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Postgraduate Study? 2.3 > 15

grace heart

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Hello everyone,

As some of you already know from my snivelling last post, I’ve been kind of struggling to make sense of my life - as well as make a living - for the best part of 2018. Still, I managed to finish my last novel, and am querying literary agents atm, as well as applying for “day” work. And thinking: with my writing career being so unpredictable, and the day-jobs so badly paid, how about I start doing things differently?

So I’m now looking into a possibility of taking a postgraduate course in creative writing, with one of the most prestigious schools in this country, no less. I’d get to write, and become part of something bigger than just the lil ol me, and maybe even teach in the future (service). This is a big u-turn for someone who used to insist that ‘A poet is born - not bloody made!’ Humbling, for sure. Thing is, all I see is problems. Like I don’t have the money, and could only do it on a scholarship. And, even if I do get in, can I actually be taught anymore? Also, it would mean moving to another town. I don’t like where I’m at, but a move?? And what about my younger son? OMG.

I asked Yi to give me an insight into this whole postgraduate course idea, and I was promptly given 2.3 > 15.

Now, I get hexagram 2 a lot, but (almost) never as the first hexagram. What’s that all about?

Another thing - I can interpret the hexagrams and lines individually, but I’m not too sure how to interpret the actual reading. It's a bit like astrology - I know where my sun sign’s at, and my ascendent, and my Moon, even my Lilith, but it’s how they work together that make me who I am. So any thoughts on 2.3 > 15: The Reading would be much appreciated.
 

Trojina

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From Hilary's translation in wiki

'Containing within, a thing of beauty: this can be constant.
Maybe following king's business -
Without accomplishment there is completion.'


Hilary once told me this can also translate as 'chapters held within the mouth' or something like that - for 'containing a thing of beauty I think.


So there is something beautiful and worthy there which is worth being constant towards but don't do it for the sake of 'accomplishment' only do it for the sake of 'completion'. Don't do it for prestige or recognition that isn't what this is about, it's beyond that. Completing is enough - the work is done when there is completion.


Radiofreewill suggested to me that completion itself was the accomplishment.


So it is a beautiful line but not necessarily one where you can gain worldly rewards and yet it is still worth doing. It still asks to be done, there is a 'thing of beauty' there.


So this is one to think about, it's one I'm still thinking about anyway
 

grace heart

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From Hilary's translation in wiki

Hilary once told me this can also translate as 'chapters held within the mouth' or something like that - for 'containing a thing of beauty I think.


So there is something beautiful and worthy there which is worth being constant towards but don't do it for the sake of 'accomplishment' only do it for the sake of 'completion'. Don't do it for prestige or recognition that isn't what this is about, it's beyond that. Completing is enough - the work is done when there is completion.

Thank you so much, dear Trojina, you have so often come to my aid with throughts and insights I could relate to. #grateful

I was very excited to read that thing of beauty could be translated as "chapters held within the mouth" - a story, a novel... I do tend to take things pretty literally, see.

And, although I said that one line doesn't maketh a reading, I still read some more line interpretations, just to decipher what, exactly, am I not getting.
Came across Lise:
Line 3: Harboring qualities permits determination. If one follows king's affairs, without achieving, he completes.
One's inner pattern decides what one accomplishes. Honor is of no use, dedication does the job. Act as if it is for a king, not for a goal: the value is in the doing.
(Hex.2's 15 Joining the Work: Doing things the way they want to be done)

And it hit me that I'm not entirely sure who King is, or what King's work/business I could be doing... Unless, hmm, unless what Yi is trying to tell me is to validate my own gift by tending to it and writing as no one's watching, instead of trying to get a place in a setting where others may (or may not) offer me the validation. And, I guess, trust that the material world will take care of itself.

Oh and - Hapy Birthday, Hilary! Wishing you many happy, healthy, prosperous returns!
 

rosada

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I think the I Ching is commenting on the course itself and how it might benefit you rather than on the question of how you would manage to take such a course or the effects of a move. I think 2.3 may be saying that you feel you might gain something by completing your formal education to make you a truly successful writer. I think the "king" here could represent the class teacher.

"Containing a thing within: this could be beauty. Constant." So you have it in you, your talents are real.
"Maybe following a king's business" Doing the class assignments.
"Without accomplishment there is completion." While you are not accomplishing your own work here, writing your own stories, you are completing your training and this is a good thing. It all leads to you becoming more...

15. Balanced. Able to be an poet/artist and make money too.
 

Trojina

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And, although I said that one line doesn't maketh a reading, I still read some more line interpretations, just to decipher what, exactly, am I not getting.
Came across Lise:
Line 3: Harboring qualities permits determination. If one follows king's affairs, without achieving, he completes.
One's inner pattern decides what one accomplishes. Honor is of no use, dedication does the job. Act as if it is for a king, not for a goal: the value is in the doing.
(Hex.2's 15 Joining the Work: Doing things the way they want to be done)

And it hit me that I'm not entirely sure who King is, or what King's work/business I could be doing... Unless, hmm, unless what Yi is trying to tell me is to validate my own gift by tending to it and writing as no one's watching, instead of trying to get a place in a setting where others may (or may not) offer me the validation. And, I guess, trust that the material world will take care of itself.
I agree. Generally I would take the king as being the worldly values, the existing hierarchies of rewards and recognition. I mean I've had this line many times for voluntary work and also for the Yi book I am writing. It does say 'if' you are in the service of a king so if you are serving an organisation
or a business or a charity or whatever it is don't expect to receive the kinds of rewards that go with that. So as a volunteer I never got paid work, though for a while I aspired to it yet still the work I did was completed.


If you look at kings throughout Yi they do seem to represent worldly power and concerns such as in 18.6. I'm no expert on this however. Hilary does have a glossary of Yi terms perhaps I should go and check it out. My sense of 'king' in this line is that which you might be serving or you might not.


For example supposing someone loved to make art and then one day they were given a role in an organisation as an art therapist. The king here would be that organisation, that body which the person serves with her skill. Supposing the person is a brilliant art therapist and makes a difference to many people but her contract isn't extended and she's given no role. I think that's a classic line 3 scenario.


Has she succeeded in the work by completing it ? Yes she has. Has she succeeded in gaining position and a lasting role at the organisation ? No. But what is important here ? Is it important that she truly did the work or that she got the title of 'the person who does the work' ? It's up to the individual how they choose to go here but I think Yi is strongly suggesting that there is true 'work' to be done whether or not it at times happens to be in the service of a king. I think that is why it says 'if' you are in the service of a king.


So you may be writing and then one day perhaps have a role in a organisation or work place, where you are in service to the king with your talents. They may not reward you as much as you'd like but Yi says here I think that does not detract from the value of the work.
 

rosada

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More thoughts on 2.3...

There is an adage that in order to learn how to do something there is a 3 step process.
1. See one.
2. Do one.
3. Teach one.

I'm thinking 2.3 could be a description of someone who has not yet completed step 3, that is, someone who may feel they are ready to call it a day and go to sleep - but there is some last duty that must be completed before there can be closure (2.4) so the person can then confidently experience and follow their new dreams (2.5) and be strong enough to pit these new ideas against the old (2.6).

So as a writer you might apply this to your situation as meaning you

1.first have role models in your life, something that gave you the idea (like reading a poem and falling in love with poetry),
2. then you act on the inspiration (you write poems yourself), but you really haven't gotten the full experience, locked it in so to speak, until..
3. you pass on what you have learned and in this case it may be the pull to go back to school is not just a desire to be taught, but to teach. (Even though you might technically be a "student" by being a member of the class you are also a "teacher" )

I'm thinking 2.3 is saying you are at a point where you are called on to teach and so this school idea resonates with that feeling. But I wonder, do you really need the student experience (although it would be grand to have some gifted teachers to be role models). Perhaps what you need is to have the teaching experience! Perhaps if you were to offer tutoring lessons where you are right now you would gain some insights that would lead to your own writing finds a wider audience. Or maybe it would turn out to be a way for you to make $ to support you going to this school.

Interesting that 1.3 The creative man is working round the clock like a mad man coming up with all kinds of plans and ideas, a giant To Do list, and then the pairing hexagram line 2.3 is saying "Enough with the ideas! I don't want to keep manifesting the old plans! I just want everybody to calm down!"

jm2c, Rosada
 

grace heart

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More thoughts on 2.3...

There is an adage that in order to learn how to do something there is a 3 step process.
1. See one.
2. Do one.
3. Teach one.

I'm thinking 2.3 could be a description of someone who has not yet completed step 3, that is, someone who may feel they are ready to call it a day and go to sleep - but there is some last duty that must be completed before there can be closure (2.4) so the person can then confidently experience and follow their new dreams (2.5) and be strong enough to pit these new ideas against the old (2.6).

Wow. This just about sums up the collection of feelings about life, and my place/role in it. Think I'll print it out and stick on the wall next to my bed, to inspire both my dreams and reality. Thanks, Rosada.
 

grace heart

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More thoughts on 2.3...

There is an adage that in order to learn how to do something there is a 3 step process.
1. See one.
2. Do one.
3. Teach one.

I'm thinking 2.3 could be a description of someone who has not yet completed step 3, that is, someone who may feel they are ready to call it a day and go to sleep - but there is some last duty that must be completed before there can be closure (2.4) so the person can then confidently experience and follow their new dreams (2.5) and be strong enough to pit these new ideas against the old (2.6).

So as a writer you might apply this to your situation as meaning you

1.first have role models in your life, something that gave you the idea (like reading a poem and falling in love with poetry),
2. then you act on the inspiration (you write poems yourself), but you really haven't gotten the full experience, locked it in so to speak, until..
3. you pass on what you have learned and in this case it may be the pull to go back to school is not just a desire to be taught, but to teach. (Even though you might technically be a "student" by being a member of the class you are also a "teacher" )


jm2c, Rosada

Yes. A writer (painter, composer...) must communicate their work to another human being. If she feels that she's failed to achieve this, her eyelids will grow heavy: she will want to turn her back to it all and go to sleep - as soon as she's achieved the elusive sense of closure.This is how she gets to live another day. It's almost like some trick of grace, devised to move her onwards and inwards in her life.

Love the way you applied the 3-step process to writing. Step 3: Teaching - again, it sounds a lot like communication to me... and a possibility of closure... increased confidence... and trust... definitely worth staying awake for.

And btw, I've decied to apply for the course + scolorship, but not worry about the outcome. If I don't get in, well I'll just do something else, and I'll continue to write. Simples:)
 

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