BA GUA or LUO SHU GRID

FENG SHUI  8 MANSIONS

BA GUA or LUO SHU GRID

What is the Luo-Shu Grid?  What is the BaGua? And how are they used in Feng Shui practice?

When looking to enhance your property using Feng Shui what do you think of first when looking at the floor plan of your property?

Do you superimpose the Luo-Shu Grid (3 x 3) or the BaGua (Pa Kua) over the floor plan?

What is the difference between these two grids synonymous with Feng Shui practice other than the obvious one of their shape?

If you follow Western Feng Shui (also known as BTB Feng Shui) the 3 x 3 Grid or BaGua is static with each of its sectors representing an 'aspiration' as well as colours, numbers, seasons and the five elements.  Beginning from the North the aspirations are: Career, Education, Longevity/Health, Wealth, Fame/Recognition, Love/Relationships, Descendants/Family and Mentor/Heaven Luck.

This Grid is always placed in the same position over a floor plan, with the middle sector at the bottom (career) in line with the front of your property.  No reference is made to compass directions or locations so each sector in a property is treated the same regardless of its direction and the location of each of the individual rooms within that property.  For example the 'Wealth' direction is always diagonally left of the front of the property.  This could relate to your living room, kitchen, bedroom or bathroom.  This style of Feng Shui is more static than its traditional counterpart in that regardless of the direction your property faces the internal sectors will all have the same attributes, with the front relating to career and so on.

This form of Western Feng Shui makes no provision for the influence of the external environment. 

The BaGua as used in Classical Feng Shui refers to members of the family, numbers, colours, seasons, the five elements, body parts and much more.  The information contained in the BaGua is then superimposed onto the Luo-Shu Grid.  Unlike BTB Feng Shui however the grid is placed over a floor plan based on the compass direction of your property. Its position will therefore change between properties depending on certain factors.  No two properties, even those side by side will have the same quality of Qi.  This is what makes Classical Feng Shui a dynamic practice. 

Classical Feng Shui teaches that the external macro environment will identify the presence and quality of Qi likely to enter your property.

So in general there are similarities between the Luo-Shu Grid and the BaGua as used in both Western and Classical Feng Shui.  The differences however are more pronounced when it comes to their use.

To the fulfillment of your dreams

LynC

www.fengshui8mansions.com

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FENG SHUI - Mountain and Water Stars

"Qi is scattered by the Wind, and gathers at the boundaries of Water"

Guo Po (276-324AD) Book of Burial

The purpose of Classical Landform Feng Shui (Luan Tou) is to assess the natural environment; the mountains and water; to analyse the quality of Qi in an area.

Yin Mountains create Qi.  With wind but no water this Qi will scatter.  With too much wind the Qi will not collect.  To harness the Qi it must come into contact with Water allowing it to gather.  We can then harness this Qi and direct it towards our property and both mountains and water are necessary to achieve this. 

When the natal chart of a property is created it is based on the date the residents move in, it takes account of the Water Stars (facing) and the Mountain Stars (sitting) as well as the Base Star (the dominant Qi) of each location.  Each of the eight sectors (the four primary and the four secondary sectors) have a central base star and a facing and sitting star.

Water Stars are said to govern wealth; it is Yang and movement, Mountain Stars are said to govern people; they are Yin and still. 

Water is influenced by the orbit of the moon and to a lesser degree the orbit of the earth around the sun; the tides of the oceans and seas is caused by the gravitational force of the moon and sun.  As Feng Shui is often depicted pictorially, imagine the flow of Water; Water flows and it is this flow that governs wealth.   

The 'wealth' aspect of the Water Stars is the wealth of money and the wealth of career or business growth. 

Looking pictorially at the image of a Mountain it represents stability and security.  The Mountain is unmoving, supportive and reliable.  Mountains are created by the magnetic pull of the stars that produce them and they are named after these same stars.   The quality of each mountain is determined by the star that creates it.  Mountains generate Qi.  Some emit positive Qi, these are the lush green mountains and some emit negative Qi, these are hard and rocky, the type of mountains that do not foster growth.

The 'people' aspect of the Mountain Stars covers your family tree, relationships, health, personal attitude to life and the rank or level of achievement you aspire to.  It determines the quality of your life.

In an urban environment mountains are replaced by buildings and water is replaced by roads.  These are analysed in the same way as the mountains and water of the natural world.

To the fulfillment of your dreams

LynC

www.abundance-chi.com

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FENG SHUI INSIDE

"An Englishman's home is his castle"

HENRY VIII and SIR EDWARD COKE

While we may not all live in castles with a moat and drawbridge the one thing we desire when we close our door is to feel safe, comfortable and 'at home.'

The main door, the Qi mouth of our home, will beckon in either Sheng Qi (prosperous Qi) or Sha Qi (killing Qi) when it is opened.  What is outside your main door?  What is the quality of Qi coming into your home?

A positive flow of Qi is essential for harmony in the home.  Is your hall, kitchen, bedroom and home office or study benefitting from Sheng Qi?

After the main door these are the most important areas to focus on.  Does the layout of your home allow a meandering flow of energy to make its way into these vital locations?

They all benefit from being in a good location to suit the occupants.  They all benefit from having natural light*. 

The hall is the first port of call for any Qi entering your home.  If it has a space to gather before it begins its journey through the rest of your property it becomes slow and meandering rather than fast moving.  Harmonious flow both downstairs and upstairs brings peace and comfort. 

As important as the kitchen is, it is better in a negative area based on the natal chart of your home rather than a positive area.  However it should also have no harmful features pointing at it from the outside.  One of its main purposes is to care for the wellbeing of the residents.  Place the cooker in an auspicious direction and location within the room and at the same time see whether it is well supported from the outside.  The kitchen is a Yin area with essential Yang elements to benefit the health of the family.  Having a negative feature pointing directly into the kitchen, such as a single tall tree or a lamppost will potentially have an adverse effect on the health of the residents.

 *The bedroom, a Yin location, should be light but not too bright otherwise it becomes Yang and not conducive to restful sleep.  This is another area concerned with health and wellbeing.  It is also a sanctuary where the body is rejuvenated through the night.  What is outside your bedroom window?  Like the kitchen it should not have any negative features.

More and more people are working for themselves, or working from home for a company or corporation.  So having a home office in a good location based on the natal chart of the home and the individual using the room is essential.  Unlike the kitchen and bedroom this is a Yang area concerned with opportunities in career and the flow of wealth.   

Positive Qi flow when directed in the right way can ensure your home really is your castle.

To the fulfillment of your dreams

LynC

www.abundance-chi.com

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Feng Shui and Missing Corners-Wealth

The Eight Aspirations of Feng Shui are Career (north), Education and Study (northeast), Health and Longevity (east), Wealth (southeast), Fame and Recognition (south), Love and Relationships (southwest), Family (west) and Heaven and Mentor (northwest.)

When a location (corner) relating to an aspiration important to you is missing in the Big Tai Chi of your property the first thing to establish is whether this same location is missing in the Small Tai Chi of your living space.  When the locations are missing in both the Big and the Small Tai Chi it will prove difficult for you to achieve your desires.

In the eight aspirations formula of Feng Shui, as well as the flow of money generated from your career (north) the southeast is the wealth area connected with an accumulation of wealth; long term wealth.  If this area is missing it will prove difficult to increase the level of family wealth and hold on to it.  The element connected to wealth is water; water is the element of the north and it is the enhancing element for the wood location of the southeast. 

North and Southeast

If you identify the Big Tai Chi of your entire property, including the garden, the north and the southeast are great places to locate water features.  Depending on the space you have available they can be as simple as a small pond.  In the north a decorative water feature made from the metal element will both enhance and activate the area.  If the north of your property or your home is missing then displaying a water feature in the north of the living room will be auspicious.

The north of your living room is always going to be a naturally darker area making attraction more difficult however painting the walls white will incorporate the enhancing element of metal and brighten the space at the same time. 

In the southeast of your garden a pond with plants and fish will create auspicious attraction energy.  Still water is used to absorb negative energy so is not appropriate for the purpose of enhancing for wealth.

If this space is missing in your garden; if you do not have a garden; or if the southeast corner of your house is missing; enhancing the southeast of your living room will activate the energy associated with attracting wealth.

  

Colourful flowers and a water feature suitable for the space you have available will both be auspicious for the area.

The southeast is a naturally lighter and brighter area than the north and painting it blue will calm the intensity of the space and enhance it at the same time.

Whatever wealth means to the individual it makes sense to create a living space that is conducive to attracting a level of wealth in keeping with personal desires and expectations.  

To the fulfillment of your dreams

LynC

www.abundance-chi.com

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Feng Shui and the Lo-Shu Grid 4-6

Continuing on with numbers and elements around the compass from four to six.

Remember all odd numbers represent yang energies and all even numbers represent yin energies even when the area itself may be the opposite.  However, this is balanced out by the introduction of other elements into each area to create yin/yang harmony.

Number Four (4) – This is the number of the southeast.  On its own it is a number that represents work in the literary field; with education and learning.  In some Far Eastern dialects the number four sounds like ‘death’ so there are often high-rise buildings that do not have a fourth floor.  Four signifies stability and grounding created by the four sides of a square or a rectangle however it can also represent feeling trapped.

  

This is a yin number in a yang growth area signified by small wood and the area relates to the eldest daughter (Sun) of the family.  Its colours are the bright spring and mint greens; the fresh greens of the spring and early summer period.  The southeast also signifies long-term wealth and prosperity and is best enhanced with water, an aquarium, to enhance the element of wood.  In symbolic Feng Shui small wooden images and objects displayed in multiples of four are auspicious, fresh vibrant flowers and images of the horse will enhance this area for the benefit of the daughter of the house as well as protect the wealth of the family.

 

Number Five (5) – Five is the number of the central area of the home.  This area is known as the heart of the home or the Tai Chi.  Displaying each of the Five Elements in the centre will create auspicious energy for the whole household especially when you have an open-plan design to your home.  The colour of the centre is the earth colours like ochre or pale yellow.  Five is not associated with any aspiration in Feng Shui but its significance is important in the Five Element Theory.  It is a number that represents change, activity and motion.  It indicates the possibility of travel.  Because it is the central number in the Lo-Shu Grid it is a number that suggests being at the centre of things; whether these things or situations are good or bad.  The centre is an earth area that links the northeast and the southwest earth areas. 

Number Six (6) – Six is the number of Heaven and is an auspicious white star that resides in the northwest. This number represents spiritual help and especially benefits the male or the breadwinner of the family (Chien.)  This is the ultimate yang area representing as it does big metal and the colour white (which incorporates all the other colours in the spectrum.) It is a number signifying leadership and power. This is a powerful star and its location is a powerful area.  As well as Heaven, it is the place of the male of the family and the area to focus on to attract a powerful mentor figure into your life.  

Hanging a photograph of the man of the house here; and even hanging a picture of someone you look up to, a mentor, to help you in your career or the career you aspire to, will create positive vibrations.  This is one of the two most important areas to care for and activating this big metal area with sound, light and movement will keep the yang energy of the male flowing.  To achieve all three in one, locating the television in the northwest and keeping it turned on for a good length of time each day will attract auspicious vibrations.

To the fulfillment of your dreams

LynC

www.abundance-chi.com

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Can You Make MONEY with Feng Shui?

Whenever most of us think of wealth we immediately think of having lots of that five letter word – MONEY – the image we immediately visualise when we thing about wealth.

Wouldn’t we all love to have a money tree?

Ok so it’s a dream, however, if money is your desire how do you visualise getting it?  Is it through your work or career, or do you imagine winning the lottery or receiving an unexpected windfall?

Using the practice of Feng Shui you can enhance your home to improve your career luck and you can enhance your home to improve your money luck.

In Feng Shui money is symbolised by water and having water features in your career and wealth areas is auspicious.  It is very important to remember that the water must flow inwards inviting money in rather than having it flow out.

One of the Eight Aspirations of Feng Shui refers to career luck and its universal location is in the North.  The North is also the Water location so having a water feature here will enhance your career luck.  If you have the space a six-tier water feature will utilize the power of heaven (6-Northwest-Metal enhances Water) to help further your career success and by extension the amount of money you will receive through that career.

One thing to remember is that the size of the water feature should match the size of your space; too big and it will overwhelm, or drown, your chances of more money; too small and it will be ineffective.  In the practice of Feng Shui balance is all important.

The Southeast is the universal location for long-term wealth rather than short term gains.  Water feeds the Wood of this location so again having a water feature in the Southeast is also an auspicious enhancer.  When enhancing this area for money, using dark blue as a decorative colour either in a picture or as curtains, cushions or a rug is the most auspicious to encourage long-term financial benefits.

Water features can be table-top decorative ones or fish tanks with small lively fish. The important thing is to ensure the water is Yang and moving rather than Yin and still.  Yang is movement and positive energy and it is important to create lots of Yang energy in the home, Yin is stillness and negative energy and is used to suppress negative vibrations.

When you know your personal Kua number based on your year of birth (see www.abundance-chi.com to calculate your Kua number) you will also have four directions that, when tapped and enhanced, will improve your life.  The most auspicious direction (known as Sheng Chi) can be enhanced for money luck.    How you enhance it will depend on its direction.

As an example the money plant (or jade plant) a succulent plant with rounded leaves can be placed in the East, the Southeast, both Wood areas, and also in the South (Wood feeds Fire in the Five Elements of Feng Shui.)

Next time – N-Numbers

We hope enjoy our blogs and leave any comments below or email: crystal@abundance-chi.com visit: www.abundance-chi-com LynC

JEWELLERY; GEMSTONES and Feng Shui

Jade is highly prized in the Far East and auspicious used in jewellery.  Rings, bracelets, pendants, necklaces and earrings especially in a good quality deep green colour will bring their wearer good luck.  The darker the colour the more auspicious it is.

You can also use jewellery and gemstones to invite health and wealth, love and good fortune.

Wearing amethyst can attract good luck and protect against ill-health.

As the saying goes ‘diamonds are forever,’ they represent among other things, longevity.  They can also bring plenty of admirers into the life of their wearer.

Gemstones are also associated with your day of birth and this is said to bring you the attributes belonging to that day. 

For instance, Monday is also known as ‘Moon Day’ and the gemstone associated with this day is the white pearl.  One attribute associated with the stone is inner beauty.

The emerald is known for the inclusions in its stones and it signifies success and growth.

You can wear gemstones the colour of your four auspicious directions based on your Kua number to invite the aspiration associated with these directions.

Auspicious Directions

Overall Success or ‘Sheng Chi’

Health

Love and Relationships

Personal Development

 The centre is not specified as a ‘direction’ but it does signify the ‘Heart of the Home’ so is both an Earth element which represents stability and solid ground and an important area to positively enhance in any space for the benefit of the entire family.

Each of the Five Elements has a Yin (stillness and quiet) and a Yang (movement and noise) aspect and this is something else to consider when enhancing your living space.

Element	Yang	Yin
WATER	Flowing Water	Still or Stagnant Water
WOOD	Growing Wood	Dead Wood or Furniture
FIRE	Roaring Fire	Dying Embers
EARTH	Crystals, Stones and Pebbles, Sand	Underground Earth
METAL	Moving Metal/Metallic Sounds	Unyielding Hard Metal

In your living areas, the living and dining rooms, the elements benefit from being more Yang than Yin; in your sleeping area, the bedroom, the elements benefit from being more Yin than Yang.

Yang is created with brightness, light, sound and movement; with activity and is in harmony with lively and harmonious living – Yin is darker and quieter and allows your mind, body and spirit to be refreshed and recharged for a new day.

In the practice of Feng Shui, Water relates to a steady stream of income, of your career.  Water should never be used to enhance in the bedroom, this is a major taboo.

Wood signifies health if it is in the East and wealth if it is in the Southeast, Water ‘feeds’ Wood and will enhance these areas, as long as it is Yang Water (moving water.)

Fire brings fame and recognition in your chosen field and this is fed by Wood.

Earth is represented in the Northeast and this is the universal study and education area.  It is also the element of the Southwest and this represents family, love and relationships.  Both of these areas are ‘created’ by Fire, by light.

The West is the area of the family and family harmony and the Northwest represents heaven and mentor luck.  These areas are the Metal areas and they are enhanced by the element of Earth.

To the fulfillment of your dreams

LynC

www.abundance-chi.com

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Visit http://www.abundance-chi.com to discover more about Feng Shui

Dine Auspiciously with Feng Shui

Your dining room is an important area to get right to benefit all members of your family.

Ideally, its best location is in or near the centre of the home ‘the heart of the home, or the Tai Chi.’ This signifies unity and strength in the family when they come together to dine; it invites family harmony.

If your ground floor is an open plan design, are you able to locate the dining area in the centre?  If not, it is better hidden deep inside the home rather than near the front door.   This is not considered to be a public area of your home so is best away from view.

What is the shape of your dining table?  Regular shapes are more auspicious than irregular shapes.  A rectangular table is symbolic of the Wood element, which in turn signifies growth.  A square table is symbolic of the Earth element, which signifies grounding or stability.  Round, oval and eight-sided tables are also auspicious.

The table is best made of wood (growth.)  Some modern dining suites have glass-topped tables and although they may be stylish, glass is a Yin Earth element and not conducive to lively family interaction around the table.  It also gives the impression of having nothing solid to hold the food.

Is the table big enough to comfortably sit all members of the family?  If everyone is huddled together it suggests a feeling of lack.

Your dining chairs are best if they are big enough to sit on comfortably, but not fussy in design.  You can inadvertently create intangible negative Chi Energy by sitting on a stained dining room chair.  

Now your family seating arrangements:  These are best if all members of your family are able to sit facing one of their auspicious directions based on their individual Kua numbers.*  More especially, if they are able to face their Tien Yi (Health) direction.  If they face their Sheng Chi (success) direction it can sometimes have the effect of creating a competitive stance across the dining table, instead of a harmonious one.

A good balance of elements is important in the dining room.  If the décor is too dark the level of conversation at mealtime is likely to be muted or non-existent and if it is too bright, some heated discussions may ensue.

One very auspicious element to incorporate into your dining room design is a large mirror which reflects the table.  This symbolically doubles any food on the table and in the practice of Feng Shui, an abundance of food is considered to be wealth manifested.  (Making the mirror big enough to reflect all members of the family without cutting off their heads will benefit everyone.)

Whatever part of the home houses the dining room it is one area that benefits from incorporating all of the five elements.  The shapes, colours, pictures, lighting and soft furnishings can be pulled together to combine a harmonious feel and create a positive environment to spend time.

A chandelier above the dining table combines the very best of the Earth element (crystals) with the Fire element (light.)

Having a wooden dining table introduces a Yin Wood element while displaying a vase of fresh flowers introduces a Yang Wood element.  China plates, glassware and cutlery combine Earth and Metal and having a soothing Water feature in the room will introduce the Water element.

*To find out how to calculate your Kua number and discover your auspicious and inauspicious directions, visit our website www.abundance-chi.com.

Next time we will look at E - Exterior Feng Shui.


We hope enjoy our blogs and leave any comments below or email: crystal@abundance-chi.com visit: www.abundance-chi-com LynC

A-Z You Have Your Choice

You are invited to choose which aspect of Feng Shui we introduce next time.

Our aim is to acquaint you with as much information as possible and we intend to go through the alphabet to cover as many topics associated with Feng Shui as we can.

Listed below are some suggestions.

What is important to you?  What is it you want to achieve?

You name the topic.

Our first topic will be ‘Aspirations - Auspicious Feng Shui’ unless you suggest one of the alternatives.

Auspicious Feng Shui identifies eight categories of good fortune. It is said to encompass all areas of life necessary to experience a fulfilled and happy existence.  

Here’s a list of A-Z you might like to consider as an alternative.

A       Astrology, Aquarium, Art, Antidotes, Animals

B       Bedroom, Balance, Bathroom, Bright Hall, Blue

C       Colours, Crystals, Cycles (more on the Five Elements), Children

D       Dining Room, Dragon, Design, Desks, Directions

E        Earth, East, Entrances, Exterior

F        Fame, Family, Fire, Flying Stars, Father

G       Gardens, Globes, Good Luck, Gold

H       Health, Harmony, Horse, Heaven Luck

I        Interiors, Illness, Indoors, Inauspicious

J        Jade, Jewellery

K        Kitchen, Kua Number

L        Longevity, Love, Landscape, Lights

M       Money, Mother, Mentor, Mountains

N       North, Noise, Northwest, Northeast, Numbers

O       Office, Orientations, Open Shelving, Offspring

P        Phoenix, Plants, Poison Arrows (Five Elements), Period of Eight

Q       Quartz, Quiet, Quarrels

R        Red, Rectangle, Round, Romance, Rooms

S        South, Southwest, Southeast, Sons, Spring, Sunlight

T        Turtles, Tien Ti Ren, Toilets, Trees

U       Urns, Utility Room

V        Vases, Verandah, Violet

W       Wealth, Water, West, Window, Windchimes

X        Xtremes, Xceptions

Y        Youth, Yellow, Yang, Yin

Z        Zen, Zoo, Zenith

If there is some other aspect of Feng Shui not mentioned you would like to explore, just let us know and we will add it to our list.

We hope enjoy our blogs and leave any comments below or email: crystal@abundance-chi.com visit: www.abundance-chi-com LynC

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