The First Principles of Metaphysics

Astrology is essentially an extension of metaphysics: the study of patterns and connections beyond the physical world. Metaphysics is a philosophy that cannot be scientifically proven, because it deals with concepts that can only be perceived through human intuition, not measured. This is why any declared principle in metaphysics must be internally consistent and logically sound. A genuine metaphysical principle stands on its own: it cannot be proven or refuted by science.

My personal view is that existence does not only happen in the three-dimensional world, the realm of science. Beyond the bounds of space and time, something larger operates, and metaphysics helps us make sense of it.

Metaphysics vs. Spirituality

People often use "metaphysics" and "spirituality" interchangeably, but there are important differences. Metaphysics seeks to understand existence itself: why we are here, what we are meant to be and do, and what the underlying structure of reality is. It seeks to grasp the larger picture.

Spirituality, on the other hand, is more personal. It is about discovering and feeling the connection between ourselves and something greater. Religion falls under spirituality. One could say spirituality deals with feeling, while metaphysics calls for logical thought.

Since ancient times, metaphysics and spirituality have developed as part of mainstream culture. Major civilizations across the world, often without any known contact with one another, arrived at similar metaphysical conclusions.

Metaphysics has advanced human thought by applying logic to fundamental questions about existence. Civilizations that emphasized metaphysical philosophy, such as the Greeks, the Chinese, and the Indian traditions, developed some of the most enduring intellectual frameworks in human history.

The Three First Principles

I have distilled three foundational principles from both Eastern and Western metaphysical traditions. These serve as the bedrock upon which all other metaphysical understanding is built, and they are the philosophical foundation of my practice in BaZi, astrology, and ZWDS.

1. The Heaven Principle: All That Exists, Seen and Unseen, Is Energy

This aligns with the Hermetic principle that the universe is mental (or energetic) in nature, and that all things exist in a state of vibration. What we see with our eyes is made up of vibrating particles, and if we look deeper, we find nothing but energy. The invisible (magnetic fields, radio waves, electricity) is also vibrating energy. The difference between the seen and the unseen is a matter of frequency.

In Chinese metaphysics, this universal energy is the life force known as qi (气), which animates all things. Entire systems of knowledge (Chinese medicine, feng shui, astrology, martial arts, and Daoist philosophy) are built on this principle.

The Heaven Principle teaches that everything, from distant stars to the smallest particles, is energy. Energy is always in motion, and therefore things must inevitably change. We humans often get attached to things: ideas, money, status, outcomes. But in the larger scheme, attachment to fixed states creates suffering. The less we cling, the lighter we become. Learning to move with change is one of the most practical applications of this principle.

2. The Earth Principle: All Energy Is Part of a Greater Whole; Nothing Exists in Isolation

While the Heaven Principle speaks to the universal law, the Earth Principle shows how it plays out in practice. All energy is interconnected, and even a subtle shift in one area can create ripple effects elsewhere. This echoes the Butterfly Effect: a small change in one place may trigger significant consequences far away.

In Hermeticism, "as above, so below; as below, so above" captures this elegantly. Everything exists in dynamic balance. When the scale tilts in one direction, it creates a corresponding shift in the other.

In Chinese metaphysics, the Dao pervades the universe and gives rise to all things. Everything is connected and links back to the Dao. As long as we exist, we are part of the whole. We cannot separate ourselves from it.

You have probably felt how one person entering a room can immediately change its energy. Or how a group in good spirits can be affected by someone carrying heaviness. These are small but real examples of interconnection.

On a larger scale, the positions of the planets at the moment of birth correspond with the themes and patterns of a person's life. The patterns in the cosmos reflect patterns on Earth. This is the foundational observation that makes astrology possible.

3. The Human Principle: Energy Moves in Recognizable Cycles; Nothing Happens by Chance

This principle shows how humans, uniquely, can recognize the link between the cosmic and the personal through observation. Over millennia, people discovered that energy follows recognizable cycles. Winter gives way to spring. Every decision we make now shapes the consequences ahead. Our actions create momentum that continues through our lives. We cannot harvest what we never planted.

In Hermeticism, this is described by the principles of Rhythm and Cause and Effect. Every thought and action sends ripples through our lives.

In Chinese metaphysics, the I Ching emphasizes balance and the importance of wise counsel. The fixed cycles of nature are what allow us to understand what lies ahead. That is why astrology works: the cosmic patterns reflect the changes unfolding on Earth.

Understanding how our choices interact with the timing of our chart's phases helps us make better decisions, not through controlling outcomes, but through clarity about what the current period supports.

Conclusion

These three principles form the foundation of everything I practice. When we live in alignment with them, life tends to flow. Like a great river, we can learn to move with grace, power, and flexibility. If an obstacle appears, the river rises or flows around it. It is always moving, always alive.

It is futile to force open a door that the natural flow has closed. When one path is blocked, another invariably shows itself, if we are willing to see it.