Interpretation of the Changing Lines
The nine in the fourth place states "Treading on the tiger's tail, cautiously and fearfully, but in the end, good fortune." "Cautiously and fearfully" means being nervous, apprehensive, and prudent. In other words, being a bit nervously cautious today is just right. Be sensitive to the other party's expressions and words, and if you feel "I might be pushing too hard here," step back and observe. This careful approach will ultimately lead to "good fortune in the end" - a satisfactory conclusion.
The nine at the top states "Look at your conduct and consider the omens. When the cycle returns, there will be great good fortune." This is a position of surveying the whole while reflecting on each step and carefully considering outcomes. In the negotiation, rather than winning or losing individual points, it's important to focus on "how to conclude this entire negotiation" and "how to land this in terms of long-term relationship". Especially toward the end, quietly check whether "this condition is truly good for both parties" and "are we leaving any emotional residue."
Guidance from the Resulting Hexagram "Jie" (Limitation)
The resulting hexagram is "Jie". This is the hexagram of "moderation," "limitation," and "balance". It's the image of water above the marsh, contained by banks to prevent overflow. Don't overdo it, don't give too much, tighten where tightening is needed. Because of this moderation, things last long, and neither resources nor people are damaged.
However, it also says "Bitter limitation cannot be persevered in." Overly strict moderation or excessive tightening should not continue long; overdoing it leads to dead ends. Today's negotiation requires pursuing conditions with moderation while not squeezing the other party too hard and not making unreasonable compromises or impossible promises to yourself. This balance is crucial.
Specific Guidelines from the Line Changes
The changing lines are in the fourth and top positions, and the corresponding lines in the resulting hexagram are six in the fourth "Contented limitation brings success" and six at the top "Bitter limitation; perseverance brings misfortune, but remorse disappears." This is quite symbolic.
This is the most important point. Reading the flow from "Lü nine-four → Jie six-four" and "Lü nine-top → Jie six-top" as signs for "how to proceed" and "beware of overdoing it" in today's negotiation gives very concrete guidance.
First, regarding the change from nine-four to six-four: nine-four was "treading on the tiger's tail, cautiously and fearfully, good fortune in the end" - proceeding carefully, somewhat nervously, leads to good results. This changes to Jie's six-four "Contented limitation brings success." "Contented limitation" means embodying moderation calmly and naturally. The initially nervous, careful negotiation will eventually reach a point where you quietly determine "I'll give this much" and "beyond this I cannot go," and you can maintain this stably.
Practically speaking, in the first half to middle of the negotiation, carefully present proposals while watching the other party's reactions. Once you sense "this is probably today's landing point," maintain that moderate position steadily with a calm tone. The fourth line is also called "following the way of those above," meaning it's a position that rides well on larger policies and flows. Maintain stable moderation within your discretion while not straying from your company's policy, risk tolerance, and long-term strategy.
Warning from the Top Line
On the other hand, the change in the top line is quite a strong warning. The top nine of Lü is "Look at your conduct and consider the omens. When the cycle returns, there will be great good fortune." Originally, this is a very good position - surveying the whole, carefully considering outcomes, and arriving at great fortune after completing a full cycle. This negotiation has the potential to bring great joy if you maintain awareness of the entire relationship rather than just this single transaction.
However, this changing to the top six of Jie "Bitter limitation; perseverance brings misfortune, but remorse disappears" means a clear warning that "if moderation goes too far, it becomes bad fortune." Bitter limitation means excessive patience, over-tightening rules, imposing overly strict conditions on both the other party and yourself. Even if it looks like "I maintained my principles" or "I protected our interests" in the short term, continuing this way will lead to relationship dead ends, narrowed paths, and eventually your own suffering. That's why persisting in this approach is considered bad fortune.
Today's Mindset
Specifically for today's approach, the following balance is key:
In the early stages of the negotiation, proceed while carefully listening to the other party's circumstances, true feelings, and constraints. Rather than pushing rigidly fixed conditions from the start, approach with the attitude of "where can we both be comfortable?" This aligns with the cautious prudence of Lü.
In the middle stage, quietly determine within yourself "I can concede up to here" and "beyond this is impossible for both the company and me." Then, while maintaining that line, communicate softly in a way that preserves the other party's dignity. This is how "Contented limitation brings success" works. Express moderation as "stability" rather than "rigidity."
Toward the end, as you approach resolution, strongly maintain the perspective of "not just this single win or loss, but how does this look for the overall relationship going forward." This is where Lü's top line "Look at your conduct and consider the omens" comes alive. Reflect on your approach (the conditions and attitudes you've presented) and consider "will the other party also see this landing as 'not bad'?" and "how will we both evaluate this exchange later?" Take a slightly detached view.
Avoiding the "Bitter Limitation" Trap
What to watch out for here is the trap of "bitter limitation" from Jie's top six. For example, in adhering to internal rules or profitability lines, saying "this is the limit" or "absolutely impossible beyond this" - even if logically correct, if emotionally there's no room whatsoever, the other party tends to end up feeling "I understand, but couldn't something more be done?" Even if conditions can't change, how you say things, how you express them, and how you leave room for future possibilities can determine whether it becomes "bitter limitation" or "contented limitation."
So for the end-stage mindset, while firmly maintaining lines that must be held, be conscious of nuances like: "At this point, this is our best, but if circumstances change, we'd like to reconsider" or "Within these conditions, we want to be flexible in operation to maximize benefit for your company." Including the message "for now this is the limit, but we want to continue the relationship from here" is key. This maintains moderation in conditions while leaving "room for sweetness" rather than "bitter limitation" in the relationship.
Also, be careful not to fall into "bitter limitation" with yourself. For example, when you strongly feel the weight of representing your company, you might push yourself with "absolutely cannot concede" or "must close at these conditions no matter what." But the hexagram teaches that "excessive strictness will cause your own suffering in the long run." What's needed in today's negotiation is not self-punishing stoicism, but enough moderation to feel "if I've done this much, it's sufficient for today."
Summary
Overall, this "Lü → Jie" reading suggests that precisely because this is a delicate situation, careful steps and restrained conclusion are needed. While valuing both consideration for the other party's position and maintaining your own company's standards, ending with "a slightly unsatisfying degree of closure" will leave the seeds of "great good fortune" for the future relationship.
If you can share more about the negotiation topic (whether it's price negotiation, partnership, contract revision, etc.), we can think together more specifically about "where to be firm and where to leave room."
