A very frequent question I get asked, especially by people who have done some reading about Feng Shui is “why is Feng Shui so confusing”? When I ask for clarification as to why they think it is confusing I am told, “I’ve now read three Feng Shui books and each of them gives me different suggestions on where to place things and the value of my front door location to say nothing about my best direction numbers. The more I read, the more confused I get.”
I re-assure all of my clients, students and readers that Feng Shui is a very vast subject that is like a learned art form or science. The thing that is so very confusing about Feng Shui is that there are a number of schools of thought and philosophies and unless you recognize that right in the beginning, reading several books on the subject can indeed be very confusing. Your reading may become so confusing in fact that you might even give up reading and studying instead of wading through the different forms of teachings until you are comfortable with the one you want to use.
Basically there are four major schools of thought in the field of Feng Shui. The original teachings known as the Form School are well over 3000 years old and originated in China. This type of Feng Shui relied primarily on the shape of the surroundings such as mountains to the north, lower hills and trees to the east and west plus valleys or water to the south. Homes were built with no or a small number of windows and doors on the back side which faced the mountains to the north. The Chinese quickly learned that their families prospered and were much healthier when protected from the harsh winter storms and winds.
The Compass School followed in short order taking the Form School a step further. It uses the primary directions of the compass in conjunction with the Form School knowledge already in use. In other words, north became known as a time of introspect, work, career and spiritual growth because the harsh winter weather required the people to stay indoors and work within. South became known as good fortune or good luck because the warmth of the sun would not only warm their houses but help grow crops and nurture their lives. Because the sun always rises in the east, that direction represented giving birth to a new day, a new life, improved health, even new business and growth. On the other hand, west where the sun sets represented a time of creativity at the end of the day and the metal gold, the radiating color in a sunset.
The third form is the Black Hat Sect or the Western School. Basically this takes all of the significant features of the Compass School teachings but removes the directional importance. Instead it states that where ever your front door is located, that area becomes your career area and the remainder of the areas of your home flow clockwise from the front door in the same pattern as in the Compass School but not using the specific direction location. This is one of the reasons it is so confusing when you are reading books based on the different schools being taught. This school uses the information from the Compass School but believes the directions of the compass are not relevant.
The fourth school of training is the Flying Star or 9 Ki School. This school would be similar to astrology. It uses a grid system of nine numbers in a square. Your energy number is based on your date of birth. The location it resides is always considered your predominant location and your birth number. Then each month it moves to a new square with a new relevance. The squares also represent the directions of the Compass School but because your number is in a new location every 30 days or so it can be a challenge to determine just when and where your best energy is at any given month without extensive charts.
Feng Shui is all about the use of positive energy to bring about desired results, not just the placement of “things”. If you love to read books on the subject but want to end some of the mass confusion, determine which school the book is recommending before you purchase or read it. You will be much happier and love the positive energy results from your reading because you’ve simplified the process.
Feng Shui is a wonderful science or lifestyle based on improving your life through positive energy. Once you understand that there are basic differences in the various Schools being taught it will become much easier to understand and use. The important thing is to use it and allow that wonderful new positive energy into your life and surroundings so you can find balance and peace within.
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© Pat Heydlauff, All Rights Reserved
Pat Heydlauff, president of Energy Design, uses Feng Shui design principles to eliminate chaos and stress at home and within oneself. More than a Feng Shui expert, Pat is a consultant and speaker who helps remove clutter and negativity while encouraging personal growth, improved relationships and prosperity. Her new book, “Feng Shui: So Easy a Child Can Do It,” shows how to achieve a better tomorrow. For information on her consulting, speaking and artwork, call: 561-408-2708.