In the study of Ba Zi (eight characters) astrology, determining whether a person's "body" is strong or weak and selecting the appropriate "useful gods" (Xu Shen) is crucial. This article will delve into how to determine an individual's state of strength or weakness through Ba Zi analysis, and select the most suitable use god based on this, in order to achieve a balance of the five elements and improve personal fortune.
Basic Concepts of Body Strength and Weakness
Body strength and weakness are terms used in Ba Zi astrology to describe the state of an individual's five elements energy. A strong body (Shen Wang) refers to a strong energy of the day master (representing the individual), while a weak body (Shen Ruo) indicates weak energy of the day master. It is important to understand that strength and weakness themselves have no inherent good or bad; they simply represent a state. A weak body does not mean an unfavorable fate, and a strong body does not guarantee smooth sailing. The key lies in whether the five elements in the chart are balanced, and whether there are appropriate sources of support or restraint.
How to Determine Body Strength and Weakness
The determination of body strength and weakness usually follows the following steps:
1. Look at the Month Pillar: The month pillar is key to judging the strength or weakness of the day master, accounting for about 50% of the decision. If the day master is in the state of long life, crown, official, or imperial in the month pillar, it is considered as "getting the month."
2. Look at other Earthly Branches: Check if the earthly branches of the day, year, and hour pillars are in the state of long life, etc., for the day master. Two or more are considered as "getting the earth."
3. Look at the Heavenly Stems: Analyze whether the three heavenly stems of year, month, and hour are the five elements that support or strengthen the day master, such as the Yin (mother) or Bi (peer), or those that restrain the day master, such as Guan Sha (officer and killer), Cai (wealth), and Shi Shang (food and injury).
Principles for Selecting Useful Gods
The principles for selecting useful gods based on the state of body strength or weakness are as follows:
- For a strong body: Favor the ones that can overcome (Guan Sha), drain (Shi Shang), or consume (Zheng Bian Cai).
- For a weak body: Favor the ones that can nourish (Yin Xiao) or support (Bi Jie).
The specific choice of which use god to select also depends on the relationships between the ten gods, and there is no fixed standard.
The Relationship Between Use Gods and Personal Fortune
The selection of use gods directly affects personal fortune. If the use god is harmed, for example, if the official and killer are used but are attacked by food and injury, then personal goals will be obstructed and the fortune will be unsmooth. On the contrary, if the use god receives support and protection, the individual will always have benefactors helping, and the fortune will naturally be better.
This article details how to determine an individual's state of body strength and weakness through Ba Zi, and select the appropriate useful gods based on this state. Understanding the true meaning of body strength and weakness, and mastering the method of selecting use gods, is of great significance for achieving a balance of the five elements and improving personal fortune. In practical application, further detailed analysis of the specific Ba Zi is required to achieve the best results.
