6 colored stones, 6 red roses

This weekend, I visited the Ba Gua Master. It was the first time in about 5 years... It was very much like my former experiences in Korea... except that I started my session inquiring about an Yi-Jing hexagram that had been given my brother over a decade ago by a fortune teller in Vancouver/Victoria. This was actually the real purpose of this visit. My own reading was mostly to see if the methods matched that in Korea and how the Yi-Jing coins could be used.

The information below consists of my reading... for those interested in the kind of information divluged in such a session, read on... Although it is personal, it is NOT like a tarot card reading where you should keep your questions and answers private.

The first thing he told me is that I was destined to be a teacher (or some field related to education)... I have heard that in every "Ba Gua" reading I have received! I always wondered if it was because people in Asia assume that all foreign people living here are teachers? Anyway, after determining my time of birth... he wrote down a list of about 13 Chinese characters determining 8 points re: my character/personality. As I can't write out the characters here, I will list the meanings: 1. child, 2. male, 3. energetic, 4. run (busy), 5. rise/upper (ambitious?), 6. replace father's position in the family, 7. passionate, 8. kind

Key points re: my existence are things that need to be overcome. Seems I am full of good ideas, but I defeat myself when it comes to putting them into effect. I need to overcome my own mental block (indecision, waffling, considering too many options/too many sides... worrying too much about the negative effects on others). Same is true in other areas as well... I have the potential to be articulate, but again there is something keeping me from articulating to my fullest potential. I unfortunately already forgot the final point.

He then divided my life into periods and let me know that in terms of position, I need to be in the Northeast now/soon. Every time I have had my fortune told, I am confused by these kinds of directional suggestions... for example, does it mean that I should be in the Northeast of the neighborhood, city or country of where I am now... or in the general Northeast of any country? As I am currently in Taipei and have been considering moving to New York... I asked if this was an option (being both Northeast of where I am now... and Northeast of the US). He then used the turtle shell/coin method described in the Barbados posting to determine the answer. Answer = NY would be good! Although Taiwan may have been a good place for me to be some time ago, Ba Gua is time sensitive... Now is NOT a good time for me to be here. He said that I started to consider this recently and that from the time I started considering it as an option, that if I really wanted to move there, it would happen within 3 months (the start of the lunar new year) with summer (on the solar calendar) being the latest time for me to relocate (if it is to be NY). He then returned to his original reading (using my date of birth) and told me that from 2005-2007 I would begin to experience success - learning more things and rising in terms of career.

I was given another opportunity to ask questions. When I have consulted Ba Gua experts in the past, they have mostly talked about my character and career... However, in Canada, a crazy fortune telling tarot card reader told me I would soon get married, move to the suburbs, have three children and be very happy. I asked the fortune teller about this. He said that Chinese wisdom infers that marriage is not a prerequisite for happiness for all. My reading predicts that my happiness isn't predicated by the need of a partner until about the age of about 45 and that he will be very successful and learned person. However, this isn't to say that I have to wait until then. There is a possibility that I may have already met a potential partner... but it may take 2-6 years to take root. In the period from now until 2 years later, it will be mutual indecision. After that, I am the deciding factor... there fore, it could happen as early as 2 years hence... or as late as 6. The person I choose should be a "wood" person as I am. Just out of curiosity, I gave him the birthdate of someone I know... the only date I could remember (I have difficulty with numbers). If only I could have remembered a couple more (this part was fun).... Anyway, that person turned out to be fire. In terms of the Chinese zodiac, I guess that would be terrible for me... he would burn me up! But in the case of this kind of reading it was not so bad... a relationship could be mutually beneficial, but I would have to keep some control (especially financial) or he would be inclined to wander. Of his 8 gua, one was the sun and one was middle daughter... Don't know what this means, but it would appear to be good. There are no "REAL" readings without time of birth.

Finally, he told me that if I want to have luck with love (am I greedy for asking about this as well as career success?) that it is possible to adjust with a little Fengshui. In my room, I need to place 6 red roses with the thorns removed, 6 stones of different colors in a bowl with water... or a pink crystal sphere. I think I will pass on the pink crystal ball. On my way home, I visited the weekend flower market as it was closing... I came home with bundles of the left-overs; flowers for the living room - exotic purple and yellow sprays of (don't know name), green leafy stuff, roses... oops, only 7 white ones! How could I have neglected to pick up my 6 red roses?