What this change means
The fifth line moves, and the wind above stills into a mountain over the thunder: the shape of an open mouth, ready to be fed and to feed. This is the ruling line of Increase, and it's simple: a generous, kind heart receives help and blessings from heaven, with no need to ask whether it will. Your kindness is met with kindness. The resulting hexagram, 27 Nourishment, puts that generosity into practice. Look after what nourishes you, physically and spiritually, so you have what you need, and let your actions help others grow. Success lies in giving and receiving: take in what's good and share it. Don't calculate the return on your kindness. Give because it's who you are, and take care of yourself so the giving can last. Watch your words and your appetites, as nourishment includes what you let out as well as what you take in.
What to read, in order
Marked ● is what Zhu Xi's tradition puts at the center for this number of moving lines.
- Line 5 of 42 Increase
A generous, kind heart is sure to receive help and blessings from heaven.
There is sincere trust and a kind heart: do not ask. Great good fortune. There is sincere trust: my virtue is met with kindness.
- The judgment of 42 Increase
You're in a time of gain and growth: your projects will grow and prosper. At times like this it's important to keep your inner integrity, follow the example of people who have the qualities you want to gain, and get rid of the traits that have caused you trouble before. Overall, it's a time of achievement and generosity.
It is favorable to have somewhere to go. It is favorable to cross the great river.
- 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 trigrams
The way back
27 Nourishment → 42 Increaseline 5
Other transformations of Increase
Make your own cast
The answer changes with the question. Toss the coins and see which lines move for you.