Direct Use and Reverse Use: The Two Operational Modes of Patterns
All patterns' yongshen directions can be categorized as Direct Use or Reverse Use
In the Ziping pattern method, the operational modes of patterns can be categorized into two broad types: Direct Use (Shunyong) and Reverse Use (Niyong). Direct Use — choosing yongshen by following the direction of the pattern's core Ten God: strengthening it, protecting it, expressing it. Reverse Use — choosing yongshen by opposing the direction of the pattern's core Ten God: restraining it, transforming it, balancing it. Understanding the difference between Direct Use and Reverse Use is the key that unlocks the yongshen selection logic of the pattern method.
If the pattern's core Ten God is inherently 'benevolent,' use Direct Use (e.g., Officer, Resource, Output, Wealth). If inherently 'malevolent,' use Reverse Use (e.g., Killing, Hurting Officer, Ren). Assist the benevolent; restrain the malevolent.
1. The Logic of Direct Use: Benevolent Spirits Need Help
Patterns using Direct Use include Direct Officer pattern, Direct Resource pattern, Output pattern, and Direct Wealth pattern (Indirect Wealth also basically uses Direct Use). The core Ten Gods of these patterns are regarded as 'benevolent spirits' in metaphysics — their basic effect on the Day Master is positive (Officer protects the body, Resource generates the body, Output expresses elegance, Wealth nourishes life). The Direct Use strategy is: choose yongshen that can generate/support the pattern's core Ten God, maximizing the pattern's expression. Direct Officer pattern uses Direct Use with Wealth and Resource — Wealth generates Officer (strengthening the Officer star's power), Resource protects Officer (protecting the Officer star from Hurting Officer's restraint). Following the Officer star's direction, help it become stronger. Direct Resource pattern uses Direct Use with Officer/Killing — Officer/Killing generates Resource (strengthening the Resource star's position), deepening the Resource star's power source. The essence of Direct Use: the pattern's core Ten God is good; your task is to make it even better — give it resources (elements that generate it), give it protection (elements that restrain it are controlled). Direct Use patterns are usually relatively stable — because the core Ten God is inherently benevolent; as long as it's not disrupted, the pattern can function normally.
2. The Logic of Reverse Use: Malevolent Spirits Need Restraint
Patterns using Reverse Use include Seven Killings pattern, Hurting Officer pattern, and Yang-Ren pattern. The core Ten Gods of these patterns are regarded as 'malevolent spirits' in metaphysics — their potential threat to the Day Master is great (Killing restrains the body, Hurting Officer breaks Officer, Ren seizes Wealth). The Reverse Use strategy is: choose yongshen that can restrain or transform the pattern's core Ten God, controlling its malevolence and converting it into force useful to the Day Master. Seven Killings pattern uses Reverse Use with Output (Output controls Killing) or Resource star (Resource transforms Killing). Output directly restrains Seven Killings, preventing Seven Killings' malevolence from expressing. Resource star drains and transforms Seven Killings, converting the body-restraining force into body-generating force (Killing generates Resource, Resource generates the body). Hurting Officer pattern uses Reverse Use with Resource star (Hurting Officer paired with Resource) — Resource star restrains Hurting Officer, constraining Hurting Officer's destructive power. Yang-Ren pattern uses Reverse Use with Officer/Killing (Officer/Killing controls Ren) — Officer/Killing restrains Yang-Ren, preventing Yang-Ren from running amok. The essence of Reverse Use: the pattern's core Ten God is dangerous; your task is to control it — give it restraint (elements that control it), give it transformation (neutralize its negative impact). The success or failure of Reverse Use patterns depends on whether the 'control/transformation' is effective — effective control/transformation leads to great pattern achievement; ineffective control/transformation makes the pattern a source of harm.
3. The Gray Zone Between Direct and Reverse Use
A pattern's Direct Use and Reverse Use are not absolutely binary — some patterns lie in the gray zone between the two. Indirect Wealth pattern — Indirect Wealth is not a pure benevolent spirit in metaphysics; it has speculative and unstable tendencies. Indirect Wealth pattern primarily uses Direct Use (Output generates Wealth), but sometimes also needs appropriate restraint (Officer/Killing protects Wealth — this is also Reverse Use thinking: Officer/Killing restrains Companion, protecting the Wealth star). Indirect Resource pattern — Indirect Resource in most cases uses Direct Use (take Officer/Killing to generate Resource), but when Indirect Resource transforms into Owl Spirit snatching Output, Reverse Use is needed (take Wealth star to break Owl). A pattern's Direct Use and Reverse Use are also influenced by luck cycles. If a Direct Use pattern's luck cycle enters a Reverse Use cycle (e.g., Direct Officer pattern entering Hurting Officer cycle), the pattern shifts from Direct Use to being counter-used — this shift is harmful to the pattern (Hurting Officer restrains Officer). Conversely, if a Reverse Use pattern enters a Direct Use cycle (e.g., Seven Killings pattern entering Wealth cycle, Wealth generates Killing making Killing more fierce), the Reverse Use pattern may become ineffective.
Two-Dimensional Comparison
Career & Wealth
Love & Relationship
Personality
Health
Classical Support
Practical Key Points
- First judge the benevolent/malevolent attribute of the core Ten God : Officer, Resource, Output, Wealth = benevolent spirits (Direct Use). Killing, Hurting Officer, Ren = malevolent spirits (Reverse Use). Indirect Wealth and Indirect Resource = intermediate states (determine Direct/Reverse based on situation). Judge accurately and the yongshen direction won't be wrong.
- Direct Use gives resources; Reverse Use gives restraint : Direct Use = give the core Ten God more resources and support. Reverse Use = give the core Ten God sufficient restraint and transformation. The two strategies have different goals — one helps the benevolent; one controls the malevolent.
- Luck cycles can change the Direct/Reverse direction : Direct Use pattern entering Reverse cycles = pattern threatened. Reverse Use pattern entering Direct cycles = Reverse Use may become ineffective. Luck cycles affect Direct/Reverse patterns in different directions.
Common Follow-up Questions
Q: What happens if a Direct Officer pattern enters Reverse Use luck cycles?
A:
Direct Officer pattern is a Direct Use pattern. When entering Reverse Use luck cycles (such as Hurting Officer cycles), the Officer star is restrained by Hurting Officer — the Direct Use pattern is counter-used; the pattern is threatened. But if the natal chart has a Resource star protecting the Officer (Resource controls Hurting Officer), the damage of Reverse Use cycles is buffered.
Q: Can Direct Use and Reverse Use exist simultaneously?
A:
Yes. Some patterns need both Direct Use (strengthening the core Ten God) and Reverse Use (balancing certain disruptive Ten Gods). For example, a Wealth pattern needs Output generating Wealth (Direct Use strengthening the Wealth star) and also needs Officer/Killing to protect Wealth and restrain Companion (Reverse Use balancing Companion). Pattern-based chart reading is not either-or.