American Airlines Group AAL under CEO Robert Isom

American Airlines Group AAL under CEO Robert Isom

 

HEXAGRAM 06 – Sung – Conflict

Above    CH’IEN    THE CREATIVE, HEAVEN

Below    K’AN        THE ABYSMAL, WATER

1. The upper trigram, whose image is heaven, has an upward movement;
   

   the lower trigram, water, in accordance with its nature, tends downward.
   

   Thus the two halves move away from each other, giving rise to the idea of conflict.
   

2. The attribute of the Creative is strength
   

   that of the abysmal is danger, guile.
   

   Where cunning has force before it, there is conflict.
   

3. A third indication of conflict, in terms of character, is presented by the combination of
   

   deep cunning within and
   

   fixed determination outwardly.
   

   A person of this character will certainly be quarrelsome.
   

 

THE JUDGMENT

CONFLICT.

• You are sincere And
  
• are being obstructed.
  

A cautious halt halfway brings good fortune.

Going through to the end brings misfortune.

It furthers one to see the great man.

It does not further one to cross the great water.

Conflict develops when one

• feels himself to be in the right and
  
• runs into opposition.
  

If one is not convinced of being in the right, opposition leads

• to craftiness or high-handed encroachment but
  
• not to open conflict.
  

If a man is entangled in a conflict,

his only salvation lies in being so

• clear-headed and
  
• inwardly strong
  

that he is always ready to come to terms by meeting the opponent halfway.

To carry on the conflict to the bitter end has evil effects even when one is in the right,

because the enmity is then perpetuated.

It is important to see the great man,

that is, an impartial man whose authority is great enough to

• terminate the conflict amicably or
  
• assure a just decision.
  

In times of strife, crossing the great water is to be avoided, that is,

dangerous enterprises are not to be begun,

because in order to be successful they require concerted unity of forces.

Conflict within weakens the power to conquer danger without.

 

THE IMAGE

Heaven and water go their opposite ways: The image of Conflict.

Thus in all his transactions the superior man

Carefully considers the beginning.

The image indicates that

the causes of conflict are latent in the opposing tendencies of the two trigram.

Once these opposing tendencies appear, conflict is inevitable.

To avoid it, therefore, everything must be taken carefully into consideration in the very beginning.

• If rights and duties are exactly defined, or
  
• if, in a group, the spiritual trends of the individuals harmonize,
  

the cause of conflict is removed in advance.

 

THE LINES

 

Six at the beginning means:

If one does not perpetuate the affair,

There is a little gossip.

In the end, good fortune comes.

While a conflict is in the incipient stage, the best thing to do is to drop the issue.

Especially when the adversary is stronger,

it is not advisable to risk pushing the conflict to a decision.

It may come to a slight dispute, but in the end all goes well.

 

Nine in the second place means:

One cannot engage in conflict;

One returns home, gives way.

The people of his town,

Three hundred households,

Remain free of guilt.

In a struggle with an enemy of superior strength, retreat is no disgrace.

Timely withdrawal prevents bad consequences.

If, out of a false sense of honor, a man allowed himself to be tempted into an unequal conflict,

he would be drawing down disaster upon himself.

In such a case a wise and conciliatory attitude benefits the whole community,

which will then not be drawn into the conflict.

 

 

MOVING HEXAGRAM

 

 

HEXAGRAM 25 – Wu Wang – Innocence (The Unexpected)

Above    CH’IEN    THE CREATIVE, HEAVEN

Below    CHEN        THE AROUSING, THUNDER

• Ch’ien, heaven, is above;
  
• Chen, movement, is below.
  

The lower trigram Chen is under the influence of the strong line

it has received from above, from heaven.

When, in accord with this,

• movement follows the law of heaven,
  
• man is
  
  • innocent and
    
  • without guile.
    

His mind is

• natural and true,
  
• unshadowed by reflection or ulterior designs.
  

For

• wherever conscious purpose is to be seen,
  
• there the truth and innocence of nature have been lost.
  

Nature that is not directed by the spirit is

• not true
  
• but degenerate nature.
  

Starting out with the idea of the natural,

• the train of thought in part goes somewhat further and thus
  
• the hexagram includes also the idea of the unintentional or unexpected.
  

 

THE JUDGMENT

INNOCENCE. Supreme success.

Perseverance furthers.

If someone is not as he should be,

• He has misfortune,
  

And

• it does not further him To undertake anything.
  

Man has received from heaven a nature innately good,

to guide him in all his movements.

By devotion to this divine spirit within himself,

he attains an unsullied innocence that leads him to do right

• with instinctive sureness and
  
• without any ulterior thought of reward and personal advantage.
  

This instinctive certainty

• brings about supreme success and
  
• “furthers through perseverance.”
  

However,

• not everything instinctive is nature in this higher sense of the word,
  
• but only that which is right and in accord with the will of heaven.
  

Without this quality of rightness,

an unreflecting, instinctive way of acting brings only misfortune.

Confucius says about this:

• “He who departs from innocence,
  
  • what does he come to?
    
• Heaven’s will and blessing
  
  • do not go with his deeds.”
    

 

THE IMAGE

Under heaven thunder rolls: All things attain the natural state of innocence.

Thus the kings of old,

• rich in virtue, and
  
• in harmony with the time,
  

Fostered and nourished all beings.

In springtime

when thunder, life energy, begins to move again under the heavens,

• everything sprouts and grows, and
  
• all beings receive from the creative activity of nature
  

  the childlike innocence of their original state.
  

So it is with the good rulers of mankind:

drawing on the spiritual wealth at their command,

they

• take care of all forms of life and all forms of culture and
  
• do everything to further them, and at the proper time.
  

Comments

comments