I've just been invited to join a new artistic opportunity and the chance to collaborate with people I'm very inspired by and who have skills way beyond mine, I feel incredibly nervous and really want to have a confidence building experience - rather than the stress of being totally out of my depth.

I asked what will be the outcome of our joining forces on Thursday..
I got 55 abundance

I asked did I do the wrong thing by expressing how insecure I feel due to not being active artistically for a couple of years? ie present an image of an insecure person
I got 8 seeking union

Reading the interpretation for 8 I don't see it as giving me an answer - only asking questions and saying seeking union has it's stresses?

So I ask will my contribution as an artist be valuable enough and inspiring to the other participants?
59.5.6 to 7
Dispersing to the army


Many thanks for any thoughts..

Opportunity is knocking.

The first two hexagrams you've received seem to be straightforward and mirroring your concerns and desires. The third answer seems to be very telling. 59 is about transcendence and metamorphosis, becoming lighter and therefore spreading out. The opportunity could do just that.

Line 5 changes to hexagram 4 and shows your innocent inexperience with the situation. The line says "Nothing is wrong". Positive challenges comes to mind.

Line 6 changes to hexagram 29 and shows that there is no amount of knowledge that you currently possess which is going to help you understand this situation. Instead the gold is in the experience. You would have to go through the experience and gain exposure of a new kind.In a way it seems to be saying this would be great practice. Fear has a lot to do with this line, but as the line says "Getting distance", you should be able to remove yourself from the fear and take a step back. Overall you seem to have an opportunity to grow and expand through involvement. You don't need understanding or previous experience, just courage.

To add a small personal mantra for h8, which seems fitting here concerning your insecurity: keep it together.

Holding yourself together is a necessity before you hold together with others, especially others whose skill is more highly developed than your own.

I'd sum up your last reading as: don't sweat it.

keep it together
don't sweat it

(that's what I told myself before getting up the courage to stand and introduce myself to John Lennon - talk about being out of my depth! or was I... he didn't seem to think so.) Neither do your new artist friends.

Thank you both for your useful insights!
This is difficult for me - all to do with worthiness - I keep setting my goals higher and higher - perhaps as a way of avoiding the present, avoiding my own feelings. This encounter is all about the present.
..part of the nature of joining together is receptivity - no matter what I do - I will still be an ingredient - with my unique perspective to add.
I hope week is the week I start to value that, and as you say - hold steady..believe in myself..take it as a moment in time, a step on a path..Not some final judgement of my value as a person or artist.