Outcome of Coca Cola (KO) buyout of Costa Coffee ($5.1 billons)

Outcome of Coca Cola (KO) buyout of Costa Coffee ($5.1 billons)

HEXAGRAM 64 – Wei Chi – Before Completion

Above    Li    THE CLINGING, FLAME

Below    K’AN    THE ABYSMAL, WATER

This hexagram indicates a time when

the transition from disorder to order is not yet completed.

The change is indeed prepared for,

since

all the lines in the upper trigram are in relation to those in the lower (1).

However,

they are not yet in their places.

While

• the preceding hexagram offers an analogy to autumn,
  
  • which forms the transition
    

    from summer to winter,
    

• this hexagram presents a parallel to spring,
  
  • which leads out of winter’s stagnation into
    

    the fruitful time of summer.
    

With this hopeful outlook the Book of Changes comes to its close.

THE JUDGMENT

BEFORE COMPLETION.

Success.

But if the little fox, after nearly completing the crossing,

Gets his tail in the water,

There is nothing that would further.

The conditions are difficult.

The task is great and full of responsibility.

It is nothing less than that of

leading the world out of confusion back to order.

But

it is a task that promises success,

because

there is a goal that can unite the forces now tending in different directions.

At first, however,

one must move warily, like an old fox walking over ice.

The caution of a fox walking over ice is proverbial in China.

His ears are constantly alert to the cracking of the ice,

as

he carefully and circumspectly searches out the safest spots.

A young fox who as yet has not acquired this caution

goes ahead boldly,

and it may happen that

he falls in and gets his tail wet

when

he is almost across the water.

Then of course

his effort has been all in vain.

Accordingly, in times “before completion,”

• deliberation
  

and

• caution
  

are the prerequisites of success.

THE IMAGE

Fire over water: The image of the condition before transition.

Thus

the superior man is careful

In the differentiation of things,

So that each finds its place.

When

fire,

• which by nature flames upward,
  

  is above,
  

and

water,

• which flows downward,
  

  is below,
  

their effects

• take opposite directions
  

and

• remain unrelated.
  

If

• we wish to achieve an effect,
  
• we must first
  
  • investigate the nature of the forces in question
    

    and
    

  • ascertain their proper place.
    

If

• we can bring these forces to bear in the right place,
  
  • they will have the desired effect,
    

  and
  

  • completion will be achieved.
    

But in order to handle external forces properly,

• we must above all arrive at the correct standpoint ourselves,
  

  for only from this vantage can we work correctly.
  

THE LINES

Nine in the second place means:

He brakes his wheels.

Perseverance brings good fortune.

Here again

the time to act has not yet come.

But

the patience needed is not that of

• idle waiting without thought of the morrow.
  

Kept up indefinitely,

• this would not lead to any success.
  

Instead,

an individual

• must develop in himself the strength
  

that

• will enable him to go forward.
  

He

• must have a vehicle, as it were, to effect the crossing.
  

But

he

• must for the time being use the brakes.
  

Patience in the highest sense means

putting brakes on strength.

Therefore

he must not

• fall asleep
  

and

• lose sight of the goal.
  

If

• he remains strong and steadfast in his resolve,
  
• all goes well in the end.
  

Six in the third place means:

Before completion, attack brings misfortune.

It furthers one to cross the great water.

The time of transition has arrived,

but

one

• lacks the strength to complete the transition.
  

If

one

• should attempt to force it,
  
• disaster would result,
  

  because
  

• collapse would then be unavoidable.
  

What is to be done?

A new situation must be created;

one

• must engage the energies of able helpers
  

and in this fellowship

• take the decisive step – cross the great water.
  

Then completion will become possible.

MOVING HEXAGRAM

HEXAGRAM 56 – Lu – The Wanderer

Above    LI    THE CLINGING, FIRE

Below    KEN    KEEPING STILL, MOUNTAIN

• The mountain, Ken, stands still;
  

above it

• fire, Li, flames up and does not tarry.
  

Therefore

the two trigrams do not stay together.

Strange lands and separation are the wanderer’s lot.

THE JUDGMENT

THE WANDERER.

Success through smallness.

Perseverance brings good fortune

To the wanderer.

When

• a man is a wanderer and stranger,
  
  • he should not be gruff nor overbearing.
    
• He has no large circle of acquaintances
  

therefore

• he should not give himself airs.
  

• He must be cautious and reserved;
  

in this way

• he protects himself from evil.
  

If

• he is obliging toward others,
  
  • he wins success.
    

A wanderer has no fixed abode;

his home is the road.

Therefore

he must take care to remain upright and steadfast,

so that

he

• sojourns only in the proper places,
  
• associating only with good people.
  

Then

he

• has good fortune and
  
• can go his way unmolested.
  

THE IMAGE

Fire on the mountain: The image of THE WANDERER.

Thus

the superior man

• Is clear-minded and cautious In imposing penalties, And
  
• protracts no lawsuits.
  

When grass on a mountain takes fire, there is bright light.

However,

the fire

• does not linger in one place, but
  
• travels on to new fuel.
  

It is a phenomenon of short duration.

This is what penalties and lawsuits should be like.

They

• should be a quickly passing matter, and
  
• must not be dragged out indefinitely.
  

• Prisons ought to be places where people are lodged only temporarily,
  

as guests are.

• They must not become dwelling places.
  

 

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