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Saturday, 26 January 2013

Home Harmony with Feng Shui


Image: Ristok
 
Feng Shui is based upon the Ancient Chinese philosophy that humans are a part of a natural order, a part of the earth and affected by the sun, planets and cosmos. Detailed applications of this philosophy grew through observation and recordings of natural patterns in nature. Feng Shui provides tools to examine aspects of energy that planet earth contains, magnetic energy, and electrical energy, gravity fields. All energy fields widely accepted and utilised in metro physical science today.  Main stream science concedes that all energy fields interact. Ancient Chinese philosophy shows us that this was well understood and practiced long before modern science.

Image: Buster & Buddy
There are many aspects to Feng Shui, far too many to cover here.  So I have only outlined a few of the basics. However if you are interested it is important to select a reference book that suits you, written by an experienced professional in the field. Some texts have great visual diagrams and examples and lay out the information into tables. This makes the information much easier to understand and apply to your home and life.

Click below to see these examples by Lllian Too. 


The complete illustrated guide to Feng Shui
by Too - HarperCollins
168 Feng Shui Ways to a calm & Happy Life












So what’s it all about...
 



The Compass School
The Compass School using the Luo Pan or Geomancer’s Compass identifies the position of all the energy points.  This rather complicated compass contains anywhere from 10 to 35 rings of information that guides the experienced Feng Shui practitioner on auspicious locations and harnessing the energy flow...but how can you try to incorporate some Feng Shui practice into your home or work place on your own.


Try these simple approaches...


Energy Lines
It is important in Feng Shui to harness auspicious energy, referred to as  ‘the dragons cosmic breath’ through creating meandering energy flow through your home. This requires eliminating or addressing ‘killing breath’ or ‘poison arrows’ being structures, pointed objects or objects with a threatening or imposing appearance .

Poison arrows can be remedied by hanging a small mirror in the line of the poison arrow, planting a tree or a bush in the sight line, hanging a windchime or mobile between the home and the poison arrow.

Mongolian Mezzo Windchime. Click to view price
Land Form School and Good Fortune Symbols
The Land Form School is one of the oldest practices of Feng Shui. Aligning a building or home with the beneficial energies would ensure health, wealth and prosperity for the owner and protection, stability and security for and within the home. Ideally under this philosophy the home would be situated facing the south, surrounded by the four animals. There are four animals that symbolise the varying aspects of the surrounding environment being:

- The Tortoise (protection)  The Black Tortoise to the north (being hills, a large tree, a fence or building)
- On either side the White Tiger and Green Dragon (Stability/the armchair protection). These should be in balance. They may be represented with hills, trees, stone wall or fence.
- In the front of the building is the Pheonix (protection) low laying hills, a rockery or small wall.

Two main methods to evaluate your homes Feng Shu
There are 2 ways to evaluate and address your homes energy through Feng Shui, so which is correct? According to fengshui-consultants.uk.com.. “Both of them!” they go on to explain "There are two 'Marriage' areas in a building for instance, one located by the PaKua and one located by the BaGua. Occasionally they coincide, and then that area is doubly powerful in its effects. For instance we’ve noticed that where the rear left corner of a building is missing (Wealth on the Bagua) and that is also in the Southeast (Wealth on the Pakua), those buildings often have weaknesses where money is concerned."

This certainly encouraged me to try both techniques to establish if there are any seriously flawed sectors in my home. 
 

The Eight Life Aspirations of the Pa Kua
This divides your home or plot of land into 8 distinct sectors. The Pa Kua is lined up using the magnetic compass so that “Career & Business” is centred on Magnetic North.  You can use this tool to identify auspicious areas in your home that will help to enhance different aspects of your life and home activities.
PRINT THIS OUT AND MAKE NOTES ONE HOW YOU CAN IMPROVE THESE
SECTORS OF YOUR HOME USING THE TIPS BELOW.
How to Enhance the Eight Life Aspirations of the Pa Kua  
Maximising these sectors in your home might mean undertaking activities that match with sectors in that particular area of the home. Although that is not always possible you may incorporate symbols representing the sectors and align colours and elements to complement the sector. For example in the East (Family, relationships and health sector) Locating your living room, kitchen, play room might be beneficial. Placing symbolic enhancers such as plants and flowers, tree branches, using the colour green or brown may all contribute to creating an auspicious environment. The table below helps identify the sector, symbolic colour and elements and the enhancers that might assist in improving that area.


Direction
Sector
Element
Elemental Colours  to incorporate into Decor
Examples of how to Enhance this area.
East
Family, Relationships, Health
Trees
(Big Wood)
 
 
Green Brown
Round mirrors, Chimes and Crystals, Keep Clean and Organised, Crane, Peach, Represent the harmony of 5 elements 1. Fire, Candle, Lamp 2. Wood, Plants, flowers 3. Earth, Crystal, stones 4. Metal coins, metal sculpture, wind chimes 5. Water, crystal or glass vase
South East
Wealth & Prosperity
Plants
(Small Wood)
Green
Gold fish, Fresh flowing water, Money Tree or figurine, Coins or gold ornaments, this area should be made to feel luxurious
South
Recognition & Fame
Lights
(Fire)
Red
Awards and trophies, degrees, certificates, posters, paintings and visions boards, quotes and affirmations, lamps, Candles, fire, Dragon, Eagle, Horse
South West
Marriage Prospects & Marital Happiness
Globe Mountain
(Big Earth)
Beige
Yellow
Double happiness symbol, keep room clean and clutter free, pictures of the couple, hang crystal in window, crystal globe, pairs of animals
West
Luck of Children
Metallic Objects
(Small Metal)
White
Silver
Gold
Ornamental eggs, elephants, fruit, pictures or figurines of children, Dragon
North West
Presence of helpful people and mentors
Metallic Objects
(Big Metal)
White
Silver
Gold
Pictures of friends, relatives and mentors, inspiring quotes, Hand sculpture, wind chimes
North
Career Prospects
Aquarium Ponds
(Water)
Black
Blue
Self portrait, certificates, awards, degrees, diplomas, professional equipment and/or office equipment Lamps, add yellow and gold colours for money, motivational and success images and posters
North East
Education (Knowledge & Wisdom)
Mountain
(Small Earth)
Beige
Crystals, crystal globes, earth globe,  Earth elements, pottery, tiles, bricks, ceramics, pictures of landscapes, mountains with a waterfall,
 
Note: It is believed that crystals absorb energy, they should be taken outside to cleanse in the sun as they will have absorbed negative energy.
 
Try these enhancers...
 
Family, Relationships, Health
Round mirrors, Chimes and Crystals, Keep Clean and Organised, Crane, Peach, Represent the harmony of 5 elements 1. Fire, Candle, Lamp 2. Wood, Plants, flowers 3. Earth, Crystal, stones 4. Metal coins, metal sculpture, wind chimes 5. Water, crystal or glass vase.




 
Image: Coco + Kelley
Crystal Grand Cascade
Ice. Click for price  
The Campania Cast Stone Platia Garden Terrace Fountain.
Click for price

Wealth & Prosperity
Gold fish, Fresh flowing water, Money Tree or figurine, Coins or gold ornaments, this area should be made to feel luxurious. This area should be clean and organised.


Image: Coco+Kelley
Recognition & Fame
Awards and trophies, degrees, certificates, posters, paintings and visions boards, quotes and affirmations, lamps, Candles, fire, Dragon, Eagle, Horse.




Image: Coco + Kelley


Eagle lamp. Click to view price
 


Mats Jonasson's Crystal Dragon - click to view price  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
Marriage Prospects & Marital Happiness

Double happiness symbol, keep room clean and clutter free, pictures of the couple, hang crystal in window, crystal globe, pairs of animals.
   


Image: Luxury London Hotels
 



Crystal globe light. Click to view
Crystal ball knobs for cupboards and doors. Click to view


Luck of Children
Ornamental eggs, elephants, fruit, pictures or figurines of children, Dragon.
  

Image: Ooh Food

 
 


Sculpture. Click to view price
Sitting elephant. Click for price
 
 Presence of helpful people and mentorsPictures of friends, relatives and mentors, inspiring quotes, Hand sculpture, wind chimes.





Hand of Buddha. Click for price      
 




Canvas. Click for price










Click to view price

Career Prospects
Self portrait, certificates, awards, degrees, diplomas, professional equipment and/or office equipment, lamps, add yellow and gold colours for money, motivational and success images and posters.




Image: Coco + Kelley

Education (Knowledge & Wisdom)
Crystals, crystal globes, earth globe, Earth elements, pottery, tiles, bricks, ceramics, pictures of landscapes, mountains with a waterfall.
















 



 
Bagua
‘Ba’ means eight and ‘gua’ means sectors or sections. The Bagua is a more modern version of Feng Shui. The Bagua can be used as a design tool and should be lined up on the wall containing the main entrance. You always align the BaGua so that the “8 1 6” side is aligned with the wall which contains the front door.

If you are really keen you can go on to explore the 5 elemental shapes and how they can influence the good energy, then also your personal P Kua number and your homes number. Two books worth a read are ‘The complete illustrated guide to Feng Shui’ by Lillian Too and ‘The Feng Shui Garden’ by Gill Hale.
  
If you have an iphone or smart phone there are plenty of Apps you can install on your phone to help you with applying the Feng Shui principles in your home.