What this change means
A mountain hides inside the earth as three lines move, and nourishment takes its humblest form. Both judgments carry the same weight here. Nourishment's image is of a person sparing with words and moderate at meals. The resulting hexagram, 15 Simplicity, says this isn't the time to boast or show off; keep things simple, act fairly, and your talents will be recognized on their own. Its image adds an even sharing out, so that what is plentiful in one place fills what is scarce in another. Together they describe a plain table. Eat simply, speak modestly, and share what you have so it reaches those with less. Let your quality be noticed through what you do rather than what you say about it.
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 15 Simplicity
This isn't the time to boast or show off. It's time to keep things simple and to make sure you act fairly; your qualities and talents will show on their own and be recognized.
Success. The noble person reaches the end.
- 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 6 of 27 Nourishment
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.
The trigrams
The way back
15 Simplicity → 27 Nourishmentlines 1, 3, and 6
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
- 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
- 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.