Cut-off
The old route has ended before the next one is ready. Contracts and long-range plans are the least stable, so delay signatures and leave open space in the schedule.
In detail
This form is present when the reference Heavenly Stem meets the day's Earthly Branch at the Extinction stage of the Twelve Life Stages. After Death and Tomb, the stem's qi is cut off from its former chain of development, producing themes of discontinuity, empty intervals, and methods that no longer work. Tomb still contains what remains from the old cycle, while Conception already carries the first formation of the next one. Yuanhai Ziping places Extinction between those two stages in the sequence.
FAQ
- What does the Extinction stage actually cut off?
- Extinction cuts the current process off from its former line of development before a new one has taken shape. It may appear as a failed method, a gap between roles, or plans that no longer connect, while the natal chart determines the affected area, so verify which old conditions have ceased to exist before choosing a direction.
- How is Extinction different from Death in the Twelve Life Stages?
- Death marks the stopping of a matter, while Extinction means that even the old means of continuation or handoff no longer works. A process that can still be formally closed fits Death more closely, but a gap with no usable former route fits Extinction, so check whether the old procedure remains valid.
- Why avoid long-term commitments during a Cut-off stage?
- Because old assumptions have expired before new conditions are stable, a long commitment may be based on missing information. This does not make every contract defective, but agreements involving ongoing duties, exit costs, or fixed deadlines deserve a pause until the changed terms are clear.