The hexagram means being alienated from the simple truth of the moment. One's experience is more complicated than it needs to be.

It means alienation from depth of feeling and it means expressions that are insincere.

It also means being far from home, where one is exposed and vulnerable. Extreme caution and reticence are necessary.

The alienation may arise as a result of one's own inner conflicts preventing a more direct contact with reality or because of complexities in one's external environment.

One may be able to protect oneself in an alien environment by maintaining a false persona or by clothing oneself in appearances. But beware of losing your true identity amidst the complexities of maintaining a false reality.

Do not pursue Love.

“When in Rome, do as the Romans do” – and be more careful than the Romans are.

Away from home, you can still be comfortable in the local ways as long as you remember your vulnerability and ensure that necessary protocols are followed. Beware of over-confidence when playing someone else’s game.

This is not a time to show your heart. External appearance is everything.

It is a time to cope rather than be entrepreneurial.

If the opportunity arises, retreat to the safety of home.

It may be helpful to compare this hexagram with its opposite hexagram SIMPLICITY.