30 December 2009

Learning from I-Ching Part 10 5 需 Needs - Wait for the Right Time

"5 需 Needs - Wait" with Water trigram at the top (i.e. clouds) and Heaven trigram at the bottom. The Chinese word means needs or wants and extended to mean waiting for the right time and opportunities. Formation of clouds in the sky is preparation for rain and is not raining yet and hence the extending meaning for waiting, or getting ready, preparation for rain or actions.

Waiting here is not idle waiting or killing time. It is an intense preparation, watchfulness, and most interesting of all, waiting with celebration and joy! Let's look at the details:

Moral Attributes:
  1. 有孚: have integrity, honesty.
  2. 光亨: have light and smooth flowing
  3. 贞吉: righteous and goodness
  4. 利涉大川: suitable to start big project (original: cross wide rivers)
The textual description said that it means 'wait' because there is danger at the front. Move with integrity and strength and will not fall into the pit. Neither will you be trapped in a dead end. The position is at the sky, and need to hold the righteous central and is good for crossing great rivers. Moving forward is rewarding.

Fun in the Midst of Waiting 
The most interesting description is given in the pictorial text : 云上於天,需;君子以饮食宴乐。 Clouds rise up to the sky is, 需-Xu, waiting for the right moment; Wise man has joy with  partying with foods and drinks.

The secret of the ability for a long and fruitful wait is the attitude of joy and celebration. In the midst of preparation for the right opportunities, we must work with joy and gladness in our heart. We can intersperse fun times in the waiting period.

The common reaction to delay and waiting is frustration and anger. We wasted much energy in complaining and on futile activities killing the time. This hexagram tell us to make best of the waiting time for preparation and some fun, keeping our expectation and hope alive. We will then be in the best position to exploit the opportunity when the time is ripe. Keeping happy and busy will also make the waiting time seems short.

Stage 1 - Begin Nine: Waiting at the wilderness. Good to have perseverance. No fault.
We are just starting and we must prepare to wait and work for a long time. Remember to have fun in the mean time. Please take note that we are not idly waiting but in preperation and making progress even though progress is hard. We must not loose our calmness and there will be no fault. We can picture army moving forward to take a city starting from a far far place in the wilderness.

Stage 2 - Second Nine: Waiting at the sands. Have some complains. Good ending.
Some more waiting and there are people getting impatience and you can hear some complains. Some encouragement and fun will help and we can continue in a good state of readiness.

Stage 3 - Third Nine: Waiting in the mud. Enemy (original: Robbers) came.
We are getting closer but now there are external harmful factors coming in to interfere with our progress. We need to be watchful and careful to handle them well so that we will not loose out.

Stage 4 - Fourth Six: Waiting in a bloody place. Escape out of danger and traps.
If we are in a war, we are so near the target that the enemy come to attack us and there are injuries and bleeding. If we are in business, the long build up time is bleeding our cash. Being watchful of the external trends, listening to the market, we manage to escape from traps.

Stage 5 - Fifth Nine: Waiting with Drink and Food. Righteous perseverance bring forth fortune.
We are all ready to celebrate. It is like the eve of the product launch. Continue with the care and excellent work and you shall have a good success.

Stage 6 - Top Six: Back to home and meet three uninvited guests. Treat them with respect and you will end up with good fortune.
A successful launch brings forth customers that you have not expected. Respect and understand their requests. Make the needed changes and they will bring you to the next stage of greater success.

Don't waste this waiting time. Get prepared, be watchful, and have a happy and expectant attitude.

Further learning on I-Ching please go to my BvOTech blog.

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