What is Useful god? It is the single most important star in a chart that helps to maintain the balance of a chart. When reading a chart using the technical method, we generally take the resource star as the Useful god for weak charts and the output star as the Useful god for strong charts. When using the classical method, we analyse the chart to see whether we need to

1. regulate,
2. medicate or
3. arbitrate

the chart to maintain its balance. When the Useful god is strongly rooted and protected, then the chart is superior.

In the above example, what do you think is the Useful god?

This is a weak bing day master born in the si hour of a winter month. In the classical method, we also look at a chart pictorially to see whether an image can be formed. Bing represents the sun while gui represents the cloud. The sun is most useful when born in the chen or si hours because the morning sun is not too hot and helps to warm the earth. What happens when this sun is blocked by the cloud?

Imagine the sun in the cold winter morning being blocked by the cloud. What do we need here?

Yes, we need the fire place which is represented by the ding fire. Ding fire is the Useful god as it is needed to regulate this chart. Now, on the technical side, the ding fire needs to be protected by the wood stars. Otherwise, the strongly rooted water stars will counter it. So, the primary Useful god is the ding fire while the secondary Useful god is the jia or yi wood.

​Hence, both the technical and classical methods can be applied simultaneously.

A follower chart is one where the day master is very very weak. Theory wise, it can have only one self star as a main qi and should not have any resource star including not even in the sub qi. If there is only a self star, it should not be the main qi of the month or day earthly branch. Otherwise, it will be a weak chart. I have also found that the resource stars in the storage or graveyard of the earth branches will not have any effect towards the strength of the day master since they are buried inside the earth.

If a chart has only a self star as a main qi without any resource star, then the chart is known as a fake follower chart. If there is no self star and no resource star at all, then it is a follower chart. Whether it is a fake follower or follower chart, we treat it as a strong chart that needs to be weaken further. A fake follower or follower chart is a special chart as most of the elements are positive in the natal chart.

I share below here 4 interesting charts that are borderline cases of fake follower or follower charts.

The above gui day master chart has a self star ren in the year stem and a gui buried inside chen. There are two direct resource stars geng in the sub qi of the two si snakes but the sub qi geng stars are being countered by the bing stars sitting right beside them. Can the geng stars support the gui day master and cause it not to follow?

The above 2nd chart too has a gui day master and a gui self star inside zi rat. The xin metal star buried inside the graveyard of xu dog will not be able to support the gui day master. Again, will the two geng stars cause it not to follow?

The above 3rd chart too has a gui day master with one gui self star buried inside the storage of chen. Can the two geng stars prevent this gui day master from being a follower?

Finally, this 4th chart has a ren day master and a gui self star in the year stem. The other gui star is buried inside chen. Again, will the two indirect resource geng stars cause it not to follow?

Which chart do you think is a follower, fake follower and which is not? This is very crucial because a follower chart is a superior chart with many positive stars in the natal chart but if it does not follow, then it becomes a weak chart with many negative stars. Further discussions will be made in a few days time. Anybody wishes to try?

​Updated on 17th July 2016

In all the above charts, all the gengs are very weak because they were countered by the bings sitting beside them. So, the gengs cannot strengthen the water day masters whatsoever. As such, all the water day masters will follow. Chart 1, 2 and 4 are fake followers while chart 3 is a follower chart. Well done Penny.

In fact, chart 4 belongs to a 63 year-old multi millionaire. As you can see, his fire wealth stars are strongly rooted.