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The Fundamentals of Feng Shui
 

The essence of Feng Shui is encapsulated in the energy within us and around us. Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese Art of Geomancy which has its origin as far back as three thousand years ago. It is predicated on the existence of Qi or vital energy that breaths life to all living things. The Qi is dispersed by the wind (“Feng”) and collects at the boundary of water (“Shui”). Qi affects the way we live our lives, our thoughts, our decisions, our actions and ultimately our well being. The science of Feng Shui is in the formulas and calculations that open up a myriad of configurations for establishing balance in the energies or Qi in our living environment. The art of Feng Shui is how we interpret and analyze the configurations in order to harness Qi to our advantage. Qi and its Yin & Yang manifestations are phases of cosmic energies that wax and wane through time and space in the cycles of production, exhaustion and destruction.

 

The important questions to ask are;-

 

How can we harness the positive energies in a way that revitalizes us and avoid negative energies that deplete us?

 

How can we use Feng Shui to create balance in our life and set the path for health, wealth and prosperity?

 

The secrets in making Feng Shui work for you is to tap into these vibrant energies by aligning ourselves in the right compass locations and directions taking into consideration the external landforms, our living space and the residents of a property. The nature of Qi is cyclical and therefore predictive. By knowing when and which type of Qi is forthcoming both in terms of locations and directions, we can use that knowledge as a precursor to certain outcome and thus, be able to make informed decision that affects us positively.

 

Feng Shui has its premise based on the following fundamentals:-

 

Yin & Yang

 

The universe is made up of two fundamental forces known in the Chinese metaphysical science as Yin and Yang. These forms of natural energies are constantly interacting with one and another and from these interactions life is created and sustained in the order of birth, growth, decay and death. The dynamic interaction between Yin and Yang subsequently relates to the Five Phases of Qi or energies. These are later known as the Five Elements. Yin and Yang are both opposing and mutually reinforcing to give balance to all matters. Yin is feminine, cool and soft whereas Yang is masculine, hot and hard. The dynamic interactions between Yin and Yang manifests in Night & Day, Positive & Negative, Active & Passive, Strong & Weak, Fast & Slow, Big & Small, Loud & Quiet and so forth. We can also observe the interplay between Yin and Yang naturally such as the sun and the moon, fire and water, rain and drought and the four seasons where Yang is reflected as the peak of summer and yin in the coldness of winter. The natural interaction of Yin and Yang can also be extended to all human endeavors of the physical, emotional, mental and psychological kind where a state of harmony is achieved when there is balance of the energies within us. The same balance between the forces of Yin and Yang is sought for our living environment where the rivers and hills converge harmoniously - a conjugation of yin and yang. We are thus affected by our surrounding through the interaction of Yin and Yang. Yin and Yang are importance forces at work in Feng Shui.

 

The 5 Elements


The Five Elements are manifestations of the dynamic interaction between Yin and Yang. They are symbolically represented by the Elements of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. They exist as phases of energies or Qi which is always transforming through time and space in a productive, exhaustive and controlling cycle.

 

Productive Cycle:-

 

Water produces Wood

Wood produces Fire

Fire produces Earth

Earth produces Metal

Metal produces Water

 

Exhaustive Cycle:-

 

Water exhaust Metal

Metal exhaust Earth

Earth exhaust Fire

Fire exhaust Wood

Wood exhaust Water

 

Controlling Cycle:-

 

Water controls Fire

Fire controls Metal

Metal controls Wood

Wood controls Earth

Earth controls Water

 

The 8 Trigrams

 

The trigram is a symbolic representation of Yin and Yang. It consists of a set of triple lines, where each line is either full or broken. The full line represents Yang and the broken line represents Yin. Yin and Yang coexist in harmony and complements one another equally. Yin and Yang combines linearly in sets of three and result in the formation of the eight trigrams, or 'Pa Kua'. These are Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen and Dui. Time and direction are reflected in the eight trigrams. Each trigram is unique and has its own characteristics and personification. Each trigram is associated with an element and compass direction, and can signify people, biological parts, and numerical sign (amongst many other things).The trigrams can be a harbinger and precursor to many things, both tangible and intangible and forms the basis for explaining the events and circumstances in our lives. Its meaning and symbolism are predicated in the theories and application of Feng Shui which is a study involving either the theoretical Early Heaven formation (the static nature of the universe) or the practical Later Heaven formation (the cyclical nature of the universe).

 

The 24 Mountains

Direction

 


Degrees

South

S1

Bing

Yang Fire

157.6 - 172.5

S2

Wu

Horse
(Yang Fire)

172.6 - 187.5

S3

Ding

Yin Fire

187.6 - 202.5

SouthWest

SW1

Wei

Goat (Yin Earth)

202.6 - 217.5

SW2

Kun

SouthWest
(Earth)

217.6 - 232.5

SW3

Shen

Monkey
(Yang Metal)

232.6 - 247.5

West

W1

Geng

Yang Metal

247.6 - 262.5

W2

You

Rooster
(Yin Metal)

262.6 - 277.5

W3

Xin

Yin Metal

277.6 - 292.5

NorthWest

NW1

Xu

Dog (Yang Earth)

292.6 - 307.5

NW2

Qian

NorthWest
(Metal)

307.6 - 322.5

NW3

Hai

Pig (Yin Water)

322.6 - 337.5

North

N1

Ren

Yang Water

337.6 - 352.5

N2

Zi

Rat (Yang Water)

352.6 - 7.5

N3

Gui

Yin Water

7.6 - 22.5

NorthEast

NE1

Chou

Ox (Yin Earth)

22.6 - 37.5

NE2

Gen

NorthEast
(Earth)

37.6 - 52.5

NE3

Yin

Tiger
(Yang Wood)

52.6 - 67.5

East

E1

Jia

Yang Wood

67.6 - 82.5

E2

Mao

Rabbit
(Yin Wood)

82.6 - 97.5

E3

Yi

Yin Wood

97.6 - 112.5

SouthEast

SE1

Chen

Dragon
(Yang Earth)

112.6 - 127.5

SE2

Xun

SouthEast
(Wood)

127.6 - 142.5

SE3

Si

Snake (Yin Fire)

142.6 - 157.5

The twenty directions (also known as the 24 Mountains) are derived from the division of the eight cardinal directions of the compass into a set of three sub-directions. Each of the sub-directions constitutes a degree in the compass. Each of the sub-directions in turn represents an element and animal sign. In Feng Shui, the eight cardinal directions take their meaning from the eight trigrams or ‘Pa Kua’ and the elements associated with it. The animal signs are only symbolism used to represent the phases of Qi (or Life force) metaphorically and not literally.

 

The 24 Phases of Qi

Growing Qi Beginning of spring
Rain water
Heighten activities of insects
Spring Equinox
Expanding Qi Clear and shining
Grain rain
Beginning of summer
Grain filling
Prosperous Qi Grain in ear
Summer Solstice
Minor heat
Great heat
Fluctuating Qi Beginning of autumn
Heat retreats
White dew
Autumn Equinox
Retreating Qi Cold dew
Frozen water vapor descents
Beginning of winter
Light snow
Hidden Qi Heavy snow
Winter Solstice
Minor cold
Great cold

According to Feng Shui, the Qi or vital energy is always in a constant state of transformation as phases of energies, waxing and waning through time and space, resulting in the coming and going of the seasons over the course of a year and in perpetuity. The year is divided into four seasons namely, spring, summer, autumn and winter. Each season is in turn subdivided into six phases of Qi which undergoes expansion and contraction throughout the year. The six phases are further subdivided into twenty four terms which represents various climatic, agricultural and solar cycles.

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