What is Feng Shui?

Feng Shui means ‘Wind and Water’.

The wind refers to carriers of chi and the water refers to containers of chi.

Chi is energy, and Feng Shui helps us to receive and hold on to favourable energy.

Feng Shui improves wellbeing and prosperity and helps you adapt to change. It also promotes harmony, improves relationships and benefits your health.

Feng Shui is regarded as a science and its interpretation is an art.

In China, Heaven, Earth and Man are known as the San Cai (Three Gifts).

Heaven luck is Cosmology and Astrology (Horoscopes), Earth luck is our environment (Feng Shui) and Human luck is how we conduct ourselves and the choices we make.

Feng Shui includes a number of methods that originated in China over the last 5000 years, including the Landform School, the Compass School (Ba Zai and Ming Gwa), Flying Star Astrology and the Four Pillars of Destiny (the Chinese Horoscope).

The I Ching is also an essential part of Feng Shui.

 

Courtyard of the Heian Jingu Shrine in Kyoto

Fu Xi is the father of Feng Shui and the I Ching, and is one of the four most honoured sages in Chinese history. The others are King Wen, the Duke of Chou and Confucius.

Fu Xi was born in Wan Qiu, an ancient capital in the province of Henan, and was recognised for his ability to protect the capital from flooding. He uncovered the key to the eight primary gua that make up the I Ching and found the maps of heaven and earth that are the essence of Feng Shui.

Feng Shui is a system which embraces harmony and balance. Feng Shui and Astrology make up two of the ‘Eight Rays of Traditional Chinese Medicine’. The other six are herbs, acupuncture, food energetics, meditation, moxa and exercise.

Feng Shui Applications in the Choosing & Designing of Sites & Buildings

Choosing a Site that is protected and receives and contains beneficial chi

  • Favourable mountain and water energy
  • Weather, prevailing winds, the sun’s pattern
  • The form of surrounding hills, trees and buildings
  • Utilising existing dragon veins (contours)
  • Establishing water dragons (entry and exit of water from the site)

Orientating the Building to make the most of the site and astrology

  • Looking at the building in terms of the whole site, including relief, roads, approaches, entrances, pathways, and garden design
  • Flying Star Astrology (compass reading and its effect on occupants’ fortunes, based on number combinations and the location of invisible mountain and water energy)
  • Ming Gwa & Ba Zai Astrology (orientating the house to suit the occupants)

Arranging the Floor-Plan to suit the astrology of the building and its occupants

  • Form School considerations e.g. positioning yin and yang parts of the home in accordance with the orientation of the building and climate and in harmony with each other, establishing a ming tang (bright hall/entrance) to attract chi, designing kitchens to make the cook feel at ease and avoiding negative features
  • Four Pillars Astrology (favourable colours and Chinese animal locations)
  • Flying Star Astrology (some areas will benefit from activity to promote prosperity,other areas will benefit from stillness to promote health and relationships)
  • Ming Gwa & Ba Zai Astrology (door directions and room locations to suit occupants)

Arranging Furniture to enhance energy flow and to suit individuals’ astrology

  • Ming Gwa Astrology (sleeping and seating directions to suit the occupants)
  • Form School considerations, e.g. a solid wall at the head of the bed; seating positioned away from the energy of doorways; furniture arranged to create a flow

The Golden Pavilion at the Rukuon-Ji Temple in Kyoto

Other Feng Shui Applications

  • Decision Making & Timing for important events (anything from the incorporation of a new company to a suitable date for a marriage) based on Four Pillars Astrology (lucky days, years and 10-year luck pillars) and I Ching and I Ching Astrology (fortune telling)
  • Horoscopes to help with decisions about names, education, careers, strengths, compatibility, luck, to aid personal growth and development, and identify lucky colours and directions. Four Pillars Astrology, Destiny Numbers, Nine Star Ki
  • Design of Logos, Signboards, Business Cards & Choice of Business Names
    Four Pillars Astrology; five-elements of colours, shapes and letters; symbolism
  • Choice of Furniture, Fittings and Interior Decor to create the right atmosphere
    Form School, significance of colours and shapes
  • Garden Design based on the '18 principles of Feng Shui Gardens' and incorporating Compass School and Flying Star Astrology
  • Symbols, Cures and Enhancements
    • Images and elements that aid health, increase prosperity and improve luck
    • Flying Star Astrology & Ba Zai Astrology
    • Protective Talismans
    • Form School Cures (Mirrors, Lights, Plants, Sound, Colour, Stillness, Activity and Life)