Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Energy of the Water Element

Inside the Ba Gua, we learned that each of the nine Life Areas occupy their own individual placement space. In much the same way, each of the Five Elements inhabits their own directional space as well. The water element is located in the north and placed in the career area of the Ba Gua. This is not the only place that a water element cure can be used, however, it is the natural space that it inhabits.

Signifying wealth and abundance, using the water element’s energy can bring enormous prosperity with the proper placement of your Feng Shui cures. Envision the wealth area in the upper back corner of the Ba Gua. If the compass points are centrally placed in this area, a water cure could successfully be used along its northern side. The same holds true for any of the life areas. The northern part of each life area is where you could effectively place a water cure.

When activating a water cure, a large variety of elements are at your disposal. Pictures containing moving bodies of water such as rivers, lakes, oceans, or waterfalls can be used. Wavy lines in your artwork suggest a water element cure; the key is to use a flowing motion to indicate that the water is carrying your desire forward in your cure. You can use the placement of a fountain, or use a beautiful bowl filled with water, floating a flower in it or place a simple gold fish inside. Gemstones with the suggestion of sapphires, aquamarines, or amethysts and clear quartz crystals can create an environment that will achieve the energy you’re seeking. Stack them or place them in shallow bowls in the proper direction of your room. The stones you use need not be real, representative stones will do. The universe understands symbolism.

The colors predominately associated with the Water Element are the darker blues or black.  They symbolize depth of water and are bold color choices when you need a rapid activation. When using Feng Shui, traditionally a front door that is painted red is among the strongest of elements for activation of luck. However, if you have a home whose front door is facing north, the best color choice changes to a shade of deeper blue.  With this color choice, you have activated a true water element cure for the entry of your home.

A powerful cure is the proper placement of a mirror as a prospective water cure. It has the power to expand your space and draw good chi in.  Good energy is reflected when bad chi is deflected!

Next post, we move from water to fire. May your day be productive.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

The Five Elements of Feng Shui.

It is believed  in Feng Shui that everything in our universe is comprised of one of the five elements. These five elements are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water and each has a corresponding location on the Ba Gua  Octagon relating to one another productively or destructively in energetic cycles. It is believed that in the productive cycle, fire nourishes earth (fire will recycle its ashes to feed the earth), earth nourishes metal (earth incubates all metal), metal nourishes water (one, it enriches water and two, as it becomes super heated, it liquefies like water.), water nourishes wood (it gives the tree its growth.), and wood,  as it is burned gives birth to fire.

In the destructive cycle Fire destroys Metal (metal is melted by fire), metal destroys wood (As it is honed and sharped metal can chop and destroy wood.), wood destroys earth (The earth is speared by the growing roots of the trees.), earth destroys water (By absorbing and then destroys by evaporation), and water destroys fire (fire is extinguished by water.)

Each element has their own representative color which may be used as one very basic way of balancing  harmony in the area of the ba gua that you are trying to enhance.

Career:                    Element:  Water       Color:   Black and Blue
Marriage:                 Element:  Earth        Color:   Brown and Yellow
Family:                    Element:  Wood       Color:   Green
Wealth:                   Element:  Wood       Color:   Green
Helpful Friends:       Element: Metal         Color:   Silver, Golds, White
Children:                 Element:  Metal        Color:  Silver, Golds, White
Knowledge:            Element:  Earth         Color:  Brown, Yellow
Fame:                     Element:  Fire           Color:  Red, Purple, Pink

The next blog will continue the use of the five elements and how they can affect Feng Shui cures in our environment.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

The Ba Gua - The Eight-sided Energy Map


The Feng Shui energy chart known as the Ba Gua is what we sometimes call a Feng Shui Octagon.  Either choice is acceptable, interchangeable and totally correct. Many find it easier to refer to as an Octagon because Ba Gua (Bah-gwah) is not only an unfamiliar term, but they are typically unsure of the correct pronunciation. The important thing to know, whichever term we choose to use, is its use in defining the space of the nine life areas and the energies contained in each.

A traditional Ba Gua is octagon shaped and is used to lay over your homes floor plan.  You can bring the elements of  Feng Shui to your garden, your office or even your desktop. As you begin to use the Ba Gua for positive energy changes, always place the center front Career Area at the entrance of your space. That will set the beginning of order for everything else you need to know.

There are Nine Life Areas:

Career Area:  Located at the center front.
Helpful People Area:  Located in the right front area of your space.
Knowledge Area:  Located in the left front area of your space.

Fame/Reputation Area:  Located in the center back.
Marriage /Partnership Area:  Located in the back right area of your space.
Wealth / Money Area:  Located in the back left of your space.

Health Area:  Located in the Center of your space
Children Area:  Located in the center right of your area.
Family Area:  Located in the center left of your space.

The Career Area is the area to enhance when you need corrections concerning your work, job, employment etc. Connections to the outside world can be enhanced through working on the elements contained in this area as well.

The Helpful People Area is the area you go to when you have concerns about others who can positively influence your life. In enhancing this area, you can achieve the harmony needed to improve your life. It can help draw those that you need help from the most to you.

The Knowledge Area is the area to turn to for insight and information. Your mental, spiritual, or any aspect of personal growth starts here. If you feel the need to be a wiser more able person, to be smarter in your business dealings, to acquire ability and success over any aspect of your life where insight could be the key to positive change, this is the area that would benefit by using Feng Shui.

The Fame Area is where to look as you plan your future if that future includes a life where you want to draw public attention or acclaim to yourself. Enhancement of this area can bring harmony to your reputation and great things to many areas of your life including family, business dealings, and public relations. Enhancing this area can help you sparkle!

The Marriage/Partnership Area relates to your marriage, your marriage partner, a significant other or even possibly a business partner. Look here to affect quality in your existing relationships or as you seek new ones.

The Wealth/Money Area is the area to enhance as you work on the issues of prosperity and abundance. For financial improvement, focus your attention here.

The Health Area is where you turn to for any questions or needs concerning your physical health.

The Children Area is the area to enhance as you choose to bring well-being and success upon your children.  All goodness and blessings can start here when you choose to use the elements of Feng Shui in this area.

The Family Area is the area to enhance in issues, hopes, dreams concerning all of your family and relatives. To enhance this part of the Octagon will influence the positive ambitions you have in all your familial desires.

As we continue to understand the Ba Gua, in my next posting we will begin to use some of the simple elements that will allow us to start making the changes we dream of. Remember, the things you dream of never can or will be, in the world unless you put it there.

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Fundamental Feng Shui Terminology

Feng Shui is the art of bringing harmony to your life through the balancing of chi (energy). Chi is the invisible life force connecting each of us to our surroundings. For centuries the Chinese have used Feng Shui to correct imbalances in their  lives to correct disharmony, not only in the physical environment, but in  relationships as well.  In order to more fully understand the basic principles of Feng Shui, a good knowledge of  the terminology used in this practice is important. Today I will begin to introduce you to a some of the terms necessary to begin a journey to a once mystical and little understood method of obtaining direct, tangible results by applying  these ancient techniques in your own life. In this post, we will review a few basic terms that will provide a beginning basis of understanding the centuries old traditions of Feng Shui.
  1. Feng Shui -  The literal translation of Feng Shui  is a combination of two Chinese words meaning   wind (feng) and water (shui). Two naturally flowing elements without which we would have no life. Wind symbolizes our use of air. Water is the element without which we would perish. The use of  Feng Shui can enhance your surroundings by using the principles of harmony and balance through the correct placement of objects and by activating proper intentions to affect a cure.What one seeks through the use of Feng Shui principles is the successful feeling attained by a properly accomplished cure.
  2. Chi - The constantly flowing, invisible energy force found flowing in all things.
  3. Intention - This is the unseen  force that accomplishes the result you require by using your personal reasons and desires to synergistically create the Feng Shui cure.
  4. Ba Gua - An eight sided tool used to divide your home into the nine life areas: Helpful People, Career, Knowledge, Family, Wealth, Fame, Marriage/Partnership, Children, and Health. Each area possesses different energies and corresponds to specific areas of your life. No one area is more important than another, your focus should begin by applying its use to the area you wish to remedy. This tool is so important that in the next blog, I will list each area along with an explanation of how it correlates into the uses of Feng Shui.
It takes many years of study to fully understand the art of Feng Shui, it only takes a moment to begin enjoying the possibilities.