Above is the trigram Qian (Heaven), below is the trigram Gen (Mountain). The metaphorical image of this hexagram is a Mountain striving upwards to challenge the supremacy of Heaven. Heaven retreats instead of getting drawn into such a competition, thus the essence of the hexagram unfolds.
Withdrawal is not about directly confronting evil at the moment, but about rising above it, just as Heaven encompasses numerous Mountains. To avoid impending danger, one should patiently wait for a change in the situation. Withdrawal in this case is not a flight, but a strategic step – advancing forward through retreat. Now this is an active position, not a manifestation of powerlessness.
Dun speaks of times when rising darkness opposes us, it’s wiser and more noble to retreat rather than engage in a fight with it. We must understand when such a retreat would be timely. Cowardice should not be encouraged, but neither should stubbornness and belligerence, as in this case we would only exhaust ourselves and unnecessarily endanger our affairs and colleagues.
Wiser to retreat than to get involved in a doomed project or compromise with darkness. Pride is the main obstacle to tactical retreat, so we must oppose it. Withdrawing from the situation may seem unpleasant, but it will be absolutely correct if we leave to prepare for a counterattack.