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Amazingly accurate from the Yi 22.5

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gael123

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I've published poetry and short fiction and am working on a novel, but my confidence keeps giving way from under me and I fret and worry about whether I have the skills and talent necessary.
I asked the Yi, 'Am I meant to be a novelist?'
to receive 22.5 to 37.

Would you take this as 'maybe, maybe not, but don't fret, you'll manage to find your way in the world eventually'?
Or as, 'Yes, if you allow yourself to write what comes naturally, and not ask your gifts to do things they are not meant to do'?

Still, what a great answer from the oracle. It's so apt to the situation. It even talks about gifts.

Thank you.

G
 

Liselle

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I think the most usual way to interpret this is that you might think the gift you're bringing is too small, but it's not, because (in the line's story), the gift the suitor's bringing isn't what's important, the suitor is.

It could probably be applied to your question in several ways, though, which is the tricky part. It could probably be either of the things you mentioned. Another stray thought might be that if you think your poetry and short fiction are somehow not enough, they are. (That entered my head just because of the similarity between shorter pieces of work, and the small roll of silk in the line, which might be a silly comparison.)

How to sort it out...part of Hilary's advice (Hilary is the owner of Clarity, as you probably know) is to keep going back to your question, and trying to see the answer as an answer.

So, you asked, "Am I meant to be a novelist?," against a backdrop of confidence problems, and in the line we have a suitor who feels inadequate, and the point (I think) is that his bride will see past his small gift to what he is...

Hexagram 22 in general is about cultivating and presenting an outward image that allows people to see the inner essence... another stray thought, do you have an editor, or anyone like that? I wonder if the reading could be saying someone will see a good "essence" of a book beneath any rough spots, and will help you with those? (???)

(I'm speculating, of course. I have the vague impression it's not easy to get books published, then again you've already had things published...I don't know anything about it.)
 
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gael123

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Thank you so much for your really full answer, Liselle. That gives me so much to think about.
One of my favourite things about this forum is the kindness people show.
I keep meaning to offer my thoughts on other people's readings in return - confidence is an issue again as I am not a very confident reader - but I do always try to show appreciation for people's readings, a small roll I suppose.
What you have said is very interesting because it's quite true that like most writers I feel my lack of 'success' in the world's eyes quite keenly sometimes - poetry can feel like it's not enough as you make nothing from it and so few people comparatively seem to read it. So you are bang on with your sense that there is a small roll of silk there - not exactly about to make me J K ROwling, but still of a value I shouldn't underestimate.
Perhaps the Yi is showing me the structure of the situation. You feel underconfident in your offering, but there is value in it - that goes for all my work, maybe.
I followed up, asking if I kept going with the book, would it get published? To receive the reply

Hexagram 8.2.4 to 47.

This seems to me to mean if I keep following my genuine inspiration with the book, eventually it will help me move from working on it on my own in a room (47) to developing new relationships - editors, other agents, perhaps. But only if I remain true to its authentic inspiration - a shared note with 22.5. Perhaps.
Thanks once again. G
 

rosada

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I saw 22.5 - 37 as meaning a gift, 22, for the family, 37.
Perhaps a comment directing you to consider who might be your target audience?
 

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