Cloudflare Inc NET under CEO Matthew Prince

Cloudflare Inc NET under CEO Matthew Prince

 

HEXAGRAM 12 – P’i – Standstill (Stagnation)

Above    CH’IEN    THE CREATIVE, HEAVEN

Below    K’UN        THE RECEPTIVE, EARTH

This hexagram is the opposite of the preceding one.

• Heaven is above, drawing farther and farther away, while
  
• the earth below sinks farther into the depths.
  

The creative powers are not in relation.

It is a time of standstill and decline.

This hexagram is linked with the seventh month (August-September),

when

• the year has passed its zenith and
  
• autumnal decay is setting in.
  

 

THE JUDGMENT

STANDSTILL.

Evil people do not further

The perseverance of the superior man.

• The great departs
  
• the small approaches.
  

• Heaven and earth are out of communion and
  
• all things are benumbed.
  

• What is above has no relation to what is below, and
  
• on earth confusion and disorder prevail.
  

• The dark power within,
  
• the light power is without.
  

• Weakness is within,
  
• harshness without.
  

• Within are the inferior, and
  
• without are the superior.
  

• The way of inferior people is in ascent;
  
• the way of superior people is on the decline.
  

But the superior people do not allow themselves to be turned from their principles.

If the possibility of exerting influence is closed to them,

they nevertheless

• remain faithful to their principles and
  
• withdraw into seclusion.
  

 

THE IMAGE

Heaven and earth do not unite: The image Of STANDSTILL.

Thus

• the superior man falls back upon his inner worth In order to escape the difficulties.
  
• He does not permit himself to be honored with revenue.
  

When, owing to the influence of inferior men, mutual mistrust prevails in public life,

fruitful activity is rendered impossible,

because the fundaments are wrong.

Therefore

• the superior man knows what he must do under such circumstances;
  
• he does not allow himself to be tempted by dazzling offers to take part in public activities.
  

This would only expose him to danger, since he cannot assent to the meanness of the others.

He therefore

• hides his worth and
  
• withdraws into seclusion.
  

 

THE LINES

 

Six at the beginning means:

When ribbon grass is pulled up, the sod comes with it.

Each according to his kind.

Perseverance brings good fortune and success.

The text is almost the same as that of the first line of the preceding hexagram, but with a contrary meaning.

• In the latter a man is drawing another along with him on the road to an official career;
  
• here a man is drawing another with him into retirement from public life.
  

This is why the text says here,

• “Perseverance brings good fortune and success” and
  
• not “Undertakings bring good fortune.”
  

If

• it becomes impossible to make our influence count,
  
• it is only by retirement that we spare ourselves humiliation.
  

Success in a higher sense can be ours,

because we know how to safeguard the value of our personalities.

 

Nine at the top means:

The standstill comes to an end.

First standstill,

then good fortune.

The standstill does not last forever.

However,

it does not cease of its own accord;

the right man is needed to end it.

This is the difference between

• a state of peace and
  
• a state of stagnation.
  

Continuous effort is necessary to maintain peace:

left to itself it would change into stagnation and disintegration.

The time of disintegration, however,

• does not change back automatically to a condition of peace and prosperity;
  
• effort must be put forth in order to end it.
  

This shows

the creative attitude that man must take

if the world is to be put in order.

 

 

MOVING HEXAGRAM

 

 

HEXAGRAM 17 – Sui – Following

Above    TUI    THE JOYOUS, LAKE

Below    CHEN    THE AROUSING, THUNDER

The trigram Tui, the Joyous, whose attribute is gladness, is above;

Chen, the Arousing, which has the attribute of movement, is below.

Joy in movement induces following.

The Joyous is the youngest daughter, while

the Arousing is the eldest son.

An older man

• defers to a young girl and
  
• shows her consideration.
  

By this he moves her to follow him.

 

THE JUDGMENT

FOLLOWING has supreme success.

Perseverance furthers.

No blame.

In order to obtain a following one must first know how to adapt oneself.

If a man would rule he must first learn to serve,

for only in this way does he secure from those below him the joyous assent

that is necessary if they are to follow him.

If he has to obtain a following

• by force or cunning,
  
• by conspiracy or
  
• by creating factions,
  

he invariably arouses resistance, which obstructs willing adherence.

But even joyous movement can lead to evil consequences,

hence the added stipulation,

“Perseverance furthers”-that is, consistency in doing right – together with “No blame.”

• Just as we should not ask others to follow us unless this condition is fulfilled,
  
• so it is only under this condition that we can in turn follow others without coming to harm.
  

The thought of obtaining a following through adaptation to the demands of the time is a great and significant idea;

this is why the appended judgment is so favorable.

 

THE IMAGE

Thunder in the middle of the lake: The image of FOLLOWING.

Thus the superior man at nightfall

Goes indoors for rest and recuperation.

In the autumn electricity withdraws into the earth again and rests.

Here it is the thunder in the middle of the lake that serves as the image –

• thunder in its winter rest,
  
• not thunder in motion.
  

The idea of following in the sense of adaptation to the demands of the time

grows out of this image.

Thunder in the middle of the lake indicates times of

• darkness and
  
• rest.
  

Similarly, a superior man, after being tirelessly active all day,

allows himself rest and recuperation at night.

No situation can become favorable until one

• is able to adapt to it and
  
• does not wear himself out with mistaken resistance.
  

Comments

comments