The 64 hexagrams · No. 42
Hexagram 42: Increase
Wind and Thunder assisting each other. Put support where it can help.
An original modern reflection on the I Ching image. This is not a translation of the classical Judgment or line statements.
Put support where it can help
Wind and thunder suggest forces strengthening each other’s movement. Help is useful when it meets an actual need and leaves someone more able to continue. Consider both directions: what you can reasonably ask for, and what you can offer without overextending yourself. Small, well-placed assistance can travel far.
A question to sit with
Where would a little specific support make the greatest practical difference right now?
One small step
Make a clear, modest request or share a resource someone can immediately use. Say what it would help with and leave room for a genuine choice.
Reading the figure
The upper trigram is Wind; the lower trigram is Thunder. Xun is associated with both wind and wood, so its imagery may describe a breeze or a growing tree. The first line is at the bottom, and the sixth is at the top. You identify this hexagram from its six-line figure, not from a word match to your question.
Read the image alongside the actual circumstances you know. Notice what fits and what does not. The relating hexagram depends on your changing lines, so there is no single fixed “next hexagram” for this pattern.
What changes when one line moves?
This map changes exactly one line at a time. If your cast has several changing lines, all of them flip together; the resulting pattern may differ from every row below. These are structural changes, not translations of the classical line statements.
| Changing position | Relating hexagram |
|---|---|
| Line 1 · bottom | 20. Contemplation |
| Line 2 | 61. Inner Truth |
| Line 3 | 37. The Family |
| Line 4 | 25. Innocence |
| Line 5 | 27. Nourishment |
| Line 6 · top | 3. Difficulty at the Beginning |
Learn how changing lines work →
Keep a reading journal
If this hexagram appeared in a reading, note your question, your six coin totals, and one thing you want to observe. Come back later to record what happened. Your notes can help you see how your understanding changed, even when a reflection did not fit.
Try the free three-coin I Ching tool →
Classical reference: The Book of Changes. English names vary by edition; the number, pinyin and figure make the identification clear. About our method and sources.