Hello everyone!
I am a newcomer to I Ching and have just posed an important question regarding my relationship but I'm a bit perplexed by the answer.
I am in crisis after 3.5 years and feel that the relationship is degenerating dangerously, which I attribute mainly to lack of care and effort on my partner's side. This crisis has been mounting for a while but things lately are quite bad - my partner has become distant, withdrawn, defensive and irritable. This is making me unhappy but I'm feigning normalcy and not beeing confrontational at the moment. When I was confrontational in the past or even attempted to share my feelings or ask him what is going on, he has always retreated into himself and been non-communicative.
I do love him, I do want to improve this relationship but I feel that I am putting in all the effort and I wonder if I had best end the relationship.
I asked the I Ching for advice about ending the relationship and received hexagram 56 - Wandering with changing line 5 ( transforming to 33 Retreat).
Could someone please help me with the interpretation?

I assume you got this using miraculous/random methods (.e. coin tossing etc)?

WIth/from loyalty (to someone/thing in particular - 56) comes trickary (enticement, being drawn in to battle, drawing someone into battle, being suckered, a 'false' retreat and so to fight another day - 33).

Line position 5 in any hexagram is controlled by hexagram 8 and so has a 'vibe' covering issues related to passive attraction to a ruler/court and so authority etc. In hexagram 56 the traditional material is interpretable as covering:

Line 5 -
"Shooting a pheasant. One shot (arrow) kills it. In the end one receives heavenly praise." [Removing that which retains (symbolizes) authority (tradition).]

For an image of the situation from an emotional interpretation (and so NOT using 'magical/random' methods) use:

http://members.iimetro.com.au/~lofting/myweb/lofting/EmoteIC.html

Chris.

Hex 56.5 is about being in a new situation/ relationship where you will make new friends and be quite successful, it says to kill this relationship that you are in at present.

Hex 33 carries on the theme with retreat, you are in a no win situation, so best for you to pack your stuff and leave, it seems there is no way you can get this man to stop what he is doing and cooperate with you. So distance yourself and stop struggling.

Dear Chris & Willowfox thank you for your insight!