Transformation · lines 1, 3, and 5
Nourishment becomes Gradual Progress
What this change means
A tree grows on the mountain: three alternating lines move, and the jaws' hunger is asked to become patience. Both judgments matter equally. Nourishment speaks of looking closely at how you feed yourself, and of seeking it on your own. The resulting hexagram, 53 Gradual Progress, says progress will come step by step, through stages that make it lasting, and that trying to speed things up brings delays and obstacles. Read together, they describe nourishment as something slow. You don't grow by eating more at once, and neither do your projects. Feed what matters a little each day, keep your habits steady, and resist the urge to rush toward results. One rung at a time, what you build tends to hold, and the climb itself keeps you fed.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- The judgment of 27 Nourishment
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.
Constancy brings good fortune. Watching the jaws; seeking for oneself what fills the mouth.
- The judgment of 53 Gradual Progress
You'll make progress, and it will come step by step, gradually, through stages that make it lasting and stable. Trying to speed things up will bring delays and obstacles. Keep at it, one rung at a time.
The woman goes to be married: good fortune. Constancy is favorable.
- Line 1 of 27 Nourishment
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.
- Line 3 of 27 Nourishment
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 5 of 27 Nourishment
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.
The trigrams
The way back
53 Gradual Progress → 27 Nourishmentlines 1, 3, and 5
Other transformations of Nourishment
- 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
- 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
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.