Intel INTC under CEO Robert Swan

 

 

HEXAGRAM 04 – Meng – Youthful Folly

Above    KEN    KEEPING STILL, MOUNTAIN

Below    K’AN    THE ABYSMAL, WATER

In this hexagram we are reminded of youth and folly, in two different ways.

• The image of the upper trigram, Ken, is the mountain, that of the lower, K’an, is water;
  
  • the spring rising at the foot of the mountain is the image of inexperienced youth.
    
• Keeping still is the attribute of the upper trigram; that of the lower is the abyss, danger.
  
  • Stopping in perplexity on the brink of a dangerous abyss is a symbol of the folly of youth.
    

However, the two trigrams also show the way of overcoming the follies of youth.

Water is something that of necessity flows on.

When the spring gushes forth, it does not know at first where it will go.

But its steady flow fills up the deep place blocking its progress, and success is attained.

 

THE JUDGMENT

YOUTHFUL FOLLY has success.

It is not I who seek the young fool;

The young fool seeks me.

At the first oracle I inform him.

If he asks two or three times, it is importunity.

If he importunes, I give him no information.

Perseverance furthers.

In the time of youth, folly is not an evil.

One may succeed in spite of it, provided one

• finds an experienced teacher and
  
• has the right attitude toward him.
  

This means, first of all, that the youth himself

• must be conscious of his lack of experience and
  
• must seek out the teacher.
  

Without this modesty and this interest there is no guarantee that he has the necessary receptivity,

which should express itself in respectful acceptance of the teacher.

This is the reason why the teacher must wait to be sought out instead of offering himself.

Only thus can the instruction take place

• at the right time and
  
• in the right way.
  

A teacher’s answer to the question of a pupil ought to be clear and definite

like that expected from an oracle;

thereupon it ought to be accepted as

• a key for resolution of doubts and
  
• a basis for decision.
  

If mistrustful or unintelligent questioning is kept up,

it serves only to annoy the teacher.

He does well to ignore it in silence,

just as the oracle

• gives one answer only and
  
• refuses to be tempted by questions implying doubt.
  

Given in addition a perseverance that never slackens

until the points are mastered one by one,

real success is sure to follow.

Thus the hexagram counsels

• the teacher as well as
  
• the pupil.
  

 

THE IMAGE

A spring wells up at the foot of the mountain: The image of YOUTH.

Thus the superior man fosters his character

By thoroughness in all that he does.

A spring

• succeeds in flowing on and
  
• escapes stagnation by filling up all the hollow places in its path.
  

In the same way character is developed by thoroughness that skips nothing but, like water,

gradually and steadily fills up all gaps and so flows onward.

 

 

NUCLEAR HEXAGRAM

 

 

HEXAGRAM 24 – Fu – Return (The Turning Point)

Above    K’UN    THE RECEPTIVE, EARTH

Below    CHEN    THE AROUSING, THUNDER

The idea of a turning point arises from

the fact that

• after the dark lines have pushed all of the light lines upward and out of the hexagram,
  
• another light line enters the hexagram from below.
  

The time of darkness is past.

The winter solstice brings the victory of light.

This hexagram is linked with the eleventh month,

the month of the solstice (December-January).

THE JUDGMENT

RETURN. Success.

• Going out and coming in without error.
  
• Friends come without blame.
  
• To and fro goes the way.
  
• On the seventh day comes return.
  
• It furthers one to have somewhere to go.
  

After a time of decay comes the turning point.

The powerful light that has been banished returns.

There is movement, but

it is not brought about by force.

The upper trigram K’un is characterized by devotion;

thus the movement is natural,
arising spontaneously.

For this reason the transformation of the old becomes easy.

• The old is discarded and
  
• the new is introduced.
  

Both measures accord with the time;

therefore no harm results.

Societies of people sharing the same views are formed.

But since these groups

• come together in full public knowledge and
  
• are in harmony with the time,
  

• all selfish separatist tendencies are excluded, and
  
• no mistake is made.
  

The idea of RETURN is based on the course of nature.

• The movement is cyclic, and
  
• the course completes itself.
  

Therefore

it is not necessary to hasten anything artificially.

Everything comes of itself at the appointed time.

This is the meaning of heaven and earth.

All movements are accomplished in six stages, and

the seventh brings return.

Thus

• the Winter solstice, with which the decline of the year begins,
  
  • comes in the seventh month after the summer solstice;
    

so too

• sunrise
  
  • comes in the seventh double hour after sunset.
    

Therefore

seven is the number of the young light, and

it arises when six, the number of the great darkness, is increased by one.

In this way

the state of rest gives place to movement.

THE IMAGE

Thunder within the earth: The image of THE TURNING POINT.

Thus

• the kings of antiquity closed the passes At the time of solstice.
  
• Merchants and strangers did not go about, And
  
• the ruler Did not travel through the provinces.
  

The winter solstice has always been celebrated in China as the resting time of the year –

a custom that survives in the time of rest observed at the new year.

In winter the life energy, symbolized by thunder, the Arousing is still underground.

Movement is just at its beginning;

therefore

it must be strengthened by rest,

so that it will not be dissipated by being used prematurely.

This principle, i.e., of allowing energy that is renewing itself to be reinforced by rest,

applies to all similar situations.

• The return of health after illness,
  
• the return of understanding after an estrangement:
  

everything must be treated tenderly and with care at the beginning,

so that the return may lead to a flowering.

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