When I first began my Feng Shui career, my son asked why people born at the same date and time as Bill Gates were not as successful as he was.
I later wrote about the question in Strive for True Wealth. My answer drew on the framework I teach: Heaven Luck, Earth Luck, and Human Luck. Birth information belongs to that framework alongside a person's surroundings and actions.
His question deserves to stay open in any reading. How could one set of birth details contain everything that happens to a person?
Start with what “the same” means
Sharing a calendar birthday can mean the same day and month in different years. It can also mean the same full date with different birth times and places. Those inputs need to be checked before saying two charts match.
Even when the calculated charts match, the people have lives to bring into the conversation. Their family responsibilities, education, opportunities, location, and experiences can differ. A choice available to one person may be out of reach for another.
In my book, I discuss Earth Luck through the environment and Human Luck through actions and decisions. I use those ideas to keep the person's situation in view when discussing a chart.
A shared description needs personal context
Imagine two people receiving a reading that raises the topic of learning. One is a student deciding which course to take. The other is a parent returning to paid work after several years away.
For the student, the next step might involve trying a subject or speaking with someone in the field. For the parent, it might involve checking current job requirements and finding time to refresh a skill. This is an imagined example; no chart has been assigned to either person.
The same broad topic can lead to different questions because the circumstances differ. Tell the practitioner what you are trying to do, the choices available, and the limits you are working within.
Keep the original words of a reading
Save a reading before the events it discusses unfold. If a statement is broad, ask what it refers to at the time. Afterward, record what happened, including events that did not fit and other factors that influenced the result.
This gives you a fairer record of the discussion. It also helps you identify which parts you found useful and which need a better explanation.
My son's question began with someone else's success. It brought me back to the person asking for guidance. What can this person learn? What choices are available now? Who can help them take the next step? Those are questions a birth date leaves us responsible for answering.
Master JudithBaZi and classical Feng Shui consultant, author, and speaker. Read my story