Nourishment 頤
Nourishment is the open mouth: what goes in feeds you, what comes out feeds others. Watch what you take in, choose your words and keep your measure.
Judgment
Staying with what is right brings good fortune. Look at who is nourished by what, and at what people try to fill their mouths with.
Image
Thunder lies beneath the mountain. The wise person is careful with their words and moderate in eating and drinking.
What does Nourishment mean?
This situation is like an open mouth. Firm lips above and below, an opening in the middle. Two things pass through the mouth: the food that goes in and the words that come out. What you nourish yourself with shapes you. This is not only the food you eat; what you read, watch and listen to, and the people you spend time with, also feed you. In the same way, your words feed or poison others. You can lift a friend's spirits, give a child courage or darken someone's day. That is why every word that leaves your mouth matters as much as every bite you take. Both shape you and those around you.
What is asked of you is to look honestly at what you feed on. What strengthens you, and what drains you? Taking good care of yourself is not selfish. But thinking only of yourself is not right either. Whoever is strong is also responsible for nourishing others. Do not lose your measure. Excess is as harmful as hunger. Instead of eyeing someone else's table, make good use of your own resources. Choose your words with care, and pay attention to what you eat and drink. If you want to know a person, look at what they value and what they feed on.
What to do now
Notice what you feed your mind and body today; remove one thing and add one.
Love and relationships
Is there mutual nourishment in the relationship, or does one always give while the other always takes? Do more of the things that are good for both of you. Pay attention to how your words affect your partner.
Work and money
Look at how you use your resources at work; what are you feeding, what are you growing? Offer real value to your team or your customers. Strengthen your own income instead of depending on others.
The lines
If a line changed (red) in your reading, read only that line. Lines are counted from the bottom up.
- First line
You let your magic tortoise go and look at me with your mouth watering. Misfortune. You have your own resources and talents, yet you envy what others have.
- Second line
Hoping for nourishment from above, straying from the natural way; expecting to be fed from the heights. Going on like this brings misfortune. Learn to stand on your own feet.
- Third line
Turning away from true nourishment. Even if you persist in rightness, misfortune. For ten years do not act. You are chasing things that do not truly nourish you; stop and change direction.
- Fourth line
Seeking nourishment from above brings good fortune. Watching keenly like a tiger, with a hunger that is never satisfied. No blame. You are seeking support in order to do good for others; this is a right wish.
- Fifth line
Straying from the natural way. Staying with what is right brings good fortune. One should not cross the great river. Your own strength is not enough; accept support, but do not take on great tasks now.
- Top line
The source of nourishment. Awareness of danger brings good fortune. Crossing the great river is favorable. The responsibility of nourishing others is yours; know its weight and take on great work.
Trigrams
still, resting
arousing, moving
Related hexagrams
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