As I see it, in line 3 - in the top line of the thunder trigram - there is a tendency to plunge ahead blindly and without thinking. We need a 'guide' there, this could be an external guide or our own eyes or ears or what is supposedly inbetween them.
We need to slow down, first look and listen and think, then act.

The problem in line 4 is different, it is a motivation problem.
In a sense line 4 is the opposite of line 3. We don't have or feel enough energy in line 4 while in line 3 we have too much of it.

Makes sense?

ooh, I like that very much, Martin. Now I see the thunder trigram as being like a gong, the wake up call!, but then the reverberations need to quiet down before going further. And yes, now maybe a little stop and a snack to rally the forces. 3.4 changes to 17. Following, so again the importance of pausing to rest, recuperate and sence the vibe.

Hexagram 3.5

3.5
Difficulties in blessing.
A little perseverance brings good fortune.
Great perseverance brings misfortune.
***
If you are totally new to a situation it is often difficult for someone to help you.
Where to begin?

Have you ever tried explaining the I Ching to someone who has never heard of it before? You can tell them a little, but when their eyes start to glaze over great perseverance brings misfortune.

3.6
Horse and wagon part.
Bloody tears flow.

***

Geez, here's an image that needs no memory tips. What I want to know is how can I get this picture OUT of my memory?

3.5 is about the difficulties of something being offered and the receiver just doesn't get it, so the giver must proceed slowly, only revealing the blessing one hexagram at a time.

The sixth line is outside the main body of the hexagram and thus suggests the difficulties of making the connection and receiving the wisdom were not overcome.
"The saddest words of tongue or pen,
"The saddest of these, 'It might have been.'"

Fortunately, the I Ching is not telling us what cannot be changed, but where change can enter in. It is a guide warning us we are at a crucial point now where to give up would be a tragic error.

What is this crucial point we are now at? I think it is interesting that elsewhere at this site we are having discussions about how questions should be phrased and what questions are suitable. Questions are a fantastic tool for accessing the Unknown. But as we all know, sometimes the answers we get make no sence. Thus we ask ourselves, "Where lies the difficulty? Is the answer wrong or did I ask the wrong question or should I have not have asked? What's going on here?"
So I think we've come to a place here where we are now, on the cusp of hexagram 4, where we are realizing our experience is somehow connected to our intention, but like a horse and wagon parting, we've forgotten why we came, what was our intention, what question did we ask that this life is the answer to? Is hexagram 4 going to tell us that the time for asking questions is over, and now we have to live the answer? If so, then maybe before we remove the fetters it's good to pause here a moment and consider, just what question do we think we're asking? What question might this life be an answer to? Can we quick change the question? I really don't want to learn again if pain hurts, I think I've got that one down...

Anyway, I post these musings because I think hexagram 4 is a starting gate and people might want to be aware of their questions at this time. ("How does it feel to be happy?" "What is my right way of making a living?") Maybe even write questions down and refer to them over the 61 hexagrams ahead. May not an actual question. As Trojan mentioned, the I Ching may speak more clearly to a situation, such as "Speak to me of my career" or children, or whatever, or in keeping with the lesson of 3.5. it might be better to ask a very small question, "Tell me what I need to know today."

Rosada you think 3,6 says not to give up ? I thought it means 'give up and let go'. I thought it meant 'don't keep hanging on, especially to regrets and sadness, move on '.
Do you mean more not that it advises to keep on blindly with this particular direction or goal, but that it means just don't give up hope and get weighed down with sorrows ?

3,5 usually has meant for me too high an expectation which cannot be met at this time though lesser expectations can - pretty literal really.

Well, actually I'm not sure what I think...But yes, the second, don't go on blindly with this particular direction, but also don't give up hope. For example, if this responce had been to a question about a relationship, say, "My girlfriend just married another man, please comment." then I would take 3.6 to mean, "So sad, but don't give up, keep going, your life is still ahead." Interesting this advice comes after 3.5 which cautions that goals can only be achieved one small step at a time. It's as if we're being advised we can't understand everything all at once and to feel satisfied with small progress. But do we listen? Nooo..and thus the big disappointment discribed in 3.6. But even after disappointment, if we don't give up, if we keep on paying attention, then we move up to Hexagram 4. ready to recognize there is something going on here but we don't know what it is, something beyond our own willful desires...and finally ready to accept guidance...

I'm really messing up the order of threads here, aren't I?

Hexagram 3 is one of those that Denis Mair has written about. You can download the pdf here. (Right click and choose 'save as' - it's quicker than left-clicking and loading into the browser window.) If you haven't found his work before, you are in for a real treat - and there is a whole lot more at http://www.appositive.net/oysterbay/ichingtitle.html .

hey just wanted to add the link hilary posted has changed...
Denis Mairs essays on hexagrams (excellent! thanks for the mention)

http://www.appositive.net/index.html