May 23 23
Eight of Wands (reversed)
39. Obstruction
These first few lines are the general aphoristic returns for the week. They are raw and uninterpreted; there to use how you’d like. (The specific readings follow.)
From “A.J.”: The question last week dealt with putting your art out there into the world. The oracle answer seemed to have a foundation of “your art is an extension of your realness and that’s the only way it will be effective.” In your words...“neither your personality nor your output can be phony.” So with that in mind, how does one know what is real about themselves in a world where we are all interlinked in consciousness together, mimicking each other through relationships and experiences, while we navigate a world of AI, social media, and “smoke and mirrors”? Is it possible to even have an essence that is entirely ours and entirely authentic in a world like this? What does this say about our art and the advice we give others about sharing it all based on this concept of anti-phony-ness?
Thanks for your thorough/interested question. To clarify the situation, which may have been either poorly expressed, casually demonstrative, or even not quite understood, we wanted to start by adding the following regarding true essencesand authenticity.
We agree, and for most of our “adult” life, we live believing that there are no true essences or authenticity (or at least it seems that humanity does not have access to such knowledge). Ideas like language being wholly polysemic, the impossibility of transcendental signifiers and the continuance of general philosophical/ideological aporia — are very significant to us.
This “oracle” project itself is attempting to deal with the absence of a sure way. Like, if nothing specifically works, try diversity of method. In this case, trying to have a conscious dialogue with something randomly generated (rather than straight-forwardly reasonable). In this process we’ve committed to relaying the data as it actually comes up whilst trying to interpret it (or be a conduit) as best we can — but it is ultimately an interpretation. Our use of “phoniness” was too diminishing and loose, as a paraphrase for “if words and conduct are not in accord and not consistent, they will have no effect.” But we do stand by the quoted text as fine advice to take or leave — in light of the original question.
One last thing, before moving on to the oracle’s reply to your question. Our inclination that there is no true essence or authenticity, doesn’t mean that we think that life is simply chaos or without repeatable, healthy, navigability — rather, something like not believing in belief presupposes stable meaning or stable not meaning — options are forced to remain sincerely open. When we feel we are making a significant move towards stable meaning or stable not meaning it feels like we are lying to ourselves and others.
If we are to retreat from “AI, social media, and smoke and mirrors” because of a lack of authenticity there, and reflect, is there anything that persists enough to constitute anything stable? Humans certainly have consistent states and attributes, anywhere there are humans — whether they be by themselves, with intimate friends, with middling acquaintances, or even with less substantial avatars on social media. The following states and attributes are pervasive enough to qualify for (and involuntarily need) durable, repeat navigability: desire, memory, testing, proving, denying, advancing, permeability, retreat, stasis, confusion, trance, trauma/PTSD, laziness, reason, addiction, ambition, rhythm, greed, poetry, sympathy, relinquishment, firmness, fear and force.
When a close friend is experiencing an obstacle, one tries to help them figure out what it is and who they are in that situation. Even if one does not strictly believe in true essences or authenticity — a consistency is being navigated. Consistencies of aspects like sentence structure, accrued experience/subsequent-expectation, are all going to be engaged. One will try to help them attempt a firmer ground, to help them care for themselves, so they can stabilize and have the opportunity for thriving. In this case it seems like our words of sympathy should match our actions of sympathy — whether a notion like that moves towards authenticity — it’s likely not necessary to say.
Complete Reading
This week we pulled the Eight of Wands (reversed). Upright, the indication is unbridled energy — like something in flight or an object amidst a throw. When reversed, as it is here, there is a feeling that energetic flow is being blocked. The frustrating, retrograde situation could be for many reasons — ennui, jealousy, or just what might be termed bad luck. Find some time this period to figure out how to unblock important energy.
Our first and only hexagram this week is #39, Obstruction. Obstacles can, of course, simply be frustrating — but often they can be opportunities for reflection and learning. As well, retreat (a type of reaction to serious obstacles) should not be thought of as cowardice, at times it is the bravest option — ultimately “retreat” is one method among all the others. When “an individual is confronted by obstacles that cannot be overcome directly… it is wise to pause in view of the danger and to retreat. However, this is merely a preparation for overcoming the obstructions. One must join forces with friends of like mind and put themself under the leadership of a person equal to the situation: then one will succeed in removing the obstacles. This requires the will to persevere just when one apparently must do something that leads away from their goal. This unswerving inner purpose brings good fortune in the end.” Also: “An obstruction that lasts only for a time is useful for self–development. This is the value of adversity… Difficulties and obstructions throw a person back upon themself. While the inferior person seeks to put the blame on others… the superior person seeks the error within themself, and through this introspection the external obstacle becomes an occasion for inner enrichment and education.”
- Energy wants flow but is blocked; take time to investigate.
- Retreat is a healthy option.
- Learn from retreating.
- Learn from obstacles.
From “A.J.”: The question last week dealt with putting your art out there into the world. The oracle answer seemed to have a foundation of “your art is an extension of your realness and that’s the only way it will be effective.” In your words...“neither your personality nor your output can be phony.” So with that in mind, how does one know what is real about themselves in a world where we are all interlinked in consciousness together, mimicking each other through relationships and experiences, while we navigate a world of AI, social media, and “smoke and mirrors”? Is it possible to even have an essence that is entirely ours and entirely authentic in a world like this? What does this say about our art and the advice we give others about sharing it all based on this concept of anti-phony-ness?
Thanks for your thorough/interested question. To clarify the situation, which may have been either poorly expressed, casually demonstrative, or even not quite understood, we wanted to start by adding the following regarding true essencesand authenticity.
We agree, and for most of our “adult” life, we live believing that there are no true essences or authenticity (or at least it seems that humanity does not have access to such knowledge). Ideas like language being wholly polysemic, the impossibility of transcendental signifiers and the continuance of general philosophical/ideological aporia — are very significant to us.
This “oracle” project itself is attempting to deal with the absence of a sure way. Like, if nothing specifically works, try diversity of method. In this case, trying to have a conscious dialogue with something randomly generated (rather than straight-forwardly reasonable). In this process we’ve committed to relaying the data as it actually comes up whilst trying to interpret it (or be a conduit) as best we can — but it is ultimately an interpretation. Our use of “phoniness” was too diminishing and loose, as a paraphrase for “if words and conduct are not in accord and not consistent, they will have no effect.” But we do stand by the quoted text as fine advice to take or leave — in light of the original question.
One last thing, before moving on to the oracle’s reply to your question. Our inclination that there is no true essence or authenticity, doesn’t mean that we think that life is simply chaos or without repeatable, healthy, navigability — rather, something like not believing in belief presupposes stable meaning or stable not meaning — options are forced to remain sincerely open. When we feel we are making a significant move towards stable meaning or stable not meaning it feels like we are lying to ourselves and others.
If we are to retreat from “AI, social media, and smoke and mirrors” because of a lack of authenticity there, and reflect, is there anything that persists enough to constitute anything stable? Humans certainly have consistent states and attributes, anywhere there are humans — whether they be by themselves, with intimate friends, with middling acquaintances, or even with less substantial avatars on social media. The following states and attributes are pervasive enough to qualify for (and involuntarily need) durable, repeat navigability: desire, memory, testing, proving, denying, advancing, permeability, retreat, stasis, confusion, trance, trauma/PTSD, laziness, reason, addiction, ambition, rhythm, greed, poetry, sympathy, relinquishment, firmness, fear and force.
When a close friend is experiencing an obstacle, one tries to help them figure out what it is and who they are in that situation. Even if one does not strictly believe in true essences or authenticity — a consistency is being navigated. Consistencies of aspects like sentence structure, accrued experience/subsequent-expectation, are all going to be engaged. One will try to help them attempt a firmer ground, to help them care for themselves, so they can stabilize and have the opportunity for thriving. In this case it seems like our words of sympathy should match our actions of sympathy — whether a notion like that moves towards authenticity — it’s likely not necessary to say.
Complete Reading
This week we pulled the Eight of Wands (reversed). Upright, the indication is unbridled energy — like something in flight or an object amidst a throw. When reversed, as it is here, there is a feeling that energetic flow is being blocked. The frustrating, retrograde situation could be for many reasons — ennui, jealousy, or just what might be termed bad luck. Find some time this period to figure out how to unblock important energy.
Our first and only hexagram this week is #39, Obstruction. Obstacles can, of course, simply be frustrating — but often they can be opportunities for reflection and learning. As well, retreat (a type of reaction to serious obstacles) should not be thought of as cowardice, at times it is the bravest option — ultimately “retreat” is one method among all the others. When “an individual is confronted by obstacles that cannot be overcome directly… it is wise to pause in view of the danger and to retreat. However, this is merely a preparation for overcoming the obstructions. One must join forces with friends of like mind and put themself under the leadership of a person equal to the situation: then one will succeed in removing the obstacles. This requires the will to persevere just when one apparently must do something that leads away from their goal. This unswerving inner purpose brings good fortune in the end.” Also: “An obstruction that lasts only for a time is useful for self–development. This is the value of adversity… Difficulties and obstructions throw a person back upon themself. While the inferior person seeks to put the blame on others… the superior person seeks the error within themself, and through this introspection the external obstacle becomes an occasion for inner enrichment and education.”