In general Tu Tien and Tai Tuien are parts of the 6 guest energies that makes the important influence on the energy of the year. We say that Tu Tien is most heavenly connected division in the year and is responsible for the climate of the year, showing what kind of energy inspires us. The second part of the year is governed by Tai Tuien, which we say, keeps us rooted on Earth, showing what nourishes us, being connected to the diet.
In the S&B acupuncture 10 Heavenly Stems are inseparably connected to the 5 Great Movements and they describes life on Earth. The 12 earthly branches on the other hand are connected to the 6 divisions and together they are the way of how we answer back to Heaven.
In the sequence of Tu Tien we start with Th and Sp as the depth of Yin (6 Yin lines) and fullness of Yang (6 Yang lines). The first division is Jue Yin – the hidden beginning, the declining Yin, based on the growing Qi. There is the ability to make changes in the Yin, our life can be unfolded. When we move clockwise in the Chinese clock, next we have Gb/Ht – Tu Tien Shao Yin, Liv/Si – Tu Tien Tai Yin. Than we move to the Yang divisions and we have Lu/Bl – Shao Yang, Co/Kid – Yang Ming and St/Pc – Tai Yang.
When we look at the branches which are unlike qi to each other – they share the same divisions (both Tu Tien and Tai Tuien). They have their specific roles in the proper function of those branches.
Let’s take the example of Gb and Ht (vertical axis). They share the same energy of Tu Tien -Shao Yin – It means that both branches have to do with the upright Qi and the quality of relation between fire and water, Kid-Ht. What keeps this quality of upright qi is Yang Ming (Tai Tuien) which has the ability of making connection between outside and inside and is able to purify what is going inside.
The other branches that share the same divisions but opposite are Co and Kid, and they are on the horizontal axis. It means that they deal with the relation to the world – we start to be in the world (Co) and we know who we are in the world (Kid). For that Yang Ming (Tu Tien) needs to be strong and pure. For the proper communication with the world we need to be rooted in our authenticity, we need to by upright, we need Shao Yin (Tai Tuien) for that.
From this picture we can see that Yang Ming and Shao Yin regulate each other (Ke cycle) to regulate vertical (Gb-Ht) and horizontal axis (Kid-Co).
To summarise we should look on similar way to the other branches to understand better their functions and actions through their connection with 6 divisions. We should keep in mind that Tu Tien is what inspires us from Heaven and Tai Tiuen is what nourishes us on Earth.