What this change means
Fire above, Lake below: the second and fourth lines both deal with upside-down jaws, and they reach opposite verdicts. The fourth leads. Seeking nourishment in the right way, for yourself and for others, brings good fortune, with the steady focus of a watching tiger. The second warns that waiting to be looked after, or acting from self-interest, isn't favorable, and setting out like that brings misfortune. The difference is responsibility. The resulting hexagram, 38 Opposites, places you among people who are different from you yet with whom you have to share something. What you can achieve for now is small, but don't give in. Keep your own nature, let them keep theirs, and contribute from there. Feed yourself instead of waiting to be fed, help where you can, and accept that a shared project between unlike people grows slowly.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- Line 4 of 27 Nourishment
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 2 of 27 Nourishment
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.
- 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 38 Opposites
You're in a situation of opposition: the people around you are different from you, yet you need to share with them. This means that what you can achieve for now is small. Even so, don't give in. It matters that both you and they keep your own nature and contribute from there to a shared project.
In small matters, good fortune.
The trigrams
The way back
38 Opposites → 27 Nourishmentlines 2 and 4
Other transformations of Nourishment
- 4Immaturitylines 1 and 2
- 52Abidinglines 1 and 3
- 26Great Achievementslines 2 and 3
- 35Advancelines 1 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
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.