27. Nourishment

Judgment

颐：贞吉。观颐，自求口实。

Perseverance brings good fortune. Pay heed to the providing of nourishment and to what a person seeks to fill their own mouth with. How someone nourishes self and others reveals character.

Image

山下有雷，颐；君子以慎言语，节饮食。

At the foot of the mountain, thunder: the image of providing nourishment. The noble person is careful of their words and temperate in eating and drinking.

Lines

1. Line 1, yang (nine)

   初九：舍尔灵龟，观我朵颐，凶。

   You let your magic tortoise go and look at me with the corners of your mouth drooping: misfortune. Abandoning your own strengths to envy others.

2. Line 2, yin (six)

   六二：颠颐，拂经，于丘颐，征凶。

   Turning to the summit for nourishment, deviating from the path: continuing brings misfortune. Depending on the wrong sources.

3. Line 3, yin (six)

   六三：拂颐，贞凶，十年勿用，无攸利。

   Turning away from nourishment; perseverance brings misfortune. Do not act thus for ten years; nothing furthers. Unhealthy growth is unsustainable.

4. Line 4, yin (six)

   六四：颠颐吉，虎视眈眈，其欲逐逐，无咎。

   Turning to the summit for provision of nourishment brings good fortune. Spying about with sharp eyes like a tiger with insatiable craving: no blame. Seeking support in order to nourish many, with focus.

5. Line 5, yin (six)

   六五：拂经，居贞吉，不可涉大川。

   Turning away from the path. To remain persevering brings good fortune. One should not cross the great water. When capacity is lacking, lean on the wise; don't gamble.

6. Line 6, yang (nine)

   上九：由颐，厉吉，利涉大川。

   The source of nourishment. Awareness of danger brings good fortune. It furthers to cross the great water. Become the platform that nourishes others.

In the enterprise

The hexagram of nourishment, sources of revenue and sustainable operation: revenue mix, cash-flow health, employee well-being, customer value, the capacity to 'fill one's own mouth'. 'Careful with words, temperate in eating': control both outputs and inputs.

Psychological lens

Resonates with self-regulation and health-behaviour research; 'letting your magic tortoise go' describes self-devaluation through social comparison.

Related hexagrams

Situations in the library that use this hexagram

• Keep investing in the cash cow? Enterprise, Line 6, yang (nine)
• Outsource or build in-house? Enterprise, Line 1, yang (nine)
• Dependence on marketplaces Enterprise, Line 2, yin (six)
• Hospitality, gifts and anti-bribery limits Enterprise, Judgment
• Envying others Individuals, Line 1, yang (nine)
• Whether to have children Individuals, Judgment
• Not comparing your child with others Individuals, Line 1, yang (nine)
• Asking for help Individuals, Line 4, yin (six)
• Self-worth as an heir Individuals, Judgment
• Moderation in eating habits Individuals, Judgment

Situation readings are a reflective framework for discussion—not predictions and not a substitute for professional advice.