cave.
Six in the fifth place is central yin whose high position does not yet spread benefit. The Small Image notes excessive height, like a manager turning toward specific overlooked needs rather than issuing another broad promise.
Line 6 · 上六
弗遇過之，飛鳥離之，凶，是謂災眚。
Not meeting it, but passing beyond it, the flying bird is caught. Misfortune. This is called calamity and error.
Six at the top is yin beyond a useful height or measure. The Small Image names overreaching, like continuing to enlarge a small project until it no longer fits the resources that made it workable.
When asking about
Career
Small tasks may deserve unusually careful execution. Keep scope modest and use the appropriate channels.
Love
Extra courtesy can help with a sensitive concern. Avoid making a small misunderstanding carry the weight of the whole relationship.
Money
Thrift often fits a period of limited capacity. Check ordinary expenses before considering a larger commitment.
Home
Small practical adjustments can improve shared comfort. Stay close to actual needs rather than elaborate plans.
Study
Care with detail may matter more than rapid advancement. Review examples and avoid skipping intermediate steps.
Health
A modest routine with regular pauses may be easier to maintain. See a doctor for any health concern.
Advice
Do the small thing with more care than usual. Keep close to dependable support, respect the limits of the moment, and resist unnecessary elevation of the task.
Related hexagrams
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