(292) Interpreting life's sudden hardships

By Janet Shin

We all undergo hardships in our lives. Even those who appear successful on the outside can be miserable inside. A seemingly minor incident can change the course of one’s life. Yet how does one know if an event in one’s life is significant? This is where saju comes in.

By reading an individual’s saju, the reader can foresee what will happen in the near future. In addition, a reading will show a certain probability of an event happening in a given year depending on the person’s age and gender.

2014 is the year of the blue horse, called “gap-o” in Korean. The zodiac signs correspond to earthly letters, which interact with each other by either being attracted to one another or repelling each other. A clash is especially notable, as it often implies that a major life event is ahead. It doesn’t always mean misfortune. The upcoming fortune could be positive, such as getting a new job, or one of sorrow, such as the unexpected death of a family member.

To further break down this year’s gap-o, the element associated with the horse (o), fire, clashes with the element associated with the rat (ja), water.

As a saju practitioner, I have noticed a large number of “ja-o” clashes among my clients this year.

One of my regular clients disclosed a family secret to me. For him, the letter “o” could have represented either his father or wealth. His reading did not show any fire energy among the eight letters in his saju chart. As a struggling yet savvy businessman, he did possess the fortitude and know-how to amass great wealth.

Therefore, we can infer that an alternative interpretation was needed, and that the absence of fire in his chart meant an absent father.

My client was born into a prestigious family. His grandfather was a founder of a noted college, but had to step down for political reasons when Korea was still a dictatorship. At that time, his father, showing an utter lack of responsibility, abandoned his family and left Korea.

It was his mother who took all the hardships on her back and led the family. My client mentioned that he did not know his father and had no desire to meet him.

Surprisingly, he received a call from his father in America saying that he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Using this unfortunate incident as a bridge, they had a quick conversation about what had happened in the past, although they were not able to have an in-depth emotional exchange.

Two months after this call, his father passed away.

I could see some regret in his face, but could not feel any hint of despair. My client also added that he had wanted to attend the funeral but could not because his father had not told him the location of the hospital.

The saju laid out my client’s life in general, his childhood, his family background and his current business situation. What he had experienced ― especially the sudden contact from his father and his father’s subsequent death ― resulted from the clash between the letters in his “saju” and the energy of the coming year.

Although saju practitioners use the term “clash,” some of the incidents do not have any great impact on the person’s life. For the aforementioned businessman, his biological father’s death did not affect his life very much. At the same time, however, it did have great significance because it was a moment of elucidation that allowed him to clear away the clouds from his hidden past. By speaking with his father, he was able to get some answers. He never did let go of his resentment toward his father, but I am not sure that he would have done so even if his father had lived longer.

After his father’s death, his business became more profitable and he was able to move past the financial difficulties that he had been mired in for many years.

What is the truth of life? We sometimes have sunny, beautiful days and at other times we have rainy, gloomy days. Nobody can give us a clear answer as to which days will be sunny and which ones will be rainy.

Information: Are you interested in learning more about the ancient Chinese teachings on the “Four Pillars of Destiny”? For further information, visit Janet’s website at www.fourpillarskorea.com, contact her at 010-5414-7461, or email janetshin@hotmail.com. The writer is the author of “Life’s Secrets.”