#38 睽 Deviation– Synergy of Differences

#38睽 Deviation– Synergy of Differences

睽      火泽睽         离上兑下

This hexagram has a Fire trigram on top and a Lake Trigram at the bottom. Fire flows upward whereas the water of the lakes flows downward. Hence, it means deviation; each going in the opposite direction. Nevertheless, they stayed together to form this hexagram. The teaching is therefore how to bring differences to work together.

Description:

1. 小事吉: In small matters, it is good fortune.

Textual Commentary:
彖曰：睽，火动而上，泽动而下；  二女同居，其志不同行； 说而丽乎明，  柔进而上行， 得中而应乎刚；是以小事吉。  天地睽，而其事同也； 男女睽，而其志通也；万物睽，而其事类也；睽之时用大矣哉！

The deviation is fire moves upwards and lakes move downward. Two ladies stay together, even though their personalities (or passions) are different. Joy and beauty shine brightly. Softness moves upward. She gets the central position and responds to the strong (note: the fifth yin line is responding to the 2nd hard-yang line and hence there is a fortune in little matters. The sky and the earth are separated but they serve the same task and purpose (of providing the environment for living things to grow); Man and woman are different but their ambitions are united (in procreation). The living things are separated, but they serve their kinds (The Eco-system works together to support each other). The teaching and application of 睽 Deviation are great.

Pictorial Commentary:  象曰：上火下泽，睽；君子以同而异。
The top is Fire and the bottom is Lake makes Deviation. Wise men synergize from differences – sharing the same goals but having different strengths.

Moral Teachings:

1. We are all uniquely created with different personalities and functions.
2. The different functions are for supporting each other to accomplish the greater whole of which we are all apart.
3. We are not to try to be the same as others in functions or personalities but to excel in our uniqueness.
4. Unity is not the same name or uniformity but shared common goals with different and committed people.

Stage 1 Begin Nine: There is no regret. Lost a horse but don’t search for it. It will come back. Meet an evil person but there is no fault. 初九：悔亡，丧马勿逐，自复；见恶人无咎。
Pictorial Commentary explains that meeting an evil person enables us to keep any faults away. 象曰：见恶人，以辟咎也。

Disappointment, represented by our horse running away, may not lead to a bad outcome. Great men are built through difficult trials. The key is to learn from it and not be trapped in feeling sorry for ourselves. The horse actually came back by itself telling us there was actually no loss at all. People with different opinions or viewpoints from us are not to be taken as bad or evil. Having different views allows us to prevent mistakes and hence there is no fault.

Stage 2 Second Nine: Meet the Master in a path. There is no fault. 九二：遇主于巷，无咎。
The pictorial commentary explains that meeting the master in a path shows that we have not departed from the right way. 象曰：遇主于巷，未失道也。

With disagreement, we parted ways from our master. However, because we still share the same values and objectives, we end up meeting again along the same path! This shows that when objectives or values are the same, we can go in many different ways, and yet we end up meeting again. The key to unity is stressed on values and objectives and not the different capabilities and personalities. Like a body with many parts, we need different parts to perform their different tasks in order to survive.

Stage 3 Third Six: Observe that the carriage was stuck and the ox could not pull it forward.  The driver’s head was bruised and his nose was cut off. There is no good beginning but has a good ending. 六三：见舆曳，其牛掣，其人天且劓，无初有终。
The pictorial commentary explains that the carriage was stuck because it was in the wrong position. No good beginning but with a good ending is due to meeting the strong one. 象曰：见舆曳，位不当也。 无初有终，遇刚也。

Differences in opinions if not resolved will end up with a stale-mate. Nothing moves forward and yet there is much injury caused due to infighting. It takes a strong man to lead and break the impasse.

Stage 4 Forth Nine: Separated and alone. Meet a person with great influence. Interact with integrity. There is danger but no fault. 九四：睽孤，遇元夫，交孚，厉无咎。
The pictorial commentary explains that interacting with integrity brings no fault because of the progress of one desire. 象曰：交孚无咎，志行也。

Meeting a person with great influence is a dangerous thing because he will be very demanding and perceptive. Nevertheless, if we can build the relationship on integrity, then it will be good and there will be progress for us. We cannot try to over-impress prominent people. They will see through them and it will be bad for us.

Stage 5 Fifth Six: There is no regret. The clan has a meaty feast. Going forward has no fault. 六五：悔亡，厥宗噬肤，往何咎。
The pictorial commentary explains that gathering together for a meaty feast means going forward brings many celebrations. 象曰：厥宗噬肤，往有庆也。

At this stage the teamwork has attended from between the boss and staff into teamwork of many people – people belonging to the same clan implying people that share the same clan’s objective and values. With such cooperation, there is no stopping them when they get moving.

Stage 6 Top Nine: Deviation brings loneliness. Seeing pigs covered with dirt, a carriage full of ghosts, stretches out the bow first. Afterward, put down the bow. It is not a team of robbers but a team to propose marriage. Going forward and if meet up with rain, then it means good fortune. 上九：睽孤， 见豕负涂，载鬼一车，  先张之弧，后说之弧， 匪寇婚媾，往遇雨则吉。
Pictorial Commentary explains the meeting of rains brings fortune because all the doubts are gone. 象曰：遇雨之吉，群疑亡也。

At this stage, the initial misunderstanding of differences as enemies has changed into a good understanding of successful teamwork, like a marriage, is the synergy of differences of strengths rather than just more of the same. People with different views are not against us but for us. All it takes is to share the common objective, values, and the right assignment of the right jobs to the right people with the right talents.

Summary:

• We are created to be unique and different from one another though we live in the same world.
• We need to excel in our unique strengths and not be like others.
• We need to share the common goals of the higher whole of which we are all apart.
• Synergy is of differences and not sameness.
• Unity is common goals with different kinds of people committed to the same goals.

Wisdom from the Stage Lines:

1. Different views help prevent mistakes. It is good.
2. Sharing the same objectives and values will be sufficient for unity.
3. Get a Strong Mentor to break the impasse due to infighting.
4. Build relationships with prominent people based on integrity.
5. Group cooperation of complementary strengths brings celebration.
6. People with different views are not against us but for us. Strength comes from putting the right talents in the right jobs.

Lim Liat (c) 23/5/2010