Climbing the Two Mountains of Life: A Bazi Perspective on Destiny and Meaning
- Jason Chan
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
There’s a quote that speaks to many of us on the path of growth:
“You don’t climb the second mountain the way you climb the first mountain. You conquer your first mountain… You are conquered by your second mountain.”
These words from David Brooks’ The Second Mountain describe a profound human journey—from ambition to meaning, from ego to service, from success to joy.
As a Bazi (八字) practitioner, I find this metaphor aligns beautifully with the rhythm of the Ten-Year Luck Pillars (大運)—the cyclical phases in our destiny that shape how we experience life, success, and transformation.
Let’s explore how these two mountains mirror our Bazi path—and what it means for those navigating the shift from outer success to inner joy.
🏔️ The First Mountain: Building Identity, Chasing Success
In the early decades of life, most people are climbing their first mountain. It’s a time of ambition, self-definition, and external achievement. We are busy asking:
Who am I?
What can I achieve?
How can I succeed?
🔮 In Bazi Terms:
This period often aligns with the first few Ten-Year Luck Pillars, particularly from youth to midlife (roughly age 10–40 or even 50, depending on one’s chart).
Key signs of “First Mountain” phases in Bazi:
Strong Wealth (财星): Financial goals, business growth, chasing abundance.
Power (官星/杀星): Career titles, recognition, social status.
Output (食伤): Creative expression, performance, building influence.
These luck cycles push us outward, helping us conquer the world, establish identity, and pursue milestones.
And while many thrive during these years, others may feel restless—like they’re climbing someone else’s mountain.
🏔️ The Second Mountain: Awakening, Relating, Aligning
Then comes a shift.
Sometimes it’s triggered by a loss, a burnout, a relationship breakdown—or a deep inner longing that says, “There must be more to life than this.”
This is the call to the second mountain—the mountain we don’t climb, but surrender to. It’s not about winning; it’s about aligning. It’s not about achievement; it’s about becoming whole.
We begin asking:
What is my life truly about?
How can I contribute?
What brings lasting joy?
🔮 In Bazi Terms:
The second mountain often emerges in later Ten-Year Luck Pillars, especially after age 45–55. Interestingly, this transition doesn’t always come in “favorable” luck cycles.
In fact, many awaken during so-called “unfavorable” pillars that challenge their ego or strip away what no longer serves them.
Key second-mountain indicators:
Resource (印星): Seeking wisdom, introspection, healing, and spiritual study.
Companions (比劫): Community, support networks, shared purpose.
Rebalanced Elements: A shift from chasing what is “useful” to embracing what is true.
People in this phase may downshift in career, deepen in spiritual practice, or devote themselves to causes, teaching, caregiving, or art. They seek moral joy—a deeper kind of happiness that comes from integrity, not applause.
💡 A Personal Reflection
In my work with Bazi clients, I’ve witnessed this shift unfold in profound ways.
One client, a former high-powered executive, entered a new cycle of luck that stripped her of many of her material advantages. At first, she was shaken. But over time, she found herself drawn to community work, began mentoring young women, and eventually said to me, “I’ve never felt more alive. This is what I was meant to do.”
Her Bazi didn’t just predict success—it revealed the deeper seasons of her soul.
🌄 Final Thoughts: Climb Both Mountains
The truth is, we often need the first mountain to prepare us for the second. We need to taste ambition to understand contentment. We need to build identity before we can let it go.
Bazi gives us a map of these phases—not to control them, but to navigate them with awareness.
If you’re in a “first mountain” season, climb with courage.
If you’re approaching your “second mountain,” surrender with trust.
Both are sacred. Both are necessary.
And if you ever have to choose, choose joy.
Would you like to know where you are in your own Ten-Year Luck Cycle—and which mountain you’re currently climbing?
📩 Book a Bazi consultation with me and let’s explore your soul’s journey.
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