Aligning Yourself with Your Destiny

Do the Right Thing at the Right Time in the Right Place

There is a Chinese saying: “First Destiny, second luck, third Feng Shui, fourth virtue, and fifth education.” The Chinese have long understood that it is not enough to just be capable; one must also have luck in order to execute plans successfully.

Life is viewed as the product of three factors: Heaven Luck, Earth Luck, and Human Luck. Heaven Luck refers to the energy you were born with and how time affects you; Earth Luck is Feng Shui on both macro and micro levels; and Human Luck is what you do with your gifts, talents, and time to improve your life.

What is your destiny, and how can you maximize your potential? When you are born and take your first breath, you are imprinted with a unique energy. BaZi, also known as the Four Pillars of Destiny, is a system that analyzes this energy to determine your capacity in life. This capacity influences your potential achievements. Once you understand your capacity, you can align yourself to act at the right time or use Feng Shui to enhance your abilities and opportunities.

BaZi literally means “Eight Characters.” In the West, it is referred to as the Four Pillars. These pillars represent the year, month, day, and hour of birth, with each pillar consisting of two characters. For example, this year is the Year of the Wood Dragon. Most people know the animal associated with their birth year. There are 12 animals, each representing different phases of yin and yang, and the five elements. For instance, the Rooster is yin and metal, the Pig is water, and the Snake is fire. These phases of energy interact in combinations, clashes, penalties, and more. How they interact within the chart and over time is how destiny and potential are analyzed.

Your self-element, or Day Master, is determined by the Heavenly Stem of your birthday. The Day Master is one of 10 possibilities, a yin or yang representation of the five elements. For example, if you are Yang Wood, you are symbolized by a tree. Wood people are generally kind and forward-thinking, always looking toward the next thing, like a tree that continually grows. However, Yang Wood can also be stubborn, as wood is not very flexible.

Each of the pillars and five elements interacts with the Day Master to reveal different aspects of a person. The Month Pillar represents the relationship with one’s parents, the Day Pillar represents children, and the Day Branch represents the spouse. The five elements correspond to resources, intelligence, money, power, competitors, and more. The birth chart is interpreted to determine potential.

The way time interacts with the chart is called the Luck Cycle, which consists of five-year and annual cycles. This year, being the Year of the Wood Dragon, interacts with the Day Master to reveal the year’s potential. The Dragon is associated with Earth, Wood and Water element. If your Self Element is Wood, Earth represents Wealth, while Water is a resource and Wood is Friend. Depending on the strength of the chart you might see a raise, with help or assistance coming from friends or co workers.

The animals, or Earthly Branches, in the chart also form combinations and clashes. If you were born in the Year of the Dog, this Year of the Dragon clashes with your chart. Many of my clients born in the Year of the Dog are experiencing change this year. The Month and Year positions can indicate job changes or relocations. Change is not always negative; the outcome depends on the elements and the nature of the clash.

This is a simplified explanation of BaZi, but it offers a glimpse into how destiny and luck are viewed. BaZi helps you understand yourself and the external factors that influence your life, guiding you to make informed decisions and improve your circumstances. Feng Shui and BaZi are used together to help align yourself with your potential and maximize it.

The fourth and fifth factors of destiny are your human energy or actions. It is believed that actions of virtue and education can also alter one’s destiny. Ultimately, your destiny is shaped by your actions and inactions throughout your life. By becoming aware of the potential energies in your life and time, you can adjust your actions accordingly.

Knowledge is power. “Do the right thing, at the right time, in the right place.”