Ten Day Masters
甲 · Jia · Yang Wood · the tall tree
Jia Wood is the tall tree that grows straight up: principled, persistent, slow to bend. What it fears is not wind but having no soil to root in and no sun to grow toward. The recurring lesson is: root first, then rise.
乙 · Yi · Yin Wood · the vine and the grass
Yi Wood is the vine and the grass: supple, resourceful, able to live in the cracks. You grow along whatever is there, and can wind yourself around other people's frames. The lesson is: borrow support without losing your own direction.
丙 · Bing · Yang Fire · the sun
Bing Fire is the sun: warm, far-reaching, generous without keeping accounts. You give light; the sun also doesn't notice whom it burns. The lesson is: illuminate without scorching, shine without burning out.
丁 · Ding · Yin Fire · the lamp flame
Ding Fire is the lamp flame: delicate, focused, warming those nearby. You need to be seen, and you need something worth lighting. The lesson is: keep your own flame, and don't burn down for everyone.
戊 · Wu · Yang Earth · the mountain
Wu Earth is the mountain: steady, thick, able to carry much; also stubborn and slow to move. Others lean on you; you rarely say what you need. The lesson is: within the solidity, leave a channel for water.
己 · Ji · Yin Earth · the field
Ji Earth is the cultivated field: receptive, nurturing, letting seeds sprout in you. You tend to plant other people's matters in your own heart until there is no room. The lesson is: choose the seeds.
庚 · Geng · Yang Metal · raw metal and the axe
Geng Metal is raw ore and the axe: upright, decisive, loyal; also quick to cut others and yourself. You need fire to be forged, not more collisions. The lesson is: shape before sharpness.
辛 · Xin · Yin Metal · the jewel
Xin Metal is the jewel: refined, sensitive, attentive to how it is treated. Small slights cut deep; a little light makes you shine. The lesson is: let water polish you, instead of waiting to be polished.
壬 · Ren · Yang Water · the river and the sea
Ren Water is the river: it has a source, volume, and will not stop. You don't lack drive; you lack outlets and channels. The lesson is: choose one channel and let the water flow.
癸 · Gui · Yin Water · rain, dew and the spring
Gui Water is rain and dew: quiet, pervasive, changing everything without sound. You work best where no one is watching, and can feel unseen. The lesson is: trust the power of seeping through; you need not become a flood.