The Breakers of Date Selection

Ok, assuming now you've pretty much gotten the hang of the fundamentals of Date Selection and been using it for your personal use with some degree of success. If you're like most of us practitioners, you probably have found that at times, while the theory is clear and straightforward, it's the practicality of application under different circumstances that can prove to be a challenge!

In the article today, I'll be sharing a few pointers on the "Breaker Days" of Date Selection that I've come across from my own personal experience. There are of course many types of "Breakers" but one of the basic assumptions is to always avoid a Breaker Day. However, is this always practically necessary or necessarily practical?

One of the key "Breakers" is the Personal Breaker which is the day that is directly against one's animal sign, that is, year of birth. So for someone born in the year of the Rat, the Horse day is thus his or her Personal Breaker. In general, we'd avoid using the Personal Breaker day since it means that any auspiciousness of the day (which is the reason for using Date Selection in the first place) cannot "connect" to the person in question. This is because the nature of the day is against the outermost "layer" of one's BaZi chart.

However, when push comes to shove (and when there's no other suitable date anywhere in sight), we can select such a day, particularly when there's some change, movement or travel involved. If these circumstances are not involved, then such a clash date may be used (with lessened effects of course) with concerns involving the home, romance and children - as the BaZi pillars related to these "internal" affairs are not the one that's clashed.

Another breaker is the Year Breaker, the day that is directly clashing the animal sign of the year. For example, 2010 is a Tiger year so any Monkey day is a Year Breaker day. You probably have wondered "Hmm...how practical is it to avoid all Monkey days in the ENTIRE of year 2010?" Once again, any type of "Breaker" is against the "King" or "Ruler" in question. For the Year Breaker, the King "rules" for the year. Therefore, by conclusion, the best way to use the Year Breaker is for short-term events, like having a big party (as compared to something long-term like a marriage, for example) or any other once-off circumstance that doesn't require subsequent follow-throughs.

At the other end of the stick is the Month Breaker, the day that is directly against the energies of a particular Month. So, during any Dragon months, all Dog days are Month Breakers. The energies of the Month Breaker are *strongly* against the Month and therefore, in the Dong Gong system, Month Breaker days are also known as Destruction days! As such, these days can generally only be used when something is destroyed (such as a physical structure) or perhaps to get rid of something such as parasitic relationship!

Using the Month Breaker day for a major and important event is sticky - this is because the tendency of things going awry that day is much heightened (hence rendering it difficult to use for things like special events). However, a Month Breaker day with many auspicious stars present can be used for a goal that is long-term and which success doesn't hinge on the outcome of just the event that takes place on that day alone

What It Means To have Growth, Cardinal and Graveyard Earthly Branches In Your Bazi Chat

As those of you who are studying BaZi will have discovered, the process of learning and deciphering BaZi is akin to peeling an onion. This "onion peeling" analogy has been used, time and time again, to describe the process of BaZi study and interpretation.

Each concept in BaZi is usually first understood on a stand-alone basis, and next in a combined and usually interactive and dynamic manner together with other concepts.

However, life does not always have to be so complicated. Often, we can derive important information from just a single characteristic of the chart, for example one of the Earthly Branches or Heavenly Stems.

The Day Master is probably the best (and most important) example of how a single, "one-dimensional" aspect of the BaZi chart can reveal such key and crucial information!

Our topic for this article is the 3 groupings of the Earthly Branches: the Growth, Cardinal and Graveyard groupings. As we know, the BaZi chart describes the BaZi owner's personality, behavior and pretty much all the circumstances of his or her life. As such, simply by identifying the make-up of the Earthly Branches, we can already surmise certain key information.

For example, the Growth Earthly Branches (namely the Tiger, Snake, Monkey and Pig) are indicative of movement, travel and even money-making activities. These branches denote exploration and growth in one's life that lead to discovery and excitement.

A chart devoid of any of these animal signs hence points to a more sedentary and "take-it-as-it-comes-along" type lifestyle and personality. On the other hand, a chart with 2 or more of these growths points to frequent changes, travel, movement and in general, a lack of stability in the person's life.

The Cardinal Earthly Branches (the Rabbit, Horse, Rooster and Rat - the Peach Blossoms) denote the pure Qi of each element, hence indicative of strong and usually extreme characteristics as represented by each element in question. As such, people with many cardinals (2 or more) are usually headstrong and exhibit "extreme" characteristics.

Thanks to the "peachiness" of the Cardinal Earthly Branches, it also goes without saying that these people are always somehow attractive to others (even if they are not physically so). However, this X-factor often leads to complicated and dramatic interpersonal and dramatic relationships.

The Graveyard Earthly Branches (the Dragon, Goat, Dog and Ox) denote not only stability (owing to the Earth element) but also the "mysterious" aspects of one's life. Since the Graveyards contain two other Hidden Stems, those with many Graveyards indeed tend to be complicated people! They usually are reserved characters but more so because they tend to have difficulty understanding and expressing their real, inner feelings - characteristics that lead to communication issues with those around them.

However, people with Graveyards typically have multiple, hidden talents, too! The complete absence of even a single Graveyard in the BaZi chart indicates a lack of grounding and oftentimes, practicality in one's life.

Finding the Right House

Granted, many clients have this burning question, but you can't call a consultant for every single house you fancy! I think by now most of you know the basic Feng Shui drill. For example:

No water in the NE. SW water is the best, or maybe SE, East or North.
A mountain in the NE, NW, West or South is ideal.
Avoid negative features like sharp roof corners, pylons and dead trees.
Bright Hall - this one never fails but facing a wide busy road is NOT a Bright Hall as overly Yang disperses Qi!

Feng Shui-friendly houses do not just wait around for buyers to flock to. The question is WHEN? Have a look at your personal BaZi chart. Are you currently going through a favorable 10-year Luck Pillar? Is the current year good for you? If it is, the opportunity to 'discover' a good house is very high. If it isn't, even if you managed to find a Feng Shui-potent house you might not be given the opportunity to purchase it! This is something I always tell people I meet : "The house chooses the buyer, and not the other way round." It all boils down to affinity. But Client X would normally retort by saying, "I have money, I can buy any house I want."

'Any house' would normally be Client X and his consultant braving the next 10 consecutive houses with extremely mediocre Feng Shui. Or, one with NE sloping away, or Life Palace being pierced, or fulfilling the 8 Killings formation. One time, we found a Feng Shui-friendly house, finally. But at the last moment the seller decided not to sell... because her dog died. Being too distraught, the seller decided to wait another year before selling. Kid you not.

Let's say your BaZi is fine with you purchasing a house this year. It also tells you WHERE to look. For example, your favorable element is Metal. You can look for an area with a Military Arts mountain (half watermelon), or a NW-sitting house with higher ground (without higher ground support, a NW-sitting house is just like any other NW-sitting house). Metal element is also indicated as financial hubs, so seeking houses near here would increase opportunity for optimum Feng Shui.

At the risk of promoting paranoia, I'm going to throw in some divination tips as well. At the point of entering a prospective property, it starts to rain heavily. The Kan trigram has revealed itself: this house will cause you quite a bit of problems - hidden problems, mind you. Many a time, there will also be sewage and foundation problems.

If you are greeted by a bad stench upon arrival at the door, then it is a Kun Gua issue - ill health for the lady of the house or unstable finances. Or, you find that upon walking into the house, the door cracks. That is Dui Gua, hinting at constant injury and possible surgery.

If the weather is just nice and the sun is shining brightly, then it is a Li Gua trigram of happiness. Or, if it drizzles slightly with sunny skies - it is the Accomplished hexagram. But like I said, divination always risks paranoia, so if you see or hear NOTHING particularly out of the ordinary when you enter a new property, all is well and good. It doesn't matter what happens BEFORE you see the house, or AFTER you see the house, or someone can't go to the toilet after house-viewing, etc.

Some years back I was assessing a house for this client. The weather on that day was all right, but what caught my attention were the many dragonflies in the compound (Xun Gua). It was a South-sitting house (Li Gua). Hey, that's a 9-4 HeTu combination - favorable for relationships and networking. And because the NW land was higher, this became an even more powerful combination. True enough, this client built and expanded his company (and finances) by meeting just the right important people.

The Way to the Heart is through the Face

One of the most common reasons why people turn to Face Reading is for relationship issues, or problems. When it comes to romance and matters of the heart, Face Reading can indeed be a tool as a means of evaluating the type of person one is getting involved with, and how committed they are to the relationship at hand.
Certain features can indeed determine better relationship luck:

Eyebrows
• Long eyebrows denote a sentimental and empathetic personality who values ties with other people, while short eyebrows denote a hasty and temperamental personality.
• For females, it's desirable that they have New Moon or Willow Leaf eyebrows. The former indicates that they'll be supportive and understanding towards their husband, while the latter denotes good affinity with the opposite sex, and the ability to care for the home.

Nose
• A long, straight, and tall nose on a female indicates her ability to enhance her husband's luck and bring out his potential.
• Since the nose represents the Wealth and Spouse Star for females, a good-quality nose on a woman indicates good husband luck.
• A nose that is very high and tall, in proportion to the rest of the face, indicates a very strong ego - and the inability to bend or back down to a partner's will!

Temples

• The temples at the sides of the forehead, near the corners of the eyes. This denotes the Spouse Palace for both men and women.
• Clear and fleshy temples denote a good relationship with the spouse, while scars, dents, veins, moles or discolouration suggest problems and arguments.

Cheekbones
• It's not desirable for a female to have high, prominent cheekbones - especially when coupled with a high, strong and bony nose. It means a controlling and domineering personality, one that will 'control' the husband too much.

Eyes
• Long, slender eyes with clearly defined pupils and whites bode well for romantic relationships. This denotes a person with a clear heart and mind, unencumbered with worries or excess emotional baggage.
• Eyes that are too small denote problems with communication and empathy. These people will not express what's really on their mind, which can lead to long-term issues.
• Too-large eyes indicate an emotional, sensitive nature. They will need a lot of attention, especially those with big, round eyes that appear watery. It can be emotionally exhausting and draining for the partner.

These are just some of the simple ways to read a face for relationship outlook. In more advanced forms of Face Reading, there is Combination Position or Multi Position Face Reading, which combines the various disparate features to arrive at a more detailed and exhaustive evaluation.
As such, the balance has changed. As evolution can't be help, the wise approach is to go with the flow and modify our own expectations when it comes to relationships. Along with the change in the "power" balance between men and women, we have to accept the inevitable change of not just financial responsibility, but also in terms of who gets what done However, many women who are strong individuals and who need to accomplish their own goals other than the traditional ones of being a wife, mother and homemaker, commonly want the best of both worlds. They want to pursue a successful career and yet hope to be completely coddled and taken care of by their man. However, we know from a BaZi (and practical) standpoint this does NOT work!
In the meantime, all the best in your attempts at Face Reading... and remember to enjoy the process!

No, you're not turning into the Incredible Hulk..

No, you're not turning into the Incredible Hulk..

But those green veins on your face have something to say

A student came up to me with a question regarding the faint green lines or veins that can sometimes appear on the face. Aside from the random general beliefs that elderly people may have about green veins that appear on the face (that may have its origins in old wives' tales more than anything else), it also has significant meaning in terms of Chinese Face Reading (Mian Xiang).

It all depends on which part of the face the green veins or lines appear. Here are some examples:

• Green veins that appear on the temples indicate a person who is short-tempered. Additionally, if married, it indicates problems with the spouse. (In Face Reading, the Spouse Palace is located at the temples.)
• Green veins that appear on the 2 top corners of the forehead (also known as the Sky Horse Palace) indicate obstacles that can occur during travel. It could denote minor or major hassles. Hence, if you see this on your face before a trip - ensure that all your travel documents are in order! It could also mean that you may run into problems and accidents while 'travelling' from one place to another - so be careful when driving and on the road.
  
• If the veins appear on the tip of the nose, it indicates a potential loss of wealth. Therefore, you'll need to be careful with all your investments at that particular time.
  
• Green veins on the bridge of the nose denote the possibility of health issues. These troubles could either directly affect you, or the people in your household.

These are just part of the tip of the Face Reading iceberg! There's plenty more to learn and discern, especially once you start studying Face Reading. Also, bear in mind that the veins on the face may not always be green - it can sometimes be reddish, blue-ish, or even purplish-black. As you go deeper into Face Reading, you'll learn that the colours of the veins can also tell a lot about the difference in a person's luck.

The good news? These veins are rarely ever permanent! They tend to appear at certain points and disappear, and maybe reappear again at some other time. As such, practicing the art of Face Reading will help us identify or pinpoint a particular issue or luck outlook affecting us at a certain point in time. So, there's never a wrong time to whip out your mirror and pay attention to what your face is really trying to tell you!

To clash or not to clash - that is the question

This week, let's take a look at the concept of the "clash" of the Earthly Branches in BaZi. Recall that each natal BaZi chart contains four Earthly Branches -- namely the four animal signs in the Year, Month, Day and Hour Pillars (in addition, there are the Earthly Branches of the Luck and Annual Pillars). A clash to the Earthly Branches means that one (or more) of the Earthly Branches encounters a direct, opposing branch. This can occur within the natal BaZi chart itself or between the branches in a natal chart with the Luck or Annual Pillars.

Now, the main thing is that a clash of course is not to be feared and does not necessary mean a bad thing! In general, however, clashes do indicate changes, usually abrupt and obvious ones. As clashes indicate head-on changes, their effects are obvious and typically obviously felt - so it is a good idea to usually prepare ourselves when we predict a clash occurring either in the Luck or Annual Pillars.

Whether a clash is deemed good or not is usually dependent on how "favourable" the victorious element of a clash is. For example, in the clash of a Rat (Water element) and a Horse (whose main Qi is Fire), the victorious branch is typically the Rat (as Water puts out Fire). This is one determinant. We also have to examine whether the more favourable element is removed or introduced. Continuing with the Rat/Horse example, let's assume that there is a Rat branch in a natal BaZi chart and a BaZi evaluation tells us that the element of Ding fire is needed. In the Luck Pillar of the Horse, generally the introduction of Fire via the Horse, even though it is "rejected" by the Rat (hence, manifesting as the Rat/Horse clash), is good for the person in question. There will be unsettling changes in store of course ... but the discomfort will be beneficial for the person's life.

For today's article, let's also examine the effects of the clash to different parts of the BaZi chart. As the Year Branch indicates the external-most part of the chart, a clash here indicates a change in the external environment of the person in question. These external changes can manifest in circumstances as relocation, migration or travel for the person undergoing the clash. A Clash in the Year Branch can also mean accidents or mishaps which hurt the external body. As the Year Pillar also denotes the relationship with one's grandparents and childhood friends, a clash here may also mean separation from (or in some cases, the death of) such parties.

The Month Branch is the foremost indication of one's key character since it denotes the immediate family environment when one is growing up. As such, any clash here means not only a crucial change in the person's key attitudes but possibly a change in the parental home or parental relationship. In addition, as the Month Pillar is also an indicator of one's immediate work environment and relationship with the superior, a clash here denotes such a corresponding change - he or she may be transferred to a different department or alternatively, his or her superior may be replaced!

A clash to the Day Branch is usually much-feared as it typically denotes marital or spousal problems. However, a clash to the Day Branch could simply mean a change in residence or renovations to the home. Alternatively, it could also mean hurting the lower part of the body or perhaps even surgery.

Parents especially, should be wary of a clash to the Hour Branch as this denotes issues (for example, separation) with one's children. As one's subordinates are also akin to one's children, a clash to the Hour Branch can also denote a turnover in subordinates or even the type of work that a person does. Besides these, a clash to the Hour Branch can cause a feeling of unease and unsettling thoughts for the person experiencing the clash.

Face Reading for Everyday Life

I often get questions from students and clients about how Chinese Face Reading (Mian Xiang) can actually 'help' or be used in our day-to-day living. The quick answer is: in a variety of different ways. Face Reading is a fun and simple exercise, and the only 'material' you need is a face on which to practice! There's a reason why this practice has stood the test of time from the time of the Yellow Emperor in China around 2,500 B.C. - because it has proven results. In the more advanced levels of Face Reading, practitioners don't only read the face, they study the entire physiognomy of a person.

Face Reading, then, can be seen as the 'hidden' or subtle weapon that you can use for your own benefit - anywhere, anytime. For example, consider the modern professional rat race - resumes or curriculum vitae can be altered or 'padded' to greatly exaggerate or improve upon the actual truth. A more effective way of knowing whether you're hiring the right person for the job will be to study the facial characteristics. That way, you know if what they say really tallies with who they really are.

Interpersonal relations at the workplace can also benefit from Face Reading. Dealing with colleagues and playing the game of office politics can be absolutely exhausting and demotivating - making it hard for you to focus on your job and give it your all. But consider how much worthwhile it would be if you knew how to maneuver around your difficult, unpredictable boss - or how to deal with a pushy colleague who demands the world and gives nothing in return. Studying their faces and observing their facial features and traits will give you that edge. You'll feel in control of your relations with others, not be controlled by others!

Even in business dealings and sales and marketing, Face Reading can be invaluable. Does your client need to be persuaded with detailed facts and figures in a quiet coffee shop, or be wined and dined in a fancy restaurant, followed by a rousing karaoke session with 5 or 6 of your colleagues in attendance? Or, for example, if they have big eyes, they probably need to be 'touched' (figuratively speaking, that is!) before they buy. If they have small eyes, then maybe they want to hear about the numbers involved before they say a word. Do they look like they're prepared to buy, and therefore worth your time, or are merely casual observes who are not inclined to commit at this point in time? These are just some of the ways Face Reading comes in handy.

What Face Reading does is provide you with the information on a person's character, and give you pointers on how he or she would like to be approached. For those of us who already do Feng Shui and BaZi consulting, it helps us zoom into the issues our clients are currently facing. Most of the time, it's usually clearly written on the face! Depending on their needs, you will not even have to expend time and energy measuring every sector of their house, or analysing every aspect of their BaZi chart.

There is plenty to be learned from Face Reading. The best way to start is by studying the individual features in Fixed Position Face Reading - the eyes, mouth, nose, and ears, for example - and then 'graduating' to Combination Position Reading. The latter involves taking into account several features or factors of the face for a more in-depth reading. Of course, taking a class in the subject will provide you with invaluable lessons you can use for the rest of your life (quite literally, in fact).

All the best with your practice of Face Reading - but most importantly, have fun!