In practice
The judgment
Right now you need to take care of your physical and spiritual nourishment, so you have the resources you need in each area, and at the same time help others grow through what you do. Success lies in giving and receiving: take in what is good for you and share it with those around you.
The poetry
The Jaws
Constancy brings good fortune. Watching the jaws; seeking for oneself what fills the mouth.
The image
Thunder below the mountain: the jaws. So the noble person is careful with words and moderate in eating and drinking.
The lines
- Line 6上九
You gain the resources to take care of your own affairs, and you help others get theirs. This brings a great responsibility, but also great success.
From here comes sustenance. Danger; good fortune. It is favorable to cross the great river.
- Line 5六五
Being aware of your limits in helping others and asking advice on how to do it will bring you moderate achievements, not extraordinary ones, but it's something.
Against the norm. Abiding in constancy brings good fortune. The great river cannot be crossed.
- Line 4六四
Getting the right nourishment for yourself and seeing how you can help others nourish themselves well brings you success and help.
Jaws upside down: good fortune. The tiger stares, intent and watchful; its desire chases on and on. No fault.
- Line 3六三
Watch the balance between your worldly food and your higher food closely: tending only to the first, and overindulging, brings misfortune.
Going against sustenance. Even with constancy, misfortune. For ten years, do not act. Nothing is favorable.
- Line 2六二
Expecting others to sort out your affairs and acting selfishly isn't favorable.
Jaws turned upside down: against the norm. Seeking sustenance from the hill. Setting out brings misfortune.
- Line 1初九
Being ungrateful for what you have and busying yourself envying what others have will hold back your achievements.
You let go of your sacred tortoise and watch my jaw working. Misfortune.
Its 63 transformations
Depending on which lines move in your cast, Nourishment turns into another hexagram. Pick the lines from your cast.
One moving line
6
Two moving lines
15
- 4Immaturitylines 1 and 2
- 52Abidinglines 1 and 3
- 26Great Achievementslines 2 and 3
- 35Advancelines 1 and 4
- 38Oppositeslines 2 and 4
- 30The Flamelines 3 and 4
- 20Observinglines 1 and 5
- 61Inner Integritylines 2 and 5
- 37The Tribelines 3 and 5
- 25Innocencelines 4 and 5
- 2Passivitylines 1 and 6
- 19Fleeting Successlines 2 and 6
- 36Darknesslines 3 and 6
- 51Shocklines 4 and 6
- 3Initial Obstacleslines 5 and 6
Three moving lines
20
- 18Loss, Then Gainlines 1, 2, and 3
- 64Transitionlines 1, 2, and 4
- 56The Travelerlines 1, 3, and 4
- 14Wealthlines 2, 3, and 4
- 59Release from Obstacleslines 1, 2, and 5
- 53Gradual Progresslines 1, 3, and 5
- 9Small Thingslines 2, 3, and 5
- 12Declinelines 1, 4, and 5
- 10Treading Carefullylines 2, 4, and 5
- 13Gathering with Equalslines 3, 4, and 5
- 7The Armylines 1, 2, and 6
- 15Simplicitylines 1, 3, and 6
- 11Well-Beinglines 2, 3, and 6
- 16Passionlines 1, 4, and 6
- 54A Subordinate Rolelines 2, 4, and 6
- 55Abundancelines 3, 4, and 6
- 8Unionlines 1, 5, and 6
- 60Thriftlines 2, 5, and 6
- 63After the Endlines 3, 5, and 6
- 17Adaptinglines 4, 5, and 6
Four moving lines
15
- 50The Vessel of Nourishmentlines 1, 2, 3, and 4
- 57Gentlenesslines 1, 2, 3, and 5
- 6Conflictlines 1, 2, 4, and 5
- 33Leaving Behindlines 1, 3, 4, and 5
- 1Activitylines 2, 3, 4, and 5
- 46Going Uplines 1, 2, 3, and 6
- 40Clearing Obstacleslines 1, 2, 4, and 6
- 62Success in Small Matterslines 1, 3, 4, and 6
- 34Great Manifestationlines 2, 3, 4, and 6
- 29Waterlines 1, 2, 5, and 6
- 39Held Backlines 1, 3, 5, and 6
- 5Inactionlines 2, 3, 5, and 6
- 45Meetinglines 1, 4, 5, and 6
- 58Inner Peacelines 2, 4, 5, and 6
- 49Renewallines 3, 4, 5, and 6
Five moving lines
6
All six lines moving
1
The classical text
頤：貞吉。觀頤，自求口實。
象曰：山下有雷，頤；君子以慎言語，節飲食。
初九：舍爾靈龜，觀我朵頤，凶。
六二：顛頤，拂經，于丘頤，征凶。
六三：拂頤，貞凶，十年勿用，无攸利。
六四：顛頤吉，虎視眈眈，其欲逐逐，无咎。
六五：拂經，居貞吉，不可涉大川。
上九：由頤，厲吉，利涉大川。
Related hexagrams
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.