Hexagram 27: Nourishment
By Wendy Zhang, Founder of Solacely · Updated
頤 · Yí
Persistence brings good fortune. Look at what someone nourishes, and at what they seek to fill their own mouth.
The judgment
貞吉。觀頤，自求口實。
Persistence brings good fortune. Look at what someone nourishes, and at what they seek to fill their own mouth.
The image
山下有雷，頤；君子以慎言語，節飲食。
Thunder beneath the mountain: nourishment. The noble person is careful in speech and moderate in eating and drinking.
Mountain stands still above while Thunder moves below, like the fixed upper jaw and the moving lower jaw. The whole hexagram is drawn like an open mouth, and it pictures what we take in and what we give out.
What Nourishment means
Yi is the open mouth: the question of nourishment, both what we take in and what we provide for others. The judgment advises looking closely at what a person nourishes and how they seek to feed themselves, since that reveals their character. Commentators extend nourishment beyond food to ideas, relationships, habits and support, and to caring for others as well as for oneself. The Image highlights two channels of the mouth: what comes out, in speech, and what goes in, in food and drink. Both call for care. For you, this hexagram suggests examining what truly sustains you and those you care for. Choose nourishment that builds strength and character. Be mindful of what you say and consume. The lower lines warn against envy and dependence; the upper lines show the healthy relationship of receiving from and giving to others. Avoid excess, envy and neglecting your own real needs.
In love and relationships
Look at how you nourish each other. Are your words kind? Is support balanced? If partnered, practical care and gentle speech deepen trust. If single, focus on self-care and healthy habits, so you bring fullness rather than need into a relationship.
At work
Consider what sustains your work: your energy, skills, relationships and resources. Feed what helps you grow, and cut what drains you. Speak carefully in professional settings. If you support others, offer genuine nourishment, such as training, mentoring or fair pay.
The six lines
Read a line when it is a changing line in your cast (a 6 or a 9).
舍爾靈龜，觀我朵頤，凶。
You let your magic tortoise go and look at me with your jaw hanging. Misfortune.
You have your own source of wisdom and strength, the sacred tortoise, yet you envy what others have. That envy pulls you away from your own resources. Stop comparing. Return to what you already possess and develop it. Craving someone else’s nourishment leads to misfortune.
顛頤，拂經，于丘頤，征凶。
Turning upside down for nourishment, going against the norm, seeking food from the high hill. Going on brings misfortune.
This yielding line wants to be fed by those above, even though it is not their place to provide. Looking for support from the wrong source or in the wrong way leads to trouble. Seek nourishment where it naturally belongs, and work toward self-reliance. Leaning on the wrong people weakens you.
拂頤，貞凶，十年勿用，无攸利。
Going against nourishment. Persisting brings misfortune. Do not act for ten years. Nothing is favorable.
This weak line in a strong place chases what does not nourish at all: compulsive habits, empty pleasures or harmful relationships. Continuing on this path brings real misfortune. Step back for a long reset. Change the pattern and choose what genuinely sustains you. A long pause is not failure; it is repair.
顛頤吉，虎視眈眈，其欲逐逐，无咎。
Turning upside down for nourishment brings good fortune. Watching with the steady gaze of a tiger, its desire relentless. No blame.
Here, seeking help from below is appropriate, since this yielding line is correctly placed and answers the strong first line. You need others to support a good aim. Pursue that help with focus and determination, like a tiger watching its prey. Because your purpose is sound, there is no blame.
拂經，居貞吉，不可涉大川。
Going against the norm. Persistence brings good fortune. One should not cross the great river.
As the yielding ruler, you cannot fully provide on your own and must rely on the wise strong line above. This is unconventional but acceptable. Stay steady and accept guidance. However, do not take on major risks now. Build strength before you attempt something big.
由頤，厲吉，利涉大川。
The source of nourishment. Aware of danger, good fortune. It is favorable to cross the great river.
At the top, this strong line nourishes everyone below. Carrying that responsibility is demanding, and you must stay aware of its weight. With that awareness, good fortune follows. You are now able to take on significant challenges, because you are a true source of support.
Advice
Pay attention to what you take in and what you give out. Choose words and nourishment that build real strength.
A question to reflect on
What truly nourishes me, and what am I feeding that does not deserve it?