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Hexagram 27: Nourishment

䷚ 頤 (Yí) · Nourishment. Mind what you take in and what you say.

nourishment, care, words, self-reliance

Lower trigram: Thunder ☳ · Upper trigram: Mountain ☶

The judgment

Notice what nourishes you and what you feed others. You learn a lot about someone from what they care for and what they reach for. Pay attention both to what you take in and to the words you send out.

The image

Thunder stirs at the foot of the still mountain, like a jaw moving beneath a firm skull. Be careful with what you say and moderate in what you take in.

The six lines

Read only the lines that changed in your casting, counting from the bottom.

• Line 1 (bottom): You set aside your own steady source of nourishment and stare at someone else's plate. Envy drains you; come back to what you already have.
• Line 2: You look for support from those above you or far off your path instead of standing on your own feet. Going on this way leads to trouble.
• Line 3: You reach for things that satisfy for a moment but never truly nourish. Stay away from that path; nothing good comes of it.
• Line 4: You look upward for help so that you can look after others, keen and watchful as a tiger. Seeking support for a good cause is right; no blame.
• Line 5: You know you cannot do this alone, so you lean on someone wiser. Stay steady with that support, and don't attempt a great crossing yet.
• Line 6 (top): You have become a source of nourishment for others. Hold that responsibility with care, and even great undertakings are open to you.

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