Hexagram 27: Nourishment
䷚ 頤 Yí – The Book of Changes
The Judgment
Nourishment indicates that with firm correctness there will be good fortune. We must look at what we are seeking to nourish, and by the exercise of our thoughts seek for the proper aliment.
The Image
Thunder at the foot of the mountain: the image of Nourishment. Thus the superior man is watchful over his words, and temperate in his eating and drinking.
Description
Nourishment (Yi) is shaped like an open mouth: strong lips above and below, empty space within. It asks what you feed on and what you feed others, in body, mind and spirit. Watch your words and your appetites, and choose your nourishment with care.
The six lines
A line's place shapes its role: 1 the beginning, 2 the center of the inner world, 3 the threshold to the outside, 4 close to power, 5 the ruler's place, 6 the end and the excess. Keep this grid in mind and the line texts become much easier to read. More in the guide →
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Line 1: Old Yang (bottom)
Nourish the mouth. Favorable — what you consume shapes your spirit; choose wisely.
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Line 2: Old Yin
Nourish with care. Favorable — feed the body, mind, and soul; balance is key.
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Line 3: Old Yin
Nourish with excess. Danger — indulgence clouds clarity; return to moderation.
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Line 4: Old Yin
Nourish with emptiness. Favorable — fasting reveals truth; space invites insight.
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Line 5: Old Yin
Nourish others. Favorable — giving sustains the giver; generosity is nourishment.
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Line 6: Old Yang (top)
Nourish with poison. Danger — false sustenance corrupts; cleanse what you take in.
Reading by area of life
❤️ What does hexagram 27 mean for relationships and private life?
Ask what you give each other. Some relationships feed you, others drain you; notice the difference honestly. Share meals, attention and encouragement, and watch your words, since a careless remark can poison a good evening. Caring for others well also means caring for yourself. A home where people are properly nourished, in every sense, holds together naturally.
💼 What does hexagram 27 mean for work and money?
Consider what sustains your work and who depends on it. Fair pay, healthy routines, good tools and clear communication nourish a team. Speech matters: promise carefully, criticize precisely. In business, ask which products or clients actually feed growth and which merely consume resources. Investing in the well-being of the people around you pays off in loyalty and quality.
🌌 What does hexagram 27 mean for your personal path and spirituality?
What you take in becomes you: food, news, conversations, images. Become selective. Moderate your appetites and your speech, both of which leak energy. Feed the higher part of yourself with silence, study and kindness. Then turn outward: nourishing others is part of the practice too. Inner hunger is rarely satisfied by more; it is satisfied by better.
Nuclear hexagram
Lines 2, 3 and 4 form the lower trigram, lines 3, 4 and 5 the upper one. Leaving out the beginning and the end reveals the core of the situation, what is at work out of sight. It is a secondary aspect, not a second verdict. If it seems to contradict the main hexagram, that happens and is not an error. More in the guide →
Lines 2, 3, 4 and 3, 4, 5 form nuclear hexagram 2, The Receptive. It shows what is at work beneath the surface – an inner tendency, not a verdict on the situation itself.
Hexagram 2 – The Receptive
The Receptive is great and originating, penetrating, advantageous, correct and having the firmness of a mare. When the superior man has to make any movement, if he takes the initiative he will go astray; if he follows, he will find his proper lord. The advantage will be seen in his getting friends in the southwest and losing friends in the northeast. If he rests in correctness and firmness, there will be good fortune.
The two trigrams
- Upper, outer: Gen – Mountain
- Keeping Still (Youngest Son). Within, it means gathering, boundaries and stillness; without, stability, reflection and the completion of a cycle.
- Lower, inner: Zhen – Thunder
- The Arousing (Eldest Son). Within, it is the impulse to change, to wake up and break free; without, a sudden jolt that shatters rigidity and sets things moving.