Hexagram 42 · 益 · Yì
Increase
- Element:
- Wind over Thunder
- Key themes:
- growth, benefit, expansion, generosity, opportunity
Image
Wind and thunder working together, symbolizing growth, expansion, and mutual benefit.
Overall message
Hexagram 42 represents growth, expansion, and mutual benefit. It encourages generosity, collaboration, and seizing opportunities for progress. Success comes from sharing your gains and working harmoniously with others.
Embrace opportunities for growth and expansion. Be generous and share your blessings with others. Success comes from collaboration and mutual benefit.
Classical text (Legge, 1882)
Judgment. Yî indicates that (in the state which it denotes) there will be advantage in every movement which shall be undertaken, that it will be advantageous (even) to cross the great stream.
Image. (The trigram representing) wind and that for thunder form Yî. The superior man, in accordance with this, when he sees what is good, moves towards it; and when he sees his errors, he turns from them.
From James Legge's translation of the I Ching (Sacred Books of the East, vol. XVI, 1882). Public domain.
The six lines
Line 6 · Overextension
The benefits of growth may lead to overextension. Be mindful of limits.
Avoid greed or overreaching. Maintain balance and moderation.
Line 5 · Great Increase
A major opportunity for growth arises. Act with confidence and integrity.
Take bold but thoughtful action to achieve success.
Line 4 · Sharing Abundance
Your growth benefits others. Share your success and create harmony.
Be generous and use your gains to help others.
Line 3 · Unexpected Gains
Unexpected benefits come your way. Be prepared to adapt and make the most of them.
Stay flexible and open to new possibilities.
Line 2 · Receiving Help
Help and support are available. Accept assistance graciously and use it to further your goals.
Be open to collaboration and trust in the support of others.
Line 1 · Initial Opportunity
A small opportunity for growth presents itself. Act decisively to take advantage of it.
Seize the opportunity, but remain cautious and thoughtful.
Related hexagrams
Opposite: If every line of this hexagram were inverted (yang to yin and vice versa), you would have Hexagram 32 · 恒 · Héng. This is the hexagram's structural counterpart — the situation it could become if every dynamic flipped.
Nuclear: The hexagram hidden inside this one, built from lines 2-3-4 and 3-4-5, is Hexagram 23 · 剥 · Bō. The nuclear hexagram describes the inner pattern that produced this situation — what is going on underneath.
If only one line of this hexagram changed in your cast, you would arrive at:
- Line 1 changing → Hexagram 20 · 观 · Guān
- Line 2 changing → Hexagram 61 · 中孚 · Zhōng Fú
- Line 3 changing → Hexagram 37 · 家人 · Jiā Rén
- Line 4 changing → Hexagram 25 · 无妄 · Wú Wàng
- Line 5 changing → Hexagram 27 · 颐 · Yí
- Line 6 changing → Hexagram 3 · 屯 · Zhūn