(93)Saju and death of a transgender

By Janet Shin

Is everything in the universe explained by rational science- Can everything be measured- Do you explain all aspects of your life in a logical manner- What is a noble life and how can you judge something as right or wrong- If so, what is your criterion- There is a same-sex male couple that appears in the KBS TV drama, “Life is Beautiful,” the first prime time drama to portray a homosexual relationship.

It has been in the spotlight in particular because screenwriter Kim Su-hyun is wellknown for her hit scripts. While Korean society has matured in terms of social acceptance, homosexuality is still a subject often seen as taboo. As such, controversies have surrounded the drama.

But how is homosexuality explained by saju- Essentially, saju reads into one’s life by analyzing the relationship between yin and yang and the circulation of the five elements. So, one can infer the twists and turns of a life as each component is investigated.

One aspect of saju is the balance between “Gui-mun,” or “Gods and Devils” (Note: Due to the fact that Oriental concepts cannot be perfectly conveyed in Western terminologies, the terms “Gods” and “Devils” inherently carries a connotation of right and wrong, virtue and vice. However, in this context, it is more accurate to think of the two in terms of “God’s brightness” and “Devil’s intelligence.”) Gui-mun is not present in everyone, but only those who are the most extraordinary - people who carry traits that distinguish them from others during their lifetime.

Major historical examples of those with Gui-mun include figures such as Albert Einstein, Vincent Van Gogh, Ernest Hemingway and even Adolf Hitler. But looking away from the wellknown influences of the past, there are plenty of everyday, common people who also have Gui-mun.

The concept is related with conditions of the brain. While Gui-mun can manifest itself as genius, for others it can be mental disorders, benign eccentricities or a different sexual orientation.

Some people with Gui-mun have the power to see into the future, while others are born with great artistic talent. In positive, extreme manifestations, these people play central roles in changing the history of mankind. But, as everything in the universe, Gui-mun is a blad with two sides.

Years ago, a man came to me to get a private saju reading. Originally born a female, he had undergone an operation to change his physical body to fit his mind. Although he unfortunately committed suicide in 2009, unable to overcome social prejudice, one telling aspect of his saju was the presence of Gui-mun.

When the components of Guimun clash, combine or are strained by the coming year’s sign, it can heavily influence a person’s life. He was born with yin metal as his day master - the energy of jewelry. Being born in the month of metal indicates that he was a determined person.

We can easily imagine the beauty of jewelry, emitted by the yin metal day master, paired with the water energy. However, there was no fire energy in his saju, which means a dearth of social identity.

Particularly for the yin metal born into a metal or water month, fire energy is needed to brighten the beauty of jewelry, as well as balance the warmth of the person. Without the fire energy, it is like keeping jewelry in the cold of the shade. For the metal day master, fire energy is in the career star, which denotes social identity.

He was born with beauty, but was unfortunately never able to appreciate it, and was confused about who he was. The man had Gui-mun components in both his month and day branches, showing the unique traits of his person. Although the operation to become a man was a difficult situation, it was not enough to bring him ease and he finally chose to give up his life.

Are you interested in learning more about the ancient Chinese teaching about the “Four Pillars of Destiny”?
Private sessions are available in English at basic, intermediate and advanced levels. Contact Janet at 010-5414-7461 or email janetshin@hotmail.com.

The writer is the president of the Heavenly Garden, a saju research center in Korea, and the author of “Learning Four Pillars.” For more, visit her website at http://blog.naver.com/janet-shin.