Feng Shui - Chi - Energy

A good Feng Shui is synonymous with good sitting, structure, flow, and most importantly of all, harmony and balance. Feng Shui takes the concepts of successful architecture and interior design, and enriches them with a special quality that is based on an adherence to three interlinked and universal principles. The first principle deals with Chi, an energy that creates and permeates everything in the universe. The second principle is the balancing of the complementary forces of Yin and Yang. The third principle is the theory of the five elements.

Chi is prana to the indus, spiritus to Catholics, neuma to the Greeks, ruah to the 

Hebrews. This life force energy is carried by currents of Feng (wind) and Shui (water). Rain, snow hurricanes, tornadoes and sunlight bring Chi to the earth from the cosmos, while the earth releases it in the form of wave action, natural springs, geiysers, volcanoes and eqarth quakes. The earth gives signals about its supply of Chi. 

If vegetation is lush, the surface has abundant Chi; where the land is dry and cracked, Chi resides deep within the earth and is harder to access.

                                               

Chi is an energy which animates the cosmos - it is the stuff of the universe. In Chinese belief, the universe consists of an environment of energy which envelopes and permeates everything within it, from the tiniest sub-atomic particle to the vastest galaxy - everything in existence is generated, perpetuated and linked by Chi.

In good Feng Shui, the Chi in our environment should be balanced and encouraged to flow freely and effortlessly, like fresh air. A lot of Feng Shui is concerned with ensuring that Chi does not get stuck, stagnant, depleted or too concentrated.

Most Chi enters and leaves rooms through doors and windows (even when closed). Imagine how air flows around your home, or how water would move, if it were to flow through your house. This gives you some idea about how Chi flows, where it gets stuck and where it doesn't easily reach. 'Difficult' spots are narrow corridors, awkward corners, areas where you have to squeeze past furniture and other nooks and crannies - maybe the parts of your home that get cleaned least often. Rearranging your furniture and personal affects is the key to changing the flow of Chi in your home. Look around your home and decide where you need Chi enhanced or inhibited.

We can enhance Chi by                               We can inhibit Chi by

pathways                                                         walls

windows                                                          closed doors

open space                                                     clutter

light                                                                 dark

comfortable temperatures                                extremes of heat or cold

circles, curves & undulating lines                   corners, triangles

wind-sensitive objects                                     straight lines

bubbling water                                                 lack of movement

To experience Chi, try this simple exercise to feel the Chi in your own body -Rub your palms together vigorously for 15 seconds. Relax and place your hands with palms facing, 6 inches apart, at navel level, 6 inches away from your body. You will feel a faint 'magnetic pull' and maybe heat or cold between your palms. Play with this energy by slowly moving your palms closer and further apart.

Chi is like air and when it meets water, instead of blowing away, the water holds it. If the water has a gentle flow, it will embrace, or hold the Chi, but if it moves too fast, the Chi is flushed away and dispersed.

Since water is also associated with emotions, favourable Water Feng Shui can provide us with inspiration and tranquility. The river may meanders along for long distances and consists of endless soft curves, like a long serpent, distributing the beneficial Chi along every inch. At such a place we feel inspired, uplifted and at peace, the result of the water's energy being absorbed by the Earth and transmitted to those fortunate enough to be sitting there.

Water is also evaluated by it's shape, which determines what additional element is attached to the water. Some may find it odd, that water could be assigned another of the 5 Elements, or 5 Phases, but since Form School focusses on shape and form, this is quite logical. Not all Water is the same and we therefore need a system to differentiate one type of water, from another and this is why we consider it's "shape".

Many martial arts and health systems, such as acupuncture, are based on the manipulation of the Chi within our bodies.

Feng Shui - Chakra & Aura

Feng Shui is the balanced flow of Chi which is classified as yang and yin.  The universe is a balance of these complementary yet opposing forces, each having their own attributes and magnetic fields of energy, but neither can exist alone. Yang can be briefly described as active and yin as passive. The easiest energies to recognize are sun, water and wind. The colours are the physical manifestations of sun energy discussed earlier.

Regulation of light helps greatly in achieving the Chi (energy) balance. Care is taken to protect areas against stagnation (dark corners or areas devoid of circulation of air) as well as curbing fast moving Chi.

Central part of the area should be allowed the free movement of Chi.  Entrance, hallways and corridors are to be kept lighted in the same way. Remedying the imbalance by prescribing changes that are pleasant, agreeable and fits well in the overall arrangement have been found effective for home-office, offices and factories.

Yang energy objects are crystals, wind chimes, mirrors, mobiles, flowers, wall clocks, computer, light fixtures and electrical gadgets including TV and AC. Generally speaking, the rest areas, like bedrooms should be yin energy oriented i.e. soft light.  Activity areas like drawing and dining are required to be yang energy oriented i.e. bright light. Light lamps giving direct, indirect and diffused light are used for different areas. Dimmer switch lights come handy in changing the Chi level as per its use at any given time. While adding artificial light, be careful to avoid glare.

Chi flows through the human body along the energy lines known as meridians and concentrated on seven energy centres or chakras.

1.     Crown chakra is located at the top of the head controls our destiny and our brain and it can be energized by purple colour. 2.     Brow chakra relates to inuition and insight and relates well with indigo colour. 3.     Throat chakra relates to creativity and goes well with blue colour. 4.     Heart chakra receive positive vibration from green colour, promoting love and being well physically and emotionally. 5.     Solar plexus or will chakra is identified with yellow colour, controlling health of liver related organs as well as attributes like intellect and will.  6.     Social chakra, below the navel deals with lower intestines and lower back and resonates well with orange colour. 7.       Survival charka controlling genitals and lower parts of the body. It relates to money and can be energised by colour red.

 

Most importantly, like every object, our personal Chi (aura) is not confined to the body but extends 12 inches or even more outside the body, and varies from person to person. 

Energising the chakras using meditation and relaxation techniques helps greatly in expansion of aura. 

Feng Shui regulates Chi in harmony with nature through achieving balance of Yang and yin, and increases the limit of the personal aura.

Radiation of Chi from Objects:

Secret Poison Arrows:

When the unobstructed Chi moves in an straight line from a pointed structure i.e. 90 degrees or less, it is negative energy or Chi and causes immense harm.  Basically, anything sharp, angled or pointed or straight, contain secret poison arroas, and when directed at your front door, they cause misfortune, ill-health, loss of opportunities, severe difficulties in business, quarrels, a continuous series of problems, loss of money and what not.

Be defensive, protect your main door and your building from such secret poison arrows.

Vaastu Lession Two : MAGNETIC COMPASS IS THE ONLY INSTRUMENT TO FIND DIRECTIONS ANY TIME ANYWHERE

MAGNETIC COMPASS

Before the development of sophisticated electronic and sound detection systems, navigators calculated directions from objects in the sky the sun, the North Star, and the moon. A much more reliable guide for finding direction is a magnetic compass, which works at all times and in most places. When a piece of magnetized iron is placed on a splinter of wood and floated in a bowl of water, the wood will swing until the iron is pointing north and south. Any other direction then can be found.

In China and Europe the magnetized iron found in the lodestone, a naturally occurring magnetic ore, was used to make a floating compass in the 12th century. Soon afterward it was discovered that an iron or steel needle touched long enough by a lodestone also had the tendency to align itself in a north-south direction. A small pocket compass works on the same principle as the first crude compass: instead of a lodestone and a wood splinter, it has a magnetized needle that swings on a pivot to indicate north. Larger compasses have two or more parallel needles attached to the underside of a disk called a compass card.

The compass works because the Earth itself is a huge magnet. Its magnetic poles are oval areas about 1,300 miles (2,100 kilometers) from the geographic North and South poles. Irregular lines of force connect the magnetic poles, and the compass needle simply aligns itself with these lines of force.

In a few places, where lines of force happen to lie along meridians (that is, where magnetic north and true north coincide), the compass points to true north. Near the magnetic pole the magnetic compass is useless because there the lines of force are vertical straight down into the Earth. In other areas iron ore deposits affect the compass's accuracy. Generally, however, the magnetic compass points a little east or west of true north.

The angle between true north and magnetic north is called variation or declination.  Magnetic north is along the oval shape, whereas the true north is the geographical top of earth.

A compass dial or card usually has direction pointers consisting of 32 points.

1.       The four principle, or cardinal, points are north, east, south, and west. They are marked N, E, S, and W.

2.       Between these lie the intercardinal points, such as northeast (NE), northwest (NW), southeast (SE) and southwest (SW).

3.       Further division gives such points as north-northeast (NNE). A final division is by points, such as north by east (N by E).

4.       Naming all the points of a compass in their order is called boxing the compass.

Surveyors, navigators, and similar technicians need more exact directions they use degrees.

The compass Dial or Card has 360 degrees marked on it.

North is 000° (or 360°);

East, 090°;

South, 180°; and

West, 270".

In an effort to develop a navigational instrument whose accuracy would be unaffected by stray magnetic fields, the gyrocompass, which does not use magnetism, was developed. Gyrocompasses are often used in modern navigation systems because they can be set to point to true north rather than to magnetic north. Today large ships carry both magnetic compasses and gyrocompasses. Special compasses have also been developed for airplanes and other most advances space age equipments.

Magnetic Anomalies

Magnetic anomalies may be caused by the following reasons:

1.       Reading while sitting in a car or other vehicle having steel components

2.       Near a radio equipment

3.       Near magnetic ores

4.       Near or under high electric wires

5.       Readings in great depths

6.       Disturbances on the surface of Sun i.e. solar flares or such other reason which are rare and certain duration.

Sun Rise is always shifting and so is not very reliable to find direction instantly.

Parameters of Earth and relationship with Sun:

Earth Diameter at Equator                  : 12,756 km.

Earth Diameter at Polar Region         : 12,714 km.

Earth's Rotation period round its axis

(From West to East)               : 23 hrs 56 Mts & 4.091 Secs

Earth's distance from Sun                  : 149,597,900 kms.

Earth's speed of orbit round the Sun  : 107,220 kms per hour.

Earth's rotation time round the Sun    : 365 days 5 hrs 48 mts & 45.51 sec

On June 22 every year the Sun shines vertically on the Tropics of Cancer and this date is termed as summer solstice for Northern Hemisphere and winter solstice for the Southern Hemisphere. Likewise, on December 22, the Sun shines vertically on the Tropics of Capricorn.

On March 21 (called vernal equinox) and September 23 (called autumnal equinox) every year the Sun shines directly on the Equator when day and night are almost equal throughout the world.

Tropics of Cancer which is 23.5 degrees north of equator and tropics and Capricorn which is 23.5 degrees south of equator, thus encloses the hottest zone of the earth called the torrid zone.

Feng Shui : Celestial Animals Ideal Site - Trees & Plants

In selecting an ideal site as per Feng Shui, the correct balance of the natural potency has to be ensured.  This potency or power is linked to the symbolic nature of the four celestial animals; dragon, tiger, turtle and the phoenix. This potency is in relation with the topography of the plot of land i.e. surrounding structures and shape of adjacent land. Dragon, the most powerful, relates to the east and represent abundance and prosperity. 

Green Dragon

The dragon is the most potent symbol in Chinese tradition representing undulating mountain ranges in the east of the home. They are the ultimate symbol of good luck, bringing prosperity and abundance. It is regarded as a male symbol and, as such its energy is wholly yang. Its colour is dark green. It is linked with the spring season.

White Tiger

Second to dragon comes the tiger for its strength, representing lower and more rounded than dragon hills on the west of the home. It helps achieve perfect harmony.  Tiger is male and relates to yin. Symbolic colour is white. It relates to autumn season.

Black Turtle

The third celestial animal is turtle symbolic of support, stability and longevity, representing lower, rounded hills, shed like the back of the turtle in the north of the home.  It is linked with the winter season and the colour is black.

The Red Phoenix

The Phoenix is the last of the four celestial animals new creature rising from its own ashes is a potent symbol of opportunity, grasping and making the best of circumstances which arise. It represents low hillocks in the south of the home. Red colour as that of fire is its colour too. Required to be in the south of the home, it relates to summer season.

For achieving auspicious luck in acquiring an ideal site, once again, the correct balance of the stated potency/power has to be ensured. In contemporary context, looking out from the main door, the left may have taller trees and buildings on your left, some higher ones behind, and some small ones on the right.  The front of the house should have more open space, preferably, water meandering past the building in an arc in the front.

Feng Shui is based upon symbolism expressed through colours, shapes and images of various representative factors in consonance with the expressed desires or priorities of the follower. Use of birth date is also one of the determinants of the predominant element of a person.  The energies are optimised for the benefit of the occupant based upon the elements of the members of the family or the owners of an organisation.  The treatment can be easily changed according to the changing priorities of the occupant as and when required.

Trees, bushes, and thick plantings surrounding a property can also help shore up or accumulate energy which would otherwise flow away. Planting a hedge or even positioning a row of potted plants can help keep the energy on the property and close to the occupants. This can improve both health and finances. An old-age Feng Shui belief is that a house with a severe slope behind it will be a difficult house to conceive sons in.  Immediate remedy for this is to create a buffer of trees and plants right behind your house, or alternatively, raise your boundary wall and plant trees inside in the backyard.

Large, tall trees behind or in front of a property can become Feng Shuivirtual mountains if they are substantially taller than the structure. Some houses and buildings specifically benefit from having a real or virtual mountain on one side of the house, so the tall trees can act as a substitute for a real mountain or hill. If the tree casts so much shade that an area inside or outside the house is chronically dark, then a good trimming is in order. If the tree is buckling pavement and threatening to damage the property foundation, then you have problems which supersede Feng Shui theory - or create other Feng Shui problems which are much worse - like a cracked foundation or strangled plumbing. Dead or dying plants should be removed as quickly as possible. Plant with sharp leaves are considered "poison arrows" by Feng Shui.

An odd-shaped plot can be partially remedied or squared out with proper landscaping. When it is difficult to grow healthy greenery on your property, it may be an indication that the energy in the ground is lacking healthful energies.

An Introduction to Feng Shui

Fu Xi - The First Feng Shui Master

The origins of feng shui lay deep in ancient Chinese history, with the mythical character of Fu Xi. He was the first to search for the secrets of life and he was convinced that everything was governed by a universal law of existence. He devoted all his time in an effort to discover the secret and it’s said that he observed everything, from plants and animals to the mountains the valleys and even the sky above.

According to a legend, Fu Xi was once meditating by the Li River, a Dragon Horse leapt out of the water. Fu Xi had never seen a creature like this before and he noticed that it had strange markings on it’s back which he drew in the sand, so that he could study them. He noticed that the patterns on the shell of the turtle were arranged in groups of numbers which created the Lo Shu, a magic square - a square in which all the numbers add up to fifteen in any direction.

Gradually he began to realise that this was a clue to what he had been looking for and that these markings represented a key, in understanding the laws of nature and this became known as the Yellow River map. Fu Xi then devised the 8 trigrams, which later were used to create the 64 Hexagrams of the I Ching. The antiquity of this Chinese classic, illustrates just how far back the origins of feng shui can be traced, because the I Ching is one of the most ancient Chinese classics that has survived. The 8 trigrams form an integral part of feng shui and they are shown in the chart below (now known earlier heaven arrangement).

It was Fu Xi’s love of observation that enabled him to realise that everything in nature, including the mountains, the valleys and everything that lived in them, were subjected to a type of change. The trigrams that Fu Xi is said to have devised, are believed to contain the secrets, of all the various cycles of change that take place, even that of the fortunes of man. Fu Xi studied Chi, or Qi now known as the breath of the Cosmic Dragon, the very substance of life and he realised that although Chi could not be seen, it was predictable.

The Luo Map

After the legendary Fu Xi, legends report another mythical character known as the Yu the Great. This story speaks of a giant tortoise that also had strange markings on it’s back and this became known as the Luo Map. This is the basis of what is known as the Later Heaven Arrangement, the so called “magic square” although at first glance, it may not look like it. South, at the top, is represented by 9 white circles, North at the bottom is represented by 1 white circle. In the centre, there are 5 white circles, in the East, 3 white circles and in the West 7 white circles. The rest represent the other directions, North West, South East, North East and North West.

When we look at this “map“ with the numbers and trigrams inserted into the magic square, we can now see what is known as the Later Heaven Arrangement. This is used extensively in feng shui and some of the more popular formats of Feng Shui that have been featured in the press, consist of nothing more than inserting things like the wealth corner, or the helpful people corner into each of the 9 squares. This has been called “The 8 Aspirations” and it has become very popular, but in reality, this cannot be described as proper feng shui.

The reason why this arrangement is such a fundamental part of feng shui, is because it forms the basis of a traditional style known as Flying Star Feng Shui. This is often known as the Compass School and it is the style that is favoured by the vast majority of traditional Chinese Masters.

To use this chart in a static form, is completely against all the principles of feng shui, since one of the fundamental aspects is that it is considered to be changing all the time. This is emphasised by the fact that these numbers are said to move in a regulated pattern and this arrangement forms merely the first step when making the necessary calculations. Anything else, cannot really be defined as “Compass School”, at least not a creditable style.

Form School - The Birth of Feng Shui

Form School Feng Shui began life in the South of China, in an area of outstanding beauty, containing many dramatic landscape features, a very fitting place for the home of Dragons and Tigers. Although feng shui began life as an art of observation, it was soon realised that directions were an important factor. The Emperor’s Palace was always situated facing the South and in the early days, perfect feng shui was a south facing horse shoe site, with mountains on 3 sides.

This led to the 4 Celestial Animals, the Dragon in the East, the Tortoise in the North, the Tiger in the West and the Red Bird in the South. In Form School Feng Shui, the shapes and contours of the landscape surrounding the site are evaluated and although many of the principles remain a fundamental part of feng shui, there are in essence, very few Form School Masters left. The compass school’s that were started in a different area of China have become the popular choice among professionals, the vast majority of whom live and work in urban areas.

Classical Feng Shui requires serious study and involves the study of Form School and Compass School. The fundamental tools include the Luo Pan Compass and a complete understanding of the principles of Yin and Yang and the 5 Phases, or as they are commonly referred to as, the 5 Elements.

The ancient Chinese skill for creating a better living environment called Feng Shui (pronounced as Fung Shway). Here “Feng” means wind and “Shui” means water. These are the basic elements for living which are continually moving and flowing. Once they do not flow they become stagnant, creating negative Chi (energy). Living in  an area with adverse or stagnant flow of energy affects adversely the health as well as luck, in the present and future. Feng Shui has a long history, well over 2000 years old. Originally it was  used by the emperors of China, highest officials and the wealthy to ensure their future. Today, Feng Shui is more commonly used by corporations and private individuals, across the world.

Feng Shui not only deals with the internal environment but the external. If the external environment is very bad, then anything done internally will not have a lasting effect. However,  there are remedies to alter or block negative Chi and enhance the positive Chi. The external survey includes likely problems from surrounding buildings, motorway, flyover or other. Good Feng Shui in both business and home can improve or help your health, career, prosperity and family harmony.

            Feng Shui teaches us how to create harmony and balance around us. This means that if we pay attention to our environment then we will find ways of creating different realities in our lives. Feng Shui is an expression of the oneness and interconnectedness of all things on all levels and all dimensions.

People usually do not like change but Feng Shui has been inducted by many in their day-to-day life having applied and experienced its exciting results. It could be said very simply that Feng Shui is the art and science of capturing chi with water and moving it with wind. As we delve a little deeper into Feng Shui we can see the oneness and interconnectedness of all things at all levels and in all dimensions.  With a discerning eye, we can see if our entrance is welcoming us being open and light, or otherwise it is constricted and dark.  It may be because of dark colours and not balanced by complementary light.

We continue to identify the electronic pollution emanating from the electric power line and transformer just outside the wall and it makes us feel somewhat irritated. By now we have become conscious of the quality of the air, and additionally assess the atmosphere as to whether there are happy events or disharmonious events in the recent past. This awareness or vibration is intuitive and some of it comes from some training. Feng Shui gives us clear distinctions to determine the causes of these energies and to arrange the environment in more harmonious ways.

Form School & Feng Shui

            Form School is also called Landscape Feng Shui also. Form School of Feng Shui is basic and its principles are applicable universally for all other Schools of Thought of Feng Shui.      

The shapes and contours of the land reveal the movements of the Celestial Dragon and this most ancient style of feng shui, uses these to identify sites which contain the most benficial Qi, (Chi) or as it is often called, The Cosmic Dragon's Breath.

In the popular press, feng shui is depicted as some thing which places an emphasis on the inside of the home, or building, but the outside environment is even more important and the location of the premises is a fundamental part of the evaluation.

Although the vast majority of traditional masters practice some form of Flying Star Feng Shui, which can be said to belong to the Compass School, the study of shape and form and the contours of the landscape are always taken into account. In many ways, this demonstrates the view held by many Masters which states that Form School always takes precedence.

In rural areas which contain hills, valleys, streams, rivers, forests and other natural features, the site on which the building, house or burial ground is located, is evaluated by it's location and position within these natural features.

The classic case that is usually given for a site with "good feng shui", is the horse shoe arrangement, which offers protection on 3 sides, while providing an open space at the front, which was south facing.

According to one theory, it is necessary to imagine a Dragon walk swishing its tail from left to right in order to help propel itself forward. As the Dragon moves, its tail leaves two marks on the landscape, one which faces to where the tail swishes Chi towards the Dragon's belly and the other, where the Chi is pushed away from its body. The two movements, like the DNA's double helix, are completely different energy patterns. The movement of Chi towards the Dragon is beneficial, while the movement of Chi being pushed away from the Dragon, is considered to be destructive.

This is in keeping with the principles of Yin and Yang and when the Earth moved and folded, to create mountains and valleys, this was caused by similar, opposite movements, reflecting the parallel with Feng Shui principles.

Identifying the movement of the Dragon is a traditional skill and this plays an important part of Form School evaluation. This focuses on locating the Dragon and then determining the Dragon's Den and the Dragon's Veins, in order to locate the most beneficial site.

The ancient Chinese observed that the Dragon's energy is dispersed by the wind (feng) and when it meets water (shui), it is absorbed and carried along with the flow. The landscape represents the Dragon, the Mountain is the Dragon's body, the Water is the Dragon's veins and the Valleys and Plains represent the Dragon's Den.

Although Form School was developed in an area of China renowned for its dramatic landcape, it soon began to be applied all over China, including towns and cities. Buildings were considered to be Mountains and Hills, while roads were seen as Water.

Vaastu Lession One : Vaastu – Introduction

Foreword

Vaastu is the science of architecture dating back to the ancient times of Vedas, which was an integral part of Jyotisha.  Vaastu is a practical science of optimism, helping all to achieve success in all fields such as education, home and business.

Vaastu principles are more or less common all over India from times immemorial as a cultural entity.  "Manasara" is a comprehensive treatise on architecture and iconography.  According to Mr.P.K.Acharya, the editor of the work, it is considered to be a "source of all presentations of architecture in Purana and Agama. This work in 8 volumes was first published in August 1933 in English under patronage of the British office. This being monumental can be considered a “work of reference” for purposes of research.

"Mayamata" is another excellent work on housing architecture and iconography. This is important to begin with for purposes of profession. Also it can be useful as a springboard for research on the subject. "Vaastusutra Upanisad" is a unique work on the form of Sacred Art.  “Brihat Samhita” an excellent work on Jyotisha contains chapters exclusively dealing with residential and temple architecture.

The word Vaastu is derived from the word vasu (earth), the earth being the principal vaastu, all the buildings situated on the earth are also vaastu. Vaastu gives much importance to Sun's movements in the heavens. According to one sutra, a house constructed with any dosas well result in suffering to the builder and the owner.  Test of the soil, shape of the plot and construction methods are all required to be according to Vaastu.

Common wall for two buildings is not permitted under vaastu. Only new wood usage is permitted in construction of a new building. Brihat Samhita recommends water tanks to have their eastern and western sides longer than the southern and northern sides.

Manasara opines that when the merits are more than demerits, there is no defect in it; but if the demerit is more than the merit, it would be all defective.  Manasara also enjoins that mere speculations with regard to alterations of a house should not be entertained, for a house when completed and constructed is an organic whole and must not be mutilated on any account.

Finally, Vaastu Shastra is a great science of architecture founded by our sages for a contended society at large. Notably, pyramids, mirrors, yantras are not part of vaastu, however, they may aid in achieving our goal of greater health, wealth and prosperity.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011

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