HEXAGRAM 37: ORIGINAL, INTERPRETATION AND CASES

HEXAGRAM 37 - Chia Jen - The Family (The Clan)

Above SUN THE GENTLE, WIND

Below LI THE CLINGING, FIRE

This hexagram represents the laws obtaining within the family.

· The strong line at the top represents the father,

· the lowest the son.

· The strong, line in the fifth place represents the husband,

· the yielding second line the wife.

On the other hand,

· the two strong lines in the fifth and the third place represent two brothers,

and

· the two weak lines correlated with them in the fourth and the second place stand for their respective wives.

Thus all the

· connections and

· relationships

within the family find their appropriate expression.

Each individual line has the character according with its place.

The fact that a strong line occupies the sixth place

-where a weak line might be expected –

indicates very clearly

the strong leadership that must come from the head of the family.

The line is to be considered here

· not in its quality as the sixth

· but in its quality as the top line.

THE FAMILY shows the laws operative within the household that,

transferred to outside life,

keep the state and the world in order.

The influence that goes out from within the family is represented

by the symbol of the wind created by fire.

THE JUDGMENT

THE FAMILY

The perseverance of the woman furthers.

The foundation of the family is the relationship between husband and wife.

The tie that holds the family together lies in the

loyalty and

perseverance of the wife.

· Her place is within (second line), while

· that of the husband is without (fifth line).

It is in accord with the great laws of nature that husband and wife

take their proper places.

Within the family a strong authority is needed;

this is represented by the parents.

· the father is really a father and

· the son a son,

· the elder brother fulfills his position, and

· the younger fulfills his,

· the husband is really a husband and

· the wife a wife,

then the family is in order.

When the family is in order,

all the social relationships of mankind will be in order.

Three of the five social relationships are to be found within the family –

1. that between father and son,

which is the relation of love,

2. that between husband and wife,

which is the relation of chaste conduct, and

3. that between elder and younger brother,

which is the relation of correctness.

4. The loving reverence of the son is then carried over

to the prince in the form of faithfulness to duty;

5. the affection and correctness of behavior existing between the two brothers are extended

· to a friend in the form of loyalty, and

· to a person of superior rank in the form of deference.

The family is society in embryo;

it is the native soil on which performance of moral duty is made easy through natural affection,

· so that within a small circle a basis of moral practice is created, and

· this is later widened to include human relationships in general.

THE IMAGE

Wind comes forth from fire: The image Of THE FAMILY.

Thus the superior man has

· substance in his words And

· duration in his way of life.

Heat creates energy:

this is signified by the wind

· stirred up by the fire and

· issuing forth from it.

This represents influence working from within outward.

The same thing is needed in the regulation of the family.

Here too

the influence on others must proceed from one's own person.

In order to be capable of producing such an influence,

· one's words must have power, and

· this they can have only if they are based on something real,

just as

· flame depends on its fuel.

Words have influence only when they are

· pertinent and

· clearly related to definite circumstances.

General discourses and admonitions have no effect whatsoever.

Furthermore,

· the words must be supported by one's entire conduct,

just as

· the wind is made effective by its duration.

Only

· firm and

· consistent conduct

will make such an impression on others that

they can

· adapt and

· conform to it.

If words and conduct are not in accord and not consistent,

they will have no effect.

THE LINES

Nine at the beginning means:

Firm seclusion within the family.

Remorse disappears.

The family must form a well-defined unit within which

each member knows his place.

From the beginning each child must be accustomed to

firmly established rules of order,

before ever its will is directed to other things.

· If we begin too late to enforce order,

when the will of the child has already been overindulged,

o the whims and passions,

· grown stronger with the years,

· offer resistance and

· give cause for remorse.

· If we insist on order from the outset,

o occasions for remorse may arise

- in general social life these are unavoidable –

but

· the remorse always disappears again, and

· everything rights itself.

For there is nothing

· more easily avoided and

· more difficult to carry through than

"breaking a child's will."

0 Six in the second place means:

· She should not follow her whims.

· She must attend within to the food.

Perseverance brings good fortune.

The wife must always be guided by the will of the master of the house,

be he

· father,

· husband, or

· grown son.

Her place is within the house.

There, without having to look for them,

she has great and important duties.

She must attend

· to the nourishment of her family and

· to the food for the sacrifice.

In this way

· she becomes the center of the social and religious life of the family, and

· her perseverance in this position brings good fortune to the whole house.

In relation to general conditions,

the counsel given here is

· to seek nothing by means of force,

· but quietly to confine oneself to the duties at hand.

Nine in the third place means:

· When tempers flare up in the family,

o Too great severity brings remorse.

Good fortune nonetheless.

· When woman and child dally and laugh,

o It leads in the end to humiliation.

In the family

the proper mean between severity and indulgence ought to prevail.

Too great severity toward one's own flesh and blood leads to remorse.

The wise thing is to build strong dikes within which

complete freedom of movement is allowed each individual.

But in doubtful instances

· too great severity,

despite occasional mistakes, is preferable, because

· it preserves discipline in the family,

whereas

· too great weakness

· leads to disgrace.

Six in the fourth place means:

She is the treasure of the house.

Great good fortune.

1. It is upon the woman of the house that

the well-being of the family depends.

Well-being prevails when

· expenditures and

· income

are soundly balanced.

This leads to great good fortune.

2. In the sphere of public life,

this line refers to the faithful steward whose measures

further the general welfare.

Nine in the fifth place means:

As a king he approaches his family.

Fear not.

Good fortune.

A king is the symbol of a fatherly man who is richly endowed in mind.

He does nothing to make himself feared;

on the contrary,

the whole family can trust him,

because love governs their intercourse.

His character of itself exercises the right influence,

Nine at the top means:

His work commands respect.

In the end good fortune comes.

In the last analysis,

order within the family depends on

the character of the master of the house.

If he cultivates his personality so that

it works impressively through the force of inner truth,

all goes well with the family.

In a ruling position

one must of his own accord assume responsibility.

37 THE FAMILY

MANAGERIAL ISSUE:

The CEO – managing the corporate Family.

Hexagram 37 represents the corporation as a family, where everyone has its place, where harmony exists only if everyone plays his role. Such is the corporation where the CEO as the father figure must be a strong leader, where other executives must be as the sons and daughters who are respectful of each other and particularly respectful of the father or CEO.

If everything is in harmony within the relations of the corporate family then everything will be in harmony within the corporation. Indeed, if the CEO is the husband and the employees the wife, then it is crucial for the two to live in harmony. The employees should show loyalty to the CEO and the CEO respect and consideration for the employees.

MANAGERIAL LESSON:

The Superior CEO encourages the development of three crucial feelings that must exist between the CEO and the employees for a corporation to be successful.

These are:

· Appreciation,

· Loyalty, and

· Respect

Nothing could destroy a corporation faster than lack of appreciation, loyalty or respect for each other. As long as these feelings are present because the Superior CEO encourages them, the corporation will be successful.

The Superior CEO studies and understands:

1) The good father figure who knows:

a. That it does not matter what he says or tells his children to do, in the end his children will do as he does and not as he says.

b. That to speak little and to the point is not as important as his actions.

The Superior CEO is a man of integrity. He thinks, speaks and acts as one. He walks the talk.

2) The family where:

a. Moral values are first learned and

b. From there are “widened to include human relationships in general.”

While the Superior CEO represents and imitates the good father figure, the corporation represents and imitates the family.

INVESTMENT ADVICE:

For the investor, the Family Time-Space is a favorable time to invest.

By itself (no lines) it is positive because the CEO as the father figure has the possibility of holding the corporation together in correctness.

THE FAMILY

The perseverance of the woman furthers.

The foundation of the family is the relationship between husband and wife. The tie that holds the family together lies in the loyalty and perseverance of the wife. Her place is within (second line), while that of the husband is without (fifth line). It is in accord with the great laws of nature that husband and wife take their proper places. Within the family a strong authority is needed; this is represented by the parents. If the father is really a father and the son a son, if the elder brother fulfills his position, and the younger fulfills his, if the husband is really a husband and the wife a wife, then the family is in order. When the family is in order, all the social relationships of mankind will be in order.

Three of the five social relationships are to be found within the family - that between father and son, which is the relation of love, that between husband and wife, which is the relation of chaste conduct, and that between elder and younger brother, which is the relation of correctness. The loving reverence of the son is then carried over to the prince in the form of faithfulness to duty; the affection and correctness of behavior existing between the two brothers are extended to a friend in the form of loyalty, and to a person of superior rank in the form of deference. The family is society in embryo; it is the native soil on which performance of moral duty is made easy through natural affection, so that within a small circle a basis of moral practice is created, and this is later widened to include human relationships in general.

There are 5 Good Fortune possibilities in the lines 2,3,4,5 and 6.

The following cases are those of corporations under the Family Time-Space:

· Google Inc. GOOG under CEO Larry Page

· Pfizer Inc. PFE under CEO Ian C. Read

(Read at end of the Hexagram).

THE LINES

NINE IN THE FIRST PLACE

Managerial Issue: The CEO – managing the corporate Family – establishing its structure.

Managerial Lesson: Be just.

Managerial Warning: At the first stage of the Family Time-Space, the CEO must bring order to the corporation from the very beginning or face chaos. Once the employees get accustomed to lack of discipline, it is very difficult to bring them back in line.

Managerial Advice: The Superior CEO is balanced when establishing order right from the very beginning. On the one hand, he makes sure every employee has a specific and well-defined job with clear responsibilities and clear reporting lines. And on the other hand, he allows for sufficient flexibility for each employee to execute his job so as not to stifle creativity.

Investment Advice: Do not invest.

SIX IN THE SECOND PLACE

Managerial Issue: The CEO – managing the corporate Family – ensuring leadership.

Managerial Lesson: Be dutiful.

Managerial Warning: At the second stage of the Family Time-Space, the CEO must realize that the employees can never be left without a leader. Regardless of the circumstances, there must at all times be someone in charge, whether it is the CEO, an assistant to the CEO or even a temporary CEO.

Managerial Advice: The Superior CEO leads by example and not by force. He makes sure that whoever is the leader at any particular moment must not appeal to force to lead the corporation. The employees, as the YIN principle, must be influenced or courted (Hexagram 31), but never forced to do anything.

Investment Advice: Invest. It is not the best of alternatives.

NINE IN THE THIRD PLACE

Managerial Issue: The CEO – managing the corporate Family – imparting discipline.

Managerial Lesson: Be balanced.

Managerial Warning: At the third stage of the Family Time-Space, the CEO must achieve a proper balance in managing the employees. He may neither be too soft nor too hard. He may neither be too hard with the punishments nor too exaggerated with the rewards.

Managerial Advice: The Superior CEO first sets the rules (framework) and then gives the employees enough freedom to act within those rules; however, he never hesitates to apply strong punishment, even if at times draconian, to make sure everyone obeys the rules. When it comes to maintaining discipline, he knows it is better to be excessive in punishment than too indulgent and generous in the rewards.

Investment Advice: Invest. There are better alternatives.

SIX IN THE FOURTH PLACE

Managerial Issue: The CEO – managing the corporate Family – balancing the budget.

Managerial Lesson: Be frugal.

Managerial Warning: At the fourth stage of the Family Time-Space, the CEO must choose a key CFO or trusted financial advisor whose role will be key in the well-being of the corporation.

Managerial Advice: The Superior CEO knows the CFO’s role is fundamental in the success of the corporation. A good CFO can eliminate waste and reduce financial expenses.

Investment Advice: Invest.

NINE IN THE FIFTH PLACE

Managerial Issue: The CEO – managing the corporate Family – his role as a father figure.

Managerial Lesson: Be fatherly.

Managerial Warning: At the fifth stage of the Family Time-Space, the CEO must imitate the father figure.

Managerial Advice: the Superior CEO acts out of love rather than fear when playing the role of the father figure. His character and personality will draw the employees to him out of love, respect and admiration, rather than fear.

Investment Advice: Invest.

NINE IN THE SIXTH PLACE

Managerial Issue: The CEO – managing the corporate Family – his role as the one ultimately responsible for the corporation.

Managerial Lesson: Be responsible.

Managerial Warning: At the sixth stage of the Family Time-Space, the CEO must realize that the ultimate responsibility for the success of the corporation rests squarely on the CEO and on the CEO alone. The buck stops with him.

Managerial Advice: The Superior CEO knows that at times, the only thing needed is his force of character and his benevolent personality to bring success to the corporation. By combining good words with good deeds, the CEO will lead the corporation to its inevitable success.

Investment Advice: Invest.

MANAGERIAL CASES

Google Inc. GOOG under CEO Larry Page

Larry Page became CEO of Google in April of 2010. It is too early to measure his performance. What is important is that his Hexagram and his lines are positive. In particular the fifth line which is very auspicious.

Points the investor should consider:

1) THE HEXAGRAM

HEXAGRAM 37 - Chia Jen - The Family (The Clan)

This hexagram represents the laws obtaining within the family. The strong line at the top represents the father, the lowest the son. The strong, line in the fifth place represents the husband, the yielding second line the wife. On the other hand, the two strong lines in the fifth and the third place represent two brothers, and the two weak lines correlated with them in the fourth and the second place stand for their respective wives. Thus all the connections and relationships within the family find their appropriate expression. Each individual line has the character according with its place. The fact that a strong line occupies the sixth place -where a weak line might be expected - indicates very clearly the strong leadership that must come from the head of the family. The line is to be considered here not in its quality as the sixth but in its quality as the top line. THE FAMILY shows the laws operative within the household that, transferred to outside life, keep the state and the world in order. The influence that goes out from within the family is represented by the symbol of the wind created by fire.

THE JUDGMENT

THE FAMILY

The perseverance of the woman furthers.

2) THE ADVICE

Wind comes forth from fire: The image Of THE FAMILY.

Thus the superior man has substance in his words

And duration in his way of life.

Heat creates energy: this is signified by the wind stirred up by the fire and issuing forth from it. This represents influence working from within outward. The same thing is needed in the regulation of the family. Here too the influence on others must proceed from one's own person. In order to be capable of producing such an influence, one's words must have power, and this they can have only if they are based on something real, just as flame depends on its fuel. Words have influence only when they are pertinent and clearly related to definite circumstances. General discourses and admonitions have no effect whatsoever. Furthermore, the words must be supported by one's entire conduct, just as the wind is made effective by its duration. Only firm and consistent conduct will make such an impression on others that they can adapt and conform to it. If words and conduct are not in accord and not consistent, they will have no effect.

3) THE LINES:

Nine at the beginning means:

Firm seclusion within the family.

Remorse disappears.

The family must form a well-defined unit within which each member knows his place. From the beginning each child must be accustomed to firmly established rules of order, before ever its will is directed to other things. If we begin too late to enforce order, when the will of the child has already been overindulged, the whims and passions, grown stronger with the years, offer resistance and give cause for remorse. If we insist on order from the outset, occasions for remorse may arise - in general social life these are unavoidable - but the remorse always disappears again, and everything rights itself. For there is nothing more easily avoided and more difficult to carry through than "breaking a child's will."

Nine in the fifth place means:

As a king he approaches his family.

Fear not.

Good fortune.

A king is the symbol of a fatherly man who is richly endowed in mind. He does nothing to make himself feared; on the contrary, the whole family can trust him, because love governs their intercourse. His character of itself exercises the right influence,

4) THE MOVING HEXAGRAM

HEXAGRAM 52 – Ken - Keeping Still, Mountain

The image of this hexagram is the mountain, the youngest son of heaven and earth. The male principle is at the top, because it strives upward by nature; the female principle is below, since the direction of its movement is downward. Thus there is rest because the movement has come to its normal end.

In its application to man, the hexagram turns upon the problem of achieving a quiet heart. It is very difficult to bring quiet to the heart. While Buddhism strives for rest through an ebbing away of all movement in nirvana, the Book of Changes holds that rest is merely a state of polarity that always posits movement as its complement. Possibly the words of the text embody directions for the practice of yoga.

THE JUDGMENT

KEEPING STILL.

Keeping his back still

So that he no longer feels his body.

He goes into his courtyard

And does not see his people.

No blame.

True quiet means keeping still when the time has come to keep still, and going forward when the time has come to go forward. In this way rest and movement are in agreement with the demands of the time, and thus there is light in life.

The hexagram signifies the end and the beginning of all movement. The back is named because in the back are located all the nerve fibers that mediate movement. If the movement of those spinal nerves is brought to a standstill, the ego, with its restlessness, disappears as it were. When a man has thus become calm, he may turn to the outside world. He no longer sees in it the struggle and tumult of individual beings, and therefore he has that true peace of mind which is needed for understanding the great laws of the universe and for action, in harmony with them. Whoever acts from these deep levels makes no mistakes.

THE IMAGE

Mountains standing close together: The image of KEEPING STILL.

Thus the superior man

Does not permit his thoughts

To go beyond his situation.

1The heart thinks constantly. This cannot be changed, but the movements of the heart - that is, a man's thoughts - should restrict themselves to the immediate situation. All thinking that goes beyond this only makes the heart sore.

Pfizer Inc. PFE under CEO Ian C. Read

Ian C. Read became CEO of Pfizer in December of 2010. It is too early to measure his performance. However, his Hexagram is positive.

Points the investor should consider:

1) THE HEXAGRAM

(Same as Above).

2) THE ADVICE

(Same as Above).

3) THE LINES:

There are no moving lines.

4) THE MOVING HEXAGRAM

There is no moving Hexagram because there are no moving lines. Therefore the Judgment becomes the focusing point.

THE JUDGMENT

THE FAMILY

The perseverance of the woman furthers.