10 unchanging, How Will We Get Book Done?

[poised]

I am working on a book with a man who is an expert in his field. His material needs to get out to mainstream readers. I have done books like this before and they do get published. This is complicated by the fact that we are having a Relationship, some days just a relationship. Other complications too, emotional attachments, defining relationship up, defining it down. And we're neighbors. How sticky the wickets.

He works fulltime in town, I work at home. Have enough material to get this project done, but we spend all our together time having fun, sometimes not so much, laughing, arguing, visiting my family and his son -- all of the typical relating stuff.

I asked I Ching, "How Will We Get Book Done?" 10 Treading
Legge: ..." treading on the tail of the tiger, which does not bite him. There will be progress and success."
Hillary's version: "Where is the tiger? Do you know how to work with such power?"

Hillary's question is right on the mark. I do know where the tiger is. It's my totem animal and lives inside...sometimes not in control, however, which manifests as outbursts of anger. My tiger is actually a tigress. Shows up in dreams Loving, watchful, nurturing, fiercely protective of me and mine. Inclined to creature comforts, stretching in the sun, paw licking. She's my feminine totem. She is never fully in charge or expressed, which I think adds to the or is a huge part of the problem.

I also have an inner plow-race horse that gets things done and wins....which seems to be missing at this time. Horse-tiger duo came from many dreams over many years.

Legge lists male/horse/heaven qualities for the upper trigram: strong, clever, brave, active, solid, etc

And soft, smiling, pleasurable, content...general pawlicking stuff for the bottom trigram, Tui.

Friend is bright, clever, creative, has a lot of the Ch'ien qualities, but uses them up in his counseling job Monday to Friday. His Tui qualities are taxed to the max too, dealing with needy people fulltime. When I told him that Treading was the answer to How do we do this book, his first thought was "treading water." It's beginning to feel that way. His totem is a turtle, btw.

And, believe it or not, we had this discussion on side-by-side treadmills in the gym. Ancient Chinese humor?

I'd like to integrate the tiger and horse energies and complete the book with this team at my disposal.

Any and all other thoughts are most welcome. Thanks

 

[bradford]

There are a lot of things you must do in order to get a book done, edited, and published.
These are steps and protocols that need to be respected, and they'll bite you on the ass if you don't respect them.

 

[poised]

yes, thanks Bradford. I've been in the publishing business for decades, know the protocols.....the how will we do it is more about how my partner and I can conquer our tendencies to do anything but work when we are together. The only solution I can come up with is to do all the work myself. Not really fair.

Also, as I read my original question, I see that I'm dragging in other symbols from other sources. Just because Hexagram 10 reminds me of other soulwork, I should probably just read Treading as treading.

 

[pocossin]

How Will We Get Book Done?
10 unchanging

Isn't this similar to the 'Why did I stick my finger in the blender' question? You are the writer. Getting the work done depends on you. Why are you delaying this project? Perhaps the tiger's tail in the situation is that you fear that if you complete the project you will lose your friend.

 

[charly]

...
I asked I Ching, "How Will We Get Book Done?" 10 Treading ...
Any and all other thoughts are most welcome. Thanks

Hi, Poised:

H.10 judgement says:

履虎尾
lu3 hu3 wei3
STEPPING TIGER TAIL
Treading the tiger's tail.

不咥人
bu4 die2 ren2
NOT BITTEN PEOPLE
People will not get bitten.

亨
heng1
FEAST.
Joy and celebration.

​

You've asked how can he book get done. As you describe the things the book is not dangerous. Put your tigress to work, but go cautious, like a tigress awaiting her prey. Go forward, step by step as Brad advices.

There are many tails of tiger and not all are dangerous:

Source: [I've forgotten it]

​

The plant of the picture is known by the name of 虎尾 TIGER-TAIL and the BUG is going step by step without being bitten.

H.10 is JOY below the HEAVEN. In relation with the book is the joy of gettig the work well done. Don't let steps undone.

Maybe about the relation itself the reading should be another, but you didn't ask about it. Of course, H.10 says that's a time of feast and celebration, enjoy it!


All the best,


Charly

 

[poised]

"Perhaps the tiger's tail in the situation is that you fear that if you complete the project you will lose your friend."

Thank you for the insight. Indeed, that is my fear, pocossin. And could well be the tiger, as you suggest. Apparently if I tread lightly, carefully, or as we used to say in California, dance with the situation, both the book and relationship could work out well. Funny thing is, we've had so many disagreements, we've sort of run out of them. We're still standing and the path ahead is clear.

 

[poised]

10 unchanging How Will We Get Book Done?

Thank you very much for the tiger tail image, Charly. That dedicated little bug truly brings a smile to my heart. I love the idea that not all tiger tails are dangerous.

I printed the picture and it's now on my desk as a reminder to go step by step, lightly yet fervently. I see that I have chosen this particular stalk to munch; it's nourishing and delicious and fills my needs. It is correct. And there are other stalks. Another book when I'm finished with this one, which feels good. Another man? Just for today, I would not choose that. I want to feast and celebrate with this one.