Hi all,

I finished art school some time ago and had a couple of problems with self-doubt and anxiety during the last 6 months. For the whole last months, I wasn't able to work, even if I always had some inspiration and a project in mind, which I would love to work on. However, there is a lot of pressure both socially and financially, so I'm not quite sure whether I should keep working on my own project or go back to college in order to study something which has a better financial perspective. My social environment, especially my parents urge me to go back to college in order to study more grounded with a higher financial security. But this is not something I would want to try. Giving up on arts would be heartbreaking to me, despite the fact that I pretty much doubt my own capability which leaded to some creative blocks in the past.

I had a discussion with my parents and some friends yesterday, which was quite frustrating, so I asked the Yi:

„How will trying to realize my project effect my finances within the next year?“

The answer was: Hexagram 1.3.5>38

The lines are looking quite auspicious from my point of view. According to the great translation of the "Times"-method (thank you very much, sparhawk!) the hexagram indicates a whole year period, so about 2 months per line. Line 3 indicates a lot of work until the end of the year and a very auspicious line 5 for the next year.

If it were for the lines, I would say "hooray" and go on. However, the secondary hexagram looks quite scary. As far as I know, most people believe the 2nd hex always indicate the outcome of a situation. According to this, I would read it as "whatever you do, you will meet with opposition, so there is basically not much to gain". On the other hand, if the 2nd hex was just a reflection of the current situation, this would make perfectly sense, too, since I meet a lot of opposition in my family and have some problems with doubts and blocks.
The lines and the 2nd hex seem quite contraditory to me, so I don't know how to interpret this reading.
I would really appreciate some ideas and thoughts about this one, since I'm quite confused.

Here at Online Clarity we like to make it clear that the second hexagram does not usually mean the result. We call it the "relating hexagram," and as such it describes your relationship to the question you have asked. It can also indicate your hopes and wishes, and even, sometimes, the result. For guidance, therefore, it is much more important to look to the changing lines in the primary hexagram.

I think you can see clearly how hex 38 in your reading applies to the state of opposition you face from your parents and the whole frustration of the arts vs. making money.

Johannes said:

How will trying to realize my project effect my finances within the next year?“

The answer was: Hexagram 1.3.5>38

Click to expand...

If applied literally to your question, aside from your goals being opposed to those of your parents, I'd say your inner satisfaction and bliss are opposed to expecting financial rewards to be as satisfying. The artistic direction, unless applied commercially, are more likely to result in feeling ungrounded, un-rested and probably feeling insecure. It will likely take more time and effort to learn your craft, and will likely involve compromising your art toward a more commercial direction.

I've quoted these words quite a few times already on this forum, so forgive me, those who have read it before. They come from someone who knows, and I was too arrogant to heed them, back when they were told to me.

"An artist's obligation is to their art. An entertainer's obligation is to their audience." He followed this, saying that there are very rare exceptions of someone managing to do both at the same time, but an artist has no right to feel entitled to nor complain about not making a good living.

I feel the opposition is palpable in those words.