Pumping up your health

In Feng Shui, your Family & Health area is in the East. Green is the color of this quadrant, and the element is Wood. If you really want to pump things up, add the color green, and live plants. I painted my home office the color above, which is Benjamin Moore "Bunker Hill Green". The name of the color is just as important as the color itself. Bunker Hill is in Boston, my hometown. Since I live in California now, it gives me a little piece of home to have an "East Coast color" in my house. 

You should also be mindful of what is going on in the East quadrant of your house. If you have a fireplace, fire burns wood (the element of Health), so you are figuratively "burning your health". The cure? Add water. Water nourishes wood. So, adding fountains on either side of your fireplace would help. So would painting the room blue, which occurs as water in Feng Shui.

If you have dead plants in your Health area, I probably don't have to tell you this is not ideal. An abundance of the color red is also inadvisable. Red is fire, and fire burns wood. These details may sound strange, but they all add up to the overall feeling of balance in your home. 

Pets are wonderful Feng Shui!

You've probably suspected it all along. Your pets are great Feng Shui. They are like little balls of chi running around your house, spreading joy and love. Pets help circulate the energy in your house. Of course you should not get a pet JUST to improve your Feng Shui. A pet is lifetime commitment, and you should only get one if you love animals, and are prepared to treat your pet properly and take care of it for life.

If you live alone, a pet can keep you from feeling lonely. Plenty of studies have shown that the introduction of pets into nursing homes and hospitals improves patient morale and even physical aspects. Dogs are especially good at getting their owners to exercise, since they need to be walked. Cats are natural absorbers of negative energy. They almost protect us from ourselves. My cat Nordie jumps between us when she hears raised voices. She's very brave, and cannot tolerate arguments.

Dogs, cats, birds, goldfish and basically any living thing (within reason) will bring good energy into your home. If you feel that it's time for a new addition to your family, may we suggest Petfinder.com.

How to Get Floor Plans of Your House

Courtesy of William A. Swan, eHow Contributing Writer

There are many times when someone who purchased an existing house will want to do renovations to it, and having the floor plans can help when making repairs or doing new construction. Unfortunately, these floor plans are often not available. But, with some time and effort, you can locate or recreate the floor plan for your house.

Instructions

1. Locate the archives of the municipality or county where your house is located. The tax office usually has an archive section. If not, employees of the tax office might be able to help you locate the person in charge of the archives. The archives will have information about the original deed, owner, building permits and possibly a set of blueprints. If the floor plan is not there, proceed to the next step.
   
   
2. Locate the fire insurance maps for the community. You can also find these at your local city or town hall. Many of these maps date back to the late 1800s. The maps can indicate the construction material used and include a three-dimensional drawing of the neighborhood in which your home is located. With these, you could determine the frame of the structure and where old windows or doorways were. If you need more help, proceed to the next step.
   
   
3. Find your local building inspector's office. If it is not in the city or town hall, the clerks should be able to tell you where to find the building inspector. Builders usually apply for a permit before building houses. Permits, along with floor plans and elevation levels, are located at the building inspector's office. While these permits might not be as old as your house, they can give you details about the floor plan up to the last 20 years. If you still need more detail, continue down the list.
   
   
4. Browse through historical plan books. These are useful if the house was built in the early 20th century. Many homes built during that time period started from floor plans or kits bought from stock plan books or Sears, Roebuck mail-order kits. The next step provides more information about this.
   
   
5. During the latter part of the 20th century, many floor plans and home designs were advertisements in newspapers and home magazines. You can find many of these home plans through library archives or the Internet. This type of advertising was common from the '70s through the mid '90s.
   
   
6. Speak with neighbors. Often, if you look around your neighborhood, you will notice that your house is similar to others in the area. Someone with a similar house design might have a floor plan or information on where to get one. Levittown, New York and sections of Amityville, New York are good examples of this. If this does not work, you still have one more step to try.
   
   
7. Hire an expert in the housing industry. The person will most often be an architect or structural engineer who can use a set of field measurements and other clues to recreate a floor plan for your house.

Good Luck!

Feng Shui alters Bay Area city's rules for addresses

Developers worry residences' digits may clash with ancient beliefs about good and bad luck.

By The Associated Press, Found on democraticunderground.com

HAYWARD, CA -- Developers looking to maximize the marketability of their homes are complaining about the city's street address rules, which they say can scare off buyers who practice the ancient Chinese art of feng shui.

Under a numbering system established by Alameda County in the 1950s, addresses are assigned based on how far the homes are from downtown Oakland, a method that puts five digits on almost every mailbox in Hayward and other cities in the county. Home builders recently raised concerns that they may decrease property values because the odds are greater that an address will carry a number considered unlucky by feng shui practitioners.

City Council members voted unanimously last week to allow the builders of an upscale development to use shorter street numbers. In seeking the waiver, the builders cited convenience concerns as well as the potential for violating feng shui precepts, according to Richard Patenaude, a Hayward city planner.

What's all this fuss about Money Frogs?

You may have heard about the Feng Shui Money Frog - a strange creature that is supposed to bring great riches to its owner. But why? And how?

Read a testimonial from one of my clients after installing a Money Frog at his office.

The History

To the Chinese, the frog symbolizes the moon - "the lunar, yin principle" and brings healing and prosperity.

The Feng Shui Money Frog is called "Chan Chu" in China (literally "wealth-beckoning toad").

Traditionally, it is depicted holding a Ching Dynasty coin in its mouth and sitting on piles of gold ingots, coins and wealth.

On the back of the King Chan Chu are 7 diamond dots depicting the Ursa Major. The study of Chinese Elemental Astrology is based on the 7 stars, which, when coupled with 2 hidden supporting stars represent the 9 Stars of the Bagua, which is the basis for all study on Feng Shui.

The Bagua also protects against loss of the money gained.

Another type of Money Frog carries a string of chinese coins tied behind its back. The Chinese believe this frog is a symbol of your cash flow, so of course the bigger the frog the bigger the cash flow.

The Legends

One legend says that the Money Frog exists on the moon. When there is an eclipse, the frog appears to swallow the moon.

Another legend claims that the Money Frog was originally Chang Ngo, the wife of a legendary figure. She was greedy, and stole the Elixir of Immortality from Goddess of the West (Hsi Wang Mu).

The other deities in heaven punished Chang Ngo for this, by transforming her into a three legged frog and banishing her to the moon. Now whenever people see the Money Frog, there is a bed of money surrounding it because Chang Ngo is naturally greedy. For generations, this mythical frog has been the holy creature that protects against misfortune and promises to bring riches and wealth to the household.

Also related is Lui Hai, one of the 8 Immortals. He was a Minister of State who lived during the Tenth Century.

Lu Hai knew of the frog's fondness for money, so he used bait (a red line tied with gold coins) to lure the frog from hiding. Because of this, it has become popular that a frog with coins symbolizes that wealth is about to come and greet you.

Read all about the History of Feng Shui at Feng Shui Style.


Types of Money Frogs:

Jade and precious stones

Real jade Money Frogs are excellent, because they literally ARE precious, and are said to offer protection to businesses.

Send us an email at jennifer@fengshuistyle.us to inquire about Jade Money Frogs. They are only available at one place in Chinatown. We have an exclusive arrangement with the owner, and this is where we get all of our Jade Money Frogs.

We can get you any size you like. They range from $125 to $3000, depending on size.

Rosewood Resin (Red)

Red frogs are the most "Yang", so they activate the wealth energy. This particular frog comes with a porcelain dish filled with loose sodalite crystals. Crystals are famed as energy cleansers and will provide a positively-charged environment. Both of these items should be placed together in the appropriate areas of the home and office for the best Feng Shui.

Gold or Bronze

These frogs are said to appear every full moon, bringing good news and wealth to the people nearby. Gold is considered one of the symbols of wealth so for greater luck and energy, place at least one money frog on a bowl full of golden coins.


Where to Place your Money Frogs:

One of the most auspicious places is inside, in the wealth area (Southeast) and across from the front door on a diagonal.

This allows the frog to view the front door. It is important for the frog to have the coin in its mouth with the good luck symbol facing up. You can glue the coin in so it does not fall out or get lost. The coin should also be facing the front door; it is as if the frog is saying, "I will catch all your money here ... bring it on!"

To learn about how to pump up all the areas of your life, go to Feng Shui Style.

Important: Some people believe you should turn your money frog around at night, to face inward. This is said to "keep" the money that you accumulate.

How many frogs should I get and what size?

For an average size room or office select a frog about three inches high and three inches wide. Larger frogs are fine for larger spaces - buy the biggest one you can afford.

You can use as many as 9 money frogs (the number of completion), but if you do they should be smaller frogs.

You can place them everywhere except the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom.

• You may place Money Frogs in your living room area or where you conduct business.
• You may place a frog in each corner of your Bagua.
  
• They should not be immediately obvious to visitors.
• They should not be on the ground, up too high, or above the height of the pockets of people coming into your home or office.
• No one should enter feeling as though you want their money.

When using Money Frog cures it is important to check in with yourself and see if this does indeed create a feeling of wealth for you and see if you have a personal connection to your Money Frog.

Before I studied Feng Shui I intellectually "got" what the Money Frog meant but I felt the cures did not work as well because I didn’t have a sincere appreciation for the background and legend of the frog. After I completed my Feng Shui study, I understood the Money Frog on a cellular level, and now they work brilliantly for me.

Get a Feng Shui Consultation today for your home or office at Feng Shui Style.

Hot Feng Shui Tips

• For maximum curb appeal, plant some colorful flowers, especially red ones.

• Make sure to fix anything that is broken or dirty.

• An imaginative paint job is another way to play up your house. If you are lucky enough to have interesting architectural details, use different coordinating colors to maximize the effect.

• In China, red is supremely powerful. It represents relationships, fame, reputation, and wealth.

• It’s also a fabulous color to paint your door. Guests will be able to find the door quickly and easily. It also conveys that the owners are powerful, and even thwarts burglary!

• Go for S-P-A-C-E by clearing out EVERY unnecessary item from your home. 

• The definition of clutter is something that you have not used for 18 months or so, but you are hanging on to, just in case it comes in handy

• When buying a new home or office, look for a regular shaped property. Avoid properties that have odd looking shapes. The best shape is a rectangle or square. If there are a few extensions sticking out, don’t worry too much as they can be easily rectified.

• Keep your porch and outside lights on at night! Make sure people can see your house numbers - make them large!

To get a full-blown Feng Shui Consultation, visit our website, Feng Shui Style.

What are the oldest forms of Feng Shui?

The oldest form of Feng Shui, the Form School has to do with the shapes and forms of the surrounding landscape and waterways and how they affect people living or working in a structure. The four cardinal compass directions are represented by four animals: The Green Dragon of the East, the White Tiger of the West, the Red Phoenix of the South and the Black Turtle of the North, referring to the ideal landforms to look for around the outside of your home. Gentle hills at the back of the house offer protection. These are called “Black Turtle”.

The “White Tiger” hill to the West of the house also gives protection (this side should be a bit lower than the opposite East side). The “Green Dragon” hills to the East of the house bring abundance and prosperity – these two landforms should ideally be low hills, other buildings, trees etc. Finally, most importantly, the “Red Phoenix” or “little footstool” (a tiny hill) in the front of the house needs open space to prosper. It represents your opportunities and financial affairs. The 4 celestial animals are also used inside the house for furniture placement, office interior designs, etc.

To get a full-blown Feng Shui Consultation, or read all about the history of Feng Shui, visit our website, Feng Shui Style.

Are you burning up your wealth?

I

n Feng Shui, the kitchen represents nourishment and prosperity. How you design your kitchen can dramatically influence your health, and, surprisingly, your wealth.

For example, Wood is the element of Wealth, and it belongs in the Southeast corner, according to ancient Feng Shui precepts. So, if your stove in the Southeast, you are figuratively "burning up your wealth". When we analzye a person's home, the very first thing we do is take compass directions throughout the house and come up with a game plan for balancing out all the elements.

The first thing to bear in mind when considering any Feng Shui advice is that ultimately, Feng Shui is a complex practice with several different schools, and the recommendations will vary from school to school and from one practitioner to another. So too, advice will differ depending upon the unique home - and the unique people living in it. Despite the fact that different schools may have diverse views on some topics, there are basic Feng Shui principles that apply to all kitchens.

At Feng Shui Style, we use the Compass School, Form School, and Eight Mansion Theory. For more information about these schools, go to:

Feng Shui Schools

Doors - How the World Sees You

In Feng Shui, your door is how the world sees you. It's hard to believe your door can improve (or hinder) your reputation, but in my many years as a Feng Shui expert I have found it to be true.

Here are our top tips for pumping up your door:

• Your front door should be in proportion to your home. If the front door is too big, you can miss opportunities, and if it is too small, it can cause disharmony.

• Avoid a "shotgun shack" - which means that you can see straight through the front door out to the back through another window or door. Symbolically slow down the the energy flow to the back by adding a curtain, mobile, or plant.

• A front door should open inwards to allow Chi to enter.

• It is important that the front door opens easily without obstacles or difficulties. If the door doesn't open all the way - it means your opportunities are hindered. Doors with broken elements must be fixed or replaced. Hinges should be oiled regularly.

• Make certain that the name or number of your house is clearly visible by day and night in order to maintain harmonious relationships with visitors.

• Take a look out your door, and see if there are any 'poison arrows' - which is anything sharp or dangerous that points towards your door. If you feel you have poison arrows directed at your home place a Bagua mirror (see below) above the door to deflect them.

• Make sure the front door bell is easily located and works, and has a pleasant sound.

• Get a Feng Shui consultation, and find out which door is best for you to use. Use your best door exclusively. Having two main entry doors can cause unnecessary bickering and arguments. It is OK to use the other door if you need to take the trash out, etc.
  

The color of the door should reflect whichever compass direction it faces according to the Five Elements. A list of directions with their respective colors follows: 

• South (Fire) = Red 
• Southwest (Earth) = Earth colors, or red/pink for relationships
• West (Metal) = White, silver, copper or gold
• Northwest (Metal) = White, silver, copper or gold
• North (Water) = Black or blue
• Northeast (Earth) = Earth colors, black, blue or green
• East (Wood) = Green, brown
• Southeast (Wood) = Red, blue, purple, green

Note: If you have had a Feng Shui consultation, your Practitioner may recommend a color that differs from the above, but they will know which elements are needed to weaken or enhance the area, and they may be using the "constructive" or "deconstructive" cycle of the elements.

Do not keep shoes near your front door; they constitute clutter and create stagnant energy. You may put shoes at the back door, but try to put them out of sight.
As for the front, make sure the pathway is clear, clean, colorful, and the way is obvious. This is your visitor's first impression and you want it to be a good one.

Too many mouths and not enough eyes.......

In Feng Shui, the windows of your house are the eyes of your home.

The doors are the "mouths". Windows allow you to look out, and breathe in Chi, or vital energy. Windows also let in the welcome warmth and sunshine - the Yang Chi.

If you have a room that has too much yin and is dark, foreboding, and depressing, install an extra window if possible, or make an existing window opening larger. If renovations to your windows are not possible, you can paint the room a sunlight yellow or hang a mirror opposite a window to "create" another window. Other enlivening elements include bright colors, lights, crystals, flowers and plants. Wherever possible have two windows that open in each room. From a practical point of view, this creates cross ventilation and a more even distribution of light and Chi.

Privacy is vital to a sense of well being. Make sure that your window coverings, plants or ornaments screen the inside of your home. If "poison arrows" of negative Sha Chi are aiming towards your house - such as pointy rooftops, corners of buildings, etc - it is best to place a plant, vase or statue on your windowsill to help prevent the negative Sha Chi from entering. The very best cure is an octagonal Bagua Mirror which will bounce the negative energy away from your home.

A good view is even better Feng Shui. It not only serves to increase the value of a property but brings about Sheng Chi (the most auspicious Chi). If you have a blank wall outside of your windows, this will generate negative Sha Chi. Plant some colorful flowers, creeping vines, or shrubbery. Install window boxes and fill them with cheery flowers. Spring for pretty curtains, and other smart decorating details which can detract from even the most gloomy outlook. You might consider install "faux" stained glass windows (decorative window film from Home Depot - $19.97) to block an ugly view. They not only let light in, they are colorful and gorgeous.

Your windows are your outlook on life.

Your doors, on the other hand, are the "mouths" of your home.

There is generally a suggested ratio of "eyes" to "mouths" (windows to doors). If you think about it, you certainly wouldn't want to have 5 mouths to every pair of eyes! This would mean that the occupants of the house would constantly be bickering, yelling, and fighting. Do a quick count and see what you're working with.

Go outside to the street and make your way towards your door. Is it easy to find or do you have to meander around the side of the house looking for it? Does it feel safe? Is it well lit at night? Does it look appealing or scary? Does the door look happy or tired? Is it greeting people, or is it saying "Go away," or "I’ve got something to hide," or "My owner doesn’t care about me."

Here are some quick tips for creating a great "mouth" for your house:

Moving objects (flags, whirligigs, etc.), sounds (chimes) and color (fresh coat of paint or colorful flowers) can easily attract people and chi toward a door. Shiny objects can catch the eye of guests too. A fountain outside the door is the ultimate. Face it - everyone's #1 gripe is not being able to see house numbers at night!

A red door (I suggest "Heritage Red" by Benjamin Moore - a classic beauty) can be used to welcome guests. Believe it or not, homes with red doors get broken into much less often than homes without red doors. A red door says "My owner cares about me - so watch out!".

Bonus House Tip of the Month:
Check ALL doors for squeaks, and stickiness. Use WD40 to banish squeaks and sand down sticky doors as necessary. Don’t forget closet and cabinet doors! Anything that doesn't work in your home represents your life not working. Don't let these things go!

To get a free estimate on a full-blown Feng Shui Consultation, visit our website, Feng Shui Style.

Feng Shui revival defies prohibition in China

(Xinhua) Updated: 2006-08-31 22:57

BEIJING -- Feng Shui is gaining popularity in China's affluent coastal cities including Guangzhou, Shanghai and Shenzhen, although it is still illegal. Many Feng Shui masters have established consultancy firms, offering advice on issues such as career, marriage, health, debt, investment, study and names according to Feng Shui principles. More than 1,000 Feng Shui guides work in agencies in Shanghai, according to Wang Xiaohe, manager of a Shanghai-based Feng Shui company.

"Feng Shui is widely applied in interior decorating and real estate, so it has attracted many estate agents and entrepreneurs," says Wang. Feng Shui is the ancient practice derived from the ideas in the Book of Changes, an ancient Chinese divination and philosophical manual.
It involves ensuring a good flow of energy, or qi. Buildings and other structures need to face certain directions depending on their surroundings. Elements such as wood, fire and earth have to be carefully balanced. It is necessary to avoid random and haphazard arrangements of furniture and accessories according to Feng Shui guides. Wang says many entrepreneurs will consult on the future of their businesses, while estate agents are more likely to consult on the position of furniture and the environment of their projects.

Consultants usually charge 30 yuan (US$3.75) per square meter for property advice and 300 yuan (US$37.5) per half hour for other services. Advice on the name of a person or a company can cost from 800 to 1,800 yuan (US$225), Wang said, adding prices are negotiable according to the customer's means. The influx of residents from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, where Feng Shui is legal and commonly used, has contributed to its popularity, says Zhang Zhizhe, chairman of the Shanghai Yi Jing Institute.

"My company is small, but we have long-term clients and have already made a lot of money," says Li Xiuxia, manager of another Shanghai-based consultancy, adding it planned to advertise to attract more customers. The Yi Jing Institute is trying to list Feng Shui as a world intangible cultural heritage, but as long as it remains illegal, this could prove to be difficult.

"Feng Shui guides usually start out as consultancy companies, otherwise the administrations of industry and commerce would prohibit them from operating as the public practice of Feng Shui is illegal," says Zhang.

Professor Yu Wujin, of Fudan University philosophy department, says, "They change the name from 'Feng Shui' to 'consultant' to avoid being considered 'superstitious' by the public, but it also suggests a wider and more modern definition of 'Feng Shui'." Yu believes the consultants are exploiting modern anxieties in a competitive society. "In a market economy, people wish to lower the risk of failure and danger in their lives and work and turn to the Feng Shui masters for help."

The practice of Feng Shui was made illegal after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 as the new government determined to eliminate the "four olds", namely the old ideas, old culture, old customs and old habits. The Shanghai Administration of Industry and Commerce could give no numbers or identities of consultant companies involved in Feng Shui practice, but said their businesses were legal in terms of the registration procedure. Feng Shui is a part of China's traditional culture, which has never really died out, says Zhang Zhizhe. "Feng Shui guides solve modern problems in a traditional way."

To get a free estimate on a full-blown Feng Shui Consultation, visit our website, Feng Shui Style.

The History of Feng Shui

Introduction

Originating in China almost 6,000 years ago, Feng Shui literally means "wind"(Feng) and "water"(Shui). Feng Shui is also referred to as "Geo-mancy" or "Earth Wisdom".

It is an ancient method of constructing and optimizing residences to bring about happiness, abundance and harmony. It includes architecture, urban planning, interior design, garden design, and placement of objects in our environment. It also involves the layout, framework, materials and colors of building structures. These rules of thumb allow us to make the most ideal arrangement in any given situation.


In ancient China, farms and villages were auspiciously placed within the protective folds of mountains, shielded from harmful winds and nurtured by the gentle, winding streams. The people who practiced these principles prospered in agriculture and trade and grew strong and powerful. They produced social, cultural and military leaders unlike their neighbors who were exposed to harsh winds and inhospitable terrain. The art of Feng Shui was refined over many centuries, producing an abundance of learned scholars.

Traditionally, Feng Shui was considered a highly guarded secret of the Chinese Imperial Court. All Feng Shui Masters were forbidden to release their potentially powerful knowledge to outsiders. The practice of Feng Shui was considered so powerful that it would be devastating in the hands of the enemy. Consequently, knowledge was handed down from father to son within family traditions. The turbulent history of China has only helped to reinforce this tendency and this secrecy often continues, even today.

The Lo Shu Turtle has been said to bring eight different types of heavenly blessings but it is very attuned towards bringing wealth luck. When it is depicted with a baby as it is shown here, it is said to be especially powerful.

To get a free estimate on a full-blown Feng Shui Consultation, visit our website, Feng Shui Style. 

Magic Squares and Turtles

Chinese literature dating from as early as 2800 BC tells the legend of The "Lo Shu Magic Square" or "scroll of the river Lo".

Roughly three thousand years ago in ancient China, a great flood happened. The people, sensing that the river god ("Lo") was upset, tried to offer sacrifices to calm his anger. Each time they made an offering, a turtle would appear from the river.

It had a curious figure/pattern on its shell; there were circular dots of numbers that were arranged in a three by three nine-grid pattern such that the sum of the numbers in each row, column and diagonal was the same: 15. This number was also equal to the number of days in each of the 24 cycles of the Chinese solar year. This pattern, in a certain way, was used by the people to control the river.

After studying these markings the people realized the correct amount of sacrifices to make - 15 - and consequently, the river god was placated.This pattern is called a "magic square", in that each column and the two diagonals add up to the same number. The legend of the Lo Shu Turtle is told in The Book of Rites, one of the five classical texts of ancient China.

Fu Xi - from Turtles to Trigrams

Fu Xi was the first of three noble emperors, the San-huang, in Chinese mythology. According to tradition he ruled from 2952 to 2836 B.C. (116 years). Fu Xi taught many arts, such as the use of fishing nets, the breeding of silk worms, and the taming of wild animals. He also proportedly invented music, and, most importantly, the eight Trigrams (BaGua), which is used as a template for Feng Shui.

Also attributed to him is the invention of casting oracles by the use of yarrow stalks. Furthermore, Fu Xi is said to have invented the one hundred Chinese family names and decreed that marriages may only take place between persons bearing different family names.

"In the beginning there was the one."
[Lao Zi (Lao Tse) the father of Taoism]

Fu Xi's most original invention is the development of the eight trigrams that order the world according to eight principles: the Sky, the Earth, the Thunder, the Mountain, the Water, the Fire, the Marsh and the Wind. These trigrams represent an abstract vision of the world and its changes. Each trigram results from another by the change of only one line, and the knowledge of the essence of these changes enables the user to learn more about themselves and the environment.

For more background on Trigrams and the Bagua, please refer to the "History" section, on our website.

The I Ching (or Yi-Jing)

The Book of Changes, or Yi Jing (known in the West as I-Ching), is China's oldest philosophical text. Its origins are lost in the mists of time, but scholars believe the first compilation was done early in the Zhou Dynasty (1022 BC to 256 BC). Based on a divination system using the eight trigrams (groups of solid and broken lines), permutations of 64 pairs of trigrams were worked out. Over the ages short, memorable commentaries were added. For example:

Lü / Treading [Conduct]
Above CH'IEN THE CREATIVE, HEAVEN
Below TUI THE JOYOUS, LAKETREADING.
Treading upon the tail of the tiger. It does not bite the man. Success."

The Book of Changes charts the movements and developments (hence, 'changes') of all the phenomena in the universe. Many regard it as a complete system of philosophy in itself. Emperors, statesmen and generals throughout Chinese history consulted it.

Revered by Confucius, the Book of Changes was included in the five classic texts of Confucianism. It was one of the few books spared when Emperor Qin Shi Huang (259-210 B.C.) ordered the burning of previous dynasties' works. The Illustrated Book of Changes is a venerable classic made available to readers of modern Chinese and English. The 64 hexagrams and their traditional commentaries are explained with illustrations, and the Chinese text has been written by leading calligraphers.

These five classic texts have spawned not only Feng Shui, but Tai Chi, Chi-Gong, Acupuncture, and other philosophies and sciences.

The I Ching is one of the primary sources for the calculations of Feng Shui. If you look at a Chinese Luo Pan Compass, the I Ching characters appear to denote the Trigrams. The odd numbers are illustrated by white "sticks" and the even numbers by black "sticks".

For extensive background and detailed description of the I Ching, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Ching

The Chinese Compass (Luo Pan)

About 1,600 years ago, the Chinese had already determined that there were invisible forces at work beneath the earth. These were later confirmed to be magnetic forces. The Chinese believed these forces were positive (Yang) and negative (Yin) and developed a luopan compass to measure them.

Luo means a net that encompasses everything and Pan means utensil or plate. This allegorically refers to the union of Heaven and Earth and specifically to the electro magnetic field that holds all matter together.

Ancient China gave the world several of the mathematical and scientific concepts we take for granted today, such as the compass. The magnetic compass was invented in China for use by Feng Shui practitioners. It was adapted from the "south pointing spoon," or Si Nan. Because of variations over time in the earth's magnetic fields, three compass systems were superimposed over each other during the span of half a millennium to establish the compass that Feng Shui practitioners use today.

The original magnetic compass used for navigation was constructed in the seventh or eighth century with the needle floating in water. The true north-south meridian was first set down by Chiu Yun Han (c. 713 - 741 A. D.) and known as the Cheng Chen. This was used until roughly 880, when readings were so far off the mark that immediate correction was required. In the eight or ninth century it was further refined with the discovery of magnetic declination.

Yang Yun Sang added specialized compass points to compensate for the variation. The Feng Chen or "seam needle" fixed the Cheng Chen's variations. The compass was again adjusted in the 1100s when Lai Wen-Chun came up with the Chung Chen (the central needle). Chinese people used compasses for centuries prior to even the most rudimentary ones on European ships. As late as the seventeenth century, all Western compasses still pointed south just like the ancient south-pointing spoons they were built to imitate.

During the Cultural Revolution (1966-1969), the old ways came under scrutiny once more. While traditional medicine received official sanction from the government, Feng Shui did not. It was eventually outlawed. Ironically, since many Chinese leaders owed their rise to power to Feng Shui, they purposely kept Feng Shui texts hidden from the masses. Today, what little Feng Shui survives in China is under strict control of the Communist government.

Get a Feng Shui Consultation today for your home or office at Feng Shui Style.

In Summation: Yin and Yang

The Chinese believed that there were energy forces (Chi) in the body as well as the universe. They believed that there must be a balance between the Yin and Yang aspects of this energy in the body, for perfect health, and in the earth, for growth. Feng Shui is the art of detecting the Chi in a room, building, or site, and regulating it for results. The benefits of Feng Shui were once restricted only to the rich and powerful in China, but are now becoming widely available. Simply put, proper Feng Shui will make you feel fabulous in your home or office. It's largely common sense.

For example, it just feels better to have your back to a wall and see the door in your office. To have your back to the door, you tend to feel anxious that someone will sneak up on you. This makes you less productive. This is also why in a restaurant, men prefer to take the seat against the wall, looking out, with a view of the widest expanse of the room. They instinctually feel more able to protect their partners in this position. They are also safe from attack, which undoubtedly hearkens back to hunting and gathering days.

Feng Shui intuition runs very deep, and we all feel it. Knowing how to manipulate it is another matter. It is about taking care of a myriad of rules and details like this, in your home or office, which all add up. The overall effect can be improved dramatically by using these rules to adjust your furniture, objects, colors and materials. Once you learn about Feng Shui, you will never see the world the same way again.

Get a Feng Shui Consultation today for your home or office at Feng Shui Style.