STEMS

Jia (Yang Wood)

Gall Bladder in Earth

• highly abstract and intellectual

• full of ideas, enjoyment of puzzles and mathematics

• very impetuous, prefer to learn from experience rather than books, which they don’t like so much

• are impatient, but like to think and make plans, can understand complexities

• tend to be blunt, like to take control and can be overbearing

• high energy but exhaust quickly

• impatient communicators, go straight to the point, can lose patience with others quickly

• may appear as argumentative, but they just like to share and feel understood

• in relationships often battle for dominance, tend to often have short lived obsessions

• Can have Übermut

• If it’s the year stem, then they get frustrated easily

Yi (Yin Wood)

Liver in metal

• background is quiet and prefers solitude

• social, outgoing, love to be alive

• On the outside very social and outgoing, but on the inside isolated and unsure of their own identity

• need a lot of re-assurance from their romantic partners, they are often dominating them

• tend to worry about how others see them, and can be very sensitive

• can be frustrated with inner restrained and suffer from restrained anger

• tend to feel guilty and self-admonishing

• suffer from sexual inhibition, often stay responsible isntead enjoyment

• can be manic and depressive

• martial arts is good for them

Bing (Yang Fire)

Small Intestine in Water

• clear sense of where they are going in life, can be high-achievers

• don’t struggle against life, are adaptable and agreeable, are non-judgemental and can accept easily

• confident, immense clarity and wisdom, clever, learn quickly

• can be closed up, don’t reveal their true feelings. Quietness and restrained in private

• Outside they can sparkle, allow others to go their own way and support them, therefore often liked a lot

• Can rise to relative power in groups, advisor to the leader, as people trust their judgement and decisionmaking

• think on their feet, not easily intimidated, but also non-confronting.

• Are obidient

• can be creative musically, especially in classical genres

Ding (Yin Fire)

Heart in wood

• background is love and emotion

• are loyal and true, value friendship

• on the surface value manners and politeness, have controlled emotions.

• Dislike embarrasing behavior, look for style

• value honesty, but rarely speak out their truth

• really know how to have fun

• are fascinated by mysticism, don’t care much for material richness

• have high integrity and are respected for it

• often are originals in their expression

• creative in visual arts or dance

• can be late-bloomers

Wu (Yang Earth)

Stomach in Fire

• are inspired and inspiring.

• love luxury, fine silks, beauty, full blossoming of flowers, gardens, sunshine

• gather material things for themselves but also like to share with others

• are kind people

• are inspired intellectuals, articulate, possibly writers and poets

• are quick and influential. are greedy for knowledge

• are generally happy and very optimistic and they laugh a lot

• are also beautiful. like talking and possibly have a knack for communicating, possibly in different languages

• They command attention when they talk.

• They are also very astute and know when to hold back

• Enjoy traveling the world

Ji (Yin Earth)

Spleen/Pancreas in earth

• have mothering and nurturing qualities. are kind and generous and very helpful towards others.

• are calm and quiet but can have sudden outbursts of anger

• are sincere, caring and sympathetic. Relationships are extremely important to them.

• Crave the company of others.

• They can be prone to preoccupation, especially with food or books. They enjoy cooking. They can become bookish. Although they enjoy academic study they are not naturally brilliant.

• They enjoy intellectual discussion.

• Enjoy being centre stage

• Tendency to overeating or oral fixations. Can become stubborn, inflexible and obsessive

Geng (Yang Metal)

Colon in metal

• can be ruthless.

• There is an air of joylessness, of deprivation and seriousness in them.

• strong desire to protect those they perceive as weaker (children and the oppressed).

• often take up political causes and are motivated by a sense of injustice.

• manifest compassion within official ‘good causes’ more than in their personal life.

• have little time for the non-essentials of life

• strong sense of self-preservation overrides all other concerns and they are ready to attack when they feel under threat, physically, emotionally or materially, and can be violent.

• have a killer instinct and will go for the jugular if needed.

• Whatever they do they will not put themselves in peril as they have enormous self-restraint.

• Tend to get into conflict with others

• keep emotionally distant and prefer their own company and are self-reliant with a tendency to go it alone.

• can be cruel but feel themselves hard done by and can suffer from resentment.

• make sound but harsh judges and they have the habit of constantly correcting others.

• Women are more prone to self-criticism (because yin moves inwards).

• tend to be inflexible and strict and are not generous.

• are hoarders who ‘file’ their possessions (because they like exactness and cleanliness)

Xin (Yin Metal)

Lungs in water

• have a lot of insecurity and doubt

• Can be passive and can easily give up control of their lives.

• Flrourish easily, but often not with a lasting effect

• easily take orders.

• are like foot-soldiers. work very well in government

• can also willingly give up their lives for a greater good, but can become overly religious and self-sacrificing.

• have a strong desire to be ‘good’. This can be the path of the recluse or of the aesthete.

• can endure hardship over a long period and also have good physical strength and stamina.

• can be quiet and withdrawn and, although they find their own path, it is not an easy path. It often brings up issues about survival and physical security.

• have unending patience with life and demand little

Ren (Yang Water)

Bladder in wood

• love, humanity, enjoyment in life

• have the knack of living life

• interact easily with others. are great communicators on a one-to-one level and people respond on an emotional level to them

• are also very attractive to the opposite sex, with strong hair and good teeth

• are aware of their own attractiveness and sexual appeal

• can be Casanovas and enjoy sexual conquest

• are confident and at ease with themselves

• are dynamic, can shoulder great responsibilities with ease, and make things seem effortless

• delegate easily and make good supervisors

• understands things on an emotional level, which may contradict intellectual arguments

• may be very changeable and restless, may change jobs or partners frequently

• can be evasive, talk in a meandering way and tend to take a long time to get to the point

Gui (Yin Water)

Kidney in fire

• courteousness.

• smile easily when they meet others.

• do not blossom but stay hidden. tend to want to hibernate, and are shy.

• can be overly cautious in life, which can hinder a full flowering of their potential.

• are easily startled.

• can meander with no fixed goal.

• find the easy route through life and will not struggle against the flow.

• do not hurry.

• If they are not careful they can be led into dangerous situations

• can be sad and forgetful.