For a long time, I have been trapped in a predicament: I put in equivalent efforts, yet life keeps hitting me with setbacks. Work plans are frequently disrupted by unexpected incidents, unnecessary estrangements emerge in interpersonal interactions, trivial matters I intend to move forward are always hampered by various troubles, and trivial chores in daily life pile up all at once. Late at night, I often wonder why I am stuck in this quagmire of constant misfortune. I am overwhelmed by a strong sense of powerlessness and fall into self-doubt brought on by poor luck.
Many people hit rock bottom and tend to blame unfair fate or bad luck, summarizing all hardships simply with the phrase “bad fortune”. But after walking through the slump, I gradually realize that low luck is never deliberate torment from heaven. It is mostly tangible difficulties reflected in reality after the imbalance of physical and mental state, life order and inner mood. According to the traditional five-element theory, the human body resonates with the qi of heaven and earth. When metal, wood, water, fire and earth maintain dynamic balance, your aura is smooth and comfortable, and things will go smoothly naturally. Once the qi of a certain element is blocked and stagnant, your personal magnetic field will become depressed and closed, followed by bad luck and obstacles. This is the most basic underlying logic behind the ups and downs of personal fortune.
Most downturns correspond to a pattern of blocked water and earth among the five elements. Earth represents overthinking and obsessions, while water stands for flexibility and mobility. When your heart is filled with anxiety, grievance and unwillingness, heavy obsessions are like solidified compacted earth, blocking the flow of water qi. We repeatedly dwell on past regrets and feel overly anxious about the unknown future, always getting stuck in dead ends when dealing with things. We cannot let go of wrong choices made before, and dare not make any attempts at present. Our minds are messy and tense all day long. Long-term mental internal friction constantly consumes your positive energy, lowering your judgment, patience and self-control. You are prone to mistakes at work, irritability in social contact and giving things up halfway. The accumulation of all these frustrations creates the feeling that nothing can be done smoothly. To improve your fortune, the top priority is to adjust your mindset, resolve the “solid earth” in your heart and unclog your depressed emotions.
Mindset adjustment does not mean forcing yourself to be optimistic all the time, but learning to embrace low points and eliminate internal friction. Never negate yourself completely just because of temporary failures. Low tide is a normal part of life, just as winter is a necessary phase of seasonal changes. Personal fortune inevitably rises and falls. We forge ahead smoothly in good times and cultivate ourselves quietly in hard times, which follows the natural law of the universe. Get rid of the habit of complaining constantly, and stop saying “everything goes wrong for me” all the time, for negative psychological hints will solidify your gloomy magnetic field. Cut off connections with unworthy people and troublesome things timely, and stop replaying painful experiences, since useless recollections will keep absorbing negative energy. Set aside time for meditation or walking every day, and tidy up your room and desktop. A clean and tidy environment can calm your restless mood, helping you regain a sense of control over life step by step. As your mind gradually calms down and settles, your blocked aura will become smooth and unobstructed little by little.
Regulating five-element fortune is essentially balancing your unbalanced energy through daily behaviors. Wood symbolizes vitality and relaxation: walk outdoors among lush plants more often, soak up sunshine and do mild exercise to restore your worn-out energy. Fire represents passion and self-discipline: keep a regular schedule and have meals on time, stop staying up late to damage your physical vitality. Earth stands for calmness and steadiness: abandon eagerness for quick success and instant rewards, and hone your skills and review past problems silently during the downturn instead of demanding immediate returns. Metal symbolizes resolution and sobriety: learn to refuse meaningless consumption, streamline ineffective social interactions, and stick to your own pace and boundaries. Water embodies tolerance and flexibility: stop clinging to a single solution when problems emerge, learn to adjust your plans flexibly and accept all unexpected outcomes. As the five-element energy regains balance via daily routines day after day, the turbid aura around you will be purified, and obstacles will fade away gradually.
The trajectory of one’s personal fortune is always shaped collectively by one’s state of mind, personal conduct and living environment. The circulation of the Five Elements from a metaphysical perspective is essentially a set of physical and mental maintenance rules summed up by the ancients. True fortune transformation never comes from passively waiting for luck to fall from the sky; instead, it lies in reshaping yourself, calming your inner mind and standardizing your daily life amid gloomy days. Every setback you encounter at present is a reminder from life to pause and recuperate, pushing you to abandon the habit of mental internal friction, remedy your fickle temperament, and calm your restless soul.
Do not torment yourself by being trapped in temporary troughs. Adjust your mindset to gradually restore your physical and mental health, maintain your daily routine steadily, and hold fast to your inner confidence. When inner melancholy is released and the Five Elements regain harmony, your mind will become bright and peaceful. All obstacles weighing you down will fade away little by little, and the smooth fortune that belongs to you will surely arrive as promised after sufficient self-cultivation.
