Hexagram 7 of 64
The Army 地水师
☷☵ Earth over Water
Discipline and leading a group.
In the I Ching, Hexagram 7 is organized collective effort: an army, a team or any group under shared discipline. It asks for clear rules, a capable leader and a just cause. Without discipline, even a large group falls into trouble. With it, the group can accomplish a great deal.
Judgment
贞，丈人吉，无咎。
Steady perseverance. An experienced elder leads well; no blame.
Image
地中有水，师；君子以容民畜众。
Water within the earth: the army. The noble person gathers and cares for the people.
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：师出以律，否臧，凶。
When the army marches, it must follow its rules. Without discipline, misfortune.
Set clear rules at the start. Without them, the group's effort quickly goes wrong.
九二：在师中，吉，无咎；王三锡命。
In the middle of the army, good fortune and no blame. The ruler honors him three times.
A capable person at the center of the group earns trust and recognition.
六三：师或舆尸，凶。
The army may carry its dead in wagons. Misfortune.
Pushing an unprepared effort forward costs a great deal. Reassess before you escalate.
六四：师左次，无咎。
The army withdraws and camps in a safer place. No blame.
When the odds are against you, stepping back to safer ground is wise.
六五：田有禽，利执言，无咎。长子帅师，弟子舆尸，贞凶。
There is game in the field. It is favorable to act on a clear, true word, and no blame. But if the eldest leads the army while the younger ones carry the dead, steady perseverance brings misfortune.
A just cause is worth defending. Leadership, though, must go to the person who is capable, not simply the most senior.
上六：大君有命，开国承家，小人勿用。
The great ruler issues a command to found a state or establish a family. Petty people should not be given such roles.
Rewards go to people who have earned them. Do not hand power to someone who lacks the character to use it well.
In practice
Love and relationships
A relationship can take on a team shape, with shared goals and clear roles. Make expectations explicit, and resist the urge to win every small disagreement.
Work and decisions
Leading a team or joining a project with a defined mission. Clear rules, honest feedback and fair credit matter most.
Money
Shared finances or group investments need written agreements and an agreed decision process, so that no single person carries the risk alone.
How to use this reading
Name the goal the group serves, and the rules that will keep it on track.
New to the method? Start with the six-line basics.
For cultural reflection only. This is not a prediction guarantee or professional advice.