Ba Zi Readings + Life Guidance
Ba Zi (pronounced bah tsuh) is an Ancient Chinese Astrology practice that reveals key aspects of our inner nature and the unfolding of our life path. It can enrich our self-awareness, inform our choices and help us participate more fully in our lives.
Ba Zi can be very helpful for those
- going through a significant transition such as change of career, home or relationship.
- feeling uncertain about their life path, and needing some clarity and perspective.
- on the path of self-cultivation or working in the healing arts (such as Eastern Internal Arts, Ancient Medicine, Meditation) looking to align their lives with their inner growth.
If this speaks to you - or if you're simply curious - Ba Zi sessions with me can:
- language the values and meanings that sit behind your actions.
- reveal the inner narratives shaping your choices.
- explain the astrological rhythms and patterns expressed through your life events.
- align your actions and intentions with the greater forces that sit behind them, from significant events to more subtle decisions.
- reframe past stories and future plans, identifying personal strengths and opportunities.
- bring a general sense of confidence, clarity and connection.
My take on astrology
Astrology is as popular as ever. Many people go to astrologers curious to find more about who they are, or the path they should take. For the most part, the astrology industry markets to a need for quick answers, certainty and inside information. To me, this is a misuse and a misunderstanding of the art.
Here's my take.
In Ba Zi, the particular qualities of the moment, place and circumstances of our birth are intricately woven through the rest of our lived experience. The qualities of the pregnancy and first ten months are also factored in - and the insights this offers can be fascinating and highly poignant.
But Ba Zi does not describe anyone or anything in definitive terms. Ba Zi means "eight symbols". In essence symbols exist to bridge our conscious mind with a deeper aspect of our experience.
So whilst I can suggest various ways of understanding the tendencies and major life events that show up in your chart, you are the expert on your lived experience.
With my help, the values, meanings and rhythms that sit behind your choices may be revealed, only the half light - as Carl Jung says we must "meet the mystery halfway, or we kill the image".
Astrology exists to support spiritual and personal growth. Yes, it can influence decisions that relate to worldly affairs and real situations, but always from a place anchored in the evolution of our consciousness. Practical strategies may emerge - but they will be borne of adaptive, informed presence in the moment.
Nothing we conclude is static - but emergent, relational and connected to a much wider field of experience, Understood in these terms the work becomes much more accurate and effective.
The Session
If this sounds like something you would like to be involved with, here are some more details on the format of the sessions.
Ba Zi drafting is a thorough process, involving at least two hours of hand-drafting and preparation. The majority of modern practitioners rely on online calculators - whilst this saves time, the resultant charts are generally oversimplified, and much nuance is lost. Taking the time to carefully hand-draft three full pages of symbols is a meditative process that allows me to absorb fully into your natal chart.
During the subsequent 90-minute online session, we will talk through the charts together, giving you an in-depth overview of the symbols, flows, timings and general dynamics. These will all suggest tendencies in your inner nature, relationships, life path and so on.
Using these as a stimulus, through an in-depth conversation, we unpack some of these ideas, tracing them back through your experience to underlying values and beliefs. That part is really the best of the session - poignant, sometimes funny, sometimes poetic - and can have real impact.
We then circle in, out and around the astrology to devise practical interventions and strategies that you can be put in place to better align your nature, life path and relationships.
Ongoing Work
For some a one off session is enough - there are plenty of discoveries that will keep you going for a long time.
But I have found that a program of three sessions can be very helpful, particularly those in significant transitions The three main reasons for this are
- We go wider. The potential scope of a reading is very large. The natal chart is the key to so many areas of our lives.
- We go deeper. There is a lot to digest, and having some space between sessions to do this leads to a more embodied synthesis of the information.
- I can provide ongoing guidance. The initial reading and ensuing conversation provide a map, but it is not the journey. In the subsequent sessions, I use a combination of narrative coaching, astrology and divination to help you walk your path with skill and sensitivity to the greater forces that are reflected and embodied through your actions,
There's no pressure to book the three-session package right away, you are welcome to book an initial reading and individual follow up sessions as and when it feels right.
What's included
- Several hours of preparation and hand-drafting
- A live one-to-one online session with me, followed by two sixty-minute sessions if you choose the full package.
- A recording of the sessions, and ongoing email contact if you have questions or follow up.
The reading won't include
- Full written and illustrated reports. Some people love having these, and some can do without. For this reason I offer this as an extra.
- Analysis of others charts without their consent.
Just to say that my Ba Zi work is designed for those who are willing to go deeper. If you are looking for kooky caricatures, birthday gifts, conversation starters or investment advice, I think you have probably guessed by now that this is not the place - there are plenty of others that offer that kind of thing.
It's profound work - but we'll only go far as you are comfortable. I like to keep things light and you never know, I might throw in a prediction or two.
Working with Ryan through a BaZi reading was a holistic, practical, and illuminating experience. He clearly puts a lot of thought and care into each reading, and there is so much depth to the information that I will be exploring and unpacking my reading for months to come.
It was not only confirming of how I innately want to structure my life and my priorities, but also showed areas I could harmonize through acceptance and lifestyle changes.
Chris Hambleton
Would highly recommend Ryan's Bazi readings. Extremely thorough and in depth insight into your birth chart and life with striking accuracy to real life events, often uncanny. Very knowledgable.
Really helpful tips on how to manage the more challenging aspects that come up. Hands on and practical too. Thanks Ryan!
Andrea Fenner
"I can highly recommend Ryan‘s BaZi Readings. He explained all very well and in great detail, which makes it easy to understand and follow for the people not so familiar with the topic.
I’ve been very impressed with the accuracy of what he can conclude from your date of birth. Really fascinating. Don’t hesitate to contact him!"
Phillip Reiner
BaZi is a precious tool that Ryan unfolded, interpreted and delivered with knowledge and sensitivity. We discussed my traits, strengths, weaknesses, my supporting elements and my limiting ones, the events from the past and the seeds for the future - plus many more illuminating aspects that are going to support the coming steps. Thank you Ryan!
Patrizia Gaio
Ryan prepared an amazing BaZi reading that continues to help me make sense of some life issues and pesky energies that have popped up these past years – stuff both in the outer world but also in my inner life. Right away it helped me make sense of past events but also is pointing toward new or un-lived potentials.
Judith Hooper
Costs and Booking
Life Path Package
The Ba Zi reading plus two 60-minute sessions costs £396. Book the first session .
