Chinese Astrology

Lesson 3: Forecasting The Future Using The Four Pillars Analysis

This lesson will offer a deeper view into how to predict a person's fortune during a given year using their Four Pillars chart. We will look more deeply into example charts and their fortunes using these techniques, beginning with how one will fare year to year.

The simplest way to see how someone or something (remember, charts also apply to buildings, companies and countries!) will fare in a particular year is to assess the animal sign, polarity and element of that person's birth year in relationship to the new year.

For example, I was born in the year of the Yang Water Tiger. We are now in the year of the Yang Wood Monkey. The Tiger and Monkey are not compatible signs (they fall 60 degrees apart, and the rule in your text is that those signs that are multiple of 30 degrees on a circle are incompatible), the text tells me that this is a season for great caution. Also, Wood depletes Water which is my natal yearly element. So far --- this HAS been a tough year!

Another quick way of assessing the impact of the year is to consider the Day Stem element - mine is Yin Metal - looking on page 81 of our text, this should be my year of Earned Wealth. This is also happening in my life right now.

Analysis of Stems and Branches in Decades of One's Life

Chinese astrology divides a person's life into periods of 10 years known as Life Cycle Decades. This is a comprehensive way of looking at the periods of a person's life to determine their most likely fate and what they need to do to enhance or mitigate it. Pages 84 - 87 of the Interpretations section of your text details the best methods to use for this analysis. First turn to the inside flap of the Charts book and fill in everything you know. Next, turn to page 84 of the Interpretations book and follow steps 2-8. Carefully read the example on page 86 as well. Make sure that you have listed all the polarities for each stem element, i.e. Yin or Yang as they have different effects.

Knowing what we have learned about the creative and destructive cycle of the elements, PLUS using the Important Factors table on the second page of every element description, now compare both stems for each decade against the day stem to see whether it is supported or attacked. Look carefully for the indicators of Sudden Wealth, Earned Wealth, Happiness, etc (on the pages for each element) - these are likely to be decades in which these things occur to the individual. Both elements in each decade should be compared to the day stem. If one is favorable and one is not - each will effect the other to make the decade more neutral. The stem of the animal sign will be stronger in the years favorable to that sign, and weaker in the years in which it is not supported. Also, the first stem is stronger in the first five years of the decade, and the animal sign stem stronger in the second five years.

Now, read pages 90-93 to see the book's example analyses of the Life Cycle Decades of Princess Diana and Albert Einstein.

As an additional example, my day stem is Yin Metal. I have just entered into a decade which features Yin Fire as the stem element, and Yin Metal as the animal element. Yin Fire is known as the "Seventh Curse" to Yin Metal day stem people - but it is mitigated by the presence of Yin Metal as the animal element. This means that I will have better years in which the Rooster is strong (years of the Snake and Ox), and not so good years when the effect of the Rooster is diminished. I will also add more Water to my decor during these years to quench the Yin Fire.

It is also important, when looking at a compatibility analysis, to analyze the life cycles of both partners. Some cycles will be highly favorable to the couple, and others will activate or accentuate an incompatibility within the chart. For example, if one partner was born in a Tiger year and the other has the Ox as the day branch but other compatible elements - this conflict will worsen in either a Tiger or an Ox ruled decade. If you find a tense decade period, it is then very instructive to also look at each year individually.

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