More About Fifty Line Two

Hexagram fifty is a really good hexagram to compare with the prototypes of hexagrams one and two. We have already compared line two of fifty with line two of one, let's compare line two of fifty with line two of two. The text says, "My comrades are envious but they cannot harm me." The commentary of line two in one says, "The strictest reticence is indicated here. The time is dangerous, because any degree of prominence leads either to the enmity of irresistible antagonists if one challenges them, or to misconceived recognition if one is complaisant. Therefore one ought to maintain reserve... for there too he can hide himself so that no one knows him."

Whenever we are destructing and reconstructing, transforming, it is important that we do not talk too much about our plans, because each person has their own agenda, and their own hopes and desires, and they may not jell too much with our own. So when we are trying to build one way, someone else is often plotting to build another. Men are naturally more attuned to this than women are, in general. They are very reticent and not as likely to speak about plans or emotions. For women it is important to share emotions in order to bond with other women. Men cannot do this, it would be disastrous for them. But even for men, there needs to be a greater understanding of this principle. It is a principle that applies to men specifically, as woman operate under different social rules, and it is important for them to share, especially in relationships. That being said it is important in the business world to seek to be the power BEHIND the throne; to be an unseen ruler, reticent in all ways but to simply carry on the task of rebuilding. The more we show ourselves the more we give an opponent the opportunity to attack us and to maneuver us. The more we show of our strengths and weaknesses, the more an opponent will work on such weaknesses. And remember, our strengths ARE our weaknesses. This is hard to explain, but the mighty oak crashes in a severe wind storm while the lowly weed merely bends. If you want to find someone's weaknesses, merely look at his strengths. Men understand this principle and therefore are not likely too show too much of themselves. In that way, men hide themselves so well that no one really knows them. And we have a furtherance of this concept in hexagram fifty line two where the commentary says, "The more he limits himself to his actual achievements, the less harm the envious can afflict on him," Because they do not know him. Line three of hexagram two carries this theme a little bit further when it says in the commentary, "If conditions demand it, he can also enter public life, but that too he does with restrain. The wise man gladly leaves fame to others."