Yi :: Jaws

Auspicious :: Observe the jaws and what is nourishing

颐

䷚

6 :: first

Put aside the tortoise shell.¹ Observe your stuffed cheeks. Misfortune.

Do not use divination to justify selfish ambition and greed.

9 :: second

Blows to the jaw. Channels and muscles tensed. To go forward brings disaster.

You are preoccupied with personal gain. The situation is tense and inappropri-ate. Persistence invites illness and disaster.

6 :: third

Tense jaw. Great misfortune. Useless for ten years. No direction favorable.

Your compulsive selfishness causes an energy lockdown. You are obstructed, ill and/or isolated (imprisoned for ten years). There is no place to turn-no effort succeeds.

9 :: fourth

Shaking jaws. Auspicious. The glare of a tiger's eyes. No misfortune.

Your instincts to survive take you forward and bring you no misfortune. A hungry tiger possesses clarity and patience. Intense concentration brings about a successful breakthrough.

9 :: fifth

Worn out jaws. It is auspicious to wait. Do not cross the great river.

The energy it has cost you to succeed so far has worn you out; go no further. To avoid loss, it is best to stay put and be satisfied with what has been already gained.

6 :: top

Stuffed cheeks are dangerous, then auspicious.
It is favorable to cross the great river.

You sit tight and the danger that comes from your recent success passes. You may now press forward (cross the great river). When success shows too much (stuffed cheeks) you are a target for theft and the subject of envy (danger). Though your selfishness has made those around you jealous, you may now venture forward.

Image

Yi means jaw or stuffed cheeks and represents personal "hunger" and ambition. "Observe the jaws and what is nourishing" refers to a fortune telling method that "reads the face."² Exclusively cultivating self-interest isolates you and makes success difficult.

Auspices

Raw impulse is strong but dangerous. Excessive ambitions can bring about personal disaster. There will be setbacks in progress. Acting properly when the time is right goes well. In the acquisition of what you want (money or property) it is important to be strong but modest.

Good for taking exams, consulting a fortune-teller, and clarifying personal goals.

Bad for distant travel, overeating, romance, and marriage.

Comment

It is common, even today, for the people of North Asia to evaluate a person's character by observing what and how they eat. Our appetites and how we conduct ourselves in the acquisition of personal necessities says volumes about who we are.

In the hexagram Yi ambition itself is not condemned. In the Zhouyi there is no moralizing about ambition and greed, except to say, that selfishness is never the true or whole story of success. The Zhouyi sees all great accomplishment as a group effort. It is important to be discreet and appropriate when expressing personal ambition so that others join in and the fruits of your efforts may be enjoyed. Can you get over what you want and find out what you need?

Other Correspondences

Business: Entrepreneurial investment, mergers, planning, and acknowledging loyal helpers.

Disharmonies: Eating disorders, spleen deficiency, mental fatigue, liver qi stagnation, and obesity.

Prognosis: Fair. The patient must relax and then will respond well to food cures.