Hexagram 28 of 64
Preponderance of the Great 泽风大过
☱☴ Lake over Wind
Overload; lightening the load.
Hexagram 28 describes a load that is too heavy for its supports. The ridgepole of a house bends under weight, a picture of pressure that has grown beyond the normal. The advice is not to panic but to lighten the load, strengthen the base and act with care. It fits moments of overextension, when effort or responsibility has outgrown its foundation.
Judgment
栋桡。利有攸往，亨。
The ridgepole sags. It is favorable to go forward; success.
Image
泽灭木，大过；君子以独立不惧，遁世无闷。
The lake submerges the trees: preponderance of the great. The noble person stands alone without fear and withdraws from the world without regret.
The six lines
Read from the bottom line (the beginning) to the top line (the outcome). Each line gives the classical text, our English translation, and a plain-language reading.
初六：藉用白茅，无咎。
Laying white rushes down as a mat. No blame.
Start with care and humility. Laying a solid base before taking on weight prevents trouble.
九二：枯杨生稊，老夫得其女妻，无不利。
A withered willow sends up new shoots, and an older man takes a young wife. Nothing is unfavorable.
A late chance for renewal is still possible. Welcome it with gratitude, but keep it in proportion.
九三：栋桡，凶。
The ridgepole sags. Misfortune.
The main support is weakening. Reinforce the foundation before adding more weight.
九四：栋隆，吉。有它吝。
The ridgepole is strong. Good fortune. But if there are other entanglements, there will be regret.
Your main support is sound, so the situation is steady. Be wary of distractions that pull you away from what holds it up.
九五：枯杨生华，老妇得其士夫，无咎无誉。
A withered willow blossoms, and an older woman takes a young husband. No blame, and no praise.
A late burst of energy or a late new start is possible, but it may not bring recognition. Judge it by the real benefit it gives you.
上六：过涉灭顶，凶，无咎。
Wading too deep, the head goes under. Misfortune, but no blame.
Taking on more than you can handle can leave you in over your head. The problem is the overreach, so step back before it grows worse.
In practice
Love and relationships
A relationship under heavy pressure needs a lighter load: fewer demands, clearer boundaries and room to breathe. Consider together what each person can realistically carry.
Work and decisions
When too many tasks or expectations pile up, reduce the scope and shore up the basics first. Focus on the essentials and delegate what you can.
Money
If debts or commitments have grown heavy, reduce them step by step and avoid taking on new obligations. Stabilize the base before adding anything else.
How to use this reading
Use this reading when you feel overloaded and want to know what to lighten and what to strengthen, and ask: what weight can I set down, and what support must I reinforce?
New to the method? Start with the six-line basics.
For cultural reflection only. This is not a prediction guarantee or professional advice.