Hexagram 27 Yi - Complete Guide Part 2: The Six Lines and the Stages of Nourishment
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BY NICOLE LAU
Hexagram 27 Yi - Complete Guide Part 2: The Six Lines and the Stages of Nourishment
Yi’s six lines tell the complete story of genuine nourishment — from the dangerous abandonment of genuine inner nourishment in favor of external gratification, through the progressive stages of seeking genuine nourishment, to the supreme expression of nourishing others from the hilltop. The journey of Yi is the journey from the first question of what we nourish ourselves with to the supreme expression of nourishing all beings.
Line 1 — Nine at the Bottom: Abandoning the Sacred Tortoise
You let your magic tortoise go, and look at me with the corners of your mouth drooping. Misfortune.
The first line of Yi describes the most dangerous failure of genuine nourishment: abandoning the sacred tortoise. The sacred tortoise is the image of genuine inner nourishment — the genuine inner virtue that nourishes itself without depending on external sources. The person who lets the magic tortoise go — who abandons genuine inner nourishment in favor of envying the external nourishment of others — finds misfortune. The genuine wisdom of Line 1: do not abandon genuine inner nourishment in favor of envying the external nourishment of others.
- Stage: The abandonment of genuine inner nourishment — the most dangerous failure
- Action: Do not abandon genuine inner nourishment; do not envy the external nourishment of others
- Wisdom: Misfortune — abandoning the sacred tortoise finds misfortune
Line 2 — Six in the Second Place: Seeking Nourishment from the Hill
Turning to the summit for nourishment, deviating from the path to seek nourishment from the hill. Continuing to do this brings misfortune.
The second line of Yi describes the danger of seeking nourishment from the wrong source: turning to the summit for nourishment, deviating from the path to seek nourishment from the hill. The person who deviates from the genuine path of genuine nourishment — who seeks nourishment from the wrong source, who turns to the summit rather than finding genuine nourishment within — finds that continuing to do this brings misfortune.
- Stage: Seeking nourishment from the wrong source — deviating from the path
- Action: Return to the genuine path of genuine nourishment; do not deviate to seek nourishment from the wrong source
- Wisdom: Continuing to do this brings misfortune — seeking nourishment from the wrong source
Line 3 — Six in the Third Place: Turning Away from Nourishment
Turning away from nourishment. Perseverance brings misfortune. Do not act thus for ten years. Nothing serves to further.
The third line of Yi describes the most severe warning of Yi: turning away from nourishment. The person who turns away from genuine nourishment — who perseveres in the wrong nourishment, who continues to nourish themselves with what is not genuine — finds that perseverance brings misfortune. Do not act thus for ten years: the most severe warning of Yi — the person who turns away from genuine nourishment finds that nothing serves to further for ten years.
- Stage: Turning away from genuine nourishment — the most severe warning
- Action: Do not turn away from genuine nourishment; do not persevere in the wrong nourishment
- Wisdom: Nothing serves to further — turning away from genuine nourishment for ten years
Line 4 — Six in the Fourth Place: Seeking Nourishment with a Tiger's Gaze
Turning to the summit for nourishment brings good fortune. Spying about with sharp eyes like a tiger with insatiable craving. No blame.
The fourth line of Yi describes the active seeking of genuine nourishment: turning to the summit for nourishment brings good fortune. The person who turns to the summit for genuine nourishment — who seeks genuine nourishment with the sharp eyes and insatiable craving of a tiger — finds good fortune. No blame: the active seeking of genuine nourishment with genuine intensity finds no blame.
- Stage: The active seeking of genuine nourishment — the tiger's gaze
- Action: Seek genuine nourishment actively and intensely; turn to the summit for genuine nourishment
- Wisdom: Good fortune, no blame — active seeking of genuine nourishment
Line 5 — Six in the Fifth Place: Deviating from the Path
Turning away from the path. To remain persevering brings good fortune. One should not cross the great water.
The fifth line of Yi describes the genuine nourishment of the ruler: turning away from the path, remaining persevering brings good fortune. The ruler of Line 5 recognizes that they cannot yet cross the great water — that the genuine nourishment they have received is not yet sufficient for the great undertaking. Remaining persevering brings good fortune: the genuine wisdom of Line 5 is the wisdom of genuine perseverance in genuine nourishment before the great undertaking.
- Stage: The ruler's nourishment — perseverance before the great undertaking
- Action: Persevere in genuine nourishment; do not cross the great water before the nourishment is sufficient
- Wisdom: Good fortune — remaining persevering in genuine nourishment
Line 6 — Nine at the Top: Nourishment from the Hilltop
The source of nourishment. Awareness of danger brings good fortune. It furthers one to cross the great water.
The supreme line of Yi — the source of nourishment. The person of Line 6 has become the source of genuine nourishment for others — the hilltop from which genuine nourishment flows to all beings. Awareness of danger brings good fortune: even the source of genuine nourishment must maintain genuine awareness of danger. It furthers one to cross the great water: the person who has become the source of genuine nourishment finds that it furthers to cross the great water — the great undertaking is now possible.
- Stage: The source of nourishment — nourishing all beings from the hilltop
- Action: Become the source of genuine nourishment; maintain awareness of danger
- Wisdom: Good fortune, it furthers to cross the great water — the source of nourishment
The Complete Journey: A Summary
- Line 1: Abandoning the sacred tortoise — the most dangerous failure; misfortune
- Line 2: Seeking from the wrong source — deviating from the path; misfortune
- Line 3: Turning away from nourishment — the most severe warning; nothing furthers for ten years
- Line 4: Tiger's gaze — active seeking of genuine nourishment; good fortune, no blame
- Line 5: Ruler's perseverance — genuine nourishment before the great undertaking; good fortune
- Line 6: Source of nourishment — nourishing all beings from the hilltop; it furthers to cross the great water
What Is Next in This Series
- Part 1: The Symbol and Structure
- Part 2 (This Article): The Six Lines — Complete Line-by-Line Commentary
- Part 3: Divination Guide — How to Read Yi in Practice
- Part 4: Philosophy — Yi in Confucian, Taoist, and Classical Thought
- Part 5: Practical Applications — Mindful Nourishment, Careful Speech, Temperate Living
- Part 6: Modern Interpretations — Nutritional Science, Mindfulness Research, Conscious Consumption
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