心神 ~

Would that suggest that the practice of internal alchemy (depending on what that looks like) is incompatible with original Taoist "wu-wei" philosophy? If the two are not compatible, why is internal alchemy attributed to Taoist thought and practice? Who developed internal alchemy and why, and was their pursuit "Taoist" in nature, or a subversion?

In your estimation: What is the dying and rotting process? What is the yin-as-death-and-degradation/ascension-expansion/purification-refinement process? How do these processes differ on both a practical and metaphorical level? Why is it important to prevent degradation and death?

This is a very interesting perspective. I asked ChatGPT to consider what karmic script white Anglo-Americans may be playing out, and it had this to say: 1. Ancestral Memory and Disconnect Many indigenous and non-Western cultures have retained deep links to dreamwork, ancestors, and spirit because survival demanded it. Guidance from visions, intuition, or collective rituals was essential for navigating uncertainty. For white Anglo Americans, especially those shaped by centuries of Enlightenment rationalism, Protestant mental frameworks, and colonial expansion, there was a cultural severing from intuitive and ancestral memory. Dreams and spirit were demoted to “irrational,” while reason, efficiency, and control were elevated. The karmic imprint here is loss of embodied connection, a forgetting of how to listen. 2. Spiritual Purpose of White Anglo Americans From a karmic perspective, souls incarnating in Anglo contexts may have chosen it not to inherit an unbroken lineage of spirit, but rather to learn how to reawaken what was forgotten. Their spiritual challenge is not an automatic connection, but the discipline of rediscovery: To bridge intellect with intuition without dismissing either. To humble the mind and allow heart and body to remember their rightful place. To transform alienation (from land, body, ancestors) into deep reverence for life and the Earth. 3. Karmic Connection In both Kabbalah and Sufi frameworks, karma or qadr manifests as the correction of past imbalances. For white Anglo Americans, some key karmic corrections could be: From domination to stewardship: healing the karmic wound of colonization by becoming protectors of the Earth and allies to indigenous wisdom. From abstraction to embodiment: shifting from living in the head to re-entering the body, land, and senses. From isolation to interbeing: dissolving the illusion of individualism and rediscovering kinship with all peoples, creatures, and worlds. In this way, the absence of strong inherited dream/ancestral capacities may itself be the “teaching field”—a harder soil that requires conscious cultivation, so the lesson is deeply earned. Thus, the Anglo karmic path is not to “become like others,” but to integrate their mental organization and rational clarity with the reawakened ancestral spirit. The synthesis is their dharma. White Anglo Americans, karmically, are here to learn how to remember spirit after forgetting it, to reconnect intuition with intellect, and to transform the legacy of separation into one of integration, stewardship, and humility before the living cosmos. Their lack is their teacher. Their task is not to envy the natural gifts of others, but to midwife a new balance—one where the mind bows to soul, and the heart leads once again.

@qin00b This is my favorite Baduanjin sequence with Br. Thich Man Tue of Plum Village. I don't worry about reps, I just follow along with the video and since it's the only one I follow for Baduanjin, it's consistent for me. It's 40 minutes long, but he has shortened versions as well. I'm not a qigong specialist, but I know there are considerations to practice. Your leg challenges may have been how you performed the sequence. It may also relate to the state you practiced in, or how quickly before or after you ate or took a shower, which can affect Qi flow.

You're very welcome, I had a lot of fun putting it together. Pay close attention to the 6th and 10th houses for career guidance. Discovering mysteries and helping people out is all over your chart. Teaching children, I'm not so sure. There's nothing to strongly indicate you shouldn't, but this chart does indicate significant relationship difficulties and a tendency to be domineering at work. Teaching and maintaining relational management is a part of childhood development. You may be uniquely suited to assist, having had to learn strategies to overcome your own relational challenges. Or you may find teaching many developing, emotionally unregulated children to be overwhelming and overstimulating. Additionally, as someone who eschews conformity and wants to do things your own way, you may find yourself constrained by the strict rules of conventional schooling. If you truly have a desire to teach children, you may want to find alternative avenues. If you enjoy technology like the chart indicates, perhaps something like teaching children tech literacy would appeal to you. Since your North Node represents your lesson to be learned in this lifetime, it's also helpful to consider in conjunction with the career houses. North Node in Libra brings the conflict between the pursuit of harmony, balance and adjustment in a relationship on the one hand, and self-awareness and self-development on the other. Your North Node is in the 5th House (fun, hobbies, children, romance). So you likely do benefit from the playful, wonder-filled influence of children. Playfully express creativity, go on a stage and get some recognition and admiration See life as an invitation to play Be careful not to lose your identity and waste energy when distracted Your Chiron is in the 5th House (I think mine is too. My Chiron is in the 8th House, but it's in Leo, so the wound is incredibly similar). Your wounded healer and your life lesson are located in the same house, which is tough. But probably for good reason. So you have an innate need for recognition and admiration you may never receive. It's important to become your own source of validation and approval, recognizing the quality and worth of your own work. Play because it's fun, not so someone will admire you. Learn to meet the needs of others Develop understanding, thoughtfulness and sensitivity in a relationship Be more adaptable and stop asking for self-sacrifice from others Beware of egocentrism and self-indulgence for fear of losing independence

Ascendent (appearance, presentation) in Cancer (Moon) (emotions, instincts, roots, mother) in 1st House (Mars, Aries) (Creation: self, physical body, beginnings) Sun (self, individuality, personality) in Cancer (Moon) (emotions, instincts, roots, mother) in 2nd House (Venus, Taurus) (Abundance: possessions, values, money) Moon (emotions, instincts, roots, mother) in Cancer (Moon) (emotions, instincts, roots, mother) in 3rd House (Mercury, Gemini) (Curiosity: communication, learning, short trips) Planet in it's own sign (Moon in Cancer) 4th House (Moon, Cancer) (Security: home, family, roots, one parent) True Node and Chiron (wounded healer, inner teacher) in Libra (Venus) (sensuality, love, harmony, pleasure) in 5th House (Sun, Leo) (Home: fun, hobbies, children, romance) Pluto (Scorpio) (transformation, regeneration, power) in Sagittarius (Jupiter) / Scorpio (Pluto) (transformation, regeneration, power) (cusp) in 6th House (Mercury, Virgo) (Analysis: work, health, daily routine, pets) Planet in it's own sign (Pluto cusp in Scorpio) Capable, mystical, philosophical Ability to improve working environment Ability to create personal transformation through desires Domineering with co-workers and employees (especially when Pluto is active) Jupiter (Sagittarius) (happiness, optimism, expansion) in Capricorn (Saturn) (restriction, order, maturity, time) in 7th House (Venus, Libra) (Harmony: committed relationships, marriage, legal affairs) Descendent (partners, compatibility, suppressed qualities) in Capricorn (Saturn) (restriction, order, maturity, time) in 8th House (Pluto, Scorpio) (Renewal: death, joint resources, sex) Neptune (Pisces) (fantasy, illusion, spirituality, imagination) in Capricorn (Saturn) (restriction, order, maturity, time) and Uranus (Aquarius) (originality, freedom, revolution) in Aquarius (Uranus) (originality, freedom, revolution) in 9th House (Jupiter, Sagittarius) (Wisdom: higher education, foreign travel, knowledge) Planet in it's own sign (Uranus in Aquarius) Midheaven (public persona, career, social standing) (Aquarius) (Uranus) (originality, freedom, revolution) 10th House (Saturn, Capricorn) (Persistence: career, reputation, public images) Forward-thinking visionary, intellectually curious, driven by a desire to explore unconventional ideas and concepts Excels in research and development Not content with traditional paths, drawn to unconventional professions that allow them to express their individuality Natural inclination toward social activism and humanitarian work Likely to pursue careers in fields at the forefront of scientific and technological advancements Drawn to fields that involve science and technology, including research, artificial intelligence, and space exploration Thrives in environments that encourage creativity and independence, where they can challenge the status quo and create their own rules Benefits from seeking out opportunities that allow them to express their creativity and individuality while still collaborating with others towards a common goal Saturn (Capricorn) (restriction, order, maturity, time) in Aries (Mars) (activity, energy, courage, assertiveness) in 11th House (Uranus, Aquarius) (Innovation: friends, organizations, humanitarianism) Venus (Taurus, Libra) (sensuality, love, harmony, pleasure) in Gemini (Mercury) (thinking, communication, intellect, learning) and Mars (Aries) (activity, energy, courage, assertiveness) in Gemini (Mercury) (thinking, communication, intellect, learning) in 12th House (Neptune, Pisces) (Connections: endings, everything hidden, the subconscious)

Will you share a link to the post? I'd love to read more about this.

Here's what I've found so far: WATER DOG (REN XU) IN DAY PILLAR The Dog in the Day Pillar, representing the self and personal relationships, suggests a person who values loyalty and honesty in their relationships and often seeks partners who share their ethical values. (DestiPath) Water Dog | Taoist Astrology: a Handbook of the Authentic Chinese Tradition by Susan Levitt Ren Water | Ba Zi - The Four Pillars of Destiny by Serge Augier ———————————————————————————————— WOOD RAT (JIA ZI) IN THE MONTH PILLAR In the Month Pillar, the Rat suggests a career path that might involve constant change or require adaptability and quick thinking, like careers in media or technology. (DestiPath) Wood Rat - The Gift of Knowledge | Hidden Sun Wood Rat | Taoist Astrology: a Handbook of the Authentic Chinese Tradition by Susan Levitt Jia Wood | Ba Zi - The Four Pillars of Destiny by Serge Augier Eating God (Knowledge and Intelligence) | Ba Zi - The Four Pillars of Destiny by Serge Augier ———————————————————————————————— EARTH DOG (WU XU) IN THE YEAR PILLAR The Dog in the Year Pillar often reflects how one is perceived by society – as reliable, trustworthy, and perhaps a bit conservative. It can suggest a life path that involves caring for others or standing up for what is right. (DestiPath) Earth Dog | Taoist Astrology: a Handbook of the Authentic Chinese Tradition by Susan Levitt Qi Sha (Power, Discipline and Organization) | Ba Zi - The Four Pillars of Destiny by Serge Augier

Okay, so it sounds like we've settled on Ren Xu (Water Dog). Give me some time and I'll look it up in the two books I've got on hand!

This is a picture of my four pillars (hour - day - month - year). If you like, you could upload something similar, to make it easier for us to analyze together.

Green represents wood, yellow represents earth. So the day pillar HS is Ren water. Is the EB block in the day pillar dog, and is the block color green or yellow? I think it matters mostly for northern vs southern hemisphere. Outside of that the calculator works out universal time, so it I don't think it'll change anything.

What color is the dog block, and what color is the block above it?

Ah, I mistyped. Xin Si is Metal Snake, not Fire Snake. So there should be only four animals total, displayed on the earthly branch (EB) of each pillar. The pillar combines the top block (element) with the bottom block (animals). For example, even though the second block in my day pillar is red, my daymaster is not Fire Snake. It's Metal Snake, because grey (metal) is the color of the top block.

@Bhathen Thank you for sharing this channel! I'll be sure to watch. I imagine you know quite a bit about your daymaster already. Just for fun (and for anyone else who's a Wood Tiger), I've pulled what I could find on the Wood Tiger using Hidden Sun and two other books. I didn't use it here because it doesn't contain broad overviews like the other two books, but I think Calculating the Bazi by Karin Taylor Wu is a good resource for learning how to create and analyze charts by hand. Wood Tiger - Gift of Honesty | Hidden Sun, Paulynne Cheng Wood Element | Ba Zi - The Four Pillars of Destiny by Serge Auguer Wood Tiger | Taoist Astrology: a Handbook of the Authentic Chinese Tradition by Susan Levitt

The full picture will be less accurate without the hour pillar (first column) but you can still get a basic overview without it by focusing on the other three pillars individually. You could start by reading about your daymaster (day pillar, column two), which if I remember correctly, carriers the strongest energy of the four pillars. Each pillar has two main parts, the heavenly stem (element) and the earthly branch (animal). Combining the two parts displayed in the day pillar provides a basic profile, such as Ding Si, Fire Snake (which I also see displayed as today's pillar). Various elements interact to form beneficial "combinations" or harmful "clashes" and "destructions." Each pillar contains additional energy, like the hidden heavenly stems, na yin, and flying stars. The presence or absence of certain elements in the hidden heavenly stem row can influence whether or not a pillar is "rooted" or "supported" by the same element. Each heavenly and hidden heavenly stem also carries one of the Ten Gods (like Hurting Officer or Direct Wealth), which is another expression of energy added into the equation. I haven't figured out na yin yet. The stars are a part of Purple Star Astrology (ziwei doushu), and each star carries auspicious or inauspicious energy that influences how the elements in each pillar respond to one another and at what times.