Feng Shui

Form School of Feng Shui-
Configuration of the Landscape:
Form School of Feng Shui utilizes the Celestial Animals, mostly. The positioning was mentioned before; mountain to the north and behind the house, hills on either side of the house, and river flowing in front of the house. This set-up cradles your home in good fortune, wealth, health, and protection.

Towns and Cities:
Hills and mountains can refer to buildings while roads can take the place of rivers. Things to make sure of when Feng Shui-ing a city home are; your main door is not blocked by a large or tall building, taller buildings are behind your home, buildings to the left of your main door when looking out from the inside are higher then the buildings on the right.

Green Dragons, White Tigers, and Cosmic Breath:
Dragons and Tigers(referring to the Celestial Animals) are never found without each other, if one is missing then they both are. Places where one(and thus both) might be missing from are places with jagged mountains or rocks and places with entirely flat ground. To identify the places where both can be found look for these clues; verdant vegetation, gentle and fresh breeze, and a balance of sunlight and shade.

To energize the Celestial Animals you should hang a depiction of a Green Dragon on the East wall of your living room, put Turtles in the North, a red Phoenix in the South, and a White Tiger in the West. You should also have a small hall coming from your main door so that the Chi that enters has a chance to settle and does not immediately disperse.

Good luck can not accumulate where Chi does not settle. To look for a place that has a large build up of Chi, look for the following signs; places where there are slow, meandering rivers will bring Chi and let it settle before moving it along. Places that are bordered by water. Places that are protected against harsh winds. And places where the surrounding hills are not to sharply pointed.

Hills and Water Courses:
These have elemental value to Feng Shui. Each hill type is one of the five elements, and each bend type for a water current is one as well.

Fire hills are conical in shape and metal element people should not be living near such hills, but earth elemental people can. Metal hills are oblong and softly rounded with a broad base and gentle slopes, wood element people should not be living near these while water elemental people should. Wood hills are round and rise straight up with a long body, good for fire elemental people while bad for earth elemental people. Earth hills are square and look like plateaus due to the flat summit, these are excellent for metal elemental people while bad for water elemental people. Water hills are ridged and appear to have several summits(like waves), this is unsuitable for fire elemental people while good for wood elemental people.

Wood water can be seen by a bend that is a soft curve, turning the water ninety degrees to either left or right. Water water will have various bends one after another, not changing the direction or course of the water. Metal water can be seen by a u-bend type turn, sending the water almost in the direction it came from. Fire water is a perfect ninety degree angle, no curves. Earth is like an S, allowing the water to go in the direction it was already going, but also causing it a slight delay. Needless to say, Water water is the most common water.

Inauspicious Shapes:
Shapes that attract ill fortune are triangular, incomplete, and/or irregular. Other unlucky shapes are L or U shaped lands and houses. Shapes that seem to be missing a part or are jutting out are also said to be unbalanced and bring various kinds of misfortune.

Compass School of Feng Shui-
Using Formulas:
A Formula in Feng Shui is a design or pattern used for the Compass School of Feng Shui. The four you will read about here are the four most commonly used, but there are others that you may be able to find online or elsewhere. If you find any, please post them in the Forums here and once they are verified they will be made into a sticky so that others may profit off your knowledge even after people stop posting.

The Kua Numbers Formula:
This formula is used for discovering personalized auspicious and inauspicious directions based on date of birth.

Males calculate the Kua numbers as follows; Take you year of birth and add the last two digits, if the result is ten or higher add the two digits together to make it one digit(example, ten becomes one), now subtract the one digit number from the number ten, and this is your Kua number.

Females calculate the Kua numbers as follows; Take you year of birth and add the last two digits, if the result is ten or higher add the two digits together to make it one digit(example, ten becomes one), add five, if adding five takes it to ten or more then add the two digits together to make it a one digit number. The result is your Kua number.

Male Example: Year of Birth is 1936, 3+6=9, 10-9=1, Kua=1
Female Example: Year of Birth is 1945, 4+5=9, 9+5=14, 1+4=5, Kua=5*
* An important note- There is no 5 in this system, so the female example's number is actually 8 instead. A male who's Kua is 5 would actually be a 2.

Auspicious Directions:
1- North(FW), East(TY), Southeast(SC), and South(NY)
2- Northeast(SC), Southwest(FW), West(TY), and Northwest(NY)
3- North(TY), East(FW), Southeast(NY), South(SC)
4- North(SC), East(NY), Southeast(FW), South(TY)
6- Northeast(TY), Southwest(NY), West(SC), Northwest(NY)
7- Northeast(NY), Southwest(TY), West(FW), Northwest(SC)
8- Northeast(FW), Southwest(SC), West(NY), Northwest(TY)
9- North(NY), East(SC), Southeast(TY), South(FW)
FW = Fu Wei
TY = Tien Yi
NY = Nien Yen
SC = Sheng Chi

Inauspicious Directions:
1- Northeast(WK), Southwest(CM), West(HH), Northwest(LS)
2- North(CM), East(HH), Southeast(WK), South(LS)
3- Northeast(LS), Southwest(HH), West(CM), Northwest(WK)
4- Northeast(CM), Southwest(WK), West(LS), Northwest(HH)
6- North(LS), East(WK), Southeast(HH), South(CM)
7- North(HH), East(CM), Southeast(LS), South(WK)
8- North(WK), East(LS), Southeast(CM), South(HH)
9- Northeast(LS), Southwest(HH), West(WK), Northwest(CM)
HH = Ho Hai
WK = Wu Kwei
CM = Chueh Ming
LS = Lui Sha

Applying the Kua Numbers Formula:
Orientate your main door to face one of your auspicious directions. Work at a desk facing one of your auspicious directions. Sleep with your head pointing at one of your good directions. Eat, negotiate, give lectures, in other words undertake most activities, facing one of your best directions. Try to avoid having to do any of the above facing any of your inauspicious directions.

On a side note, I don't think this formula is quite as serious as some of the other inauspicious scenarios mentioned. I follow an inverted Kua(always facing inauspicious and avoiding auspicious) and I have had no negative results from it.

The Eight Life Aspirations Formula:
This formula is strongly based on the Pa Kua, as the symbols surrounding the Pa Kua are said to be the Eight Life Aspirations or the eight forms of good luck. These include the attainment of wealth and prosperity, happy marriage, respect and honor along with recognition, longevity and good health, good descendants(children), attainment of knowledge and education, support of influential people, and career promotions. This formula states that you should put certain things within the corresponding direction of your household.

Sun - Southeast, Wealth and Prosperity.
Chen - East, Family Relationships and Health.
Ken - Northeast, Education.
Kan - North, Career Prospects.
Chien - Northwest, Helpful People and Mentors.
Tui - West, Children.
Kun - Southwest, Marriage Prospects and Marital Happiness.
Li - South, Recognition and Fame.

Poison Arrows and the Killing Breath-
The Killing Breath:
Negative Energy, or Shar Chi, is an element we are warned against in every form of Feng Shui. Things that give off Shar Chi are often referred to as Poison Arrows, but the arrows are poisonous because they carry Shar Chi to you. No matter how careful you are with Feng Shui directions; if you have the best setting for Celestial Animals, everything is set auspiciously, etc. One Poison Arrow can ruin everything. That is why it is also referred to as the Killing Breath.

Poison Arrows:
A Poison Arrow can be any imposing or hostile structure around. It can be a sharp cliff with the edge pointed at your house, the angle of your roof's edge, the edge of a building, or even a straight road or river. Dead plants can also be considered Poison Arrows as they give off allot of negative energy, burning the plant or turning it into fertilizer(chop it up and bury it in a targeted area) will help that problem.

Dealing with Poisonous Arrows:
Wind Chimes- Are often excellent for countering the ill effects of protrusions from ceilings and structural beams. Metal wind chimes are especially effective when they are hung in the West and Northwest corners of a room.
Plants- Are excellent for shielding and dissolving negativity, especially when placed against corners. As they also symbolize growth, they are perfect Feng Shui when placed in the East corners of rooms.
Screens- Are extremely popular with the Chinese as they are good at blocking energy that is moving to fast. By slowing down the pernicious breath, screens transform harmful energy into auspicious energy.
Drapes- Are very effective when used to block out bad views of threatening structures that create negative energy. Use heavy drapes or chintz curtains. They are effective in any corner of the home, but select colors according to the elements of the corners. Use red for South, dark blue for North, green for East, and white for West.
Mirrors- Are powerful Feng Shui tools because their reflective quality has the effect of sending negativity back to where it came from. Mirrors also widen narrow, cramped corners and extend walls to make up for missing corners. However, they should be used carefully. They must not reflect the main door, nor should they reflect toilets. Mirrors are auspicious in dining rooms, but should not reflect the bed of the master bedroom.
Lights- Are powerful antidotes for all kinds of Feng Shui problems. They are especially good when used to dissolve the negativity of sharp edges and protruding corners, particularly when placed in the South corners of rooms. Angular lamps(the lamps with zig-zag bases) are not as efficient as others.

Feng Shui Tips for Interiors-
Housing:
Toilets and bathrooms should not be located in the norther corner of the home, as it flushes away the career opportunities and promotions that enter. Staircases should ideally be curved and winding. Spiral staircases resemble a corkscrew and are harmless when placed in a corner, but deadly when placed in the center of a room or the middle of a home. Rooms should be regular in shape with kitchens and dining centers located in the back half of the home. Dining rooms should be higher then living rooms if the elevation levels are at all split. The ideal arrangement of rooms will encourage Chi to move smoothly through your home.

Residential Room Layouts:
Main door should open outward(into your home) into an empty space, termed "The Bright Hall," where Chi can settle and accumulate.

Main Door Taboos:
The main door should never open into a cramped hall. Install a bright light if the space is to narrow. The main door should never open directly into a stair case, place a screen in between or curve the bottom of the stairs. There should not be a toilet to close to the main door, this causes Chi to become sour.

Office Feng Shui:
All protruding corners should be camouflaged with plants. Avoid sitting directly below an overhead beam. If a window opens to the view of a sharp, keep it permanently closed. Do not sit directly facing open book shelves.

Sitting Directions:
Do not sit with your back to a door or window, this causes a lack of support and an abundance of betrayal. You should try to sit facing one of your auspicious directions, but not if this means you have your back to a door, window, or poison arrow.

Arranging Furniture:
Television or radio should be in the West or Northwest of a room. Fireplace should be in the Northeast, Southwest, or South. The sofa and armchairs should be arranged in the shape of the Pa Kua. Beds should not be right next to doors, rather they should be with the head resting against one of the other walls that do not have doors on them. You should not have mirrors directly pointed at your bed.

Bedrooms:
Bedrooms should be quiet with Yin energy more then Yang. To much Yang can disrupt the Yin required for a good night's sleep.

Feng Shui Tips for Exteriors-
Channeling Vibrant Earth Energies:
One of the best ways to channel vibrant Earth energy into a home is to introduce Feng Shui features to a garden. If the garden is in the South, add a light. Add a fountain if it is in the North. Build a low brick wall if it is in the Northwest or Northeast. You can add all the features, but remember to add them specifically to that side of the garden, such as a fountain to the North corner and a light in the South corner while a low brick wall covers the Northeast and Northwest corners.

Longevity and Good Health with The Turtle:
Another good tip for the outdoors is to introduce the symbol of longevity in the form of the celestial turtle. Placed in the North part of your garden, real turtles bring exceptionally good luck, but a ceramic model will do a good job too. The turtle is symbolic of heavenly luck in the form of good health, protection, and support.

Balance is Everything:
Do not expect overnight success. Be patient and make subtle adjustments when necessary. If you harness and channel Earth energy in your home and environment, good fortune will follow. Remember Yin and Yang, balance is everything.

Awesome!!!! You put a lot of work into this post. I've been learning Feng Shui to help the energy around my house. So far my husband and I have only done our room but I hope we can do an entire house soon.

I need to redo some parts of this house. I'm glad this was helpful to you.

Very interesting. I had no Idea there was such a thing as Feng Shui. Now I know even more as to what house to buy hahah!

thank you for the info Ragnorok

Excellent teachings Ragnorok Thank you!!

Ragnorok, I really enjoyed reading this. I found a site that has alot of articles on Feng Shui I wanted to share with everyone.
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