The Four Pillars of Destiny

The Five Elements and You

Each one of us is associated basically with one of the Five Elements. There are Five basic Elements which are further divided into their Yang and Yin forms; to give us ten types of Personalities. For example; we have Yang Wood and Yin Wood, Yang Fire and Yin Fire and so on…

In order to understand the basic nature of a person a lot can be understood if we observe the nature of the element of that person. We tend to acquire some interesting traits of our basic Element.



There could possibly be difference in a yang wood person and yin wood person even if both share the same element of wood. The yang wood type is fast, hyper active, reacts quickly, protective and speaks first thinks later…. While the yin wood person is tenacious, speaks cautiously, moves ahead slowly but steadily, is determined, will never give up……



The Five Elements in nature keep transforming; changing their nature from one to another. These energy forms can be categorized into five types represented by WATER, WOOD FIRE, EARTH and METAL. It is very to note that these elements have been thus described to better understand the nature of these energies and should not be mistaken to be the energy itself.





WATER: Let us understand the element of water; firstly by enumerating some of it’s characteristics. Water is transparent, cool, malleable, deep, spreading, always flowing, gets easily polluted, has no boundaries, water can be channeled not controlled. Water seeks its own level; it can find its way out of any place. Water can put out a fire, it can generate electricity; in vast expanses water can make one fearful. The major portion of earth surface comprises of water. These attributes make it easy for us to understand the energy identifying it with different imageries created by the physical association of water. So it can now be clear that water is the closest example to understand the energy; not the energy itself.





WOOD: The active growth of creepers, plants, trees, shrubs and bushes create the images of the potential of this form of energy to boost growth. Wood here is akin more to green foliage than actual wood. Wood has persistence for growth; we can see this aspect in creepers and trees which will climb over to get sunshine or go deep into earth to get water for sustenance. Wood is tenacious; it can hibernate in winter and bloom again when spring arrives. It can be supportive, protective; say like a huge banyan tree which allows smaller trees to grow under its shelter. It can protect birds and life forms; nurture them with its fruits and offer shelter to them. However it is also true that trees will stand tall and fight for their share of sunshine as in an equatorial forest, hence it comes across that Trees are survivors.





FIRE: Images of fire can give its various attributes, fire is separating, it may start on a spread out surface but tends to gather up as it goes higher. Fire can char, it can melt metal burn down many things to ashes, fire is a purifier, and you cannot go too close to it. Fire can be the blazing sun, it can be mellow sunshine; it can be a kitchen fire or a volcano. Fire can mature crops; there can be no life without fire. It can spread quickly; as in a forest fire. It can have the soothing sight of a candle flame, or comforting like a bon fire. The fire of the mind can be; Words of wisdom, spiritually enlightening people who hear them. Thus represented fire comes closest to the most hyper active type of energy of the creative cycle.





EARTH: The element of earth is the expression of our physical existence. It denotes all that is tangible, material and nurturing of growth around us. Right from dry earth, mountains, valleys, mud, clay, silt to the many manifestation of nature you can think of. The dry earth projects the building material for shelter and the soft moist earth for growth of life forms. Earth can be giving and receiving all at once, like Mother Nature it takes everything in its fold. Our worldly possessions are the manifestation of earth. Earth can be stubborn unyielding and unrelenting; it can be like a brick wall, protective but unmoving. It is the first element in the reclining cycle after the peak at which fire stands.

Earth projects the slow steady pace of energy needed for growth; say like a germinating seed; its nature is as if every thing is at a standstill yet the growth is taking place silently.





METAL: Metal represents the sedimentation of energy, it is active but its force is focused inwards, this form is like concentrated existence of energy. It may have a malleable form like gold or silver or appear like ore in its raw form. It can also manifest in the tough form as steel for building bridges or homes. Metal is like a focused mind, which can by its level of focus search inwards to discover mysteries of existence, like in research and invention. Unyielding and unrelenting it is tough and tenacious. Metal is like gas or clouds. It can condense to generate water





Four pillars of destiny



The Four Pillars of Destiny is a powerful tool in understanding Chinese astrology at deeper levels. It is a very exciting tool for a sincere student of astrology. An amazing series of surprising revelations may appear as we unfold patterns of life events when reading a persons destiny. Certain simple calculations can give us deeper understanding and possible solutions to a reading.



WOOD (Yang) +

It’s represented by mature trees, pillars, forest thickets, dark green color; its location is in the southeast and the trigram is wind.



A person belonging to this element is creative, free flowing, adventurous, generally social, loves nature, resourceful.



WOOD (Yin) –

Yin wood is an imagery of fresh grass, tender branches, creepers, light green color; the direction is east, the trigram is thunder.



A Yin wood person is thoughtful, caring, loves nature, quick thinker, quick learner, has immense tenacity, likes to be by himself, quick tempered.



FIRE (Yang) +

The image closest in representation to yang fire is the sun, huge fire bodies like forest fires, furnaces, volcanoes are also imageries of yang fire, the direction associated is south, the trigram is fire.

The Yang fire person is hyper expressive, forceful, loves attention, passionate about almost everything, enjoys center stage, critical, project strong presence, have strong beliefs.



FIRE (Yin) –

Yin fire feels like the soft soothing flame of a candle, kitchen fire and mellow sunshine, direction is south. And Trigram is- fire.

A Yin fire person is attractive, seeks and always gets attention, is idealistic, can be a good counselor, is quite convincing, can be a part of a group but hold different ideas.



EARTH (Yang) +

Bricks, stones, pillars, dry earth and building material are representing yang earth, the direction is south west and the Trigram is – earth.

A person belonging to this element is caring but not overly expressive, holds perhaps his own but orthodox views at times, he could be a nature lover but from afar, at times he could be cold or harsh, a disciplinarian.



EARTH (Yin) –

Rich farm soil, mud, clay, soft silt are all images of yin earth, the direction is south west, and the Trigram is earth.

A Yin earth person can be caring and nurturing, generally gets his appreciation rather late, he is generally the last to think about himself, a good organizer, very efficient worker to fall back upon.





METAL (Yang) +

Yang metal is like picturing images of strong sturdy metal bridges, steel building material, the direction is northwest, and the Trigram is heaven.

A Yang metal person is focused, very family oriented, has strong views, is strict, tends to shout or keep distance from his sub- ordinates, generally intellectual or academically inclined, capable of taking charge of big responsibilities.



METAL (Yin) –

Soft malleable metals like gold, silver, ornaments, sharp metal blades as in knives and swords are some images of yin metal, direction is west and the Trigram is lake.

A Yin metal person is friendly, fun to be with, loves the good things of life, seldom depressed, loves wining and dining, is diplomatic, can terminate things with finesse, he can be deep and thoughtful, can be revengeful.



WATER (Yang) +

Vast stretches of water like the ocean, waterfalls, downpour of rain represent yang water, the direction is north, and Trigram is water.

A Yang water person is fond of company, artistic, social, good at negotiation, can be moody at times, he can feel insecure at times for no valid reason, is deep thinking, may seem light hearted but has a lot of depth.



WATER (Yin) –

Yin water is represented by features like; light shower of rain, streams, lakes, small water falls, ponds, dew, and springs of water.

A Yin water person is social, needs to do some thing all the time, a good peace maker, at times pessimistic, impartial, prone to depressions, thinks a lot, can get very fearful.