HEXAGRAM 08: ORIGINAL, INTERPRETATION
AND CASES
HEXAGRAM 08 – Pi -
Holding Together [Union]
Above K'AN THE ABYSMAL, WATER
Below K'UN THE RECEPTIVE, EARTH
The waters on the surface of the earth flow together wherever they can,
as for example in the ocean,
where all the rivers come together.
Symbolically this connotes
·
holding together and
·
the laws that regulate it.
The same idea is suggested by the fact that
all the lines of the hexagram except the fifth, the place of the ruler, are yielding.
The yielding lines hold together because they are influenced by
· a man of strong will in the leading position,
· a man who is their center of union.
Moreover, this strong and guiding personality in turn holds together with the others,
finding in them the complement of his own nature.
THE JUDGMENT
HOLDING TOGETHER brings good fortune.
Inquire of the oracle once again
Whether you possess sublimity, constancy, and perseverance;
Then there is no blame.
Those who are uncertain gradually join.
Whoever comes too late
Meets with misfortune.
What is required is that we unite with others, in order that
all may complement and aid one another through holding together.
But such holding together calls for a central figure around whom other persons may unite.
To become a center of influence holding people together is a
· grave matter and
· fraught with great responsibility.
It requires
· greatness of spirit,
· consistency, and
· strength.
Therefore let him who wishes to gather others about him ask himself whether he is equal to the undertaking,
for anyone attempting the task without a real calling for it
only makes confusion worse than if no union at all had taken place.
But when there is a real rallying point,
those who at first are hesitant or uncertain gradually come in of their own accord.
Late-comers must suffer the consequences, for in holding together the question of the right time is also important.
Relationships are formed and firmly established according to definite inner laws.
Common experiences strengthen these ties, and he who comes too late to share in these basic experiences must suffer for it if, as a straggler, he finds the door locked.
If a
man
·
has recognized the necessity for union and
·
does not feel strong enough to function as the center,
it is his duty to become a member of some other organic fellowship.
THE IMAGE
On the earth is water: The image Of HOLDING TOGETHER.
Thus the kings of antiquity
· Bestowed the different states as fiefs And
· cultivated friendly relations With the feudal lords.
Water
· fills up all the empty places on the earth and
· clings fast to it.
The social organization of ancient China was based on this principle of the holding together of
· dependents and
· rulers.
Water flows to unite with water, because all parts of it are subject to the same laws.
So too should human society hold together through a community of interests that
allows each individual to feel himself a member of a whole.
The
central power of a social organization must see to it that
every member finds that his true interest lies in holding together with it,
as was the case in the paternal relationship between king and vassals in ancient China.
THE LINES
Six at the beginning means:
Hold to him in truth and loyalty;
This is without blame.
Truth, like a full earthen bowl:
Thus in the end
Good fortune comes from without.
Fundamental sincerity is the only proper basis for forming relationships.
This attitude,
symbolized by a full earthen bowl, in which the content is everything and the empty form nothing,
shows itself
· not in clever words but
· through the strength of what lies within the speaker.
This strength is so great that it has power to attract good fortune to itself from without.
Six in the second place means:
Hold to him inwardly.
Perseverance brings good fortune.
If a person responds
· perseveringly and
· in the right way
to the behests from above that summon him to action,
· his relations with others are intrinsic and
· he does not lose himself.
But
if a man seeks association with others as if he were an obsequious office hunter,
he throws himself away.
He does not follow the path of the superior man, who never loses his dignity.
Six in the third place
means:
You hold together with the wrong people.
We are often among people who do not belong to our own sphere.
In that case we must beware of being drawn into false intimacy through force of habit.
Needless to say, this would have evil consequences.
Maintaining sociability without intimacy is the only right attitude toward such people,
because otherwise
we should not be free to enter into relationship with people of our own kind later on.
Six in the fourth place means:
Hold to him outwardly also.
Perseverance brings good fortune.
Here the relations with a man who is the center of union are well established.
Then we may, and indeed we should, show our attachment openly.
But we must
· remain constant and
· not allow ourselves to be led astray.
0 Nine in the fifth place means:
Manifestation of holding together.
In the hunt the king uses beaters on three sides only
And foregoes game that runs off in front.
The citizens need no warning.
Good fortune.
In the royal hunts of ancient China it was customary to drive up the game from three sides,
but on the fourth the animals had a chance to run off.
If they failed to do this
they had to pass through a gate behind which the king stood ready to shoot.
Only animals that entered here were shot;
those that ran off in front were permitted to escape.
This custom accorded with a kingly attitude;
the royal hunter did not wish to turn the chase into a slaughter,
but held that the kill should consist only of those animals which had so to speak
voluntarily exposed themselves.
There is depicted here a ruler, or influential man, to whom people are attracted.
· Those who come to him he accepts,
· those who do not come are allowed to go their own way.
He invites none, flatters none - all come of their own free will.
In this way there develops a voluntary dependence among those who hold to him.
They do not have to be constantly on their guard but may express their opinions openly.
Police measures are not necessary, and they cleave to their ruler of their own volition.
The same principle of freedom is valid for life in general.
We should not woo favor from people.
If a man cultivates within himself
· the purity and
· the strength
that are necessary for one who is the center of a fellowship,
those who are meant for him come of their own accord.
Six at the top means:
He finds no head for holding together.
Misfortune.
The
head is the beginning.
If the beginning is not right, there is no hope of a right ending.
If we
· have missed the right moment for union and
· go on hesitating to give complete and full devotion,
we shall regret the error when it is too late.
08 - UNION
MANAGERIAL ISSUE
The CEO – managing to keep his corporation
(employees/divisions) united.
Hexagram 8 describes the forces that hold
together a corporation as well as the forces that create Union – that is, Union
amongst its managers, employees, shareholders, divisions, and even customers.
The I Ching uses the image of the all the
rivers flowing into the same ocean and all the lines obeying the ruling
line. In the case of a conglomerate such
as General Electric, everything flows towards the same central corporation even
though there are many businesses within this corporation. All the managers obey the rule of the CEO,
much like they used to obey Jack Welch, when he was CEO of GE. It is the CEO’s leadership and strong
personality that holds the corporation together. The CEO creates the union because he is its
center. The other executives give
support and complement his personality.
MANAGERIAL LESSON
The Superior CEO knows there are two
fundamental elements he must keep in mind if he wants to create a cohesive team
or a strong bond between all the employees/divisions of the corporation. He must:
The Superior CEO also knows he must:
1)
Be such a strong leader that almost he alone can
hold this union together.
·
The I Ching says, "Such holding together calls for a central figure around whom
other persons may unite. To become a
center of influence holding people together is a grave matter and fraught with
great responsibility. It requires
greatness of spirit, consistency, and strength
2) Ask if he is
the right person for the job and quit with honor if he is not. He must have the strength to accept the fact
should he prove to be the wrong person for the job.
·
The I Ching says. “Therefore let him who wishes to gather others
about him ask himself whether he is equal to the undertaking, for anyone
attempting the task without a real calling for it only makes confusion worse
than if no union at all had taken place.” If a man has recognized the necessity
for union and does not feel strong enough to function as the center, it is his
duty to become a member of some other organic fellowship.”
If we were to talk about politics instead of business, this would be the
Hexagram of Abraham Lincoln. He held the
Union together by the strength of his own character. In the case of business, what better example
than Jack Welch and the way he successfully held together the GE group for so
many years.
3)
Warn those corporations, which fail to recognize
the value of joining a great holding corporation, or for those executives who
fail to realize the CEO’s abilities and talents.
·
The I Ching says "But when there is a real rallying point, those who at first are
hesitant or uncertain gradually come in of their own accord. Latecomers must suffer the consequences, for
in holding together the question of the right time is also important. Relationships are formed and firmly
established according to definite inner laws.
Common experiences strengthen these ties, and he who comes too late to
share in these basic experiences must suffer for it if, as a straggler, he
finds the door locked.”
4)
Keep the employees and management together – which
is the essence of creating the corporate unity.
The I Ching advises the CEO that the essence of creating the corporate
unity lies in keeping together the employees and management. The I Ching compares this effort to water
uniting with water. Management and the
employees are the same in that what unites them is the common interest they hold
in making this corporation successful so that all can benefit from it, even
though they may have different roles. This
is even more evident if all the employees share in the profits because then all
the employees will feel they are part of the corporation. It is the main duty of management to see to
it that every employee feels he is a part of the corporation and that it is in
his best interest to participate actively in the well-being of his
corporation.
·
The I Ching says "Water flows to unite with water, because all parts of it are
subject to the same laws. So too should
human society hold together through a community of interests that allows each individual to feel himself a member of a whole. The central power of a social organization
must see to it that every member finds that his true interest lies in holding
together with it.”
INVESTMENT ADVICE:
For the investor, the Union is in general a
favorable Time-Space to invest.
By itself (no lines) points to good fortune
if unity is kept:
HOLDING
TOGETHER brings good fortune.
Inquire of the Oracle once again
Whether you possess sublimity, constancy,
and perseverance;
Then there is no blame.
Those who are uncertain gradually join.
Whoever comes too late
Meets with misfortune.
What is required is that we unite with
others, in order that all may complement and aid one another through holding
together. But such holding together
calls for a central figure around whom other persons may unite. To become a center of influence holding
people together is a grave matter and fraught with great responsibility. It requires greatness of spirit, consistency,
and strength. Therefore
let him who wishes to gather others about him ask himself whether he is equal
to the undertaking, for anyone attempting the task without a real calling for
it only makes confusion worse than if no union at all had taken place.
But when there is a real rallying point,
those who at first are hesitant or uncertain gradually come in of their own
accord. Late-comers must suffer the
consequences, for in holding together the question of the right time is also
important. Relationships are formed and
firmly established according to definite inner laws. Common experiences strengthen these ties, and
he who comes too late to share in these basic experiences must suffer for it
if, as a straggler, he finds the door locked.
If a man has recognized the necessity for
union and does not feel strong enough to function as the center, it is his duty
to become a member of some other organic fellowship.
Four out of six lines are positive for
investing 1, 2, 4, and 5. This makes
this Time-Space positive.
The following three examples are those of corporations under the Union
Time-Space:
·
Kraft Foods Inc. KFT under CEO Irene Rosenfeld
·
Maxim Integrated Products Inc.
MXIM under CEO Tunc Doluca
·
Electronic Arts Inc. ERTS under
CEO John S. Riccitiello
THE LINES
SIX IN THE FIRST PLACE
Managerial Issue: The CEO – managing his corporation’s union –
establishing unity through personal honesty and inner strength.
Managerial Lesson: Be sincere.
Managerial
Warning: At the first stage of the Union Time-Space, the CEO must establish
Unity.
Managerial
Advice: The Superior CEO is fundamentally sincere. He knows such sincerity will come across in
his plain speaking and even in his plain dressing. His strong character will strengthen the
relationships between the individual members of the holding corporation. Sincerity coming from the depths of the heart
has the power to change the destiny of nations as well as corporations.
This is the line of Abraham Lincoln.
The I Ching says: Fundamental sincerity is
the only proper basis for forming relationships. This attitude, symbolized by a full earthen
bowl, in which the content is everything and the empty form nothing, shows itself
not in clever words but through the strength of what lies within the
speaker. This strength is so great that
it has power to attract good fortune to itself from without.
Investment Advice: Invest.
SIX IN THE SECOND PLACE
Managerial Issue: The CEO –
managing his corporation’s union – responding to the call of Heaven.
Managerial Lesson: Be dignifying.
Managerial
Warning: At the second stage of the Union Time-Space, the CEO must realize the
only way to answer the call of Heaven is to follow the way of the Superior man.
Managerial
Advice: The Superior CEO is persevering and maintains dignity in all
situations. What course of action should
he pursue when Heaven demands he maintain his corporation united (such as in
the case when a potential partner requests a merger or
a competitor initiates a hostile takeover)? His course of action should be to
exercise the virtues of the Superior Man - dignity and tenacity. The Superior CEO knows that to establish
relations with potential partners whether it be within or without in an undignified
manner is not worthy of a superior CEO.
Investment Advice: Invest.
SIX IN THE THIRD PLACE
Managerial Issue: The CEO –
managing his corporation’s union - with the wrong people.
Managerial Lesson: Be gracious.
Managerial Warning: At the third
stage of the Union Time-Space, the CEO
is tempted to establish a relationship with an enterprise with which his
corporation has nothing in common. This can only will bring harm to it.
Managerial
Advice: The Superior CEO knows that when unity is forced with the wrong people
the best attitude is to be gracious but distant. Such was the case of ATT both for the
acquisition of NCR, which had no business being part of ATT, and for the hiring
of an executive outside the industry for a possible replacement of its
CEO. Both were poor managerial
decisions. The people of NCR had to be
gracious but distant. They knew that in
the end each would go their own separate ways to find the adequate partner. The CEO of ATT was to blame. He certainly had no sincere desire to unite
with the right company or the right employees.
He was not up to the task and proved to be the wrong man for the job.
Investment Advice: Do not
invest
SIX IN THE FOURTH PLACE
Managerial Issue: The CEO – managing his corporation’s union - with
the right people.
Managerial Lesson: Be focused.
Managerial
Warning: At the fourth stage of the Union Time-Space, the CEO manages to create
the proper match for both the CEO and his corporation as well as for the
corporation and its parent. This union
will last.
Managerial
Advice: The Superior CEO knows that when he achieves unity with the right people he should welcome such unity so long as he keeps
within his own line of business. Both
the CEO who has just joined the corporation as well as the corporation that has
just merged with the parent corporation should continue to do what they do well
in spite of how satisfied they may be with the
outcome. In the case of NCR, for
instance, it continued to carry on with its business even though AT&T
acquired it. The lesson for the CEO is
to maintain the nature of his business and not change it only because he has
just united with another corporation.
The success of such unity will be due to the sincerity and strength of
the CEO.
Investment Advice: Invest
NINE IN THE FIFTH PLACE
Managerial Issue: The CEO –
managing his corporation’s union - by attracting good employees and good
partners.
Managerial Lesson: Be sincere.
Managerial
Warning: At the fifth stage of the Union Time-Space, the CEO faces the risk he
might not be sincere enough or show sufficient strength of character.
Managerial
Advice: The Superior CEO knows that to attract the best, he must:
The I Ching
says “He invites none, flatters none -
all come of their own free will. In this
way there develops a voluntary dependence among those who hold to him. “
The I Ching
says: "They do not have to be
constantly on their guard but may express their opinions openly. Police measures are not necessary, and they
cleave to their ruler of their own volition.
The same principle of freedom is valid for life in general. We should not woo favor from people. If a man cultivates within himself the purity
and the strength that are necessary for one who is the center of a fellowship,
those who are meant for him come of their own accord.”
Investment Advice: Invest
SIX IN THE SIXTH PLACE
Managerial Issue: The CEO –
managing his corporation’s union - hesitating in seeking union.
Managerial
Lesson: Be decisive.
Managerial
Warning: At the sixth stage of the Union Time-Space, the CEO risks hesitating in
seeking union at the right time. Should
this be the case, there will be no way he can correct it.
Managerial
Advice: The Superior CEO knows only an inadequate CEO would hesitate in seeking
union with the right employees or with the right corporation. He knows only regrets will come out of such
hesitation.
Investment Advice: Do not
invest.
MANAGERIAL CASES
Kraft Foods
Inc. KFT under CEO Irene Rosenfeld
Irene Rosenfeld’s Performance: ROI= 11.70% Annualized Return= 2.18%
SPY’s Performance: ROI= 6.77% Annualized Return= 1.28%
Irene Rosenfeld has been CEO since June of
2006. Her performance has been better
than the SPY’s but not as much as the good fortune would indicate in the second
line of the Union Time-Space. She still
has time left as CEO. We will see in the
next few years if her performance outdistances that of the SPY as it
should.
What is important is that the I Ching
indicates she has the mandate of Heaven to do well and therefore can eventually
bring about the Union.
Points the investor should consider:
1) THE HEXAGRAM
HEXAGRAM 08 – Pi - Holding Together [Union]
The waters on the surface of the earth flow
together wherever they can, as for example in the ocean, where all the rivers
come together. Symbolically this
connotes holding together and the laws that regulate it. The same idea is suggested by the fact that
all the lines of the hexagram except the fifth, the place of the ruler, are
yielding. The yielding lines hold
together because they are influenced by a man of strong will in the leading
position, a man who is their center of union.
Moreover, this strong and guiding personality in turn holds together
with the others, finding in them the complement of his own nature.
THE JUDGMENT
HOLDING TOGETHER brings good fortune.
Inquire of the Oracle once again
Whether you possess sublimity, constancy,
and perseverance;
Then there is no blame.
Those who are uncertain gradually join.
Whoever comes too late
Meets with misfortune.
What is required is that we unite with
others, in order that all may complement and aid one another through holding
together. But such holding together
calls for a central figure around whom other persons may unite. To become a center of influence holding
people together is a grave matter and fraught with great responsibility. It requires greatness of spirit, consistency,
and strength. Therefore
let him who wishes to gather others about him ask himself whether he is equal
to the undertaking, for anyone attempting the task without a real calling for
it only makes confusion worse than if no union at all had taken place.
But when there is a real rallying point,
those who at first are hesitant or uncertain gradually come in of their own
accord. Late-comers must suffer the
consequences, for in holding together the question of the right time is also
important. Relationships are formed and
firmly established according to definite inner laws. Common experiences strengthen these ties, and
he who comes too late to share in these basic experiences must suffer for it
if, as a straggler, he finds the door locked.
If a man has recognized the necessity for
union and does not feel strong enough to function as the center, it is his duty
to become a member of some other organic fellowship.
2) THE ADVICE
On the earth is water: The image Of HOLDING
TOGETHER.
Thus the kings
of antiquity
Bestowed the different states as fiefs
And cultivated friendly relations
With the feudal lords.
Water fills up all the empty places on the
earth and clings fast to it. The social
organization of ancient China was based on this principle of the holding
together of dependents and rulers. Water
flows to unite with water, because all parts of it are subject to the same
laws. So too should human society hold
together through a community of interests that allows each
individual to feel himself a member of a whole. The central power of a social organization
must see to it that every member finds that his true interest lies in holding
together with it, as was the case in the paternal relationship between king and
vassals in ancient China.
3) THE LINES:
Six in the second place
means:
Hold to him inwardly.
Perseverance brings good fortune.
If a person responds perseveringly and in
the right way to the behests from above that summon him to action, his
relations with others are intrinsic and he does not lose himself. But if a man seeks association with others as
if he were an obsequious office hunter, he throws himself away. He does not follow the path of the superior
man, who never loses his dignity.
4) THE MOVING HEXAGRAM
HEXAGRAM 29 - K'an
- The Abysmal (Water)
This hexagram consists of a doubling of the
trigram K'an.
It is one of the eight hexagrams in which doubling occurs. The trigram K'an
means a plunging in. A yang line has
plunged in between two yin lines and is closed in by them like water in a
ravine. The trigram K'an
is also the middle son. The Receptive
has obtained the middle line of the Creative, and thus K'an
develops. As an image it represents
water, the water that comes from above and is in motion on earth in streams and
rivers, giving rise to all life on earth.
In man's world K'an
represents the heart, the soul locked up within the body, the principle of
light inclosed in the dark - that is, reason. The name of the hexagram, because the trigram
is doubled, has the additional meaning, "repetition of danger." Thus the hexagram
is intended to designate an objective situation to which one must become
accustomed, not a subjective attitude.
For danger due to a subjective attitude means either foolhardiness or
guile. Hence too
a ravine is used to symbolize danger; it is a situation in which a man is in
the same pass as the water in a ravine, and, like the water, he can escape if
he behaves correctly.
THE JUDGMENT
The Abysmal repeated.
If you are sincere, you have success in
your heart,
And whatever you do succeeds.
Through repetition of danger
we grow accustomed to it. Water sets the
example for the right conduct under such circumstances. It flows on and on, and merely fills up all
the places through which it flows; it does not shrink from any dangerous spot
nor from any plunge, and nothing can make it lose its own essential
nature. It remains true to itself under
all conditions. Thus likewise, if one is
sincere when confronted with difficulties, the heart can penetrate the meaning
of the situation. And once we have
gained inner mastery of a problem, it will come about naturally that the action
we take will succeed. In danger all that
counts is really carrying out all that has to be done
– thoroughness - and going forward, in order not to perish through tarrying in
the danger.
Properly used, danger can have an important
meaning as a protective measure. Thus heaven has its perilous height protecting it against
every attempt at invasion, and earth has its mountains and bodies of water,
separating countries by their dangers. Thus also rulers make use of danger to protect themselves
against attacks from without and against turmoil within.
THE IMAGE
Water flows on uninterruptedly and reaches
its goal: The image of the Abysmal repeated.
Thus the
superior man walks in lasting virtue
And carries on the business of teaching.
Water reaches its goal by flowing
continually. It fills up every
depression before it flows on. The
superior man follows its example; he is concerned that goodness should be an
established attribute of character rather than an accidental and isolated
occurrence. So likewise in teaching
others everything depends on consistency, for it is only through repetition
that the pupil makes the material his own.
Inquire of
the Oracle once again
When we draw the Union Hexagram, it is customary to ask the Oracle once
more to see if the leader who is called to Unite the corporation possess the
sublimity, constancy and perseverance necessary to carry out this task:
HOLDING
TOGETHER brings good fortune. Inquire of the Oracle once again Whether you
possess sublimity, constancy, and perseverance; Then there is no blame.
Those who are uncertain gradually join. Whoever comes too late Meets with
misfortune.
Kraft Foods Inc. KFT CEO Irene Rosenfeld does she possess
sublimity, constancy and perseverance?
Points the investor should consider:
1) THE HEXAGRAM
HEXAGRAM 50 – Ting - The Caldron
The six lines construct the image of Ting,
THE CALDRON; at the bottom are the legs, over them the belly, then come the
ears (handles), and at the top the carrying rings. At the same time, the image suggests the idea
of nourishment. The Ting, cast of
bronze, was the vessel that held the cooked viands in the temple of the
ancestors and at banquets. The head of
the family served the food from the Ting into the bowls of the guests.1 THE
WELL (48) likewise has the secondary meaning of giving nourishment, but rather
more in relation to the people. The
Ting, as a utensil pertaining to a refined civilization, suggests the fostering
and nourishing of able men, which redounded to the benefit of the state. (2)
This hexagram and THE WELL are the only two
in the Book of Changes that represent concrete, man-made objects. Yet here too the thought has its abstract
connotation. Sun, below, is wood and
wind; Li, above, is flame. Thus together they stand for the flame kindled by wood and
wind, which likewise suggests the idea of preparing food.
THE JUDGMENT
THE CALDRON.
Supreme good fortune.
Success.
While THE WELL relates to the social
foundation of our life, and this foundation is likened to the water that serves
to nourish growing wood, the present hexagram refers to the cultural
superstructure of society. Here it is
the wood that serves as nourishment for the flame, the spirit. All that is visible must grow beyond itself,
extend into the realm of the invisible.
Thereby it receives its true consecration and clarity and takes firm
root in the cosmic order.
Here we see civilization as it reaches its
culmination in religion. The Ting serves
in offering sacrifice to God. The
highest earthly values must be sacrificed to the divine. But the truly divine does not manifest itself
apart from man. The supreme revelation
of God appears in prophets and holy men.
To venerate them is true veneration of God. The will of God, as revealed through them,
should be accepted in humility; this brings inner enlightenment and true
understanding of the world, and this leads to great good fortune and success.
2) THE ADVICE
Fire over wood: The image of THE CALDRON.
Thus the
superior man consolidates his fate
By making his position correct.
The fate of fire depends on wood; as long as there is wood below, the fire burns above. It is the same in human life; there is in man
likewise a fate that lends power to his life.
And if he succeeds in assigning the right place to life and to fate,
thus bringing the two into harmony, he puts his fate on a firm footing. These words contain hints about the fostering
of life as handed on by oral tradition in the secret teachings of Chinese yoga,
3) THE LINES:
THE LINES
Nine in the second place
means:
There is food in the ting.
My comrades are envious,
But they cannot harm me.
Good fortune.
In a period of advanced culture, it is of
the greatest importance that one should achieve something significant. If a man concentrates on such real
undertakings, he may indeed experience envy and disfavor, but that is not
dangerous. The more he limits himself to
his actual achievements, the less harm can the envious inflict on him.
Nine in the third place
means:
The handle of the Ting is altered.
One is impeded in his way of life.
The fat of the pheasant is not eaten.
Once rain falls, remorse is spent.
Good fortune comes in the end.
The handle is the means for lifting up the Ting.
If the handle is altered, the Ting cannot be lifted up
and used, and, sad to say, the delicious food in it, such as pheasant fat,
cannot be eaten by anyone. This
describes a man who, in a highly evolved civilization, finds himself in a place
where no one notices or recognizes him.
This is a severe block to his effectiveness. All of his good
qualities and gifts of mind thus needlessly go to waste. But if he will only see to it that he is
possessed of something truly spiritual, the time is bound to come, sooner or
later, when the difficulties will be resolved and all
will go well. The fall of rain
symbolizes here, as in other instances, release of tension.
Six in the fifth place
means:
The Ting has yellow handles, golden
carrying rings.
Perseverance furthers.
Here we have, in a ruling position, a man
who is approachable and modest in nature.
As a result of this attitude he succeeds in
finding strong and able helpers who complement and aid him in his work. Having achieved this attitude, which requires
constant self-abnegation, it is important for him to hold to it and not to let
himself be led astray.
Nine at the top means:
The Ting has rings of jade.
Great good fortune.
Nothing that would not act to further.
In the preceding line the carrying rings
are described as golden, to denote their strength; here they are said to be of
jade. Jade is notable for its
combination of hardness with soft luster.
This counsel, in relation to the man who is open to it, works greatly to
his advantage. Here the counsel is
described in relation to the sage who imparts it. In imparting it, he will be mild and pure,
like precious jade. Thus
the work finds favor in the eyes of the Deity, who dispenses great good
fortune, and becomes pleasing to men, wherefore all goes well.
Maxim
Integrated Products Inc. MXIM under CEO Tunc Doluca
Tunc Doluca’s
Performance: ROI= (25.20%) Annualized Return= (6.17%)
SPY’s Performance: ROI= ( 4.77%) Annualized
Return= (1.07%)
Tunc Doluca has
been CEO since January 2007. His
performance has been very poor compared with the SPY’s which underlines the
fact he does not possess the qualities which the I Ching would require from
someone whose mandate is to manage the Union Time-Space. A restless CEO can neither bring Union nor
deal successfully with the Nuclear Time-Space of the Falling Apart.
Points the investor should consider:
1) THE HEXAGRAM
(See Above) .
2) THE ADVICE
(See Above) .
3) THE LINES:
There are no moving lines.
4) THE MOVING HEXAGRAM
There is no moving hexagram because there
are no moving lines.
Inquire of
the Oracle once again
(See Above).
Maxim
Integrated Products Inc. MXIM CEO Tunc Doluca - does
he possess sublimity, constancy and perseverance
Points the investor should consider:
1) THE HEXAGRAM
HEXAGRAM 32 – Heng - Duration
The strong trigram Chen is above, the weak
trigram Sun below. This hexagram is the
inverse of the preceding one. In the
latter we have influence, here we have union as an enduring condition. The two images are thunder and wind, which
are likewise constantly paired phenomena.
The lower trigram indicates gentleness within; the upper, movement
without.
In the sphere of social relationships, the
hexagram represents the institution of marriage as the enduring union of the
sexes. During courtship the young man
subordinates himself to the girl, but in marriage, which is represented by the
coming together of the eldest son and the eldest daughter, the husband is the
directing and moving force outside, while the wife, inside, is gentle and
submissive.
THE JUDGMENT
DURATION.
Success. No blame.
Perseverance furthers.
It furthers one to have somewhere to go.
Duration is a state whose movement is not
worn down by hindrances. It is not a
state of rest, for mere standstill is regression. Duration is rather the self-contained and
therefore self-renewing movement of an organized, firmly integrated whole,
taking place in accordance with immutable laws and beginning anew at every
ending. The end is reached by an inward
movement, by inhalation, systole, contraction, and this movement turns into a
new beginning, in which the movement is directed outward, in exhalation,
diastole, expansion.
Heavenly bodies exemplify duration. They move in their fixed orbits, and because
of this their light-giving power endures.
The seasons of the year follow a fixed law of change and transformation,
hence can produce effects that endure.
So likewise the
dedicated man embodies an enduring meaning in his way of life, and thereby the
world is formed. In that which gives
things their duration, we can come to understand the nature of all beings in
heaven and on earth.
2) THE ADVICE
Thunder and wind: the image of DURATION.
Thus the
superior man stands firm
And does not change his direction.
Thunder rolls, and the wind blows; both are
examples of extreme mobility and so are seemingly the very opposite of
duration, but the laws governing their appearance and subsidence, their coming
and going, endure. In the same way the
independence of the superior man is not based on rigidity and immobility of
character. He always keeps abreast of
the time and changes with it. What
endures is the unswerving directive, the inner law of his being, which
determines all his actions.
3) THE LINES:
0 Nine in the second
place means:
Remorse disappears.
The situation is abnormal. A man's force of character is greater than
the available material power. Thus he might be afraid of allowing himself to attempt
something beyond his strength. However,
since it is the time of DURATION, it is possible for him to control his inner
strength and so to avoid excess. Cause
for remorse then disappears.
Six at the top means:
Restlessness as an enduring condition
brings misfortune.
There are people who live in a state of
perpetual hurry without ever attaining inner composure. Restlessness not only prevents all
thoroughness but actually becomes a danger if it is
dominant in places of authority.
Electronic
Arts Inc. ERTS under CEO John S. Riccitiello
John S. Riccitiello’s Performance: ROI= (53.66%) Annualized Return= (16.32%)
SPY’s Performance: ROI= ( 7.22%) Annualized
Return= ( 1.72%)
John S. Riccitiello has been CEO since
April 2007. His performance has been
very poor compared with the SPY’s in spite of the fact
he seems to have the qualities necessary to manage under the Union Time-Space
such as the Power of the Great. There is
still time and he should be able to overcome the
Nuclear Time-Space of the Falling Apart.
What is interesting is that the way out may
consist in the proper interpretation of the MOVING Time-Space from his Union
Time-Space. Perhaps the I Ching is
asking him to turn his corporation into a Receptive corporation, that is a
corporation that produces what others design rather than a Creative corporation
which only designs and let others produce.
Points the investor should consider:
1) THE HEXAGRAM
(See Above)
2) THE ADVICE
(See Above) .
3) THE LINES:
0 Nine in the fifth place
means:
Manifestation of holding together.
In the hunt the king uses beaters on three
sides only
And foregoes game that runs off in front.
The citizens need no warning.
Good fortune.
In the royal hunts of ancient China it was customary to drive up the game from three
sides, but on the fourth the animals had a chance to run off. If they failed to do this
they had to pass through a gate behind which the king stood ready to
shoot. Only animals that entered here
were shot; those that ran off in front were permitted to escape. This custom accorded with a kingly attitude;
the royal hunter did not wish to turn the chase into a slaughter,
but held that the kill should consist only of those animals which had so
to speak voluntarily exposed themselves.
There is depicted here a ruler, or
influential man, to whom people are attracted.
Those who come to him he accepts, those who do not come are allowed to
go their own way. He invites none,
flatters none - all come of their own free will. In this way there develops a voluntary
dependence among those who hold to him.
They do not have to be constantly on their guard but may express their
opinions openly. Police measures are not
necessary, and they cleave to their ruler of their own volition. The same principle of freedom is valid for
life in general. We should not woo favor
from people. If a man cultivates within
himself the purity and the strength that are necessary for one who is the
center of a fellowship, those who are meant for him come of their own accord.
4) THE MOVING HEXAGRAM
HEXAGRAM 02 - K'un
- THE RECEPTIVE
This hexagram is made up of broken lines
only. The broken line represents the
dark, yielding, receptive primal power of yin.
The attribute of the hexagram is devotion; its image is the earth. It is the perfect complement of THE CREATIVE
- the complement, not the opposite, 1 for the Receptive does not combat the
Creative but complements it. It represents
nature in contrast to spirit, earth in contrast to heaven, space as against
time, the female-maternal as against the male-paternal. However, as applied to human affairs, the
principle of this complementary relationship is found not only in the relation
between man and woman, but also in that between prince and minister and between
father and son. Indeed, even in the
individual this duality appears in the coexistence of the spiritual world and
the world of the senses.
But strictly speaking there is no real
dualism here, because there is a clearly defined hierarchic relationship
between the two principles. In itself of
course the Receptive is just as important as the Creative, but the attribute of
devotion defines the place occupied by this primal power in relation to the
Creative. For the Receptive must be
activated and led by the Creative; then it is productive of good. Only when it abandons this position and tries
to stand as an equal side by side with the Creative, does it become evil. The result then is opposition to and struggle
against the Creative, which is productive of evil to both.
THE JUDGMENT
THE RECEPTIVE brings about sublime success,
Furthering through the perseverance of a
mare.
If the superior man undertakes something
and tries to lead,
He goes astray;
But if he follows, he finds guidance
It is favorable to find friends in the west
and south,
To forego friends in the east and north.
Quiet perseverance brings good fortune.
The four fundamental aspects of the
Creative - "sublime success, furthering through perseverance"- are
also attributed to the Receptive. Here,
however, the perseverance is more closely defined: it is that of a mare. The Receptive connotes spatial reality in
contrast to the spiritual potentiality of the Creative. The potential becomes real
and the spiritual becomes spatial through a specifically qualifying
definition. Thus
the qualification, "of a mare," is here added to the idea of
perseverance. The horse belongs to earth
just as the dragon belongs to heaven.
Its tireless roaming over the plains is taken as a symbol of the vast
expanse of the earth. This is the symbol
chosen because the mare combines the strength and swiftness of the horse with
the gentleness and devotion of the cow.
Only because nature in its myriad forms
corresponds with the myriad impulses of the Creative can it make these impulses
real. Nature's richness lies in its
power to nourish all living things; its greatness lies in its power to give
them beauty and splendor. Thus it prospers all that lives. It is the Creative that begets things, but
they are brought to birth by the Receptive.
Applied to human affairs, therefore, what the hexagram indicates is
action in conformity with the situation.
The person in question is not in an independent position,
but is acting as an assistant.
This means that he must achieve something. It is not his task to try to lead - that
would only make him lose the way - but to let him be led. If he knows how to meet fate with an attitude
of acceptance, he is sure to find the right guidance. The superior man lets himself be guided; he
does not go ahead blindly, but learns from the
situation what is demanded of him and then follows this intimation from fate.
Since there is something to be
accomplished, we need friends and helpers in the hour of toil and effort, once
the ideas to be realized are firmly set.
The time of toil and effort is indicated by the west and the south, for
west and south symbolize the place where the Receptive works for the Creative,
as nature does in summer and autumn. If
in that situation one does not mobilize all one's powers, the work to be
accomplished will not be done. Hence to
find friends there means to find guidance.
But in addition to the time of toil and effort, there is also a time of
planning, and for this we need solitude.
The east symbolizes the place where a man receives orders from his
master and the north the place where he reports on what he has done. At that time he must
be alone and objective. In this sacred
hour he must do without companions so that the purity of the moment may not be
spoiled by factional hates and favoritism.
THE IMAGE
The earth's condition is receptive
devotion.
Thus the
superior man who has breadth of character
Carries the outer world.
Just as there is only one heaven, so too
there is only one earth. In the hexagram
of the heaven the (doubling, of the trigram implies duration in time, but in
the hexagram of earth the doubling connotes the solidity and extension in space
by virtue of which the earth is able to carry and
preserve all things that live and move upon it.
The earth in its devotion carries all things, good and evil, without
exception. In the same way the superior
man gives to his character breadth, purity, and sustaining power, so that he is
able both to support and to bear with people and things.
Inquire of
the Oracle once again
When we draw the Union Hexagram, it is customary to ask the Oracle once
more to see if the leader who is called to Unite the corporation possess the
sublimity, constancy and perseverance necessary to carry out this task:
Electronic
Arts Inc. ERTS under CEO John S. Riccitiello-does he possess sublimity,
constancy and perseverance
Points the investor should consider:
1) THE HEXAGRAM
HEXAGRAM 34 - Ta Chuang - The Power of the
Great
The great lines, that is, the light, strong
lines, are powerful. Four light lines
have entered the hexagram from below and are about to ascend higher. The upper trigram is Chen, the Arousing; the
lower is Ch'ien, the Creative. Ch'ien is
strong, Chen produces movement. The
union of movement and strength gives the meaning of THE POWER OF THE GREAT. The hexagram is linked with the second month
(March April).
THE JUDGMENT
THE POWER OF THE GREAT.
Perseverance furthers.
The hexagram points to a time when inner
worth mounts with great force and comes to power. But its strength has already passed beyond
the median line, hence there is danger that one may rely entirely on one's own
power and forget to ask what is right.
There is danger too that, being intent on movement, we may not wait for
the right time. Therefore
the added statement that perseverance furthers.
For that is truly great power which does not degenerate into mere force
but remains inwardly united with the fundamental principles of right and of
justice. When we understand this point -
namely, that greatness and justice must be indissoluble united - we understand
the true meaning of all that happens in heaven and on earth.
2) THE ADVICE
Thunder in heaven above: The image of THE
POWER OF THE GREAT.
Thus the
superior man does not tread upon paths
That do not accord with established order.
Thunder - electrical energy - mounts upward
in the spring. The direction of this
movement is in harmony with that of the movement of heaven. It is therefore a movement in accord with
heaven, producing great power. However,
true greatness depends on being in harmony with what is right. Therefore in times
of great power the superior man avoids doing anything that is not in harmony
with the established order.
3) THE LINES:
There are no moving lines and therefore no
moving hexagram