Starbucks Corp SBUX under CEO Laxman Narasimhan

Starbucks Corp SBUX under CEO Laxman Narasimhan

 

HEXAGRAM 05 – Hsu – Waiting (Nourishment)

Above    K’AN        THE ABYSMAL, WATER

Below    CH’IEN    THE CREATIVE, HEAVEN

All beings have need of nourishment from above.

But the gift of food comes in its own time, and

for this one must wait.

This hexagram shows the clouds in the heavens, giving rain

• to refresh all that grows and
  
• to provide mankind with food and drink.
  

The rain will come in its own time.

• We cannot make it come;
  
• we have to wait for it.
  

The idea of waiting is further suggested by the attributes of the two trigrams –

• strength within,
  
• danger in front. 2
  

• Strength in the face of danger does not plunge ahead but bides its time, whereas
  
• weakness in the face of danger
  
  • grows agitated and
    
  • has not the patience to wait.
    

 

THE JUDGMENT

WAITING. If you are sincere,

You have light and success.

Perseverance brings good fortune.

It furthers one to cross the great water.

Waiting is not mere empty hoping.

It has the inner certainty of reaching the goal.

Such certainty alone gives that light which leads to success.

This leads to the perseverance that

• brings good fortune and
  
• bestows power to cross the great water.
  

One is faced with a danger that has to be overcome.

Weakness and impatience can do nothing.

Only a strong man can stand up to his fate,

for his inner security enables him to endure to the end.

This strength shows itself in uncompromising truthfulness (with himself).

It is only when we have the courage to face things exactly as they are,

without any sort of self-deception or illusion,

that a light will develop out of events,

by which the path to success may be recognized.

This recognition must be followed by resolute and persevering action.

For only the man who goes to meet his fate resolutely is equipped to deal with it adequately.

Then he will be able to cross the great water –

that is to say,

he will be capable

• of making the necessary decision and
  
• of surmounting the danger.
  

 

THE IMAGE

Clouds rise up to heaven: The image of WAITING.

Thus the superior man

• eats and
  
• drinks,
  
• Is joyous and
  
• of good cheer.
  

When clouds rise in the sky, it is a sign that it will rain.

There is nothing to do but to wait until the rain falls.

It is the same in life when destiny is at work.

• We should not worry and seek to shape the future by interfering in things before the time is ripe.
  
• We should quietly fortify the body with food and drink and the mind with gladness and good cheer.
  

Fate comes when it will, and thus we are ready.

 

THE LINES

 

Six at the top means:

One falls into the pit.

Three uninvited guests arrive.

Honor them, and in the end there will be good fortune.

The waiting is over; the danger can no longer be averted.

One

• falls into the pit and
  
• must yield to the inevitable.
  

Everything seems to have been in vain.

But precisely in this extremity things take an unforeseen turn.

Without a move on one’s own part, there is outside intervention.

At first one cannot be sure of its meaning: is it rescue or is it destruction?

A person in this situation

• must keep his mind alert and not withdraw into himself with a sulky gesture of refusal, but
  
• must greet the new turn with respect.
  

Thus he ultimately escapes the danger, and all goes well.

Even happy turns of for-tune often come in a form that at first seems strange to us.

 

 

MOVING HEXAGRAM

 

 

HEXAGRAM 09 – Hsiao Ch’u – The Taming Power of the Small

Above    SUN        THE GENTLE, WIND

Below    CH’IEN    THE CREATIVE. HEAVEN

This hexagram means the force of the small –

the power of the shadowy – that

• restrains,
  
• tames,
  
• impedes.
  

A weak line in the fourth place, that of the minister, 1 holds the five strong lines in check.

In the Image it is the wind blowing across the sky.

The wind

• restrains the clouds, the rising breath of the Creative, and
  
• makes them grow dense,
  
• but as yet is not strong enough to turn them to rain.
  

The hexagram presents a configuration of circumstances in which

a strong element is temporarily held in leash by a weak element.

It is only through gentleness that this can have a successful outcome.

 

THE JUDGMENT

THE TAMING POWER, OF THE SMALL

Has success.

Dense clouds, no rain from our western region.

This image refers to the state of affairs in China at the time when King Wen,

who came originally from the west,

was in the east at the court of the reigning tyrant Chou Hsin.

The moment for action on a large scale has not yet arrived.

King Wen could only keep the tyrant somewhat in check by friendly persuasion.

Hence the image of many clouds, promising moisture and blessing to the land,

although as yet no rain falls.

The situation is not unfavorable;

there is a prospect of ultimate success,

• but there are still obstacles in the way, and
  
• we can merely take preparatory measures.
  

Only through the small means of friendly persuasion can we exert any influence.

The time has not yet come for sweeping measures.

However, we may be able, to a limited extent, to act as a restraining and subduing influence.

To carry out our purpose we need

• firm determination within and
  
• gentleness and adaptability in external relations.
  

 

THE IMAGE

The wind drives across heaven: The image of THE TAMING POWER OF THE SMALL.

Thus the superior man

Refines the outward aspect of his nature.

The wind can indeed drive the clouds together in the sky;

yet, being nothing but air, without solid body,

it does not produce great or lasting effects.

So also an individual,

in times when he can produce no great effect in the outer world,

can do nothing except refine the expression of his nature in small ways.

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