Four Pillars of Destiny: Potential, Career, and Wealth

By Jerry King

Why is it so easy for certain people to obtain success in their career?

This guide seeks to enhance your understanding of the potential and capabilities given to us at birth. Trapped inside of you, waiting to be realised, is an incredible potential. Using the year, month, day, and hour of your birth, you can use the ancient Chinese astrological method of Four Pillars to systematically map out the blueprint of your life in matters of health, wealth, career, love, and happiness.

Learn how the fi ve-element theory, cosmic flow, combinations, the Ten Gods, and special stars pertain to the context of your career, potential, and wealth. Grounded in real-life case studies, the infl uence of cosmic energy on your choice of career and many aspects of life is explained.

This manual also teaches you how to interpret the indicators in your life so youll know when to take risksand when you should be conservative. Have you ever wondered just how energy factors into your choices? And how you should choose a career that will truly fulfi ll your interests, skills, and talents? You will learn to see the crucial role that energy and fl ow play in creating opportunities for success, timing of investments, and job satisfaction.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jan 10, 2012
• ISBN: 9781469700052

Jerry King

The Author is a retired Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, is widely known all over the State of Arkansas and other areas where he was assigned. He has been featured on “60 Minutes” with Mike Wallace, He has previously been published when he wrote a children’s book.

Book preview

FOUR PILLARS

OF DESTINY:

POTENTIAL, CAREER, AND WEALTH

logo.jpg

JERRY KING

iUniverse, Inc.

Bloomington

FOUR PILLARS OF DESTINY: POTENTIAL, CAREER, AND WEALTH

Copyright © 2012 by Jerry King.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-4697-0004-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4697-0008-3 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4697-0005-2 (ebk)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011963507

iUniverse rev. date: 12/28/2011

CONTENTS

Author’s Preface

Chapter 1  Introduction

Chapter 2  Cosmic Identity

Chapter 3  Talent and Potential

Chapter 4  Scholars, Writers, and Entrepreneurs

Chapter 5  Theories and Special Charts

Chapter 6  Career Choices

Chapter 7  Relationships Revisited

Conclusion

Q&A Session with Jerry King

Appendix

References

Author’s Preface

The relationships that we have with our friends, business partners and 1members of our immediate family shape our behaviours and influence how we choose to spend our lives. Everyone has the freedom to choose, but when the cosmic energy is against us, success is likely impossible. As a Four Pillars researcher and teacher, I have encountered many types of people, from scholars and athletes to businessmen—some of them are very successful, while others have stumbled and failed miserably. I have also spent a number of years analyzing the birth charts of those who are the best in their fields—whether in another specific field of endeavour. The reasons for their success are not based on chance alone. Hard work, timing, opportunity and having a Four Pillars birth system supportive of their goals all play major roles.

In my first book, Four Pillars of Destiny: A Guide to Relationships, I wrote about cosmic flow and the Ten Gods with a primary focus on compatibilities in relationships.

Even experienced practitioners may overlook certain deceptive patterns in a Four Pillars birth chart; this is why the practice of Four Pillars is so complex and difficult. Nobody owns the rights to the Four Pillars system. It is an astrological system formed over thousands of years of observation and testing. The collaboration amongst Four Pillars practitioners has confirmed that this system works and is very effective when combined with the practice of Feng Shui. Feng Shui itself cannot stand alone without incorporating the readings of a Four Pillars chart. This is a proven fact, as can be found in the many Feng Shui and Four Pillars writings available in Chinese. Although it is little known in the West, those who have employed the Four Pillars system represent perhaps the biggest sample group tested in any sort of experiment known to mankind.

The volume of data compiled in the past hundreds of years has provided many practitioners in Hong Kong and China with a vast amount of knowledge in the Four Pillars of Destiny. A lot of information has yet to be translated into English. Many different approaches to the Four Pillars have left some consultants wondering whether this system has any validity. For example, there is computer software on the market today that is able to decorate a Four Pillars analysis. These gimmicks do an injustice to such a powerful system. The computer software cannot account for the changing of the flow for those born within the climate divider. Those born in between the solar and lunar climate divider require additional testing and verification in order to provide accurate predictions. How do computer systems take into account where one was born and the education that one was provided with? It would be easy if I could stand up and prove that my method is correct, but the fact is that the only way to validate the birth system is to test it repeatedly. By acquiring historical data on the key events of one’s life, one can determine and validate its cosmic flow.

There are some masters and practitioners that place a great emphasis on the self element. I have encountered people who have used the self element as an indicator of all characteristics, so if you are a Yang Metal, you wield power and you are as strong as a metal sword and so forth. That is a pure marketing gimmick for people to sell materials and include them in their courses. What if a person’s flow is metal while the person’s self element is Yin Wood? The chart itself would take on a different complexion and characteristics. A Yin Wood self would barely express any wood in its characteristics. Throughout my research, practice, experience, and readings of Chinese books, the characteristics of the self element are never as pronounced as the flow of a birth chart. Some people are too caught up in the self element and forget the big picture.

What I intend to do with my books is to provide some of the missing links between what was written by the Chinese in the past and relay those messages into English. In order to enhance knowledge of the Four Pillars system, I will provide case studies of well-known public figures, celebrities, and examples from my consultations with clients. By evaluating the achievements and failures of people’s lives, we can better understand how cosmic flow works.

Investigating the ups and downs of the rich and famous allows us to learn about how they were able to capitalize on their good fortunes and also to evaluate their accomplishments based upon their birth charts. During my research, a successful writer who caught my attention was Malcolm Gladwell. He is best known for his books The Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers and What the Dog Saw: And Other Adventures. I wondered: How can an author repeatedly publish best-selling books? Malcolm Gladwell, born on September 3, 1963, possesses a scholar star underneath his self element with a Hurting Officer found in his stem. This was definitely a recipe for success as this will be explained in this book.

Gladwell’s book, Outliers, presented me with an additional perspective on my analysis using the Four Pillars system. In his book, Gladwell reviewed the careers of Bill Gates, Paul Allen, Steve Ballmer, Bill Joy, Steve Jobs, and many others, and discussed why he thought they were able to achieve such fame and fortune. What Malcolm lacked in his book was the knowledge of the Four Pillars system, which would have unearthed the secrets to their success.

Opportunities, education, timing, and the location of birth are not the only criteria for success. Famous sports athletes such as Wayne Gretzky, Christiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Roger Federer, and Michael Phelps will be explored in greater depth in this book. I’ve found that in addition to their natural talents, their cosmic systems and cosmic flows allowed them to achieve greatness within their sports.

As a Four Pillars practitioner and teacher, I’ve found that by understanding the types of attributes that my clients and students possess, I can better provide them with the proper direction and guidance toward an easier path to success. This book will help you determine your best and worst qualities, such as in leadership, interpersonal skills and learning capabilities, so that you can understand how to thrive and succeed in your own life. You will learn to see the crucial role that energy and flow play in creating opportunities in business, career, wealth, and partnership.

Chapter 1

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Introduction

Success is a subjective word used to describe an achievement or an accomplishment. For some, success is measured by wealth, status and awards. It could also be something as simple as completing a personal goal or task. Determining a specific goal or objective is the first step to any sort of success. The Four Pillars birth chart is only one of several factors providing you with the opportunity to achieve what you set forth on accomplishing. However, there is no guarantee that destiny will lead you to a Nobel Prize or an Oscar Award if you do not decide to embark upon your journey. Knowing when to capitalize on your most favourable cosmic flow is critical to success. The Four Pillars provide us with a blueprint of our cosmic energetic makeup. By abiding to the natural cosmic laws of the blueprint, our duties and tasks in fulfilling our objectives become easier. There is a reason why some are able to succeed while others fail miserably.

For Wayne Gretzky, timing, opportunity, cosmic flow and special stars within his birth chart gave him all the things he needed to become The Great One. Michael Phelps, the great Olympic swimmer, won the most medals in the 2008 Winter Olympics not only because of his determination and talent; he was going with the flow of his birth system and the year that he achieved those accomplishments was in alignment to the flow of his birth chart. There are reasons why Bill Gates is Bill Gates. In every industry, career, profession, and sport, there is always someone we may idolize or admire. They possess great birth systems and have managed to capitalize on their cosmic identity at opportune times. Geniuses and scholars have special traits found within their birth systems that allow them to produce breakthrough results.

When the going is good, money and friends may come easily, but when people run into bad cycles, relationships with friends and family may fall apart. Life can become brutal in times of chaos. Many people and businesses may want to protect their own turf in the face of stiff competition. Those who fail may indulge in criminal activity. Some may live a life full of illusion thinking that they can act beyond the limits of their actual capabilities.

A cosmic system identifies what our limitations are. We are better served if we take the path of least resistance. Unfortunately, not everyone wants to abide by their own limitations and this is when problems can occur. Everyone has a choice to not go to the casino, to not be lazy, or to not be greedy, but certain cosmic systems present people with particular challenges and temptations in life. Those who succumb to such temptations would fail miserably.

In Four Pillars of Destiny: A Guide to Relationships, much of my focus was on cosmic flow and the Ten Gods and their impact on relationships. In this book, I will focus on how birth charts can possess special patterns and stars that can indirectly affect one’s ability to attain success. Special stars and patterns within one’s birth system can enhance one’s ability to become successful. These patterns have never been thoroughly discussed in any English books regarding the Four Pillars of Destiny.

Topics such as Cycle Patterns, in Chinese called Image24092.PNG and Three Wondrous Formation, or Image24098.PNG are rarely explained even in Four Pillars lectures. This book explains how the practice of Four Pillars requires a holistic perspective, where the flow, combinations, and the luck cycles must be evaluated in tandem. Without understanding the key aspects of cosmic flow, the special patterns may mislead a practitioner during a Four Pillars consultation. Attaining wealth and pursuing a good career are some of the key priorities for many people— especially those who are young. The key to prosperity is to take the path of least resistance.

Life’s Blueprint Image24104.PNG

Everyone is born with a blueprint in terms of how to behave and what types of energetic flows are in our favour. Choosing the right career and education are some of the steps toward the path to success. There are some people who would hope that their luck would eventually come to them while they wait. Without better preparing themselves for luck cycles, these people may miss the opportunity to accomplish their goals. The blueprint of destiny found within the Four Pillars birth chart presents everyone with choices. If a birth system is identified as having a water flow, the correct thing to do is to embark on a career that utilizes the water element. Going against the flow of nature would impede progress and lead to unfortunate consequences. Life’s blueprint cannot be changed; we must live according to the flow to ensure harmony and happiness. The Chinese character for Life is Image24110.PNG It is the combination of two Chinese symbols that brought about the word Life or Image24116.PNG

chap001_img001.jpg

The first character is the mouth, Image24128.PNG and the second character symbolizes order, Image24134.PNG Orders come from the mouth, such as you command someone to do something, the command comes from the mouth. In life, whose orders are we actually obeying? Are they god’s orders? Is it the order of a powerful deity? Or is it our own orders? When we follow our own orders from our mind, we move and act upon it. These orders are influenced by our blueprint, which is made of cosmic energy. Are there limitations as to what we can do? Certainly there are, or else everyone can become a great scholar or a millionaire. On the other hand, some people may only want to live a simple life yet they are constantly thwarted by mishaps and misfortunes. Those misfortunes can come from investment failures through poor judgement and timing, incorrect career choices, impediments from health, and so forth.

Life or Image24140.PNG is made up of three major components:

1. The first is the ability to create. Everyone has the ability to create; the quality and size of our creations depend on our Four Pillars birth chart. Creation can be as simple as creating an atmosphere of comfort within our homes or as ambitious as creating a business empire.

2. The second component in life is our decisions and characteristics. Everyone has their own characteristics; we are all born different and we are all influenced by the people and the environment around us. The birth composite gives us specific characteristics and the abilities to make decisions. With proper timing, we can make clear and crisp decisions; during bad cycles, decisions and characteristics of a person can lead to many errors and misfortunes.

3. The third component of life is our limitations. What we create and how we behave depends on the limitations presented to us by our birth composite. Thinking that you can accomplish extraordinary tasks without understanding your limits can lead to misfortune. When there is a traffic jam on the highway, there are always the odd ones who would step out of line and take a detour. If they are lucky, they can get to their destinations from an alternative route. Sometimes, there are no other choices but to follow the path along the highway to reach your destination. The road is paved that way for a reason and we should live with what is presented to us. There are certain things in life which we can control, yet there are limitations and things that are beyond our control. Living by the rules set for us within our cosmic system allows us to live in harmony with Natural Laws.

Our natural limitations are set fourth by the interaction of the five elements composed of water, wood, fire, earth and metal. The five elements within the cosmos are not visible by the naked eye. Their existence is definitely present everyday and constantly affects our behaviour. Each season has a dominating energetic force led by a specific element mixed with the rest of the elements. Trained Four Pillars practitioners can determine the type of energy for a specific day and hour and how we can identify specific dates for important matters.

The day we were born on provides us with the specific energetic makeup that allows us to do certain things in life. We cannot change the blueprint given to us by the cosmos but we can take advantage of our strengths and go with the flow. Everything becomes easier to accomplish if we know our limitations. Combining the makeup of your birth composite with what you do in life by following the flow will lead to good results. Everyone has a choice. Although we are born with limitations, we can live within our means and choose the correct road to pursue.

The next few sections will be a review for many who have read my first book, although you will find additional material beyond what has been covered in my first book. For those who would like to learn how to plot a Four Pillars birth chart, you can go directly to the Appendix.

Four Pillars

The Four Pillars, also referred to as BaZi Image24192.JPG or Eight Characters, is one of many astrological methods used to look at destiny. The reason why it is called Four Pillars is because there are four columns of a birth chart: Year, Month, Day and Hour (each of those are considered one pillar). Below is what a typical Four Pillars chart would look like. As you can see, it has eight symbols and hence, the name Eight Characters or BaZi.

chap001_tab001.jpg

This is the birth system of the famous young singer, Justin Bieber. The structure of the Four Pillars birth chart is very simple to put together. The Appendix explains how to plot a Four Pillars birth chart. The upper row of the Four Pillars birth chart is called the heavenly stems while the bottom row is called the earthly branches. This is why the Four Pillars is also commonly known as Bazi Image24204.JPG for the eight characters in the birth chart. Each pillar is composed of two characters: the heavenly characters, and the earthly characters. The Four Pillars include one’s birth Year, Month, Day and Hour. Some may wonder if it is possible to obtain a reading without the hour. The answer is yes. As the first three pillars, Year, Month and Day, governs the majority of one’s earlier part of life, this information is often sufficient to determine the classification and characteristics of the birth chart. Obviously, it is better to obtain the birth hour for enhanced accuracy. The birth hour has a greater influence in the birth chart later in life (usually after the age of 45). Each pillar has a prominent role for approximately a 15 year period which begins from the year all the way to the hour. The first three pillars, year, month and day are critical to our growth and career.

chap001_tab002.jpg

The table above illustrates how to find one’s self element. The self element is located in the day pillar of the heavenly stems. Remember that only one of the ten stems can be in the day stem. The twelve branches can only be in the bottom row. Each of the earthly branches is either Yin or Yang and it has to be paired up with a stem of the same polarity. Therefore, a Yang Metal Image24224.PNG cannot be paired up with a Snake Image24230.PNG since the Snake Image24236.PNG is Yin. When plotting the Four Pillars chart using the Ten Thousand Years Lunar Calendar 24241.jpg , each of the pillars come in a pair so it is difficult to make this mistake.

Self Element—This is the element that is used as a reference point for the entire structure of the birth chart. The self element is also referred to as the day master, day stem, or simply, the self. The self element can be classified with many terms: weak self, strong self, surrender, dominant self, transformed self and so forth."

Studying the Four Pillars

There are many ways of approaching the Four Pillars and I have outlined ten key points that are important to learn and remember. The list below is neither exhaustive nor are they in any particular order.

1. It is imperative that the stems and branches are memorized and you know which element and animal are Yin, and which are Yang. The direction of each of the elements should also be noted. For example, metal is to the West and Northwest, Fire is to the South, Water is to the North, and Wood is to the East and Southeast, Earth is to the Northeast and Southwest and so forth.

2. Learn the energetic flow of all the elements and when they come into effect. Knowing when metal is strong and when the flow changes towards water is important. In each lunar calendar month, certain elements dominate a specific number of days.

3. Elements hidden in the earthly branches should be memorized.

4. Remember the combinations of the branches and stems, clashes and harms/penalties. Understand how each combination affects the overall picture of the Four Pillars chart and whether those combinations are beneficial or not to the self.

5. It is beneficial to remember which year corresponds to the Chinese characters without using the calendar. The order of the cycle of sixty starts from Yang Wood Rat. In Chinese, it is called the Image24259.PNG

6. Plot the luck cycles to understand whether the luck cycle goes forward or backwards in relation to a male or female’s chart, and when the luck cycle begins.

7. Look at the month the person was born in, and from there, try and construct in your mind whether the self is in season or energetically trapped. For example, a wood self born in the month of the Monkey or Rooster is considered energetically trapped, or non-existent.

8. As a new or inexperienced practitioner of the Four Pillars, start from the simplest matters before looking deeply into a chart. Simple is subjective, but I would suggest understanding the five elements and the seasonal shift of energy in each lunar month (See point 2).

9. Even though the special stars are not required in determining the flow of a birth chart, it is still important to know about them. For example, knowing the meaning of certain stars such as the guide, scholar and void stars and so forth can allow a practitioner to extract more information about the Four Pillars chart. These stars were discussed in Four Pillars of Destiny: A Guide to Relationships, and I will go through them in more detail later on.

10. Finally, testing and verification is the key to determining cosmic flow; do not make wild assumptions!

Five Element Theory

The five elements are wood, fire, earth, metal and water. Each of these elements are related to one of the five Confucian virtues. Every person has a self element, be it Yin or Yang, which is apparent in each individual’s Four Pillars chart. The self element is found in the day stem. All five elements possess certain identifiable traits on their own but Four Pillars practitioners must understand that these traits are very dynamic due to the complexities of birth systems. For example, identifying or describing a wood person solely on the characteristics of the wood element itself without understanding the entire makeup of the individual’s birth chart often leads to inaccurate results. Prior to a complete evaluation, practitioners must fully understand the nature of each element. The season that the person was born in and its surroundings for a Four Pillars chart plays an important role in chart classifications. The descriptions I present here on each element are only a general overview. Further explanations of the elements will be provided as we begin looking into birth charts in the following chapters.

Wood represents kindness; in Chinese it is Image24267.PNG pronounced as ren. Ren embodies the virtues of benevolence, charity and humanity. Imagine a tree or a plant that is growing. Flowers and potted plants are fragile yet they are kind and gentle. In Feng Shui and Four Pillars, there is a Yin and Yang aspect to every element. For wood, Yang would represent a big oak tree or a forest. An overly strong tree makes the tree stubborn; trying to chop and hack a big tree requires tremendous energy. Potted plants, on the other hand, require less effort to chop and nuture and the plotted plants can often be referred to as Yin Wood.

Fire represents propriety, good manners, politeness, ceremony and worship; in Chinese, it is Image24273.JPG pronounced as li. Yang fire can be equated to a bright sun or fire with great radiance. Fire that is overly strong may want to overshadow everything else around it while fire that is weak may be overlooked even if it wants to shine. Yin Fire, when it is pure and beautiful, is like a candle providing warmth and comfort on the dinner table. On the other hand, Yin Fire burning in coal or bad lumber may ignite unwanted fumes.

Earth, like a mountain, represents stability and trustworthiness; in Chinese, it is Image24279.JPG pronounced xin. This is the virtue of faithfulness and integrity. Yang Earth is like a big dam, concrete barrier or mountain which can conquer nature when it is strong and solid. However, being overly strong may make it difficult to penetrate; as a result, influencing or changing the minds of Earth individuals may become difficult. Yin

Reviews for Four Pillars of Destiny

[transitking · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The case files are good but for me, as a beginner, I feel that it was a little complex. Perhaps aimed more for those who have a basic grasp of the subject as there were a lot of references to methods of analysis which aren't explored enough.
That said it was an interesting read and I feel that Mr King has a unique way of approaching the subject. I look forward to reading his other works.

I've been finding it hard to find a good basic instruction book on Four Pillars such as you would find on Western Astrology. The ones I have found start well enough but then become entangled with multiple ways to interpret the clashes, harms punishments, combinations, day master strength etc. It seems that it is very much down to the individual masters take on it rather than a standard interpretation. I find this confusing but I guess I'll learn in time.