HEXAGRAM 57: ORIGINAL, INTERPRETATION AND CASES

HEXAGRAM 57 – Sun - The Gentle (The Penetrating, Wind)

Above SUN THE GENTLE, WIND, WOOD

Below SUN THE GENTLE, WIND, WOOD

Sun is one of the eight doubled trigrams.

· is the eldest daughter

and

· symbolizes wind or wood;

it has for its attribute gentleness,

which nonetheless penetrates

· like the wind

· like growing wood

with its roots.

The dark principle, in itself rigid and immovable,

is dissolved by the penetrating light principle,

to which it subordinates itself in gentleness.

1. In nature,

it is the wind that

· disperses the gathered clouds,

leaving the sky clear and serene.

2. In human life

it is penetrating clarity of judgment that

· thwarts all dark hidden motives.

3. In the life of the community

it is the powerful influence of a great personality that

· uncovers and breaks up those intrigues

which shun the light of day.

THE JUDGMENT

THE GENTLE.

Success through what is small.

· It furthers one to have somewhere to go.

· It furthers one to see the great man.

Penetration produces

· gradual

and

· inconspicuous

effects.

It should be effected

· not by an act of violation

· but by influence that never lapses.

· Results of this kind are less striking to the eye

than

· those won by surprise attack,

but

· they

o are more enduring

and

o more complete.

· one would produce such effects

· one must have a dearly defined goal,

for only when

· the penetrating influence works always in the same direction

· can the object be attained.

Small strength can achieve its purpose

only by

· subordinating itself to an eminent man

· who is capable of creating order.

THE IMAGE

Winds following one upon the other: The image of THE GENTLY PENETRATING.

Thus

the superior man

· Spreads his commands abroad

And

· carries out his undertakings.

· The penetrating quality of the wind depends upon its ceaselessness.

o This is what makes it so powerful;

o time is its instrument.

In the same way

· the ruler's thought should penetrate the soul of the people.

o This too requires a lasting influence brought about by

§ enlightenment

and

§ command.

Only when

· the command has been assimilated by the people

· is action in accordance with it possible.

Action without preparation of the ground only

· frightens

and

· repels.

THE LINES

Six at the beginning means:

· In advancing and

· in retreating,

The perseverance of a warrior furthers.

Inborn gentleness is often carried to the point of indecisiveness.

One

· does not feel strong enough to advance resolutely.

A thousand doubts crop up;

one

· is, however, not minded to withdraw

but

· drifts indecisively to and fro.

In such a situation,

· a military decisiveness is the proper thing,

so that

one resolutely

· does what order demands.

· Resolute discipline is far better than

· irresolute license.

Nine in the second place means:

Penetration under the bed.

Priests and magicians are used in great number.

Good fortune.

No blame.

At times

one

· has to deal with hidden enemies,

intangible influences that slink into dark corners and from this hiding

· affect people by suggestion.

In instances like this,

· it is necessary to trace these things back to the most secret recesses,

in order to determine

the nature of the influences to be dealt with.

a) This is the task of the priests;

· removing the influences

b) is the task of the magicians.

The very anonymity of such plotting requires

an especially vigorous and indefatigable effort,

but this is well worth while.

For when such

elusive influences are

· brought into the light

and

· branded,

they lose their power over people.

Nine in the third place means:

Repeated penetration.

Humiliation.

Penetrating reflection

· must not be pushed too far,

· lest it cripple the power of decision.

After a matter has been thoroughly pondered,

it is essential

· to form a decision

and

· to act.

Repeated deliberation brings

· fresh doubts and scruples,

and thereby

· humiliation,

because

one shows oneself unable to act.

Six in the fourth place means:

Remorse vanishes.

During the hunt

Three kinds of game are caught.

When a

· responsible position

and

· accumulated experience

lead one to combine

· innate modesty

with

· energetic action,

great success is assured.

The three kinds of animals referred to served

· for offerings to the gods,

· for feasting guests,

and

· for everyday consumption.

When

· the catch answered all three purposes,

· the hunt was considered especially successful.

Nine in the fifth place means:

Perseverance brings good fortune.

Remorse vanishes.

Nothing that does not further.

· No beginning,

but

· an end.

· Before the change, three days.

· After the change, three days.

Good fortune.

In the situation described in Ku, WORK ON WHAT HAS BEEN SPOILED (18),

· an entirely new point of departure must be set

whereas here

· it is only a question of reforms.

· The beginning has not been good,

but

· the moment has been reached when a new direction can be taken.

Change and improvement are called for.

Such steps must be undertaken

· with steadfastness,

that is,

· with a firm and correct attitude of mind;

then

· they will succeed,

and

· remorse will disappear.

But

it must be remembered that

such improvements require careful consideration.

Before a change is made,

· it must be pondered over again and again.

After the change is made,

· it is necessary to note carefully for some time after

how the improvements bear the test of actuality.

Such careful work is accompanied by good fortune.

Nine at the top means:

Penetration under the bed.

He loses

· his property

and

· his ax.

Perseverance brings misfortune.

A man's understanding is sufficiently penetrating.

· He follows up injurious influences into the most secret corners.

But

· he no longer has the strength to combat them decisively.

In this case

any attempt to penetrate into the personal domain of darkness

would only bring harm.

57 THE GENTLE (THE PENETRATING)

MANAGERIAL ISSUE:

The gentle CEO – being gentle to penetrate all aspects of the corporation.

Hexagram 57 refers to a gentle CEO. However, gentleness can be deceiving, for gentleness can be an iron fist behind a velvet glove. A gentle CEO can penetrate or conquer even the worst situation with his own kindness. Even evil, at its worst, will eventually surrender to the power of gentleness, as shown by Mother Theresa.

The I Ching says: “The dark principle, in itself rigid and immovable, is dissolved by the penetrating light principle, to which it subordinates itself in gentleness”.

MANAGERIAL LESSON:

The Superior CEO uses his own natural weapons for the gentle penetration of all aspects of the corporation:

1) Truth to dispel evil lies.

2) Righteousness to keep evil actions from hurting the corporation.

3) Gentleness and modesty, particularly when making changes. The Superior CEO avoids violent changes or violent penetration, because violence leads to destruction and there is no need to hurt anyone. He applies evolutionary changes or gentle penetration because such changes are much more lasting than revolutionary changes.

4) A highly focused mind to keep his target on sight at all times.

5) Tenacity in the relentless pursuit of his goals. Tenacity is what makes the gentle penetration so effective. And

6) Communication skills to let everyone know well ahead of time about:

a) The goals,

b) The means to achieve such goals, and

c) The role everyone must play in achieving such goals.

The Superior CEO practices the three rules of change: communication, communication, communication. He knows that to be successful he needs to establish the correct attitude for the collective action of all the employees. That such collective action can be achieved only if every employee acts together as a team, as if moved by a single mind, because only then will they easily achieve the goals. Communication will serve him to establish this attitude. With such attitude, the gentle CEO can bring peace and order to any corporation in chaos.

INVESTMENT ADVICE:

For the investor, the Gentle (Penetrating) represents in general terms an unfavorable Time-Space to invest.

By itself (no lines) the Time-Space points to success provided the CEO subordinates to an eminent man capable of creating order.

THE GENTLE.

Success through what is small.

It furthers one to have somewhere to go.

It furthers one to see the great man.

Penetration produces gradual and inconspicuous effects. It should be effected not by an act of violation but by influence that never lapses. Results of this kind are less striking to the eye than those won by surprise attack, but they are more enduring and more complete. If one would produce such effects one must have a dearly defined goal, for only when the penetrating influence works always in the same direction can the object be attained. Small strength can achieve its purpose only by subordinating itself to an eminent man who is capable of creating order.

The lines include only two possibilities of Good Fortune, two real negatives and two semi negative.

The following are cases of corporations under the Gentle Time-Space.

· Bank of America Corporation BAC under CEO Brian T. Moynihan

· EMC Corporation EMC under CEO Joseph M. Tucci

· Comcast Corporation CMCSK under CEO Brian L. Roberts

· PACCAR Inc. PCAR under CEO Mark C. Pigott

(Read at the end of the Hexagram)

THE LINES

SIX IN THE FIRST PLACE

Managerial Issue: The gentle CEO – gently penetrating the corporation – a gentle penetration without resolution can be a negative managerial practice.

Managerial Lesson: Be decisive.

Managerial Warning: At the first stage of the Gentle (Penetrating) Time-Space, the CEO risks being so gentle as to be irresolute.

Managerial Advice: The Superior CEO knows that:

· Gentleness without the use of the proper weapons leads to hesitation, and he who hesitates is lost.

· At times of hesitation he must keep in mind his duty, do as his duty demands, and do it with his utmost determination.

· The key to the success of the gentle penetration is determination.

The U.S. Marines say that even a hastily prepared plan if it is executed with the utmost determination is more likely to succeed than a perfectly prepared plan executed without any determination.

Investment advice: Do not invest

NINE IN THE SECOND PLACE

Managerial Issue: The gentle CEO – gently penetrating the corporation – relentless in his penetration.

Managerial Lesson: Be relentless.

Managerial Warning: At the second stage of the Gentle (Penetrating) Time-Space, the CEO finds he must penetrate the heart of the corporate culture, its prejudices, its beliefs, and what makes it or does not make it tick. He must look for hidden enemies (people or principles).

Managerial Advice: The Superior CEO knows that:

· Even though bad corporate beliefs may seem like harmless ideas, there usually are evil people behind these ideas, people who are well entrenched in the corporation.

· He must use his tenacity as his main weapon to penetrate into the real source of these evil ideas, as well as into the evil people inside the corporation who generate these ideas.

· Once he successfully penetrates both, then he must use the truth as his “weapon” to vanish these people and their ideas from the corporation.

This is a typical case of a corporation with a set of beliefs no longer in tune with the times. It is usually these sets of beliefs, which do more harm than even its competitors. It was a set of beliefs that hurt Apple Computers during its darkest days.

Investment advice: Invest.

NINE IN THE THIRD PLACE

Managerial Issue: The gentle CEO – gently penetrating the corporation - when to plan and when to execute the plan.

Managerial Lesson: Be balanced (reflection versus action).

Managerial Warning: At the third stage of the Gentle (Penetrating) Time-Space, the CEO finds that too much planning is as bad as no planning at all.

Managerial Advice: The Superior CEO knows that:

· Once he has developed a plan in his mind, he must execute it at once.

· Should he fail to act, the employees will perceive it as sign of weakness and he will lose their respect.

· Must keep in mind at all times that it is the relentless and continuous action that gives gentleness its power.

There was an old idea that the Japanese took a long time in deciding but a brief time in executing while the Americans took a brief time in deciding and a long time in executing. It is a matter of finding a proper balance between deciding and executing.

Investment advice: Do not invest.

SIX IN THE FOURTH PLACE

Managerial Issue: The gentle CEO – gently penetrating the corporation – by combining the best qualities - humility and resolution.

Managerial Lesson: Be humble.

Managerial Warning: At the fourth stage of the Gentle (Penetrating) Time-Space, the CEO “combines innate modesty with energetic action”,

Managerial Advice: The Superior CEO knows that when he combines even the most basic qualities mentioned in the beginning of the Hexagram he will successfully accomplish the task of penetrating the corporation. However, he does not have to have them all. Humility alone would do it.

Investment advice: Do not invest.

NINE IN THE FIFTH PLACE

Managerial Issue: The gentle CEO – gently penetrating the corporation – by applying the law of cause and effect.

Managerial Lesson: Be steadfast/correct.

Managerial Warning: At the fifth stage of the Gentle (Penetrating) Time-Space, the CEO must realize the importance of cause and effect (follow up).

Managerial Advice: The Superior CEO knows that:

· Every action generates a reaction, which in turn generates another action and so forth in a never-ending chain.

· Once the gentle CEO executes a plan, he must be ready and willing to make adjustments.

· No plan is so perfect that it takes into consideration all possible future reactions; however, the CEO can make adjustments as they become necessary.

· These continuous adjustments require the CEO execute his plans with the “weapons” mentioned in the beginning of the Hexagram.

· When he makes a change, he should apply the loop and exercise:

1. Gentleness to execute the change, then

2. Patience to wait for the plan to take shape, then

3. Humility to realize his plan has errors in it, then

4. Tenacity to seek the truth above all, then

5. A focused mind to stick only to the issues and to the issues only, then

6. Communication skills to make everyone aware of the changes, then

1. Gentleness to execute the changes, and

(Repeat the cycle).

Investment advice: Invest.

NINE IN THE SIXTH PLACE

Managerial Issue: The gentle CEO – gently penetrating the corporation – being gentle but lacking the strength to gently penetrate the corporation.

Managerial Lesson: Be wise.

Managerial Warning: At the sixth stage of the Gentle (Penetrating) Time-Space, the CEO finds at times even his gentleness will not allow him to penetrate the corporation.

Managerial Advice: The Superior CEO knows that:

· There will be times when even his gentleness and tenacity will bear no effect on the corporation.

· When the CEO lacks the Mandate of Heaven and fate is not in his favor, even for the CEO who holds all the weapons and qualities required in this Hexagram, it is best not to get involved with this corporation.

· In such cases it is best to just let the rotten corporate culture collapse on its own weight, to let evil touch bottom, so that he might eventually work on what is left.

Investment advice: Do not invest.

MANAGERIAL CASES

Bank of America Corporation BAC under CEO Brian T. Moynihan

Brian Moynihan’s Performance: ROI= (61.23%) Annualized Return= (41.80%)

SPY’s Performance: ROI= 2.52% Annualized Return= 1.43%

Brian T. Moynihan became CEO of Bank of America in January of 2010. Since then, his performance has been extremely poor.

Points the investor should consider:

1) THE HEXAGRAM

HEXAGRAM 57 – Sun - The Gentle (The Penetrating, Wind)

Sun is one of the eight doubled trigrams. It is the eldest daughter and symbolizes wind or wood; it has for its attribute gentleness, which nonetheless penetrates like the wind or like growing wood with its roots.

The dark principle, in itself rigid and immovable, is dissolved by the penetrating light principle, to which it subordinates itself in gentleness. In nature, it is the wind that disperses the gathered clouds, leaving the sky clear and serene. In human life it is penetrating clarity of judgment that thwarts all dark hidden motives. In the life of the community it is the powerful influence of a great personality that uncovers and breaks up those intrigues which shun the light of day.

THE JUDGMENT

THE GENTLE.

Success through what is small.

It furthers one to have somewhere to go.

It furthers one to see the great man.

2) THE ADVICE

Winds following one upon the other: The image of THE GENTLY PENETRATING.

Thus the superior man

Spreads his commands abroad

And carries out his undertakings.

The penetrating quality of the wind depends upon its ceaselessness. This is what makes it so powerful; time is its instrument. In the same way the ruler's thought should penetrate the soul of the people. This too requires a lasting influence brought about by enlightenment and command. Only when the command has been assimilated by the people is action in accordance with it possible. Action without preparation of the ground only frightens and repels.

3) THE LINES:

Nine in the third place means:

Repeated penetration.

Humiliation.

Penetrating reflection must not be pushed too far, lest it cripple the power of decision. After a matter has been thoroughly pondered, it is essential to form a decision and to act. Repeated deliberation brings fresh doubts and scruples, and thereby humiliation, because one shows oneself unable to act.

Six in the fourth place means:

Remorse vanishes.

During the hunt

Three kinds of game are caught.

When a responsible position and accumulated experience lead one to combine innate modesty with energetic action, great success is assured. The three kinds of animals referred to, served for offerings to the gods, for feasting guests, and for everyday consumption. When the catch answered all three purposes, the hunt was considered especially successful.

4) THE MOVING HEXAGRAM

HEXAGRAM 06 – Sung - Conflict

The upper trigram, whose image is heaven, has an upward movement; the lower trigram, water, in accordance with its nature, tends downward. Thus the two halves move away from each other, giving rise to the idea of conflict.

The attribute of the Creative is strength that of the abysmal is danger, guile. Where cunning has force before it, there is conflict.

A third indication of conflict, in terms of character, is presented by the combination of deep cunning within and fixed determination outwardly. A person of this character will certainly be quarrelsome.

THE JUDGMENT

CONFLICT. You are sincere

And are being obstructed.

A cautious halt halfway brings good fortune.

Going through to the end brings misfortune.

It furthers one to see the great man.

It does not further one to cross the great water.

Conflict develops when one feels himself to be in the right and runs into opposition. If one is not convinced of being in the right, opposition leads to craftiness or high-handed encroachment but not to open conflict.

If a man is entangled in a conflict, his only salvation lies in being so clear-headed and inwardly strong that he is always ready to come to terms by meeting the opponent halfway. To carry on the conflict to the bitter end has evil effects even when one is in the right, because the enmity is then perpetuated. It is important to see the great man, that is, an impartial man whose authority is great enough to terminate the conflict amicably or assure a just decision.

In times of strife, crossing the great water is to be avoided, that is, dangerous enterprises are not to be begun, because in order to be successful they require concerted unity of forces. Conflict within weakens the power to conquer danger without.

THE IMAGE

Heaven and water go their opposite ways: The image of Conflict.

Thus in all his transactions the superior man

Carefully considers the beginning.

The image indicates that the causes of conflict are latent in the opposing tendencies of the two trigram. Once these opposing tendencies appear, conflict is inevitable. To avoid it, therefore, everything must be taken carefully into consideration in the very beginning. If rights and duties are exactly defined, or if, in a group, the spiritual trends of the individuals harmonize, the cause of conflict is removed in advance.

EMC Corporation EMC under CEO Joseph M. Tucci

Joseph Tucci’s Performance: ROI= (67.56%) Annualized Return= (9.95%)

SPY’s Performance: ROI= (11.75%) Annualized Return= (1.16%)

Joseph M. Tucci became CEO of EMC in January of 2001. Since then, his performance has been extremely poor – particularly in the last 6 months.

Because he has been CEO for almost a decade, we asked the Oracle once more about his future. His new hexagram is The Gentle (Penetration).

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. The focusing point is the Judgment.

THE GENTLE.

Success through what is small.

It furthers one to have somewhere to go.

It furthers one to see the great man.

Of interest is the Nuclear hexagram.

NUCLEAR HEXAGRAM

HEXAGRAM 38 - K'uei - Opposition

This hexagram is composed of the trigram Li above, i.e., flame, which burns upward, and Tui below, i.e., the lake, which seeps downward. These two movements are in direct contrast. Furthermore, Li is the second daughter and Tui the youngest daughter, and although they live in the same house they belong, to different men; hence their wills are not the same but are divergently directed.

THE JUDGMENT

OPPOSITION.

In small matters, good fortune.

When people live in opposition and estrangement they cannot carry out a great undertaking in common; their points of view diverge too widely. In such circumstances one should above all not proceed brusquely, for that would only increase the existing opposition; instead, one should limit oneself to producing gradual effects in small matters. Here success can still be expected, because the situation is such that the opposition does not preclude all agreement.

In general, opposition appears as an obstruction, but when it represents polarity within a comprehensive whole, it has also its useful and important functions. The oppositions of heaven and earth, spirit and nature, man and woman, when reconciled, bring about the creation and reproduction of life. In the world of visible things, the principle of opposites makes possible the differentiation by categories through which order is brought into the world.

THE IMAGE

Above, fire, below, the lake: The image of OPPOSITION.

Thus amid all fellowship

The superior man retains his individuality.

The two elements, fire and water, never mingle but even when in contact retain their own natures. So the cultured man is never led into baseness or vulgarity through intercourse or community of interests with persons of another sort; regardless of all commingling, he will always preserve his individuality.

Comcast Corporation CMCSK under CEO Brian L. Roberts

Brian Roberts’ Performance: ROI= 44.28% Annualized Return= 4.19%

SPY’s Performance: ROI= 23.95% Annualized Return= 2.43%

Brian L. Roberts became CEO of Comcast in November of 2002. Since then, he has been able to outperform the SPY.

Because he has been CEO for almost a decade, we asked the Oracle once more about his future. His new hexagram is The Gentle (Penetrating).

Points the investor should consider:

1) THE HEXAGRAM

(Same as Above).

2) THE ADVICE

(Same as Above).

3) THE LINES:

Nine at the top means:

Penetration under the bed.

He loses his property and his ax.

Perseverance brings misfortune.

A man's understanding is sufficiently penetrating. He follows up injurious influences into the most secret corners. But he no longer has the strength to combat them decisively. In this case any attempt to penetrate into the personal domain of darkness would only bring harm.

4) THE MOVING HEXAGRAM

HEXAGRAM 48 – Ching - The Well

Wood is below, water above. The wood goes down into the earth to bring up water. The image derives from the pole-and-bucket well of ancient China. The wood represents not the buckets, which in ancient times were made of clay, but rather the wooden poles by which the water is hauled up from the well. The image also refers to the world of plants, which lift water out of the earth by means of their fibers.

The well from which water is drawn conveys the further idea of an inexhaustible dispensing of nourishment.

THE JUDGMENT

THE WELL.

The town may be changed,

But the well cannot be changed.

It neither decreases nor increases.

They come and go and draw from the well.

If one gets down almost to the water

And the rope does not go all the way,

Or the jug breaks, it brings misfortune.

In ancient China the capital cities were sometimes moved, partly for the sake of more favorable location, partly because of a change in dynasties. The style of architecture changed in the course of centuries, but the shape of the well has remained the same from ancient times to this day. Thus the well is the symbol of that social structure which, evolved by mankind in meeting its most primitive needs, is independent of all political forms. Political structures change, as do nations, but the life of man with its needs remains eternally the same - this cannot be changed. Life is also inexhaustible. It grows neither less nor more; it exists for one and for all. The generations come and go, and all enjoy life in its inexhaustible abundance.

However, there are two prerequisites for a satisfactory political or social organization of mankind. We must go down to the very foundations of life. For any merely superficial ordering of life that leaves its deepest needs unsatisfied is as ineffectual as if no attempt at order had ever been made. Carelessness - by which the jug is broken - is also disastrous. If for instance the military defense of a state is carried to such excess that it provokes wars by which the power of the state is annihilated, this is a breaking of the jug.

This hexagram applies also to the individual. However men may differ in disposition and in education, the foundations of human nature are the same in everyone. And every human being can draw in the course of his education from the inexhaustible wellspring of the divine in man's nature. But here likewise two dangers threaten: a man may fail in his education to penetrate to the real roots of humanity and remain fixed in conventions partial education of this sort is as bad as none or he may suddenly collapse and neglect his self-development.

THE IMAGE

Water over wood: the image of THE WELL.

Thus the superior man encourages the people at their work,

And exhorts them to help one another.

The trigram Sun, wood, is below, and the trigram K'an, water, is above it. Wood sucks water upward. Just as wood as an organism imitates the action of the well, which benefits all parts of the plant, the superior man organizes human society, so that, as in a plant organism, its parts cooperate for the benefit of the whole.

PACCAR Inc. PCAR under CEO Mark C. Pigott

Mark Pigott’s Performance: ROI= 465.33% Annualized Return= 12.44%

SPY’s Performance: ROI= 48.57% Annualized Return= 2.72%

Mark C. Pigott became CEO of PACCAR Inc. in January of 1997. Since then, he has been able to outperform the SPY substantially.

Because he has been CEO for a long time, we asked the Oracle once more about his future. His new hexagram is The Gentle (The Penetrating).

Since mid-2011 his performance has been below the SPY’s, thus he needs to change his strategy.

Points the investor should consider:

1) THE HEXAGRAM

(Same as Above).

2) THE ADVICE

(Same as Above).

3) THE LINES:

Nine in the second place means:

Penetration under the bed.

Priests and magicians are used in great number.

Good fortune.

No blame.

At times one has to deal with hidden enemies, intangible influences that slink into dark corners and from this hiding affect people by suggestion. In instances like this, it is necessary to trace these things back to the most secret recesses, in order to determine the nature of the influences to be dealt with. This is the task of the priests; removing the influences is the task of the magicians. The very anonymity of such plotting requires an especially vigorous and indefatigable effort, but this is well worth while. For when such elusive influences are brought into the light and branded, they lose their power over people.

Nine in the third place means:

Repeated penetration.

Humiliation.

4) THE MOVING HEXAGRAM

HEXAGRAM 20 – Kuan - Contemplation (View)

A slight variation of tonal stress gives the Chinese name for this hexagram a double meaning. It means both contemplating and being seen, in the sense of being an example. These ideas are suggested by the fact that the hexagram can be understood as picturing a type of tower characteristic of ancient China.

A tower of this kind commanded a wide view of the country; at the same time, when situated on a mountain, it became a landmark that could be seen for miles around. Thus the hexagram shows a ruler who contemplates the law of heaven above him and the ways of the people below, and who, by means of good government, sets a lofty example to the masses.

This hexagram is linked with the eighth month (September - October). The light-giving power retreats and the dark power is again on the increase. However, this aspect is not material in the interpretation of the hexagram as a whole.

THE JUDGMENT

CONTEMPLATION.

The ablution has been made,

But not yet the offering.

Full of trust they look up to him.

The sacrificial ritual in China began with an ablution and a libation by which the Deity was invoked, after which the sacrifice was offered. The moment of time between these two ceremonies is the most sacred of all, the moment of deepest inner concentration. If piety is sincere and expressive of real faith, the contemplation of it has a transforming and awe-inspiring effect on those who witness it.

Thus also in nature a holy seriousness is to be seen in the fact that natural occurrences are uniformly subject to law. Contemplation of the divine meaning underlying the workings of the universe gives to the man who is called upon to influence others the means of producing like effects. This requires that power of inner concentration which religious contemplation develops in great men strong in faith. It enables them to apprehend the mysterious and divine laws of life, and by means of profoundest inner concentration they give expression to these laws in their own persons. Thus a hidden spiritual power emanates from them, influencing and dominating others without their being aware of how it happens.

THE IMAGE

The wind blows over the earth: The image of CONTEMPLATION.

Thus the kings of old visited the regions of the world,

Contemplated the people,

And gave them instruction.

When the wind blows over the earth it goes far and wide and the grass must bend to its power. These two occurrences find confirmation in the hexagram. The two images are used to symbolize a practice of the kings of old; in making regular journeys the ruler could, in the first place, survey his realm and make certain that none of the existing usages of the people escaped notice; in the second, he could exert influence through which such customs as were unsuitable could be changed.

All of this points to the power possessed by a superior personality. On the one hand, such a man will have a view of the real sentiments of the great mass of humanity and therefore cannot be deceived; on the other, he will impress the people so profoundly, by his mere existence and by the impact of his personality, that they will be swayed by him as the grass by the wind.