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liquidity

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I'm taking a class right now -- in a long-term hobby -- with an instructor I liked, but we had a conversation recently where he put forward a lot of unexpected criticisms -- mainly that I ask too many questions, and that I make suggestions/critiques which he thinks it's not my place to make as a beginner.

He's not a bad guy, but I think he mainly just got defensive at some of my questions about his decisions.

Meanwhile, I now feel restricted by what he's said, and that everything I say from now on is going to be used against me. So there's some break in trust. I also believe the way he runs things is too conservative, and may not result in the best learning experience for me.

On the other hand, I've built up a good number of relationships/friendships at this facility, and I learn from the other students, and it would be a real pain to change things. And I'm sure any other place would have its own, different set of issues.

What happens to my learning experience if I stay at this place?
21 Biting Through, unchanging.
Liu: “Chewing: Success. It benefits to administer justice. [Chewing indicates success through hard work. Those who get this hexagram will have trouble in the beginning.]”

What happens if I change places?
57.1.5.6 The Gentle > 11 Flow (WB translations)
.1: “In advancing and retreating, the perseverance of a warrior furthers.
.5: “Perseverance brings good fortune. Remorse vanishes. Nothing that does not further. No beginning, but an end. Before the change, three days. After the change, three days. Good fortune.
.6: “Penetration under the bed. He loses his property and his ax. Perseverance brings misfortune.

So I'm thinking of my current place that it could work. I could just persist, and I would eventually win through. If I changed places, if it was a very careful, deliberate change, then it might work... but it would also take a lot of perseverance, and there's some danger associated with it (in .6)? 11 is a potentially positive hexagram, of course.

Thoughts on which course of action to take? Maybe wait and see for things to become clearer?
 
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Changstein

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For the 21 reading, I think it makes sense to focus on the administration of justice part. I think this is drawing a comparison between your teacher's criticism and legalese. If you stay, you'll continue to be prosecuted, and everything you say will be used against you. Or if you prefer, you'll get 'chewed out', receive 'biting' criticism.

I think you're advised to stay and tough it out (persevere) like a warrior, see it through to the end. It's a only a short term commitment and you're already partway through (before/after 3 days).

To forefit would be like hiding under the bed. A warrior without an axe is helpless and defenseless. By changing courses, you will lose the opportunity to stand up for yourself and maybe others in the class. You may even establish a pattern of shying away from the fights that really matter.

Right now, you are armed with everything you need to get through it.

Regards,
Donna
 
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Freedda

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I find myself wondering, what is this class for? Is it to complete a degree, or is it something you are truely and deeply interested in (maybe not even a part of a college degree)? If it's the former, it might be advisable to simply 'bite down' and just stick it out, to get through to your end goal (mabye a degree) as soon as possible.

On the other hand, if this is something you are really interested in, and have lots of thoughts, ideas, and questions about it, that's not place where you should feel stiffled! So the idea, to 'execute justice' - to do what is right and just for you - might hold sway.

And to not complicate things: maybe you should try this class a few times without asking your questions or voicing your opinions, and then to ask: does this still feel useful?, do you feel engaged? am I getting what I need out of it?

This reminds me, once in junior college (back in the age of the dionsaurs), I took a class that would fulfill a basic State of California course requrirement, like history or english (e.g. classes that all students needed to take). On the first day of class, the instructor told us what he thought of people who always sat at the back of the class (that they were losers), and about which of us he thought would get through the class (not many of us), and also that he was on pain meds and that he was retiring soon (so didn't really give a sh-it about teaching). I dropped the course after one time - simply because I did not want to subject myself to someone who was so disrespecful of to me and all his students!

I'm not saying that's what you should do, only that sometimes we need to weigh the idea of 'just biting through' versus 'executing justice' in making our decision.

Best, D
 

liquidity

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For the 21 reading, I think it makes sense to focus on the administration of justice part. I think this is drawing a comparison between your teacher's criticism and legalese. If you stay, you'll continue to be prosecuted, and everything you say will be used against you. Or if you prefer, you'll get 'chewed out', receive 'biting' criticism.

I think you're advised to stay and tough it out (persevere) like a warrior, see it through to the end. It's a only a short term commitment and you're already partway through (before/after 3 days).

To forefit would be like hiding under the bed. A warrior without an axe is helpless and defenseless. By changing courses, you will lose the opportunity to stand up for yourself and maybe others in the class. You may even establish a pattern of shying away from the fights that really matter.

Right now, you are armed with everything you need to get through it.

Regards,
Donna

This is a very interesting and thoughtful interpretation. Thank you!
 

liquidity

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I find myself wondering, what is this class for? Is it to complete a degree, or is it something you are truely and deeply interested in (maybe not even a part of a college degree)? If it's the former, it might be advisable to simply 'bite down' and just stick it out, to get through to your end goal (mabye a degree) as soon as possible.

On the other hand, if this is something you are really interested in, and have lots of thoughts, ideas, and questions about it, that's not place where you should feel stiffled! So the idea, to 'execute justice' - to do what is right and just for you - might hold sway.

And to not complicate things: maybe you should try this class a few times without asking your questions or voicing your opinions, and then to ask: does this still feel useful?, do you feel engaged? am I getting what I need out of it?

Excellent points and story, thanks! I fully agree here — and have already been doing what you say in this last paragraph and am then going to evaluate.

It’s not a required thing, it’s something I’m just genuinely interested in.
 

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