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.