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FENG SHUI BASIC COURSE

This course is for you,

• •

If you feel that there is scope to improving your home or office and to creating a more harmonious life there; If want to get a foundation in authentic Feng Shui.

It will also give you the ability to gather the Feng Shui data of your building, if you’d like to benefit from a professional Feng Shui analysis without having to have a consultant come to your home or office.

In this course you will learn

• • •

Vital Feng Shui principles, the lingo and the way of Feng Shui thinking; How to enhance various types of positive energy and how to reduce different negative potentials; The basic steps of working out of how to apply Feng Shui to your individual building.

You will learn how to use the general working principles, which are the foundation for good Feng Shui. You will also learn to think creatively with the solutions of an individualised analysis of your building.

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What you won’t learn Optimum Feng Shui requires specific tailor made solutions for each individual building. These are based on advanced Feng Shui formulas and even more so, on their interpretation by a trained and experienced Feng Shui practitioner. To perform this level Feng Shui requires intensive and in depth study. It takes years to master. You won’t become a professional practitioner studying this small course, but you will get a good basic knowledge. After this course you will have the choice as to whether to proceed with a professional Feng Shui career; or to use your collected data to employ a remote professional Feng Shui analysis.

How to Study Have you ever given up something you really wanted to learn, got tired of it or confused? One reason for this is reading or studying past a word you did not fully understand. Whatever you study after having gone past a word you don't understand becomes a bit hazy; you are less bright at that moment and may feel blank. To get the most out of this course, make sure you do not go past any word you don't understand. I have included a glossary of the Feng Shui terms. For English words, please refer to a good dictionary.

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SOME BASICS FIRST What is what isn’t Feng Shui If you look around popular books and read about Feng Shui you are likely to come across conflicting information. To get an understanding of the different approaches to Feng Shui and to find out what is commonly considered Feng Shui, but is actually far from it, please download and read my two FREE e-books: 1. How to choose a system of Feng Shui that works, and 2. 7 Things That Are Called Feng Shui But Are Actually Not

Layers of Feng Shui Feng Shui is like a multi-layered onion; each layer comprising a different set of systematic principles. The layers are the external and internal features; the usage of the building and each of its areas; the compatibility of the building with its occupants; its layout; the intangible qi in each area, the colour scheme, furniture placement, etc. When these layers are finetuned with each other, particularly if the physical features go with the invisible energies, a home or work space feels great and people are sustained in their activities. However, there is no perfect building. Feng Shui is not black and white. Feng Shui is the art of developing the best possible solution through the systematic application of the range of Feng Shui principles, within the constraints of a building or site.

The Purpose of Feng Shui We live ‘between Heaven and Earth’. We have to power to arrange and change the physical universe. Feng Shui gives us the means to synchronise the physical with the spiritual. Feng Shui makes life in the material environment easier by creating more agreement and harmony.

The scope of Feng Shui Feng Shui creates a favourable environment that aligns with your activities. Life is easier if you don’t have to battle against environmental influences. But Feng Shui does not do the living for you. It is your thoughts and actions that are instrumental in creating success or failure. You are the key in this. You influence and create your environment, and you also create your life experiences through the choices and attitudes you have towards it.

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The scope of this course Every building is completely unique. Its unique energy pattern is established by applying advanced Feng Shui formulas that are based the exact compass orientation of the building and its construction period. There are 144 such patterns possible. Furthermore, these interact differently with different layouts and usages in each building. So, the actual possibilities are endless. For outstanding Feng Shui results, a building’s energy pattern needs to be interpreted dynamically. This requires professional training and experience. In this course you will get a Feng Shui foundation on which you can base further study. You will learn how to work with different types of energy and how to gather data about your building. You will learn to think with Feng Shui.

Qi (chi) - what is it? Feng Shui literally means 'wind and water'. Traditionally a house site was considered fortunate if it was sheltered from the attack of strong winds and rough waters; and if a gentle breeze and beautiful water enhanced the building. "Qi rides the wind and is dispersed, but it is retained when it encounters water". This is a famous quote from the Burial Book, one of the earliest Feng Shui accounts. Qi is what we work with in Feng Shui. It is not easily translated into English: It exists in the form of matter or energy or both simultaneously. But it is more than that and also embraces life energy or spirit, as well as what we call luck. You can get a sense of it when you get a particular 'feel' of a place or when standing near the ocean and feeling its life. You could call it the different manifestations of life force that exists around us.

Two types of Qi Feng Shui considers two basic types of qi: the first one supports people, their health and relationships. This type of qi is dispersed by wind and needs to be retained by a solid wall, building or mountain. It is called the 'mountain qi' or YIN qi. Inside, people are positioned so they are supported by a good mountain qi at their desks and in their bedroom. The other type of qi supports wealth and prosperity by bringing radiant qi into a building. This type of qi is carried by the wind and retained by water. It is called the 'water qi' or YANG qi. With good Feng Shui, doors and pathways are placed so that they carry the most radiant water qi into the building; workspaces are chosen that can tap into its influence.

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FENG SHUI FUNDAMENTALS

Beauty Before examining an energy pattern, you need to observe whether a site, a building or a room is beautiful. Beautiful uncluttered surroundings have a positive effect on you. You can function well there. Ugly, cluttered or noisy surroundings have a negative effect on you. Even the best Feng Shui improvements will not go very far if your house is next to an ugly junkyard or if your home drowns in piles of paper, dirt or other junk.

Intuition Of course there is more to Feng Shui than beauty. Invisible influences are present; and it is these that determine to a large extend the 'feel' and theme of a place. They are revealed using Feng Shui formulas. Most people can feel whether a place has good Feng Shui. When you visit a residence and you feel comfortable and at home, this house must have good Feng Shui. On the other hand, if a house gives you the feeling of uneasiness and discomfort, it has bad Feng Shui. Your intuition can tell. However, how to transform such a negative place is not as easy to work out with intuition. It is here that Feng Shui can help. So study on.

Balance In Feng Shui the sense of balance and harmony is most important. Often, when you see a house with so called Feng Shui objects like flutes, dragons or a frog in the entrance, you may actually not feel comfortable if these are out of place and inconsistent with the decor. Such so called Feng Shui cures do not improve the Feng Shui of a house and can even destroy its harmony.

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Feng Shui Cures and Symbolism Feng Shui cures are designed to help improve the quality of energy and with it the feel of your place. There are two types of Feng Shui cures you may come across:

1. Qi cures: these are, placing activities in areas of the house with suitable qi; the right placement of doors and pathways and furniture; the correct placement of objects and colour schemes, which by the nature of their shape and colour emit certain qi. The purpose of qi cures is to enhance existing positive qi and reduce the effects of present negative influences. These cures actually change the quality of the physical environment. They are genuine Feng Shui cures.

2. Symbolic cures: These are objects like the money toad, flutes, dragons, tassels, etc. These symbolic objects don't do anything unless you imbue them with meaning. A frog will not make you wealthy, but if you think about making money every time you come home and look at the frog, and take positive action, it may help you become wealthy.

Using symbols can be a way of reminding yourself of what you want to create. Just be sure that you know that you are the creative force here, not the frog. Symbols may be useful if used correctly, they work because of the power of your mind. They are not really Feng Shui.

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CAUTION: Not all Feng Shui cures are safe for all areas Safety measure #1: Be careful with red tones. Red is a FIRE colour. While it can strengthen a certain fortunate wealth qi, it can also activate unfortunate sickness energy or cause difficulties in others areas. Unless you know the qi map of the house you don't know where these areas are in your particular building. If any life situation has worsened after placing red features, or if you feel agitated in an area with reds, remove the red tones immediately.

Safety measure #2: Water features will enhance the most radiant ‘wealth’ energy in a building and make it stronger. However, water features also enhance negative qi if it is present in this area; and in such a way they can be very detrimental. Unless you know the qi map of your building, be careful where you place a water feature or a swimming pool. Its effect can do good or bad.

Safety measure #3: Do not use mirrors to try to 'repel' negative qi. It simply does not work. If your front door is attacked by a straight road heading towards it, how can a Bagua (see glossary) mirror on top of the door repel the negative qi attacking the entire door? Only some of it will hit the mirror while the rest simply hit the door. The only thing the mirror may do is reflect light into the eyes of the driver of a car, causing an accident. The car may lose control and head for your house.

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GOOD FORMS and SHENG QI Forms in Feng Shui are the physical features: mountains, rivers, buildings, roads, furniture, objects, doors, pathways etc. Beautiful forms are the backbone of good Feng Shui. Following guidelines apply to the Forms of a building. When a place is full of life, or vibrant life force, it is filled with Sheng qi. When a house or a garden is attractive and beautiful, and people are doing well in it, it has a lot of Sheng qi. By applying following Form principles you create Sheng qi. However, the form principles are general principles only. In some cases they may be superseded by the results of applying Feng Shui Formulas. By aligning forms with its invisible qi, as determined by an advanced Feng Shui analysis, further Sheng qi can be created.

Balance: the most important aspect of Feng Shui is to achieve the right balance between open spaces that invite activity (Yang); and quiet spaces with solid walls and heavy pieces of furniture that support people (Yin). The ideal balance for each individual house is revealed through a professional Feng Shui analysis.

The Principle of Conformity This requires your house to be of more or less the same size as your neighbours'. If your house is exceptionally tall, it is subjected to the attack of winds from all directions. If it is exceptionally tiny, it is being suppressed by the taller buildings. Internally, the size and amount of furniture must suit the house. In a small house large furniture may block the flow of qi; or small sized furniture in a large house may cause the house to feel empty and the qi cannot be retained. Likewise a large house may not be suitable for a one or two person family; it may lack the warmth of human qi. And too many people living in a small house often generate conflict and negative qi.

Jade Belt: A building located inside the curve of a road (rather then one on the outside of the curve) is protected and receives good qi.

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Warm or cool colours: Choose a warm colour scheme and soft fabric for living, dining and family rooms. Bedrooms may be more neutral but tending to warm colours. Cool colours are more suitable for study or work spaces, - or in hot climates. Please note that the colour scheme also depends on the distribution of the intangible qi in a building, which is worked with an advanced Feng Shui analysis.

Armchair formation: An ideal building has open space at the front and is protected at the back and on the sides by a mountain, other buildings or a grove of trees. However, this is only a generalised ideal. Only with a professional analysis can you find out the best locations for open space and protection for your building.

Window

Room Bed

Inside a room this armchair principle is applied to where you sit - at your desk, lounge or dinging - or sleep. You should have a solid wall behind you and have a good view of the door (and window). This is called the power position. The ideal place is in the far corner away from the door.

Entrance: The entrance should be inviting and open and in proportion to the size of the house. Ideally it has an area inside and outside the entrance where the qi can gather. Outside, it may be the open front garden area; inside, it may be an entrance hall or an area where the qi can be received.

Meandering pathways: Inside and outside a building, pathways should not be straight but meandering, gently distributing qi (and people) in the various spaces.

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Front door - back door: These should not be in a straight line; you should not see the back door from the front door, as this causes the qi to flow straight through the house. If you have such a situation, place a plant or round side table, etc. in the thoroughfare in order to cause the flow qi to meander.

Staircases: Narrow staircases, especially spiral ones, are undesirable as they restrict the flow of qi. Long straight stairs have the qi fall down like a waterfall. Sweeping wide staircases are best. A staircase facing the front door is only a problem if it is very close, because then qi cannot gather before it is distributed into the parts of the house. If the staircase is a distance away from the door it is not an issue.

Bedroom: Avoid plants in the bedroom as they compete for oxygen at night. Don't have any mirrors reflecting your bed. Mirrors double everything. They create too much motion in a room designed for rest. Avoid low sloping ceilings and beams over the bed. These can have a cutting effect on you. If you have beams above you, cover them with a soft cloth or a false ceiling. Use soft colours. They suit the more quiet activities of the bedroom. Have the bed against a solid wall with view of the door and window.

Office/study: Sit in front of a solid wall with view of the door and window.

Kitchen: The cook should not have his or her back to the door when cooking at the stove. The stove is best situated at right angles to the sink.

Bathroom: The toilet should not be seen from the door.

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Avoid Clutter: Qi stagnates with clutter. Beneficial qi is made ineffective when you have piles of old papers, clothes, dirt or other things blocking every spare corner. Clutter always causes the Feng Shui to be poor.

Electromagnetic radiation (EMR): Harmful and high level of EMR is created by the computer and TV screens, any appliance that has a transformer (black box you plug into the power point), fuse boxes and power lines, etc. Make sure you don't sleep or sit for prolonged periods of time where there is hight EMR. EMR passes through walls, so even a computer at the other side of a wall will have a detrimental effect on someone sleeping there.

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SHA QI Sha qi is harmful qi. It may be in the form of a withered garden, an untidy stuffy house, or unattractive displays, and where people are demonstrating negative emotions and behaviour. When we feel that we are being attacked by something visible or invisible we are feeling the existence of sha qi. Following is a list of Sha qi situations that should be avoided:

• • • • •

Straight pathways inside and outside create a fast & ruthless flow of qi; Bow & arrow: buildings on the outside of a curved road. The centrifugal force disperses sha qi towards the building. T-intersection or straight road running directly towards the house: oncoming road and traffic 'attacks' a house at the end of a t-intersection. Heart-piercing sha: lamp post or tree in front of the entrance or window. This can cause all sorts of trouble. Sharp edges: from neighbouring buildings, if they point directly at a window or door, represent strong attacking qi.

•

Living near a graveyard; funeral home; abattoir; brothel; casino or hospital.

•

A dark or damp house without ventilation; clutter.

•

Low beams over the bed or sitting area.

•

Fast roads or raging rivers.

Any other feature that makes you feel tense or uneasy, - use common sense. Furthermore, there are also intangible sources of Sha qi. These are revealed in a Feng Shui analysis and will be discussed in the following sections.

ASSIGNMENT List any Sha qi that may affect your house. You may also put this in a sketch.

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FACING and FORMULAS So much for forms! In the following chapters we will work through the steps necessary to apply the formulas of Feng Shui. Feng Shui formulas are used to determine the distribution of the intangible qi and the feel of a building. They are based on its compass orientation, layout and construction period. In this course, you are not learning about formulas. They belong into the realm of professional Feng Shui. I am covering the facing here in case you would like to get an advanced Feng Shui analysis done for your place. Determining the facing can be difficult in some circumstances and it is going to be beneficial if you have the skill to work this out for yourself. To apply formulas will need to determine the facing direction of your building; that is the compass direction at the front of the building. The facing is the ‘face’, the front, the most active side of a house.

Facing of a House The facing direction is the side of the house that is most active. It is usually where the road is, most often the front door. Usually, the more active rooms are in the facing direction and the building has most openings - doors and windows - there. It is what we normally call the front of the house. Some houses have their front doors at an angle or at the side. In such cases the facing is the front of the house, not the door facing. The operational principle is that facing is Yang and sitting (opposite facing) is Yin. (See glossary). The facing of a house may be overlooking the water of an expansive lake and have its living areas there, while its sitting and bedrooms are located on the side of a quiet road. If you have trouble finding the facing of your house, look for the 'sitting', the most Yin side of the house. This will have the least openings and the quiet areas of the house. The facing is at the opposite side to the sitting. Determining the facing is a vital. It has to be decided upon individual for each building. If you have doubt about the facing of your building, please discuss the issue with me.

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Facing

Road

A house facing is usually where the road and the front door is. It is there that the most active energy enters.

Facing of an Apartment Building For high rise apartment units we have to consider: 1. The facing of the entire building This is determined the same way as the facing for a house, e.g. by the location of the road and the main entrance, etc.

Entry

This apartment building faces towards the road and the main entry.

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From this we will determine the type of qi entering the entire building through its main entrance.

2. The facing of the unit. This is independent of the facing of the building. It is the direction with the most openings to the outside. This is used to determine the energy chart of the individual unit. The facing of a unit is usually the side with the most windows or especially a balcony. If there are two sides with the same amount of windows, consider the side with the more active rooms and more active external environment. The side facing the road is more likely the facing than the side facing a neighbouring unit.

The facing of the unit is towards the side with the most windows or openings to the outside.

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Facing of a Commercial Building or Office Usually, the facing is the location of the front door in a commercial building or office. This is because people traffic dominates any other energy coming into windows or openings. Just like in a unit, the facing for the overall building is also important.

Determine your facing In determining the facing, you need to follow above principles and common sense. There is no rigid rule that states, ‘it’s always….’ If you have trouble determining an unambiguous facing, please contact me and I will help you clarify this issue.

ASSIGNMENT

• •

Work out the facing of your house or unit. Make a sketch of your house within the surrounding environment, roads, other houses, trees, etc. and indicate the house facing. Here is an example of such a sketch.

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DETERMINING THE EXACT COMPASS ORIENTATION This is another section that is optional and part of a professional Feng Shui analysis. We are lucky, however, with the advance of Google maps and readily available information on the magnetic deviation of each location on earth: the taking of an actual compass reading is in many cases not necessary. I have found that many people have a lot of trouble with it. NOTE: THE I-PHONE COMPASS IS COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY INACCURATE AND DOES NOT WORK FOR THIS PURPOSE! I have included this following section for the purpose of completeness:

HOW TO TAKE A COMPASS READING You have to take exact compass reading of your building in order to determine its accurate facing degree. This is important for working out the energy map of your building. If you are not technically minded get someone to help you to do this. You need a good compass that is divided into 360 clearly marked degrees (or at least one that shows every 2nd degree). I find that an engineering compass, see pictures, works well.

Take your compass readings outside and away from the house to avoid it being influenced by metal building materials or electric wiring. Also don't take compass readings near anything metallic, like cars or metal fences, and stay away from overhead powerlines as these throw the compass needle out.

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Steps to an accurate compass reading: 1. Mark an accurate line at a 90 degree angle to the front of the house - in the direction of the facing (you may do this from the building's corner or use tiles or other markings alongside the front wall). 2. Take an exact compass reading along that line. The reading that faces away from the house is the true facing direction. (If you take the reading facing towards the front of the house add/subtract 180degrees to work out the correct facing direction). 3. Because we live in an environment with plenty of electromagnetic interferences, compass readings fluctuate around a building. Firstly check a few spots at the front of the house, and if there is a discrepancy of more than 1-2 degrees, you may also need to take readings from the back or sides of the house. Make sure you adjust these readings to the actual facing direction by adding/subtracting multiples of 90 degrees. 4. When taking compass reading from different spots you may get some readings that are very different from the majority, but you will find that most will be within the same range. Disregard the odd ones as there must be another magnetic influence present. Determine the facing degrees by establishing a majority of readings within 1-2 degrees. This may take up to 10 or even more readings.

ASSIGNMENT Get a good compass with divisions of 1 or 2 degrees. Take as many compass readings necessary to be sure of the facing degree of your building (within 1-2 degrees). Note down the facing degrees (facing out from the building).

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FLOOR PLAN In order to arrive at an accurate Feng Shui analysis you need an accurate floorplan of your building/unit. This has to be to scale, e.g. in the right proportion. (For example, 1m of the house could be represented by 1cm on a piece of paper etc.). You may have house plans available. If not, you can either have them drawn up professionally or do it yourself. In drawing it yourself, use graph paper. First measure the outside dimensions of the house with a tape measure and draw these on your plan. Then measure up the interior, the rooms, hallways, etc. You need to make some adjustments for the thickness of the walls when transferring it onto your house plan. A line representing a wall is good enough for our purposes as long as everything is in proportion. ASSIGNMENT • Obtain or draw up the floor plan of your building. • Indicate its facing direction. Here is an example of a hand-drawn floor plan with the facing degree and direction marked:

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THE TIME FACTOR IN FENG SHUI Time, as well as space is an important factor in Feng Shui. Feng Shui formulas use the compass orientation and the construction period to determine the quality of qi in a building. Furthermore, the effect of the current time period on a particular building is established.

Construction period Everything changes over time. A building that was excellent in the 20’s, might be poor now, or vice versa. A building’s change that takes place over time is incorporated in advanced Feng Shui formulas. A building's qi distribution map is determined by the period in which it was built. This map does not change over time. However, this map is interpreted from the viewpoint of the current year and time period. Each period has different leading energies that are responsible for a radiant building and good people support. Each period also has different negative energies. As we move from one period to the next, the quality of house changes. To construct a qi distribution map of your building you need to know its period of completion. Feng Shui time periods are 20 years long; (the reasoning for this is based on advanced Feng Shui understandings, which go beyond the scope of this basic course.) The periods are: 1) 1864-1883, 2) 1884-1903, 3) 1904-1923, 4) 1924- 1944, 5) 1944- 1963, 6) 1964- 1983, 7) 1984- 2003, 8) After 2004. If your house was built earlier than period 1, work out in which 20 year period it was completed (there are 9 periods and they repeat themselves every 180 years). The time the roof was closed is the critical time. Each year starts, according to the Chinese solar calendar, around the 4th of February of the listed year. If you don't know when your house was built you can search council records, the library or the historical society. Often they keep data when a particular street or your house was developed. Sometimes the building style can help pointing to its era.

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Renovations & additions Extensive renovations may change the period of a house. If the roof, including the ceilings, has been removed at any time, the building's period would have changed. Even extensive remodelling, where the occupants moved out for a period of time, can change the period of construction. This is even more so for a business where the interiors were redesigned after moving into new premises. Whether or not the time period for a building has changed can be determined by an experienced Feng Shui professional.

Formulas In this course we can only cover the basics of Feng Shui. Establishing a building’s qi distribution map is done with advanced Feng Shui techniques. It is this individual qi distribution and how it interacts with the layout that determines a building’s feel and the likely life experiences for its occupants. There are altogether 144 possible qi distribution maps, and endless more possibilities of interaction with the layout of an individual building. In the next sections we will look at how you can work with such findings in making your place more harmonious, facilitating health and success. We will look at how the forms you established earlier interact with the different types of qi.

ASSIGNMENT

• •

Find the construction and renovation periods for your building. (The moment the roof was closed is the critical time.) Also find the time periods of major renovations or additions.

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YIN & YANG Feng Shui is based on the dynamic interplay of the two opposite aspects of life that are in perpetual change and motion, Yin and Yang:

Yin (the dark area in the symbol) refers to the quiet, regenerative and stationary forces. In Feng Shui good Yin energy is utilised for bedrooms, relaxation, and the support of people. Yin energy is activated by a mountain, a group of trees, a wall, solid furniture; anything that causes qi to settle quietly.

Yang (the light area) refers to the active, constructive and moving forces. Good Yang energy should be utilised for doorways, offices and active areas. Yang energy is activated by open spaces, activity, bodies of water, doorways and pathways.

For excellent Feng Shui, you will need to tap into both good Yin and good Yang energies. Yin types of rooms should be assigned to where there is good Yin qi, and Yang type of activities to where there is radiant Yang qi. With good Yin and Yang qi employed for the important activities in a building, you will be supported and the house will be ‘right’. There are hundreds of possible combinations of different types Yin and Yang making each building different. Yin and Yang influences can either be positive or negative. For example if you have your bedroom in a space that is not supportive to health and relationships, then poor health or marital strain may develop. This same area may be quite beneficial for an office or some other Yang activity. Yin and Yang cures are the most important Feng Shui cures. However, you will need to know the energetic map of your building to apply them.

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5 TYPES OF QI However, you can learn to work and transform the different types of qi. Qi is classified into Five Phases, commonly called Elements. These denote different phases of transformation of Qi in the perpetual creation and transformation of life. The elements are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. These terms don't refer to these physical substances but are a poetic reference for a particular energetic quality that exists in nature, such as radiating and hot for the Fire element. Each of the various elements is associated with a certain colour and shape. They are used in selecting appropriate Feng Shui cures and favourable colour schemes.

The quality of the five types of qi: WATER:

Runs downwards, liberal; fluid, motion; it represents wisdom and love, communication. Roads and pathways that meander gently are WATER.

WOOD:

Grows upwards. It represents life, determination, competitive, academic success. Roads that are long and straight attack, they are WOOD.

FIRE:

Radiant and hot; centrifugal force. It represents emotion, giving, pushy. Sharp corners of other buildings ‘attacking’ your door are FIRE. Electric towers radiate negative qi, they are FIRE.

METAL:

Pierces inwards, sharp and pointing; career, advancement and solitude. Round buildings are METAL; they are very active/Yang.

EARTH:

Attracts and concentrates, stable. It represents conservation, receiving. Rectangular houses are EARTH.

The five types of qi are present in the forms and in the intangible qi.

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I have identified the type of qi of certain forms in the table above. You will be able to use this information later to design certain cures to some of this Sha Qi. The invisible qi of each area of a house also contains various elements. When you know the energy chart of your house, you can achieve balance in an area through the placement of shapes and colour that belonging to certain elements. You can use the shape and colour of objects and in your colour scheme to enhance positive qi and reduce the effect of negative qi. Make sure to use a proper magnitude of the needed element, e.g. it has to be in proportion to other elements present in order to be effective; there has to be enough of it there to work. The element of an object does not depend on its material, but rather its shape and colour. The shape is the most important factor, except for the FIRE element, where the colour red is also a very powerful influence. For METAL, the sound of metal as in a chiming clock or chimes is also very powerful. Many objects, by their shape and colour, carry more than one type of qi.

The colours and shapes of elements:

Element:

FIRE

EARTH

METAL

WATER

WOOD

Colours:

red orange purple pink

brown yellow beige tan

white golden silver grey

dark blue black

green light blue cerulean

Shapes: rectangle

triangle

rectangle

circle

wavy

narrow

Quality:

radiating hot

conserving flat

piercing circulating

meanders

upwardly mobile

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ASSIGNMENT Which objects would represent the following elements? i. WOOD ii. FIRE iii. EARTH iv. METAL v. WATER

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GENERATING CYCLE This is also called the Enhancing or Producing Cycle.

It explains how one type of qi helps another to exhibit its qualities. It describes the receiver-giver relationship between two adjoining elements of the generating cycle. •

If we want to strengthen an element, we use the preceding one to enhance it.

•

If we want to reduce the effect of an element, we use the successive one to occupy its qi and render it practically ineffective.

The generating cycle is used to strengthen beneficial qi that is native to an area of the house. For example, if you want to strengthen the current wealth qi, which is of the EARTH element, use FIRE in the area of the house where it is located. You can also use this principle to weaken undesirable energies. For example where there is a sickness qi, which is also of the EARTH element, you can use METAL to weaken it and use up its force. Both, the wealth energy and the sickness energy are EARTH. Both of these will be enhanced and made stronger with red tones (FIRE). Using red tones in the first instance, this would result in a radiant space, but in the second case you would bring in more negative qi and sickness, you would feel irritated there. So, careful with reds!

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ASSIGNMENT Which element would you use to strengthen: i. WOOD ii. FIRE iii. EARTH iv. METAL v. WATER

Which element would you use to reduce the effect of: i. WOOD ii. FIRE iii. EARTH iv. METAL v. WATER

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CONTROLLING CYCLE Sometimes this is called Destroying Cycle. This is a misleading term; qi can actually not be destroyed. This cycle describes how one type of qi suppresses or controls another.

How to avoid good energy being controlled Sometimes good qi in an area is ‘controlled’ by another energy also present there. This agitates and takes the strength of the desirable energy away. To remedy this, we place the bridging element (the one between the two conflicting ones in the generating cycle). This takes away the conflict and creates harmonious links instead. For example: if you had the most supportive EARTH qi in your bedroom, but this was 'controlled' by a WOOD qi. Such a situation could cause you to have trouble sleeping despite the good energy. To remedy this, we would place a lot of FIRE there, i.e. red cushions, bedspreads, a red painting. This would bridge the WOOD to the EARTH and avoid the good qi being controlled. It would create a harmonious generating sequence towards the good EARTH qi we want to use.

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Controlling negative qi? Some type of Sha or negative qi can be controlled, but careful: there has to be enough of the controlling element present or it may back-fire. An analogy would be that you can use a knife to carve a wooden stick and 'control' it; but if you would try to cut down a tree with it the knife would break, not the tree. Controlling is often not the best solution. For example: when there is a negative EARTH qi, it is better to weaken it with METAL. If it was controlled, more conflict may be created. It is a volatile solution that is generally not recommended. It is generally better to use the Generating Cycle to weaken an element, rather than trying to control it, as controlling an element can backfire and create problems. If there is not enough of the element that is used to control a harmful influence such negative reaction can occur with controlling.

ASSIGNMENTS 1) Which element would you use to control: i. WOOD ii. FIRE iii. EARTH iv. METAL v. WATER.

2) How would you handle (using the generating and controlling principles): • Roads that are long and straight, and that ‘attack’ your building? • Sharp corners of other buildings ‘attacking’ your door are FIRE?

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Solution (2) Firstly, please note, that in above Sha qi situations, it is always best to physically block the intruding feature. Then we can also apply our knowledge of the elements to make this most effective. • Long straight roads are WOOD: I would use an EARTH mound with red flowering or red leafed bushes (FIRE) to firstly block the road, and secondly transfer the WOOD energy to the FIRE and then to the EARTH. With a round mound (METAL) that energy can be further passed onto the METAL element. This way, we would have drained the WOOD energy and have created a strong METAL element that further controls the effects of the offending road. If there is not enough room for an earth mount, similar results can be achieved with a FIRE coloured rectangular brick wall (EARTH). Here the WOOD energy is transferred through FIRE onto EARTH.

• To weaken the FIRE corners attacking your door, you will also need to use the EARTH element. This could be in form of a rectangular crème coloured wall that creates a protected space in front of your door; or through landscaping using and EARTH mount.

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BAGUA Bagua Literally means 'eight phenomena'. It refers to the stages of transformation of qi. The Bagua has eight palaces, arranged in an octagonal shape, that correspond to the eight compass directions. It describes the dynamic change of qi that occurs in life, from one stage to the next.

The Bagua also represents the pattern of Earth qi present at any site with you as the reference point. It shows the eight different earth influences from the different directions. Each of the eight palaces has a name and an associated element, as well as a number. This number will become relevant when we do the Flying Star analysis (see glossary). Have a look at the numbers and names associated with the Bagua in image 1. This Bagua earth map has been high jacked by the Black sect or Bagua school of Feng Shui. They have assigned a life area, like wealth or relationships, to each of the compass directions. This is very simplified and trivialised Feng Shui. It does not work.

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The real power of the Bagua The original Bagua is only one a small factor in advanced Feng Shui. It represents the EARTH energies. What really affect us in a building are the ‘heavenly’ influences – the influences of the ‘heavens’ regulated by time. These influences give us the clues as to how to arrange and decorate a place to make it more harmonious and in tune with nature. They are the Yin and Yang influences. They can only be determined if the time factor is included in advanced Feng Shui formulas. This is an example floor plan. You can recognise the 8 sections of the Bagua. We used advanced Feng Shui formulas to determine the energy chart of this building. A chart is unique to each building. It depends on the exact compass direction and age of the building – it is beyond the scope of this course to delve into this (this building was built in 1990 and faces 256 degrees West).

Each of the numbers represents different types of energies, one Yin, one Yang and one relating to timing. The chart tells us what the quality of energies is in each area of the house. There are always positive, somewhat more neutral and negative energies. It tells us where the most radiant wealth energy comes from and where good energies for sleep, health and wellbeing are. Each of these energies belongs to one of the elements. We can now use our Generating and Controlling Cycles to enhance the positive energies and reduce the effect of any negatives. See, how it is all coming together? To really have the power of Feng Shui on your fingertips, you need to know the chart of your property and how to interpret it.

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FENG SHUI CURES Feng Shui cures balance the energy of a building by diminishing negative influences and enhancing favourable energies. You can always choose cures that fit your particular taste and budget; it does not have to be expensive. Cures may include rearrangement of pathways, furniture or objects, landscaping, colour schemes, or changes how certain areas are being used. Choose cures that go with your design and that are beautiful to you.

Yin-Yang Cures The most powerful cures are the placement of quiet and active areas in such a way that these are in harmony with the invisible Yin and Yang influences of a building. A bedroom or a lounge utilises Yin energies and should be placed where these Yin energies are supportive. Yin qi is enhanced with a mountain, i.e. where there is a mountain or building outside, or a group of trees, a solid wall or a heavy peace of furniture. Yin features create stillness. Yang energy supports activity, wealth and business. There should be positive Yang qi at your door and in business and active areas. Yang qi is enhanced through a doorway, windows, a pathway, open spaces or a place full activity as well as by water features.

Water features and wealth The way to activate wealth energy in a building is by letting in the best Yang qi come in through a door and used it a lot. If there is a large natural body of water, open spaces, activity or a pleasant road outside that is even better. Alternatively, this best Yang energy can also be let in through a window. (The individual location of the best Yang qi will be revealed by the Feng Shui analysis.) Water features are the next best solution to activating the good Yang qi. They can be installed inside, in the form of a fish tank or indoor fountain, or outside in the form of a pool or a pond. Any water feature needs to be left open to the air; don't cover it with a lid. The most important principle is: The greater the volume of water, the stronger the effect. Round or oval pools are better than square ones. The water should be moving and ideally flowing towards the centre of the house. It should be kept clean at all

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times or its effects become detrimental. In some cases still water may also be required. Water is used to retain Sheng qi. Fish tanks are used because of the water, not because of the fish. The fish are there to make the water move and have "life". The colour or number of fish is irrelevant for this. It is the water that collects and stores positive wealth energy if appropriately placed, not the gold fish. Please note, that wrong positioning of a water feature may have a detrimental effect as it can also activate negative Yang qi.

Elemental Cures Some energy-combinations need to be enhanced or cured utilising the 5 elements. Please refer to the earlier table for colours and shapes of objects. When selecting cures for certain areas to bring in a desired elemental energy, go for objects that suit your taste and style. The most important consideration is the shape of an object, then the colour. The least important consideration is the material. In case of 'fire', the colour is most powerful, and even small objects or paintings with reds can have the desired effect. With 'metal', sound is very important; chiming clocks are a very effective remedy.

Golden Calabash This is a cure for sickness energy. It is not a symbolic cure but works because of its shape and colour, which represent a METAL qi that effectively absorbs sickness. If this sickness energy is present in an area, it can also be responsible for relationship troubles or breakdowns. These can also successfully be remedied with a Calabash.

The golden Calabash is a figure 8 shaped gourd, which has a whole at the top and is painted golden. It is best to use a real gourd, drill a whole (1 cm) in the top and paint it. There are however brass ones available from Chinese shops. These would be your second choice. For them to be effective, make sure you leave the top open.

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Wind Chimes Wind chimes should be made of metal. It is the metallic sound that helps cure the negative EARTH energies. It does not matter whether the tubes are solid or hollow or how many tubes there are. The important thing is that the sound produced is beautiful. They must be hung in a place with wind to make it produce metallic sound.

Metal Chiming Clock You do not really need a wind chime. A metal chiming clock is an even better alternative to give you the desired METAL sound. METAL sound handles a very heavy EARTH energy, which is present somewhere in any house. A clock that chimes every 15 mins with regular Metal sound handles this heavy energy and enhances any place. The best place for it is of course in the area of the house where this negative energy is present.

Mirrors Mirrors in ancient China were made of bronze. They reflect light and are a good source of METAL energy. They can be used to cure the heavy EARTH energies. Mirrors we use today are made of glass coated on one side. They can be used to give the feeling of more space and they can brighten up a room if placed correctly. They should not to be used to "reflect sha qi". A Bagua mirror cannot dissolve the sha qi brought about by a "poison arrow" such as at a T-junction. Mirrors should not reflect the bed in the bedroom; they make the sleeping space too active.

Plants Living plants are frequently used in Feng Shui as they are a source of life energy. Plants with broad leaves are preferred as they are soft and harmonious. Plants should not be used in the bedroom, however, as they compete for oxygen at night. The use of plants is twofold. With potted plants we are bringing in the elements EARTH and WOOD. A sturdy plant has more wood than earth; a slender plant more earth than wood. A large potted plant also represents a "mountain", activating Yin qi.

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A water plant has the elements WOOD and WATER. It can be used to enhance academic success and romance in the right area. Fresh flowers in a beautiful vase may have the same effect.

WHERE TO GO FROM HERE You now have some of the basic building blocks that are the foundation for good Feng Shui. Advanced Feng Shui solutions are based on those basics; so these skills are vital. However, this basic course does not give you the know-how of to work out the individual energy pattern of your building, nor how to interpret it in relation its layout and surroundings. To get the benefits of an advanced individual Feng Shui analysis for your building, you have three options:

1. Study professional Feng Shui yourself. It does take time and dedication to master but is worthwhile if that’s what you want to do.

2. To have a Remote professional Feng Shui analysis. This gives you an accurate Feng Shui analysis of your place at less cost and you can get the benefits of a professional Feng Shui consultation without a consultant having come to you. You will get the ideal layout and décor for your home or office and find out: • • •

How to activate the real 'health and wealth' energies of your home; How to create harmony and good support for your activities and relationships; And how to diminish any existing negative influences.

3. To have an on-site professional Feng Shui consultation. This gives you the benefit of the trained eye of a professional consultant. It is a slightly more in depth analysis as it also involves a site visit. This way we won’t miss any features that may have influence your building and can handle all aspects of Feng Shui directly.

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HOW A REMOTE ANALYSIS WORKS The difficult factor in conducting a remote analysis in the past had been how to get a very accurate compass reading. We now have the tools of Google Earth to actually look at a place and its orientation in relation to due north. In Feng Shui the magnetic compass orientation goes into calculating the energy chart. For each place on Earth there is a deviation of this magnetic orientation. This is called the magnetic declination, which is now available for every coordinate on the planet via the internet. That means that we can now determine the exact magnetic compass orientation for almost any building - without you having to take any measurements - and deliver an accurate Feng Shui assessment. We apply traditional Feng Shui formulas to determine the unique map of energetic influences of your home or work space (there are 144 possible energy patterns). The layout of your place interacts with this in a particular way, making your building unique. From this, we determine the best solutions within the constraints of your building.

HOW TO GET A REMOTE ANALYSIS This is what you need to get a remote analysis. Please contact me if you need to clarify any point: 1. Your address; 2. The 20-year period in which the building was built. If there have been major renovations, additions or refurbishments, I need the age period of these too. Periods are: …, 1904-1923; 1924-1943; 1944-1963; 1964-1983; 1984-2003; after 2004. 3. If you have a floor plan, this is great. If not, draw up a scaled floor plan, eg. 1m may be represented by 1cm – the plan should be in the same proportion as the building. 4. Pencil the main furniture positions into the floor plan, eg. beds, desks, tables, lounges. 5. Optional: photos of each room and the outside; 6. Optional: what you would like to achieve with the consultation; any existing issues, if any. 7. A description who is using which room, what a room is used for; 8. The gender and birth date of each person in the house to establish their compatibility with the building.

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Please contact me for details or enquiries! Here is a link to book a remote professional Feng Shui analysis.

Warm Regards Brigitte Seum Soulspace www.soulspace.info

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