Trying to understand last night's dream: 12 -> 35

[compass]

Hi All,

You know when you have a bad dream and you wake from it in terror, only to let out a sigh of relief upon realizing it was only a dream? Well, I had the opposite experience early this morning, where I had a terrific dream, only to be disappointed upon waking to realize ... it was just a dream.

A quick back-up: I'm a poet hoping to get a collection of my poems published. I've been published in magazine but this will be my first full book. A publisher has had the manuscript for 8 months and for various reasons and circumstances has not made a decision. He has promised to make one by Dec. 14th. In the dream, he says 'yes', and I'm over the moon, and I think how my friend (who is really getting her book of poems published next year) and I will be able to launch our books together.

When I wake up, I am suddenly saddened that it was a dream and also anxious to hear news from the publisher. I'm very skeptical that he'll say 'yes'--nothing to base it on, just doubt.

So I threw coins and asked the question 'What is my dream trying to tell me?' I got hex 12 (stagnation), with a changing 5th line, leading to hex 35 (advance). So I'm not sure if the reading is indicating breakthrough or that there is current stagnation, which will eventually lead (maybe not this time, but eventually) to advancement. Am I on the right track?

Cheers,
Compass

 

[goddessliss]

Seen as though I'm a dream interpretor and better at that than interpreting Yi - do you want to share the whole dream with me or was that it? - Liss

 

[compass]

Hi, Liss, normally I write down my dreams, too, as I also do a lot of dream interpretation--my own, however, being the only ones I struggle with. I was more focused on asking the Yi about the dream that morning that I neglected to write my dream down. Here's what I remember:

There's an open space outdoors, like a small clearing in woods, or on the edge of woods. It probably could have been the site of a campfire, now cold embers (not sure). But definitely a resting place next to a track (wide enough for a car?). It is daytime, mid-morning, maybe autumn-like without the leaves turning & falling (so coolness to the air with a wide view of the sky above us). The publisher Gareth (whom I have never met) is standing in the clearing and has erected a post (about 6 ft tall or a little higher), at the top of which is a white poster displaying the names of those he's chosen to publish. My name is at the top as the person who will have a full collection published, while below are two names (I didn't see who they were) of those who will have a poetry pamphlet published.

I am so(!!) elated, a wish come true, as I've waited so long for this. And my first thought is that my collection will be published at the same time as my friend Nicki (who really is having a pamphlet published next year) and that we can launch our books together. I feel awe toward the publisher Gareth and thank him and approach him humbly. I don't remember the brief conversation we have ... only that I was in a bit of shock because the waiting was over and my wish had come true after all. Normally I obsess about something in anticipation, only to be disappointed when it doesn't work out or doesn't end up happening. Often I must force myself not to focus on impending news by focusing on other things; in this case, I've been waiting over 8 months.

I think I look at my name on the poster a second time to be sure it's there; I just couldn't believe it. I should point out that I believe the real Gareth is in a wheelchair, but in this dream he stands and walks and no wheelchair is in sight. We both have light outdoor jackets on that you might wear for hiking. Also at one point Gareth may have morphed into a very good friend Gordon, who's a photographer and who teaches photography at university. Gordon & I are very close in age and I admire him very much, particularly his devotion to his art. We have had similar struggles (middle-age/art/depression, though his have been worse than mine.

I hope that helps.

 

[xuesongyu]

Hello friend:

I agree with you, this hexagram shows a good future. Good luck!

---------------------------------------------
The Wisdom of I Ching: www.amazon.com/dp/B00P592KAY

 

[hsin]

Compass,

The inner trigrams of both #12 and #35 represent openness and receptivity--essential characteristics of poetic "making". This seems to me to say that regardless of what happens externally, you keep the source of poetic inspiration in your heart.

The outer trigram of #12 represents creative power and strength (in various manifestations). In this case, it seems to refer to the publisher, who exerts power over you in the form of acceptance or rejection of your work--but also to the creative power of publishing itself, which has the power to bring your work to light in a wider sense. This, unfortunately, represents a dynamic that is out of balance (or, more accurately, represents an equilibrium that is not altogether favorable for you, the receptive half of the hexagram). For this reason, it points to a kind of Standstill or Stagnation, manifested by how long the publisher is taking in making a decision.

When the middle line of that trigram (heaven) changes, it forms the outer trigram fire, clarity, understanding, conscious knowledge--but also learned experience, which depends on external circumstances. This may indicate that you are in the process of coming to a greater understanding of the inner workings of the publishing industry in general and the poet's relationship to the publisher more narrowly. That this relationship involves a kind of dependence on your part is an aspect of that lesson. The understanding you are getting out of this experience (and here I think the reading that Liss gives--that you may be finding that you can do this yourself--may be very much to the point) propels you forward into a time of Progress and advancement.

As a side note, it may also be that your tendency to "obsess" and then fall into disappointment is reflected in the hexagram Standstill--such patterns of the habit mind interfere with the free-flowing poetic imagination, damming it up by turning open attention onto consequences of actions instead of onto direct unpremeditated experience. The line change in the 5th place and within the trigram Understanding indicates that the "ruler" of this situation, your true self, is able to break that pattern of hierarchal perception (heaven above earth) and advance in ways that keep your poetic spirit alive. Focusing too much on getting published, in other words, may be a kind of Stagnation that your dream is trying to awaken you from.

All The Best

 

[compass]

Thank you, everyone, for your replies. It gives me a lot to think about. Letting go and not obsessing about publication is a very hard thing. Recently, I've found myself easing into a 'to hell with them' mode and 'I'll write what I write', and send out and pursue my 'poetic' path how I will and not look back, but it's difficult to stay there. I am immersed in the poetry community and it's difficult not to be envious when others are announcing their achievements. Obviously a learning lesson for me. When I hear back from the publisher, I'll come back and post as to what he said.

By the way, how do you 'thank a user for their post' in the Clarity forums? I see this all the time in these threads, but can't find the button or link or icon to click on to do this.

Thanks again for all of y'all's wise words!:bows:

 

[Liselle]

Compass, when you've posted several more times (perhaps upon your eleventh entry? - I never can remember the magic number), a "Thanks" button will appear below each post, on the same line as the "Reply" and "Reply With Quote" buttons, except on the left hand side.

In case dreams and their interaction with the I Ching might be an ongoing interest for you, there is a new forum here at Clarity: Dreams & Yi. (The link is found at the top of these pages, underneath the tabs, along with links to the other forums.)

You do have to be a paid member of Change Circle to access this - I am not at the present time, so I don't know how active the forum has become, but it sounds like a fascinating topic.

Also, Hilary wrote an in-depth article about a dream-and-reading experience of her own in her fantastic blog. It's excellent fodder for thinking about the potential in dreams, which I (for one) rarely consider.

Best of luck with your poetry!

 

[compass]

In case dreams and their interaction with the I Ching might be an ongoing interest for you, there is a new forum here at Clarity: Dreams & Yi. (The link is found at the top of these pages, underneath the tabs, along with links to the other forums.)

Thanks, Lisa, for all that information! I'll be sure to post more.

Yes, dreams are a big(!!!) interest of mine and I've had my eye on that forum for some time now. I had originally thought of posting there, but unfortunately it's currently cost prohibitive for me. I'll have to ask for a membership for Christmas.