This may not be the lushest of the Jia pillars, but the Jia Xu (甲戌) or Wood Dog carries something much more valuable, the gift of tenacity. Imagine with me, a tree growing high on a craggy mountain. Exposed to the elements, buffeted by the unceasing winds, lashed by torrential rain, it clings on. How much tenacity, how much will-power and determination must this tree possess to take root under such harsh conditions?
JIA XU (甲戌)/ WOOD DOG: OVERVIEW
If the Jia Xu (甲戌) or Wood Dog is found in your Day Pillar, like the tree, sheer determination is one of your greatest attributes. This combines perfectly with your innate independence, resulting in an assertive, strong and dynamic personality.
The world we live in today puts a lot of premium on passion. Yes, passion can get you moving. But passion can only take you so far. Beneath the passion, there must be a willingness to persevere through the challenges.
Passion is the ability to get excited about something. Irrepressibility and tenacity is about the ability to stay with it. You get some success. You run into some walls. You try a formula for a new idea, a new innovation, it doesn’t work. And it’s how tenacious you are, how irrepressible, how ultimately optimistic and tenacious you are about it that will determine your success.
Steve Ballmer, Microsoft CEO
JIA XU (甲戌)/ WOOD DOG: STRENGTHS
Let’s go back to the example of our tree high up on the mountain. From its vantage point, the tree observes the daily march of time. Like a general directing his troops from the top of the battlements, the tree discerns changes in the environment, spots new growth and detects upcoming threats from its surroundings.
This quality gives the Jia Xu Day Master the ability to adopt rare viewpoints as well as a deep level of strategic thinking that becomes your competitive edge.
- The Jia Wood (甲) Day Master is typically kind and benevolent. You have a genuine concern for others. The roots of the Jia Xu (甲戌) grow deep and wide. It has to! Otherwise, any little gale would topple it. However, this Jia has no rooting within the pillar itself. Therefore, the rooting must come from elsewhere in the Bazi Chart. If you were to examine a tree growing on rocky and mountainous terrain, chances are, you will notice that its roots are very spread out, literally clenching the earth to gain stability. What this means is that you, the Jia Xu (甲戌) or Wood Dog Day Master, must create your own support systems. You need to have contacts in a myriad of communities or networks. Once these ‘roots’ take hold, that is when the true qualities of the Jia Xu, your independent and strong-willed nature, can really grow. These support systems are literally your anchor when you face the winds of change.
- Sitting on a Fire Storage which is your Ding Fire (丁) Output Star, the Jia Xu (甲戌) or Wood Dog should never be shy about sharing your opinions. You like to feel that you are contributing. You gain satisfaction from having influenced change. So, back to the first point about ‘rooting’, the more people you are able to share your opinions with, the better it would feel. Otherwise, suppress those opinions for too long and the Jia Xu (甲戌) may just implode! Therefore, the trick is to create a platform where you can share your ideas.
- Your Wu Earth (戊) Indirect Wealth star is exactly your platform. This practical star carries a strong entrepreneurial spirit and the intuitive ability to spot opportunities. Conscious use of your Wu Earth (戊) Wealth star is to know your goal! With an end destination in mind, the tenacious Jia Xu (甲戌) or Wood Dog can be virtually unstoppable
- Finally, your Xin Metal (辛) Officer star. In the case of the Jia Xu (甲戌) Day Master, this star adds to your natural tenacity by gifting you with an iron will. It enhances your big picture thinking with a knack for fine details. More importantly, it represents your inherent willingness and ability to reframe setbacks and bounce back stronger.
JIA XU (甲戌)/ WOOD DOG: VULNERABILITIES TO BE AWARE OF & HOW YOU PRESENT
As a Jia Xu (甲戌) or Wood Dog Day Master, you usually present an exterior persona of outward calm and absolute control.
But, let’s face it. The Xu Branch (戌) or Dog is not exactly an ideal environment for a tree. It’s rocky, there’s very little soil, and whatever soil there is, is dry and shallow. There’s very little support for the Jia (甲) tree. To make matters worse, growing at such heights, the Jia Wood is literally exposed to the elements, constantly buffeted by wind, rain, harsh sunlight and snow.
Beneath that calm and controlled behaviour, is a tornado of emotions swinging from one extreme to another. These emotions will propel you on a never-ending quest for stability and security. And, for all your outward control, you seem to have a thin skin when it comes to even the mildest of disparaging words.
Therefore, learn to set yourself up for long-term success. Find courage in your own convictions and talents. We can allow ourselves to be changed by external forces, as long as, at the end of the day, we’re still standing tall.
Finally, like most everything else in life, gifts can be a double-edged sword. There is an almost invisible line between tenacity and sheer stubbornness. Jia Xu individuals have the tendency to commit fully to situations, even when there are no benefits to be gained. This is something for you to be aware of.
JIA XU, BUT BETTER
The most important lesson for the tenacious Jia Xu (甲戌) or Wood Dog is to stay grounded. Ground your work in meaning and purpose. For the Jia Xu, the stability of the Earth element on which it sits is everything. Remember our earlier analogy of the tree at the top of a craggy mountain? Without stability, the tree will likely collapse and fall. This translates to a need to keep your actions grounded and aligned to your purpose.
As always, a final caveat. Without the ability to see the full chart, I must stress that the suggestions in this article are broad recommendations based on a single pillar. To pinpoint specific issues or to co-create solutions tailor-made for you, please feel free to drop me a line.
Are you a Jia Xu (甲戌) or Wood Dog Day Master? Plot your Bazi Chart with this free resource (registration required) https://bazibz.masteryacademy.com/.
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Permission Statement:
All Bazi terminologies and the Bazi Chart referred here are copyrighted materials belonging to, and are used with permission from Dato Joey Yap and/or Joey Yap Research Group Sdn Bhd.
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