64. Before Completion
Wèi Jì — Before Completion
Trigrams
The Judgment
Before Completion. Success. But if the little fox, after nearly completing the crossing of the water, gets his tail in the water, there is nothing that would further.
The Image
Fire above water — everything is out of place, yet full of potential. Every line is in the wrong position, yet the very disorder contains the seeds of a new order. The wise person is careful to discriminate between things so that each finds its place.
Interpretation
The final hexagram of the I Ching — and it is one of incompletion. This is deliberate: the Book of Changes teaches that completion is never final, that every ending contains a new beginning. You are almost there but not quite. Like a young fox crossing a frozen river who gets cocky at the last moment and dips his tail, carelessness at this stage can undo everything. Exercise extreme care in the final steps.
Advice
You're almost there — but this is the most dangerous moment. Don't get careless or overconfident in the final stretch. Pay close attention to every detail. The last steps require the most care. A new cycle awaits beyond this threshold.