Age 8, 17: the Jǐ Yǒu Decade

During the decade from age eight to seventeen, Magpie moved through what we call the Growth stage, a time of emerging potential when the self was still taking shape. The pillar Jǐ Yǒu, Earth over Rooster, reflected back to xem xir own nature as a Friend, a peer force, neither helper nor obstacle, but a mirror of xir own inner resources and drive. This was a testing chapter for xem, one that asked for care and attention; the element at play did not sit easily with xir natal blueprint, which meant xem had to work consciously rather than drift. Yet such friction often teaches resilience. Looking back, this period likely showed xem where xir own effort and self-reliance mattered most, and where xem could not simply rely on circumstance to carry xem forward. The seeds planted then, though they required tending, often grow into xir strongest foundations.