American Express AXP under CEO Stephen Squeri

American Express AXP under CEO Stephen Squeri

 

HEXAGRAM 33 – Tun – Retreat

Above    CHIEN     THE CREATIVE, HEAVEN

Below    KEN     KEEPING STILL, MOUNTAIN

The power of the dark is ascending.

The light retreats to security, so that

the dark cannot encroach upon it.

This retreat is a matter

• not of man’s will
  
• but of natural law.
  

Therefore in this case withdrawal is proper;

it is the correct way to behave

in order not to exhaust one’s forces. 1

In the calendar this hexagram is linked with the sixth month (July-August), in which

the forces of winter are already showing their influence.

 

THE JUDGMENT

RETREAT. Success.

In what is small, perseverance furthers.

Conditions are such that the hostile forces favored by the time are advancing.

In this case

• retreat is the right course, and
  
• it is through retreat that success is achieved.
  

But success consists in being able to carry out the retreat correctly.

Retreat is not to be confused with flight.

• Flight means saving oneself under any circumstances whereas
  
• retreat is a sign of strength.
  

We must be careful not to miss the right moment while

we are in full possession of power and position.

Then we shall be able

• to interpret the signs of the time
  
  • before it is too late and
    
• to prepare for provisional retreat
  
  • instead of being drawn into a desperate life-and-death struggle.
    

Thus

• we do not simply abandon the field to the opponent;
  
• we make it difficult for him to advance
  

  by showing perseverance in single acts of resistance.
  

In this way

we prepare, while retreating, for the counter – movement.

Understanding the laws of a constructive retreat of this sort is not easy.

The meaning that lies hidden in such a time is important.

 

THE IMAGE

Mountain under heaven: the image of RETREAT.

Thus the superior man

keeps the inferior man at a distance,

Not angrily but with reserve.

The mountain rises up under heaven, but owing to its nature

it finally comes to a stop.

Heaven on the other hand

• retreats upward before it into the distance and
  
• remains out of reach.
  

This symbolizes the behavior of the superior man toward a climbing inferior;

he retreats into his own thoughts as the inferior man comes forward.

He does not hate him,

for hatred is a form of subjective involvement

by which we are bound to the hated object.

The superior man shows strength (heaven) in that

he brings the inferior man to a standstill (mountain)

by his dignified reserve.

 

THE LINES

 

0 Six at the beginning means:

At the tail in retreat.

This is dangerous.

One must not wish to undertake anything.

Since the hexagram is the picture of something that is retreating,

• the lowest line represents the tail and
  
• the top line the head.
  

In a retreat it is advantageous to be at the front.

Here

one is at the back,

in immediate contact with the pursuing enemy.

This is dangerous, and under such circumstances

it is not advisable to undertake anything.

Keeping still is the easiest way of escaping from the threatening danger.

Six in the second place means:

He holds him fast with yellow oxhide.

No one can tear him loose.

Yellow is the color of the middle.

It indicates

• that which is correct and
  
• in line with duty.
  

Oxhide is strong and not to be torn.

While

• the superior men retreat and the inferior press after them,
  
• the inferior man represented here
  

  holds on so firmly and tightly to the superior men that
  

  the latter cannot shake him off.
  

And because

• he is in quest of what is right and so strong in purpose,
  
• he reaches his goal. 2
  

Thus

the line confirms what is said in the Judgment:

“In what is small” – here equivalent to “in the inferior man” – “perseverance furthers.”

Nine in the third place means:

A halted retreat Is

• nerve-wracking and
  
• dangerous.
  

To retain people as men – and maidservants

Brings good fortune.

When it is time to retreat it is both

• unpleasant and
  
• dangerous
  

to be held back,

because then

one no longer has freedom of action.

In such a case

the only expedient is to take into one’s service, so to speak,

those who refuse to let one go,

so that

one may at least

• keep one’s initiative and
  
• not fall helplessly under their domination.
  

But even with this expedient

the situation is far from satisfactory –

for what can one hope to accomplish with such servants?

 

MOVING HEXAGRAM

 

HEXAGRAM 10 – Lu – Treading (Conduct)

Above    CH’IEN    THE CREATIVE, HEAVEN

Below    TUI        THE JOYOUS, LAKE

1. The name of the hexagram means on the one hand the right way of conducting oneself.
   

• Heaven, the father, is above,
  

and

• the lake, the youngest daughter, is below.
  

This shows the difference between high and low, upon which

composure, correct social conduct, depends.

1. On the other hand, the word for the name of the hexagram, TREADING, 1
   

   means literally treading upon something.
   

   The small and cheerful [Tui] treads upon the large and strong [Ch’ien].
   

   The direction of movement of the two primary trigrams is upward.
   

   The fact that the strong treads on the weak is not mentioned in the Book of Changes,
   

   because it is taken for granted.
   

   For the weak to take a stand against the strong is not dangerous here,
   

   because it happens in good humor [Tui] and without presumption,
   

so that

the strong man is not irritated but takes it all in good part.

 

THE JUDGMENT

TREADING.

Treading upon the tail of the tiger.

It does not bite the man.

Success.

The situation is really difficult.

That which is strongest and that which is weakest are close together.

• The weak follows behind the strong and worries it.
  
• The strong, however, acquiesces and does not hurt the weak,
  

because the contact is in good humor and harmless.

In terms of a human situation, one is handling wild, intractable people. In such a case one’s purpose will be achieved if one behaves with decorum. Pleasant manners succeed even with irritable people.

 

THE IMAGE

Heaven above, the lake below: The image Of TREADING.

Thus the superior man

• discriminates between high and low,
  

And thereby

• fortifies the thinking of the people.
  

Heaven and the lake show a difference of elevation that inheres in the natures of the two,

hence

no envy arises.

Among mankind also there are necessarily differences of elevation;

it is impossible to bring about universal equality.

But it is important that differences in social rank should not be arbitrary and unjust,

for if this occurs, envy and class struggle are the inevitable consequences.

• If, on the other hand, external differences in rank correspond with differences in inner worth,
  

and

• if inner worth forms the criterion of external rank,
  

people acquiesce and order reigns in society.

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