Interpretation: There is a notion of renunciation and withdrawal that occurs at least temporarily, potentially in the context of “taking a step back so as to take a great leap forward.”
This situation calls for thought, reflection, analysis, introspection, or even questioning shrewd advice, but in any case, it requires that we stop moving forward.
Withdrawing does not necessarily imply “keeping to yourself,” but rather a notion of detachment from some coveted object or goal, again at least temporarily, long enough to understand what is at play in terms of the forces that are present.
You have to know how to handle this time and how to determine exactly which moment is best for taking a step back, once your duty has been done, and when it will be most advantageous, without leading to a feeling of desertion or evasion.
Astrological points to pay attention to: We encounter many energies related to Earth and Saturn, especially when it comes to strategy, as well as some aspects of Virgo (and analytical Mercury) and Taurus because of this planet’s relation to attachment.
There is a kind of “great crystallization” that occurs and that then needs to be “let go of,” or that we have to “renounce,” consciously and voluntarily.
The forces of Pluto and Neptune may often come into play here, each in their own way; they may help with detachment, renunciation, and putting things into a more absolute, fundamental, transcendent perspective that leads us to be wiser and sublimate what we are feeling.
Remarks: This hexagram may put us face to face with a burden or a large dilemma, and it does not really specify whether the required retreat is desired and was a choice or whether it was something we are simply subjected to, but in any case, it invites us to consciously work with these things.