Fate Therapeutics FATE under CEO John Wolchko

Fate Therapeutics FATE under CEO John Wolchko

 

HEXAGRAM 62 – Hsiao Kuo – Preponderance of the Small

Above    CHEN     THE AROUSING, THUNDER

Below    KEN    KEEPING STILL, MOUNTAIN

While in the hexagram Ta Kuo, PREPONDERANCE OF THE GREAT (28),

the strong lines

• preponderate and
  
• are within inclosed between weak lines at the
  
  • top and
    
  • bottom,
    

the present hexagram

• has weak lines preponderating,
  

though here again

• they are on the outside,
  
• the strong lines being within.
  

This indeed is the basis of

the exceptional situation indicated by the hexagram.

When

strong lines are outside,

we have the hexagram

• I, PROVIDING NOURISHMENT (27), or
  
• Chung Fu, INNER TRUTH (61);
  

neither represents an exceptional state.

When

• strong elements within preponderate,
  
• they necessarily enforce their will.
  

This creates struggle and exceptional conditions in general.

But

in the present hexagram

it is the weak element that perforce must mediate with the outside world.

If

• a man occupies a position of authority for which
  
• he is by nature really inadequate,
  

extraordinary prudence is necessary.

 

THE JUDGMENT

PREPONDERANCE OF THE SMALL.

Success.

Perseverance furthers.

• Small things may be done;
  
• great things should not be done.
  

The flying bird brings the message:

• It is not well to strive upward,
  
• It is well to remain below.
  

Great good fortune.

• Exceptional modesty and
  
• conscientiousness
  

are sure to be rewarded with success;

however,

if a man is not to throw himself away,

it is important that they should

• not become empty form and subservience
  
• but be combined always with a correct dignity in personal behavior.
  

We must understand the demands of the time

in order to find the necessary offset for its

• deficiencies and
  
• damages.
  

In any event

• we must not count on great success,
  
• since the requisite strength is lacking.
  

In this lies the importance of the message that

one should

• not strive after lofty things
  

but

• hold to lowly things.
  

The structure of the hexagram gives rise to the idea that

this message is brought by a bird.

In Ta Kuo, PREPONDERANCE OF THE GREAT (28),

• the four strong, heavy lines within,
  
• supported only by two weak lines without,
  

give the image of a sagging ridgepole.

Here

• the supporting weak lines are both
  
  • outside and
    
  • preponderant;
    

this gives the image of a soaring bird.

But

• a bird should not try to surpass itself and fly into the sun;
  
• it should descend to the earth, where its nest is.
  

In this way

• it gives the message conveyed by the hexagram.
  

 

THE IMAGE

Thunder on the mountain: The image of PREPONDERANCE OF THE SMALL.

Thus

• in his conduct the superior man gives preponderance to reverence.
  
• In bereavement be gives preponderance to grief.
  
• In his expenditures he gives preponderance to thrift.
  

• Thunder on the mountain is different from
  
• thunder on the plain.
  

In the mountains,

• thunder seems much nearer;
  

outside the mountains,

• it is less audible than the thunder of an ordinary storm.
  

Thus

the superior man derives an imperative from this image:

he must always fix his eyes

• more closely and
  
• more directly
  

on duty

than does the ordinary man,

even though this might make his behavior seem petty to the outside world.

He is exceptionally conscientious in his actions.

In bereavement

• emotion means more to him than ceremoniousness.
  

In all his personal expenditures

• he is extremely simple and unpretentious.
  

In comparison with the man of the masses,

• all this makes him stand out as exceptional.
  

But

the essential significance of his attitude lies in the fact that

in external matters

• he is on the side of the lowly.
  

 

THE LINES

 

Six in the second place means:

She

• passes by her ancestor And
  
• meets her ancestress.
  

He

• does not reach his prince And
  
• meets the official.
  

No blame.

Two exceptional situations are instanced here.

1. In the temple of ancestors,
   

where alternation of generations prevails,

the grandson

• stands on the same side as the grandfather.
  

Hence

• his closest relations are with the grandfather.
  

The present line designates

the grandson’s wife,

who during the sacrifice

• passes by the ancestor and
  
• goes toward the ancestress.
  

This unusual behavior is, however,

• an expression of her modesty.
  
• She ventures rather to approach the ancestress, for
  
• she feels related to her by their common sex.
  

Hence here

• deviation from the rule is not a mistake.
  

1. Another image is that of
   

   the official who, in compliance with regulation,
   

   first seeks an audience with his prince.
   

If

• he is not successful in this,
  
• he
  
• does not try to force anything
  

but

• goes about conscientious fulfillment of his duty,
  
• taking his place among the other officials.
  

This extraordinary restraint is likewise not a mistake in exceptional times.

(The rule is that every official should first have an audience

with the prince by whom he is appointed.

Here the appointment is made by the minister.)

 

Nine in the third place means:

If one is not extremely careful,

Somebody may

• come up from behind and
  
• strike him.
  

Misfortune.

At certain times

extraordinary caution is absolutely necessary.

But

it is just in such life situations that we find

• upright and strong personalities who, conscious of being in the right,
  

  disdain to hold themselves on guard,
  

because

• they consider it petty.
  

Instead,

• they go their way
  
  • proud and
    
  • unconcerned.
    

But this self-confidence deludes them.

There are dangers lurking for which

• they are unprepared.
  

Yet such danger is not unavoidable;

one can escape it

if

• he understands that the time demands that
  
• he pay especial attention to small and insignificant things.
  

 

Six at the top means:

He passes him by, not meeting him.

The flying bird leaves him.

Misfortune.

This means bad luck and injury.

If

• one overshoots the goal,
  
• one cannot hit it.
  

If

• a bird will not come to its nest but flies higher and higher,
  
• it eventually falls into the hunter’s net.
  

He who in times of extraordinary salience of small things

• does not know how to call a halt,
  

but

• restlessly seeks to press on and on,
  

draws upon himself misfortune at the hands of gods and men,

because

he

• deviates from the order of nature.
  

 

 

MOVING HEXAGRAM

 

 

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.
  

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