8 比 Holding Together
Judgement
You want to join someone or something, and the bond is good when it is made with care. Before you approach, ask yourself whether what you offer is great, steady and firm. If so, you are unlikely to go wrong. Those who are restless and have no place tend to come close; whoever arrives late has it harder. Look at yourself honestly before asking others to join you: their following has to rest on who you really are.
Image
Water over the earth: it spreads, seeps in and moistens it without leaving gaps. This is the image of close union, where nothing stays apart. The ancient kings applied it by founding the various states and keeping a warm relationship with their princes. Today you can think about how your own bonds are formed: they are not created by power but by closeness. Look after, with affection, those who are part of your life.
Lines
Line 1
You approach another person with sincerity, and that is good. Imagine your chest full of good faith, like an earthen vessel full of what it holds: plain, without decoration, but full. Other good things can grow from that frankness. Do not pretend to feel more than you do.
Line 2
The impulse to join comes from inside, not from outside pressure, and that gives this bond its worth. If you stay firm and upright, it tends to go well. Ask yourself whether your wish to belong comes from who you are or from the need to fit in.
Line 3
You seek to join someone who is not good for you. There is no need to say more: the image is enough. Some company wears you down, and you know it even if it is hard to admit. Ask yourself why you go near that company and what you need that you cannot find elsewhere.
Line 4
You seek to join someone outside your circle, and you do it with firmness and uprightness. It is a good decision. When what you seek lies beyond your usual surroundings, approach with respect and honesty. Ask yourself who deserves your approach, even if they are not one of your own.
Line 5
The king hunts in three directions and lets what flees by the fourth escape; nobody in his realm sounds the alarm. It is the clearest example of union: an authority that neither catches nor compels. If you want someone to stay, let them be free to leave.
Line 6
You look for union without having taken the first step: you want to be welcomed without having offered anything. That is a bad sign. Before you expect to be accepted, do something concrete that shows what you want to contribute. Closeness is built, not claimed.
Reflection
- What do you really offer to the people you want to join?
- Which company are you staying in that no longer gives you anything?
- What first concrete gesture could you make today toward the bond you seek?