Your current situation can be depicted as "Work on What Has Been Spoiled (Decay)" transforming into "The Taming Power of the Great".
In front of you lies "Mountain", representing stillness and obstruction. Behind you lies "Wind" which transforms into "Heaven". That means that penetration and following are being transformed into strength and creativity.
The Situation
18. Ku - Work on What Has Been Spoiled (Decay) Above (in front): Kên - Keeping Still (Mountain) Below (behind): Sun - The Gentle (Wind)
Comment by Richard Wilhelm:
The Chinese character ku represents a bowl in whose contents worms are breeding. This means decay. It is come about because the gentle indifference in the lower trigram has come together with the rigid inertia of the upper, and the result is stagnation. Since this implies guilt, the conditions embody a demand for removal of the cause. Hence the meaning of the hexagram is not simply "what has been spoiled" but "work on what has been spoiled. "
The Judgement for the Current Situation
Work on What Has Been Spoiled Has supreme success. It furthers one to cross the great water. Before the starting point, three days. After the starting point, three days.
Comment by Richard Wilhelm:
What has been spoiled through man's fault can be made good again through man's work. It is not immutable fate, as in the time of STANDSTILL, that has caused the state of corruption, but rather the abuse of human freedom. Work toward improving conditions promises well, because it accords the possibilities of the time. We must not recoil from work and danger–symbolized by crossing of the great water–but must take hold energetically. Success depends, however, on proper deliberation. This is expressed by the lines, "Before the starting point, three days. After the starting point, three days. " We must first know the cause of corruption before we can do away with them; hence it is necessary to be cautious during the time before the start. Then we must see to it that the new way is safely entered upon, so that a relapse may be avoided; therefore we must pay attention to the time after the start. Decisiveness and energy must take the place of the inertia and indifference that have led to decay, in order that the ending may be followed by a new beginning.
The Image for the Current Situation
The wind blows low on the mountain: The image of Decay. Thus the superior man stirs up the people And strengthens their spirit.
Comment by Richard Wilhelm:
When the wind blows low on the mountain, it is thrown back and spoils the vegetation. This contains a challenge to improvement. It is the same with debasing attitudes and fashions; they corrupt human society. To do away with this corruption, the superior man must regenerate society. His methods likewise must be derived from the two trigrams, but in such a way that their effects unfold in orderly sequence. The superior man must first remove stagnation by stirring up public opinion, as the wind stirs everything, and must then strengthen and tranquillize the character of the people, as the mountain gives tranquillity and nourishment to all that grows in its vicinity.
Interpretation of the Changing Line(s)
Line 1: Setting right what has been spoiled by the father. If there is a son, No blame rests upon the departed father. Danger. In the end good fortune.
Comment by Richard Wilhelm:
Rigid adherence to tradition has resulted in decay. But the decay has not yet penetrated deeply and so can still be easily remedied. It is as if a son were compensating for the decay his father allowed to creep in. Then no blame attaches to the father. However, one must not overlook the danger or take the matter too lightly. Only if one is conscious of the danger connected with every reform will everything go well in the end.
The Future
26. Ta Ch'u - The Taming Power of the Great Above (in front): Kên - Keeping Still (Mountain) Below (behind): Ch'ien - The Creative (Heaven)
Comment by Richard Wilhelm:
The Creative is tamed by Kên, Keeping Still. This produces great power, a situation in contrast to that of the ninth hexagram, Hsiao Ch'u, THE TAMING POWER OF THE SMALL, in which the Creative is tamed by the Gentle alone. There one weak line must tame five strong lines, but here four strong lines are restrained by two weak lines; in addition to a minister, there is a prince, and the restraining power therefore is far stronger. The hexagram has a threefold meaning, expressing different aspects of the concept "holding firm. " Heaven within the mountain gives the idea of holding firm in the sense of holding together; the trigram Kên which holds the trigram Ch'ien still, gives the idea of holding firm in the sense of holding back; the third idea is that of holding firm in the sense of caring for and nourishing. This last is suggested by the fact that a strong line at the top, which is the ruler of the hexagram, is honored and tended as a sage. The third of these meanings also attaches specifically to this strong line at the top, which represents the sage.
The Judgement for the Future
The Taming Power of the Great. Perseverance furthers. Not eating at home brings good fortune. It furthers one to cross the great water.
Comment by Richard Wilhelm:
To hold firmly to great creative powers and store them up, as set forth in this hexagram, there is need of a strong, clear-headed man who is honored by the ruler. The trigram Ch'ein points to strong creative power; Kên indicates firmness and truth. Both point to light and clarity and to the daily renewal of character. Only through such daily self-renewal can a man continue at the height of his powers. Force of habit helps to keep order in quiet times; but in periods when there is a great storing up of energy, everything depends on the power of the personality. However, since the worthy are honored, as in the case of the strong personality entrusted with leadership by the ruler, it is an advantage not to eat at home but rather to earn one's bread by entering upon public office. Such a man is in harmony with heaven; therefore even great and difficult undertakings, such as crossing the great water, succeed.
The Image for the Future
Heaven within the mountain: The image of The Taming Power of the Small. Thus the superior man aquaints himself with many sayings of antiquity And many deeds of the past, In order to strengthen his character thereby.
Comment by Richard Wilhelm:
Heaven within the mountain points to hidden treasures. In the words and deeds of the past there lies hidden a treasure that men may use to strengthen and elevate their own characters. The way to study the past is not to confine oneself to mere knowledge of history but, through application of this knowledge, to give actuality to the past.
18. Ku - Work on What Has Been Spoiled (Decay)
26. Ta Ch'u - The Taming Power of the Great