I got the idea to pose this question from Miriam and received..

27.5 > 42.

Sounds to me like I Ching is suggesting one let friends know you're interested and let them do a little match making.

Hi Rosada
my take on this is:
Real nourishment comes from finding yourself - guard what comes in and guard what you give out - then when you have that your relationships with others will be where you need them to be.

Love and Xmas Hugs

Mike

Sounds good to me. I was getting my ideas from Wilhelm's translation of the line:

27.5
Turning away from the path.
To remain persevering brings good fortune.
One should not cross the great water.

"Turning away from the path."
Wilhelm goes on to say,"A man may be conscious of a deficiency in himself. thus he must turn from his path and beg counsel and help from one who is spiritually his superior" So I'm seeing this can mean, if you don't know anybody, stop trying to meet someone on your own and turn for help to some friend who's taste you admire and ak them to set you up.

"To remain persevering brings good fortune." Wilhelm comments, "If he maintains this attitude of mind perseveringly, success and good fortune are his. "

"One should not cross the great water." Wilhelm, "He must not put his own person forward, nor attempt great labors, such as crossing the great water." Thus, again not to put one'self forward, but to let a friend arrange a meeting.

And then the over all advice for increasing good relationships:
42. Increase
THE IMAGE
The superior man:
If he sees good, he imitates it;
If he has faults, he rids himself of them.

Suggests to me that you should listen to what others say about a particular person before becoming involved with them, this is a way to sort the wheat from the chaff and thus increase your circle with only good people.

How to build sound relationships and find worthy partners?

'Putting away the canons,
(throw out the rule-book)
Staying put with constancy: good fortune.
(settle in, persist, make yourself at home)
Does not allow crossing the great river.
(the building and finding phases are not a time for irrevocable commitments)'

Or so I'd guess. Nourishment's Increase happens when you can banish your old norms and ways of receiving nourishment (another translation for 'path' or 'canons': 'channels'), and when you can stay put while you're being inwardly 're-wired'.