初
初六。利用為大作、元吉、无咎。
Good to undertake great works—great fortune, no blame. Start building.
䷩
Hexagram 42
Increase (風雷益)
Fūrai-eki / Yì
Wind and thunder reinforce—benefit flows. Gain by giving; wealth shared multiplies.
Judgment
益。利有攸往。利渉大川。
Increase. Favorable to have somewhere to go. Favorable to cross the great river.
Give to receive; act boldly to grow resources for all.
Line-by-Line (Yao)
Interpretations if the line changes.
二
六二。或益之十朋之龜、弗克違。永貞吉。王用享于帝、吉。
Someone gives a great treasure—you cannot refuse; lasting correctness is good. The king sacrifices to Heaven—auspicious. Accept blessing and use it well.
三
六三。益之用凶事、无咎。有孚中行、告公用圭。
Increase used on a bad matter—no blame. With sincere moderation, inform the lord with a jade tablet. Be transparent.
四
六四。中行、告公從。利用為依遷國。
Moderate path; inform the lord who follows. Good to rely on this to move the state.
五
九五。有孚惠心、勿問元吉。有孚惠我徳。
Sincere, benevolent heart—do not question; great fortune. Sincerity blesses your virtue.
上
上九。莫益之、或擊之、立心勿恒、凶。
No one increases you; some strike you. If your heart lacks constancy—misfortune. Stay firm despite lack of help.
Practical Reading: Love, Career, Health & Decisions
When you cast Hexagram 42, Yì (Increase), the Book of Changes shows you a situation with Xun (Wind) above and Zhen (Thunder) below. Wind and thunder reinforce—benefit flows. Gain by giving; wealth shared multiplies. Use the cards below to map that pattern onto your specific question — a love reading, a career decision, a health concern, or a yes/no choice.
Love & Relationships
Invest generously in the relationship; returns will come. In a love or relationship reading, Hexagram 42 (Yì) describes the meeting point of Xun (wind) above and Zhen (thunder) below: how the outer situation meets your inner state. Ask whether you are forcing the relationship to fit a picture, or letting it move at the rhythm this hexagram suggests. For a partnered question, read the changing lines to see which side — yours or the other person's — is being asked to shift.
Work & Career
Good time for expansion and bold ventures; share gains with the team. In work and career, Yì points to whether the outer market or workplace (Xun (wind)) and your inner stance (Zhen (thunder)) are in alignment. If a project, negotiation, or job change is the question, ask what this hexagram says about timing rather than effort: pushing harder rarely changes a Yì situation; reading the configuration usually does.
Health & Wellbeing
Increase healthy habits; shared efforts improve outcomes. For a body or wellness reading, treat the lines of Hexagram 42 as descriptions of phases, not diagnoses. Yì usually signals where energy needs to be conserved versus where it is asking to be expressed. Combine the hexagram's advice with concrete medical guidance — the I Ching is a reflective tool, not a substitute for professional care.
Decision-Making
When the question is a yes/no — should I take the offer, move, leave, commit? — read Hexagram 42 (Yì, Increase) as a statement about the configuration of your situation rather than the outcome. The summary "Wind and thunder reinforce—benefit flows. Gain by giving; wealth shared multiplies." is your starting frame. Ask: does this action respect that configuration, or fight it? Changing lines, if any, tell you which specific aspect needs to bend.
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